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Dear Friends,
There is much news to update you with for both information and prayer so I will try and keep this as short as possible!
Lebedyn area is truly under the grip of attack in this war. Daily sirens with drone and missile attacks spread fear into the community, and they are all happening with more regularity and seemingly more danger. On Wednesday, a text came through informing that the town was under serious attack from drones so shelter was sought. All 10 drones were shot down with no human injuries. The only exception to noise of war was the Easter camp week. The weekends before and after were difficult and dangerous, as were many of the nights of the camp, but thankfully no drones or missiles arrived during the camp hours themselves. On the Friday, as you can see in the photo above, the children had to base themselves in the bomb shelter for a few hours as air raid sirens sounded, but they saw this as an adventure rather than a danger.
Each new child attending the camp received a personal copy of the Jesus Storybook Bible, along with additional books as shown in the image below.
Attendance averaged 85 children per day, and highlights from their activities are presented in this brief video. Please click on the image below to watch....
Obtaining food is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly in village areas. In recent weeks, our team has visited several villages and rural communities where bread has not been available for quite some time. During these visits, the team distributed 200 loaves of bread, which was deeply appreciated by all those that received them.
Unfortunately, our supply of emergency food bags has been depleted, and it is necessary to prepare more, especially for these regions. Each emergency bag costs approximately £25 and can feed a small family or couple for a week. We hope to send additional funds soon to support this effort. Our goal is to create a further 500 bags.
A challenge we are facing is that many suppliers are shutting down due to poor trade or direct effects from the war. For instance, our flour manufacturer has closed, which puts us in a difficult position since the bread we distribute is vital for so many people. We urgently need to find a new supplier to continue providing this lifeline.
During Easter, the youth participated in an "Acts of Kindness" activity, which encouraged them to perform at least one kind act for a family member. The experience proved both rewarding and transformative for them. Inspired by these results, they have decided to extend the initiative: now, each young person will carry out an act of kindness for a stranger and seek to develop a meaningful connection. The success of the project was celebrated with a pizza party, acknowledging all their accomplishments.
An increasing number of schools are inviting the team to visit together with the puppet theatre. Rural schools are hosting them more frequently than those in larger towns. During each visit, they bring cakes and treats for the children and present special events and shows that share Bible stories.
Children in Lebedyn attend school in person just one day each week, with the remainder of their education taking place online. When they are at school, all lessons occur in cold underground bunkers without any chance for play, which the children find unpleasant. Children are really struggling to find any structure and happiness in going to school.
Please continue to pray for:
Please keep the people of Lebedyn and Sumy in your prayers as those remaining face severe hardship.
Thank you for your ongoing prayers, financial support and encouragement given - it is so appreciated and much needed.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
