The Orphans Are Not Coming

I got an e-mail yesterday that made me very sad. The orphans from Ukraine are not coming this year. The orphanage director decided against it. What makes this even worse is the fact that kids coming this year were going to be coming from the Belaroschensky Orphanage which is a very poor orphanage. Reach Orphans With Hope has done fundraisers to buy these kids sinks, showerstalls, beds, cooking pots, windowpanes, you name it, they probably needed it. Or even worse, still do need it. Please be much in prayer for these kids. It is the understanding of the people at Reach Orphans With Hope that the kids had already been told they were coming. To give you a kind of idea what life offers these kids read this:

Orphan Statistics for Ukraine

* Ukraine has over 100,000 orphans.
* Only 10% of these are orphaned due to death of a parent; the rest are social orphans – due to alcoholism, abandonment, or imprisonment of parents.
* Every year, more than 2,000 mothers abandon their babies in maternity hospitals. Between 6 and 7 thousand more are abandoned at an older age or removed from home due to crime or neglect.
* Many social orphans have experienced abuse and violence from parents who were drug addicts or alcoholics.
* Orphans typically grow up in large state-run homes, which may house over 200 children.
* Many children run away from these homes, preferring to live on the street.
* Children usually graduate from these institutions between 15 and 16 years old and are turned out, unprepared for life outside the home.
* About 10% of them will commit suicide after leaving the orphanage before their 18th birthday.
* 60% of the girls will end up in prostitution. Those who run prostitution rings target orphaned girls, who are especially vulnerable due to their lack of options and lack of people who care what happens to them. Though promised good jobs, they end up on the streets and brothels of cities across Europe.
* 70% of the boys will enter a life of crime. Many of these will die young of violence or end up in prison. Most inmates contract TB in prison.

That is horrible! These kids need people acting on their behalf. Through prayer and humanitarian efforts, through Bible study and the teaching of job skills, these kids can learn that God has a plan for their lives. They can learn that they ARE precious in His sight and does care for them. I know I asked this before, but please pray for the kids who are in these orphanages. They need someone to.