Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever. I Chr. 16:34
Mercy Projects recently celebrated their 25 year anniversary of ministry in Ukraine. The photo above, taken at the Salvation Army Church in Kyiv, includes friends, former staff and sponsored children, our Ukraine office staff, family sponsorship coordinators, camp counselors, missionaries, chaplains, and an orphanage director.
A little over 25 years ago, in October 1994, Mercy Projects registered officially in Ukraine as Eastern European Mission. Irina Skrypnik joined us as director to begin a child sponsorship ministry in the nuclear contaminated Chernobyl zone, including thousands of evacuated families. The ministry to at-risk children grew to include orphans, handicapped children, and families in poverty. Here is one of many short stories shared amidst the tears and laughter of the gathering:
“You are like a family to me,” Gennadi shared (pictured right with wife and child). “About 12 years ago I was a drug addict, face down in the street. I eventually got saved, grew in Christ, and you supported me as a worker with Teen Challenge. Then you supported me as a bible college student. Now you support me as a missionary. It is a miracle, but today I am married, we just had a child, I am serving the Lord, and your sponsorship has helped me every step of my journey. Thank you and thank the Lord for you!”
Read the full story at MercyProjects.org.
