HOMESICK FOR THEIR BELOVED UKRAINE

Aug 1, 2022

Hi everyone – I thought you would enjoy this video of 40 of the Father’s House children having a carefree, fun time at a 5-day camp put on by a group called Legacy.  The link is below this update.

Adults and kids are feeling so homesick for their beloved Ukraine.

But it will not be in the foreseeable future that they can return. We are hopeful that they can start moving in August into the locations that have been found. Some of the caregivers have now been moved into apartments.

Lack of caregivers remains a very big issue and they have lost some who have taken advantage of the opportunity to immigrate to other countries.

When school starts up, the majority of the children will be going to German-speaking schools. The staff and children have been having German classes for months now and for the rest of the summer, the children will be learning intensive German on the weekends, which is neither easy nor fun!

There are wonderful German people who are being creative and very kind in ways to bring laughter and care to the children. I loved this story of Mrs. Anderson, a beautiful-hearted German lady who for her 89th birthday threw a wonderful party for the Father’s House ‘family’ of around 200. Photos are below. She had organized games and entertainment in a big open space by her home, party food, and an ice cream truck. Everyone danced and sang the Ukrainian national anthem and released blue and yellow balloons, which the children hoped would float all the way to Ukraine.

Our daughter, Sarah, and her family are going to be in Freiburg at the end of this month to encourage Roma and family, who are close friends of our family, and to help in any way they can.  Roma, pre-Father’s House, was a doctor and they have been needing to use his medical skills for two of the refugee camps. Our church is providing for Sarah to take a list of medications and other things they need that you can get here but they haven’t been able to get in Germany.

Please continue to pray for Roma and his family, and for all the children and adults who are struggling with weariness and discouragement.

Anne