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Winter 2010
In Latvia, the most northerly nation we are involved with supporting orphans, the temperature has been minus 27 degrees at times. The orphanages are spread out right across this snowbound nation and our teams have had difficulty reaching them at times, but the needs are being attended to. The snow is about four feet deep and makes road travel very difficult in emergencies such as getting food and medicines to the orphans especially those who are HIV and have low immune systems. The economy in Eastern Europe has always been tough but it's even tougher now. The orphanages have had their Christmas parties with warm meals and gifts which they greatly appreciated. With the Christmas parties my local teams performed concerts to present the gospel to the children and orphanage staff. So many of the children came to a realization of their need for Jesus and opened their hearts to Him. Many of the children are sick due to the extreme cold but I'm grateful that we've had no urgent requests for hospitalization. We are still trying to get medicines out to them.
Orphans in Ukraine
The Homeless Children's Center in Odessa is crowded with great children and teenagers most of whom are involved in the local Ukrainian Central Evangelical Church. The feeding of the 104 children is proving a greater need than I thought. Another two months food and medicine will cost about $4500.
This winter been tough but we've been able to get warm clothing, Christmas meals and gifts to most of the orphanages with just a few still to help in this context. My teams have been hampered by deep snows in some areas but will eventually get through to them. Fortunately none of the children are desperately ill and, praise God, not one of children has died. This has been my prayer and effort over the last 17 years - that not one child has died from the cold, sickness or lack of nutritious food. At this time many of the children are sick due to the extreme cold but I'm grateful that we've had no urgent requests for hospitalization. Heating bills need to be paid for many of the orphanages to keep the children warm during this extremely cold time of the year. My local team in Ukraine must visit 9 orphanages in the Odessa region soon, with children's Bibles, school supplies and fruit and at the same time conduct outreaches and follow up work. $3,000 is needed for these issues.
Please pray and stand with us as we endeavor to meet these needs. If you are able to help in any way your gifts will be greatly appreciated.
God bless and reward you for the seeds you have sown into these needy young lives. Love and blessings, Dave Smethurst |
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Updated 24 March, 2010 |
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The 5,500 orphans that you help us to support in Eastern Europe are doing well in spite of the extremely cold conditions. 
The central governments and the local governments have not supported the orphanages that we are involved with. Their thoughts are that these children will never contribute to the future economy of the nation, so why support them. How wrong they are. These children have shown such a creative drive combined with their shining faith in God that will lift them to be leaders in there countries. We're seeing that already with the older children.
The older orphans attending our Bible College are doing well. This is a miracle that out of the 87 young students 27 of them are orphans we've supported for the last 17 years. They are "on fire" for Jesus and training to serve Him in ministry somewhere in Eastern Europe. Next month we start a number of older orphans on work-related courses to enable them to get jobs in this difficult economic time.
The nine orphanages we support in the greater Odessa region are struggling along in the snows and cold weather. We have been able to meet the heating bills to date but we really need help in this area.
The renovations have been going well. I'd love to be able to buy the facility and then know that we'd be enhancing our own asset. Please pray with us on this vital issue.
Their education needs are still very urgent. The local governments have been closing the schools near the orphanages. So we have been trying to get the unemployed teachers in the needy areas to come in and do home schooling. We will have to pay them for this service to the children. Please pray for this need. 
The four orphanages we support in the Zhitomar region 100 miles west of Kiev, the capital, have had wonderful Christmas concerts and meals. So many gave their hearts to Jesus and our local team is doing a great job with the follow up program. Many of these children are either deaf or very physically and mentally handicapped, and are receiving an educational type of therapy through art and crafts. This is being conducted by a pastor's wife and the program is working so well. This team makes so many trips to these needy children taking food, fruit, art requisites and educational materials. The transport costs are high but it's worth it for these needy children to have a chance to do something fruitful with their lives.