NEW FAMILY IS READY TO ADOPT.

We have a new family in Krivoy Rig that is willing to adopt two children. Our manager of “Adopt Ukraine” project Victoria is currently working with Kuznitsovy family. This wonderful couple has expressed the desire to adopt two children from the orphanage. But there is a challenge for them and for us too.
We already shared in previous posts about hardships of adoption in Ukraine and how orphanages become a major obstacle on the way of potential families that are willing to adopt children. Right now, we are partnering with the Head of Social Services in Krivoy Rog Pavel Dabizha and with the Head of the organization “True Hope”- Maksim Fetisov with a goal in mind to prevent children going into the orphanage. We believe children need to live in families! That’s why as we have found a resource family, now we are looking for a child, who will be placed in this family.

VITALIY AND ALINA KURDICH! AMAZING STORY!

Yesterday, we have received an email from our “Adopt Ukraine” project manager Vikotoria. She shared with us an amazing story about the family that she has been working with throughout 2010. It was one those stories that really motivates our work.

Vitaliy and Alina Kudrich are from Krivoi Rig. They never had biological children. After some time, they have decided to adopt a child. Our staff Victoria has been helping this family with consultations, document procedures, as well as with the process of searching for the child. It was extremely hard to find a child for them. In many cases orphanages in Ukraine do not want to let people adopt from their institution and very often there is a lot of opposition.

Finally, there was found a child for this family. It took months and much effort to help this family to get the child from the orphanage. When the parents came to pick up the child they discovered that the boy was diagnosed with five pathologies and orphanage workers suggested no to take such a child with so many special needs. But this family agreed to take this boy into the family. Now, this boy is about 8 months old and most amazing fact is that none of diagnoses have been proved to be true. He is healthy! Kudrich family is already planning to adopt a girl as well!

More stories to come……

LIFE SKILLS FOR ORPHANS!

 In January of 2011 we were able to develop a good partnership with an organization, called “True Hope” in Krivoi Rig. This organization works primarily in orphanage institutions and with orphanage graduates. They have developed a team of committed volunteers, who have a heart for orphan kids in their town. Upon the request from the head of “Tue Hope”, ILDC national trainer conducted Life Skills training. It was for the team of volunteers, who minister to the orphanage graduates, with a goal in mind to help teens to settle in their lives after they graduate from the orphanage. In most cases and for most of the time the kids in the orphanage are told what to do and everything is scheduled for them until they graduate. When they leave the orphanage, they face lots of challenges and they are not prepared to face them!

That is why Life Skills program is so needed for them. With the help of a mentor, they receive a training how to do ordinary things like cooking a meal, buying groceries, paying the bills, doing a budget, etc.

This training was a great success! The participants went through 10 modules in 4 days and at the end of the training everyone received a certificate.The volunteers were so thankful for this opportunity! At this time, a new group of volunteers from one church is getting ready for this training as well.

Another Life Skills training will be conducted in Ternopol Region in Western Ukraine in the near future.

Look out for the posts, where we will share with you how the training goes!

ILDC GOES OUT TO NEW REGIONS OF UKRAINE!

With our project “Adopt Ukraine” we were able to make 2 important connections with churches in Cherkassy and Kharkov regions. We plan to do presentations for promotion of national adoption with the propose to mobilize churches and find Christian families to adopt children who are in the orphanages at the moment. Every child deserves to be in a family and our dream is to see Ukraine without orphans. Our project manager Victoria will be going at the end of this month to Cherkassy region first and the next month she will be In Kharkov.

Please support her in your prayers so that in result of those presentations more children would find their families!

Stay tuned, we will keep you updated on the results of these presentations and stories from the families who already adopted.

PAVEL LEFT HOSPITAL!

In previous post we have talked about Pavels hospitalization.
He has been in intense care for a week. I have called Vika In Krivy Rig today to find out about Pavel health. Vika has shared with me that Pavels health has emproved and he was discharged from hospital after a week. He is well and now back to work. We were amazed by his quick recovery. Praise God.

We want to express our gratitude for your prayers.

