People call him Viktor Mikaelovitch, even though he’s only 21. It’s a sign of respect. Viktor loves to dress nicely, often in a suit and tie. He always has a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone he meets, usually complimenting those around him. But Viktor’s sweet spirit and kindheartedness hides the painful truth he has experienced in his short life.
Read MoreAfter months of searching for a reliable van, house father Vova gives a thumbs up to the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that was purchased for Mel’s and Ruth’s Houses. In Ukraine, the Mercedes van is more of a reliable workhorse than the luxury brand that it is here in the U.S. House mother Tonya said, “I wept for joy when I saw the vehicle… no one expected it to be so beautiful, with room for the whole family. We are all very grateful to you and Heart for Orphans for the blessing.”
Read MoreLittle Nastia sat nervously waiting her turn to be seen at the recent Heart for Orphans Dental. Like most kids there, she was terrified of dentists. Preventative dental care is a luxury few can afford, so most only go when their problems are severe. As a result, many kids like Nastia have to endure hours of dental work
Read MoreOur current van for Mel and Ruth’s House only seats 9 and there are 20 house members! House parents Vova and Tonia fear someone could get left behind. It’s a thought that weighs heavily on both of their hearts.
We need to purchase a larger van. Yes, safety is our biggest concern, but a larger van is necessary for other reasons. Currently, it takes two trips to get everyone to church. Additionally, we can’t take the whole group anywhere, so some kids have had to stay home and miss out while others get to go places. The cost of a used, 15-20 passenger van is approximately $25,000. Would you consider contributing even a small amount towards this need?
Read MoreHeart for Orphans has sponsored 10 Transition Homes through the years, and more than 300 kids have experienced a healthy family life, most for the very first time. Now, we are into our fourth “generation” of kids who have come through our homes.
Read MoreAnya was abandoned by her mother at the age of 14. Now an orphan and still a child, Anya’s heart was broken and feelings of loneliness, neglect, and self-doubt replaced feelings of happiness, love and family.
Read MoreHeart for Orphans is excited to announce the opening of Anastasia’s House, a new home for orphaned girls in eastern Ukraine! The name is truly fitting as Anastasia means “resurrection” or “new life”, which is at the very heart and mission of our Transition Home Program.
Read MoreEver since Luba was a child, she has dreamed of becoming a teacher so she could inspire kids. To her, it does not matter whether they come from a home or an orphanage. Kids are kids!
Read MoreI couldn’t help but think about the huge differences in the lives of the graduates compared to our young people in Ukraine. Yet you wouldn’t really be able to recognize the fact that at about the same age and stage in life, our Ukrainian teens are just beginning something that our American teens have been blessed with all their lives.
Read MoreLeonid has seen a lot in his 20 years…from losing his mother at the age of three, to the loneliness of being an orphaned child, to witnessing the ravages of war. But what would stop many of us in our tracks, hasn’t stopped this young man…today Leonid is reaching out and helping Ukrainian refugees as they pour into his city.
Read MoreAfter months or even years of being mentored, accepted, and loved, these young adults are better prepared to take on the world. It is with a parental sense of pride that Tonia and Vova watch as these young adults, whom they have come to love, move forward with their lives.
Read More“This is home’… this was my first thought at touchdown at the Atlanta airport, my thought when my grown daughter greeted me, and my grateful thought when entering my warm, comfortable home group-hugged by a family that loves me. But, this was also a thought I had during the two weeks I traveled with Nancy Hathaway to Ukraine to visit Heart for Orphans Transition Homes.
Read MoreIn a small village in Central Kenya, the fruit of our ministry continues to grow. Vika and her husband, Vova, are Orphan Outreach Coordinators in Kenya, doing work very few are willing to do. They are opening their arms and hearts to street children.
Read MoreDima, who graduated from Mel’s House, is the type of young man any mother would be proud of! Dima was an orphan, not wanted by anyone.
Read MoreWe are delighted to announce that baby Benjamin and mother Natasha will travel to the Czech Republic soon so that Benjamin can receive the treatment he so desperately needs!
Read MoreThe year ended on a high note for Leonid and Sergey, two of our boys from Mel’s House. After six months of preparation, the boys were baptized before their church family and their brothers and sisters from Mel’s and Ruth’s Houses’.
Read MoreBenjamin almost died. He stopped breathing for 15 minutes during childbirth. Panic stricken, all his parents could do was pray. Pray that their son would live! Those were the longest 15 minutes of Natasha’s life, but God heard their prayers and miraculously baby Benjamin started breathing!
Read MoreIn January when the snow starts to pile up and there is a chill in the air, young twenty-something’s from all over Ukraine make the journey back to a village outside of Berdyansk.
Read MoreA BIG thank you to Riverside Medical Center, President and CEO Bill Downey and neurosurgeon Dr. William McAllister for providing 16-year-old Maxim with a new lease on life.
Read MoreOn October 10th at the annual Hands Touching Hearts Across the Water fundraising dinner, 180 guests learned first-hand the strong impact Heart for Orphans is having on orphan teens in Ukraine.
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