Website: http://www.wwyc.org/2009/teamcrimea
Visit our team war room on Facebook.com: World Wide Youth Camps – Team Crimea http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=6378&uid=38497359730#/group.php?gid=38497359730
This summer, I will be returning to Ukraine for the 4th year in a row. I’ve led two World Wide Youth Camps mission teams there and this will be my third opportunity to lead a team to reach out and provide unconditional love to the orphans in Ukraine’s Crimean pennisula.
WWYC is a non-profit Christian outreach ministry whose purpose is to bring hope to orphan children in a hopeless world. We will partner children with local young Ukrainian adults who can help mentor them toward success and bring hope adn meaning to their lives.
In Ukraine and other former Soviet Union block countries the outlook for success and survival of these children is grim. many are unadoptable.
In September 2008 WWYC’s CEO Greg Perry visited an orphanage in the city of Donetsk. He asked the orphange director, “of the children who leave the orphanage at age 17, How many out of 10 are successful?”
Before I share her reply, let me define “success”. It means, (1) a basic job, (2) clothing (3) shelter (enough to cover and protect them from the elements – may or may not have heat in winter) (4) enough food to keep them alive.
She replied after nearly 20 minutes of sobbing by holding up 2 fingers. TWO in TEN! My question is “What happens to the OTHER eight?!” That’s 80 percent!! So what happens to them?
Most die before age 23. Mostly from suicide because they have no hope. Most turn to prostitution (boys and girls), abuse narcotics or alchol to dull the hopelessness, and turn to crime. Any of these usually land them in jail. If they go to jail…they’re dead.
Most just take their own lives out of hopelessness. So, you see how desperate the need to bring hope to these children is. Please visit our WWYC team site and make a pledge or donate. Help send me and my team to bring hope to these children and to know that they are loved and cared for.
Thanks, Joel
