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Dear Friends,
We wanted to share with you about some of the recent work taking place in Lebedyn. You will also find a list of prayer items that we would be grateful if you could pray into with us.
Thank you again for your continued support and especially to those who have been raising funds through various different activities to support the work. Your continued help makes a real difference, so thank you!
I am pleased to say that things have calmed a little in the Lebedyn area and there have been a lot less sirens going off in recent days. As usual the team have been busy distributing aid. I recently had a video call with our Mission Director Bohdan and we estimated that they have distributed over 150 tons of aid and have more arriving soon. I will share more about this in next weeks update when it it will have reached the 6-month anniversary of this terrible war starting. In the meantime, can find out what the team have been up to recently below!
There is lots of work to do to the centre to make it fit for purpose before the autumn season arrives. As we shared last week, new quality front doors have been installed to give better security for everything that is stored within it.
However, they've also been busy preparing the grounds ready for next year. At the beginning of this year we finished the newly commissioned activity centre and that has been a massive blessing to the work. We found that there were no plans for drainage and with all the rain this summer it has highlighted a major problem for winter.
Thankfully, drains have now been installed and a 4m deep hole dug to store water to use on the grounds through the dry months. It has been such an amazing provision. I know building photos are not always so exciting but the team dug this 4m hole and they are proud of it!
The team opened their doors for the 2022 summer youth camps this week, with record numbers attending!
Sadly, we cannot camp in fields as we would have done in the past because of landmines and the potential of missiles. However, the centre and the grounds have been put to good use.
Once again the cooks have been busy and the young people have been loving their time at the camps. A fuller update with some incredible testimonies will be shared soon. In meantime, you can see some of the photos from the youth camp below, and some of the games and activities they've been engaging in.
Please also continue to pray for the team as they will be taking a break after the youth to enjoy some well-deserved rest and find refreshment. Soon after the special family day event will take place and we expect a lot of people to be attending.
Our Mission Director has informed me about many teachers and other people in different professions who have been experiencing salary cuts. Unfortunately, their monthly salaries have been approximately halved and they are now struggling to make ends meet. On average, their monthly salary would be just under $200 so with high inflation this is not allowing ends to meet. This story is typical of all government workers and unfortunately many of the care workers are also not receiving very much at all as all funds are going to help pay for the war. They have reached out for help and aid and the team are doing what they can to help them.
This has been the busiest year for summer youth camps, with record numbers attending!
The young people have been enjoying the programme so far but please pray do keep praying for good opportunities for meaningful conversations about faith to arise, and for a joyful and loving atmosphere with fantastic fellowship and fun!
Please also continue to pray for the team who plan to take a well-deserved break after the camps and will then be busy planning for the autumn winter season. The team hope to host a special children’s camps and activities at the end of October and we are also preparing for the winter camps later this year. Of course we do not know what that could mean with the war but we believe it is right to keep planning ahead. So far in these past 6 months we have been able to adapt most things to happen.
The team have been working hard distributing aid to those in need. However, the need is still as great as ever and we still need more clothes, so please join us in praying for this.
The team are being resourceful and reaching out daily into the local communities to help. They will be giving much needed aid to villages and help through the rest of August, whereby some villages have people living in horrendous living conditions.
One of the big problems we are still experiencing is getting the funds we send out from the banks. Currently, there is a national shortage of $US and therefore many have drawn down all their funds into this currency and fled out of the region and country. It has been a real challenge for Bohdan but please pray that they can continue to access the funds going forward.
I am so grateful for all your support. As always, all the team send their thanks and greetings on behalf of the team and the church there.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
