Where Did All the Babies Go?

This week, we, Jenny and Andrew headed to the baby hospital for one of their regular visits. Loaded up with diapers, wipes, formula, blankets and bottles, they arrived at the hospital to find there were NO babies! The babies have all been transfered to a "Baby House" which is a small orphanage for children under 3 years of age. We praise God that they are now in a home and not just sitting in cribbs all day!

While at the hospital, we visited with the regular nurses we have come to know and appreciate. They work hard to care for the babies who have been abandoned as well as regular children who are ill. This week, a little boy from the local orphanage was sick and so was in the hospital. Please be praying for his health and for the nurses as they care for him and love him this week!

Pray for Nazar...

When Jenny and I first visited the Pediatric Ward of the hospital in Ivankiv in August of 2007, we met a funny looking boy who had HUGE ears and was almost one year old. The nurse introduced us to Nazar. If you have read this blog before, you will have noticed a small boy on the right top corner of the blog. That is Nazar.

Nazar is an interesting name because it points to the Biblical Nazarite. Where did this young boy get his name? Was his mother a believer?

Nazar has a sad story. He was abandoned at birth and has lived in this room at the hospital for almost two years now. His mother, following giving birth, snuck out of the hospital in the middle of the night and has never been seen since. Nazar has lived his entire life within the confines of these walls.

Please pray for Nazar. Pray that God would find him a home and a family who will love him!

Below are a few photos we took last week while playing with Nazar...

Visiting the Babies...

Today, we visited the baby hospital. We had the opportunity to spend about half an hour with the babies hanging out with them while showing Jenny's parents the baby hospital. This week, there were only 3 babies.

Kristina is the youngest of the bunch. She is 3 months old and was sleeping when we visited...



I did not get the name of this little guy. When we arrived he was sitting and eating something. He seemed to be a happy little guy but he didnt move from the same sitting position the entire time we were there.

Delivery of Needed Aid to the Ivankiv Social Services...

Our relationship with the Ivankiv Pediatric Hospital is due to our relationship with Lyudmila Anatolivna, a Christian who is also one of the staff members of the City of Ivankiv Social Services Department. It is because of this dear woman that we are able to visit the babies at the hospital and are able to help them and their caregivers on a regular basis.

Occasionally, Lyudmila asks us for assistance with some families or single mothers who need help. This week, she asked us for clothes, diapers and any other help we could give for a 2 month old and a 9 month old who were at the hospital.

We were able to help with far more than she could have imagined. We showed up to her office with clothes, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, bottles, formula, diaper cream, blankets and more. All of this aid was provided because of Amy Madruger (Kentucky) and the Children's Missions Ministry of the Monterrey Church of Christ (Lubbock, Texas).

Support Needed...

Jeremiah's Hope is seeking support in the amount of $500 a month for the abandoned babies of Ivankiv. These funds will be used to purchase diapers, baby wipes and formula on a weekly basis for the hospital. Additionally, a portion of the monthly support will be used to pay a local Christian to work part time (two or three half days each week) with the babies.

If you are interested in fully or partially meeting this need, please contact Andrew at akellyukraine@gmail.com

Special Thanks...

We want to say thank you to two different groups who have helped us tremendously with meeting the needs of the babies. This past week, Jeremiah's Hope has shipped about 300 pounds of stuff to Ukraine to help meet the needs of these babies who have been abandoned by their families.

The children from the Monterrey Church of Christ (Lubbock, Texas) donated 5 huge rubbermaid boxes full of toys, rattles, manual breast pumps, diapers and much more. What made this gift extra unique was that the children took up a special contribution and personally went shopping during a Wednesday night Bible class to buy the items.

Second, we received a donation from Global Samaritan Resources (Abilene, Texas) of some surplus government supplies. We were able to ship 144 baby bottles (72 nine ounce bottles and 72 four ounce bottles) and several cases of baby wipes.

THANK YOU for these gifts!!!

Babies are Quarantined...

Why are we not posting much about the abandoned babies?

For the past month, the babies have been quarantined due to an infectious disease that one of the babies has. So, the entire ward is shut off and visitors are not allowed.

We are sorry that there are no pictures to show, but the ministry continues. We have continued providing diapers, wipes and formula through our contact with the City of Ivankiv Social Services Department.

Please be praying for the health of these precious children!

Visit to the Babies...

Jenny and I had a lot of fun this morning! We had the opportunity to go to the Ivankiv Pediatric Hospital and spend about an hour with 4 babies between the ages of 9 months and 2 years old. Each of these babies is in the hospital due to abandonment or abuse.

Mission Team Brings Supplies...

This week, Jeremiah's Hope is hosting a summer mission team from California. Team members are from Cottonwood Community Church (Cottonwood, CA) and Risen King Community Church (Redding, CA). The team is here to assist in building a new Christian camp in Ivankiv, but they eagerly wanted to bring items with them to bless the abandoned babies at the Ivankiv Pediatric Hospital.

Here are a couple of pictures of the items the team brought for the babies...

Large Gift from Similac Formula Representative...

Last month, we were blessed with a HUGE gift of formula from a Similac representative in Lubbock, Texas. After hearing about the plight of the babies in Ukraine, Sheri Gray spoke with her husband who is a pediatrician in Lubbock. He in turn spoke with his Similac rep who was excited to help.

We are extremely grateful for the gift of over 50 cans of Similac which was shipped to Ukraine.