UKRAINE MISSION TRIP | SEPTEMBER 11-20, 2008
In September 2008, eight members of Trace Crossing traveled to central Ukraine to work in a variety of settings. The team spent the first part of the trip serving in local churches and villages doing a day camp for children, a youth night for teens, and a church leaders conference. They also visited several different churches and attended a "Harvest Festival". The latter part of the trip was spent in orphanages, rescue shelters, and schools presenting a special program featuring a retelling of Noah's Ark and a gospel presentation. Enjoy these pictures taken during the trip.
WATCH THE VIDEO FROM THE TRIP: Visit our YouTube page to watch the trip video (click here).
MINISTRY PARTNERS IN UKRAINE: Bringing Good News
The Trace Crossing Ukraine Mission Team: Kevin Fulgham (kneeling); First Row (left to right) Stephanie Foreman, Katherine Foreman, Michelle Taylor, Ksenia Gilyova (Translator), Nastia "Stacy" Sidenko (Translator), Drew Love, Ian Thomson. Second Row: Kevin Wood, Pavel Valenchuk (Translator), Daniel Monaghan. NOT PICTURED: Kirksey Taylor, Alexey Slokvenko (Translator)
Daniel Monaghan teaching a group of Ukrainian church leaders about Disciple-Making from an intentional perspective.
Daniel Monaghan praying with some of the people who attended the church leaders conference.
Daniel Monaghan presents a copy of "Tally Ho The Fox" by Herb Hodges to Pastor Sergey Geyze of Kaniv Central Baptist Church. Trace Crossing specially prepared a Russian language version of the book for Ukrainian pastors to add to their libraries.
Drew Love preaches to the Kaniv Central Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 14th. Pavel Valenchuk translates into Ukrainian. Drew's message was about the "Restoration of All Things".
Michelle Taylor hugs an orphan at the Kirovograd Rescue Shelter. The Rescue Shelter is the first stop for Ukrainian children as they enter into the state's orphanage system. Many of them are dropped off at age 3 because the state provides a stipend to parents for the first three years of a child's life. Once the stipend ends, the parents give over the child to be raised by the state.
Drew Love thumbwrestles with a little boy at the Rescue Shelter. Drew won 2 out of 3.
Stephanie Foreman holds a small child at the Rescue Shelter.
Katherine and Kirksey discover what "Ukrainian Toilet" means firsthand.
Katherine Foreman and Kirksey Taylor lead a group of kids in a game at a Day Camp for kids in Mezhirich.
Stephanie Foreman and a young girl participate in a relay race together during the Children's Day Camp at Mezhirich.
Kirksey Taylor and another teenage girl balance a balloon between their heads during a relay at the Children's Day Camp in Mezhirich.
Pastor Kevin Wood plays soccer with a group of children after the Parents Workshop that closed out the Children's Day Camp in Mezhirich.
The sweet, innocent face of a little Ukrainian orphan. Only 12% of orphans are adopted each year. The probability of adoption drops each year as a child grows older. The probability of adoption drops drastically after a child's 8th birthday.
A typical bedroom in a Ukrainian orphanage. Anywhere from 10 to 20 children will share a room. Often the only place to store personal belongings is under their bed or in a small locker. Valuable items - which may mean anything from toys to family photos - are often stolen by older children.
A statue of Communist Revolutionary Leader Vladimir Illyich Lenin. Lenin's statue is still found prominently throughout Ukraine. This one is in the city of Alexandria.
A little boy with handicapped legs in a special orphanage for children with physical deformities. The orphanage itself is a 1940s era building with no elevators or special ramps for children like this. They must make their way up the stairs to their bedrooms and down the stairs for eating, school, and other activities.
Drew Love as Noah posing with one of the children who played the part of the lion in "Noah's Ark".
Kevin Fulgham was the fan favorite of the kids in his role as the dove during "Noah's Ark". He had a flamingo's beak, a crow's "caw", and an Elvisesque cape.
The Children at Nova Pragha Orphanage watch "Noah's Ark" as presented by the Trace Crossing Off Broadway Players.
Victor Doroshenko, a children's ministry pastor from a Kirovograd church, visits many of the orphanages throughout the region, often bringing gifts to the children. Their affection for Victor is second to none. The whole group at Nova Pragha applauded spontaneously when he peeked his head into the room.
Kevin Fulgham tries his hand - or thumb - at thumbwrestling with one of the children. Kevin fared better than Drew, taking on all comers and not losing a single match. Maybe next time we should let the kids win.
Kevin Fulgham high-fives a new friend from Nova Pragha orphanage. Kevin's role as "The Dove" in Noah's Ark, as well as his heart for kids, made him a favorite of the kids on the trip.
A group of orphans, some as young as 3 years old, wait for the program to begin.
Stephanie Foreman sits with a new friend on her lap. These children receive so little personal affection and attention that they cling to it when offered.
Kirksey Taylor with a little girl from an orphanage.
Katherine Foreman with a little one wrapped around her neck. Children with shaved heads typically indicates that the child has suffered from head lice recently and the hair was shaved to remove the lice.
The "International Packing Company" - Ian Thomson of Southampton, England and Alexey Slokvenko & Pavel Valenchuk of Cherkassy, Ukraine - help to finish the packing process for the gift bags given to each child. The shades they are sporting were a part of the gift bags.
Kirksey, Katherine, Michelle, and Stacy literally covered in kids from the Kirovograd Rescue Shelter.
Alexey Slokvenko of Ukraine and Ian Thomson of England have worked together for several years bringing about incredible changes in the quality of life for hundreds of orphans and underprivileged children in Ukraine.
Stacy, one of our translators, had an incredible gift for working with children. She spent much of the trip as a human jungle gym for the kids in the orphanages.
Michelle Taylor with one of the children from the Nova Pragha orphanage.
Daniel Monaghan does his best horse riding impersonation during a song for the kids at the beginning of our program.
Pastor Kevin Wood uses one of the kids for an illustration during the gospel presentation.
Michelle Taylor with Ksena (Translator on right) and Sveta, the pastor's wife from the church in Bobritza village (on left).