Known for many years as the Breadbasket of Europe, the Ukraine suffered considerably under the Soviet regime for much of the 20th century.  Now, in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the nation is in a very weak state politically, economically and socially.  Add to this considerable medical repurcussions from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and the situation  is grim.  Many families are unable to earn sufficient to meet even their most basic  needs.   Many turn to alcohol or drugs to sooth their sense of failure and hopelessness.  Children in particular suffer badly, hundreds literally dying on the streets because of lack of care in a society unable to address these basic social problems.  In the major cities, over 100,000 children live on the streets, in abandonned buildings, sewers or railway stations. Left to fend for themselves, begging for food and money, many children turn to crime and prostitution in order to survive.

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The Vision

Siloam Children's Home has developed into a project known as "Children's Hope", which aims to provide loving Christian nurture for children abandonned by their parents and living on the streets without food, education or adult support and guidance.  Through a staff of dedicated Christians, the home plans to provide that love, nurture and care by creating an environment that will support the children's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development towards mature, productive adulthood.
 
 
 

Some of the children currently cared for by members of Praise and Worship Church

   'Siloam' means 'sent', and is the name of the pool where Jesus instructed a blind man to wash mud from his eyes so that he could see (John 9:7).  The project was birthed out of the belief of Christians, belonging to Praise and Worship Church in Kiev, that God was sending them to care for his special children in their community. For the past two years, members of the Church have been providing care on an informal basis, using Church resources.  Currently, a number of children are cared for in a small house on the edge of town.

    Eventually "Children's Hope" plans to house around 250 children, beginning by purchasing suitable premises to care for around twenty children. Alongside providing a secure roof over their heads, plus food , clothing and basic care, the project will employ teachers to help support the children as they return to mainstream schooling, and will also attempt to reunite children with their parents, where this is possible, providing support and training in good parenting skills.
 

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Your prayers and financial support are urgently needed.

    Despite their own inability to respond effectively to this massive problem, the secular, communistic, authorities continue to put obstacles in the way of this project. The poor economic, social and commercial structures of the Ukraine mean that even simple tasks become fraught with difficulty;  bureaucracy is stifling, and corruption common place.  Do pray that the Lord will give the staff team - headed by Director Nadezhda Bulah and Pastor Yuri Goncharov - favour with the authorities, and opennn doors to allow the plans to progress speedily and effectively.

    Obviously, as the Ukraine is such an economically destitute nation,  foreign aid will be crucial to the success of the project.  U.S. charity 'Children are Hope' has suggested they may help meet a proportion of the running costs of feeding and clothing the children .  However, at this time, day to day expenses plus the capital outlay to acquire suitable premises, and the wage bill for the staff of the project remain a major concern. Currently, all those working on the project do so without payment, and the children are almost completely dependent on the generosity of local church members - most of whom barely have enough to support their own families. As a result, Anthony Duncalf (a British social care worker, with almost 20 years experience in residential and day care services) has recently taken on the role of Regional Director for Western Europe to coordinate raising funds here in the UK and beyond, and will also have input into the planning of services and training of staff.

    If you are able to help, either by making a personal donation, or organising a fundraising event in your Church or local community, do please contact us. By Western standards, living costs in the Ukraine are relatively low, so a comparatively small donation will go a long way. For example a gift of £10.00 will feed and clothe one child for a week, while  £30 will pay a carer's wages for a whole month.

    The project is overseen by an independent audit commission,  to include representatives of sponsoring bodies, and the accounts are open to scrutiny by anyone contributing to the work.
 
 

Donations in Sterling,  payable to "Children's Hope (Europe)" should be sent to;