OUR AMERICAN GIRL KATYA IS HOME AGAIN

This is a repost from www.lambinternational.blogspot.com ILDC founder organization


ADOPTED AT 12 YEARS OF AGE AND MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES, TURNED 18 AND TWO MONTHS LATER, SHE WAS SENT BACK TO UKRAINE, WITH A LITTLE MONEY, AND NO FUTURE - YET TODAY, SHE IS BACK IN HER STATE OF RESIDENCE - GEORGIA.
Katya is home again in Georgia and living with an amazing family which has been arranged by our partner Gregg. And the church in Atlanta that has wrapped their arms around her to help her get started again - to finish her education and to find connections.


We have people coming forth to help her, and be her friend. We will stay involved and help her in whatever way we can. She is a lovely young woman, and needs all your prayers and support. Let's be to Katya what she needS most right now - STABILITY, CONNECTIONS, RESOURCES AND ASSURANCE SHE IS SPECIAL AND A CHILD OF GOD.


If you want to help her in any way - please contact us. i WILL NOT BE POSTING HER ADDRESS, HOWEVER IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT HER, PLEASE CONTACT US.

ILDC TRAINS UKRAINIAN LEADERS

 In March of 2011, ILDC launches a new training program "Leadership and Management in Child Welfare" for managers and supervisors in the field of Child Welfare. This program originally was developed by the Institute for Human Services, Ohio, USA. The emphasis of this training is to help supervisors/managers to better understand the importance of leadership in child welfare and the role they have in leading their team while being a leader within the agency. Participants will identify leadership qualities and will have the opportunity to assess their own leadership skills and potential. This new training program is going to be an important component of ILDC sustainability strategy. ILDC plans to generate funds through this program and use them to support various child welfare trainings in the regions of Ukraine.


For those who are interested in attending the training but do not have enough finances to cover the cost of the program, ILDC is hoping to offer a scholarship.

We would like to ask you to consider this opportunity and help us fund to train managers/supervisors to become effective leaders in their organizations. This can make a big difference in Child Welfare in Ukraine! Thank you for your consideration of this opportunity! 

50$ will sponsor one day of training for one participant.
100$ will sponsor one module (2 days) for one participant.
500$ will cover the whole program for one participant.


We want to thank you in advance for considering to take a stand for change for Children of Ukraine and beyond. 

 Remember to designate your gift to ILDC UKRAINE

GETTING "GOLD" INTO THE HANDS OF THE SOCIAL WORKERS

WE HAVE A RESOURCE THEY WANT - WE JUST NEED TO PRINT IT!

A DONOR IS READY TO MATCH $10,000US FOR ILDC

Dear Friends and supporters of ILDC. We have received a proposal from a donor in US. He is willing to match up 10,000$ for the purpose of reprinting 6,000 copies of the 4 volumes of the Field Guide to Child Welfare.

The Field Guide to Child Welfare is 4 volume fundamental resources which provides understanding of the practice of child welfare and designed to support and enhance in-service training for child welfare workers and supervisors with the purpose of adopting and implementing best practice approaches in working with children.

This is the first resource on child welfare practice of such depth and quality translated and published in Russian. Soon after it was published first in 2008 it became recognized and wanted by child welfare professionals in ex-USSR countries. ILDC has distributed over 3,000 copies among child welfare workers and supervisors, child psychologists, church leaders, universities, foster and adoptive families.

With this resource we can make a real difference for many families and orphan children in Ukraine. The statistics say that there are over 100,000 orphans and over 250,000 families at risk in Ukraine. Our goal is equip child welfare workers, government, NGO and church leaders and workers with effective tool in order to become effective and successful in helping children and families.

We have this wonderful gift and opportunity and we would like to ask you to consider supporting this project and partner with us to reach this goal.

We want to express gratitude to the Donor for matching Gift.

Will you participate in our cause?

If you would like to donate for this cause you can hit the donate button on our blog www.ildcua.blogspot.com and it is done!

Remember to designate your gift to ILDC UKRAINE

PARENTING AS A JOY!

We just had a meeting with one of ILDC trainers Olesia. She shared with us her feedback on the  training  that she has conducted for foster and adoptive families on the request of International Foundation Fathers House in Kiev region last week. ILDC trainer was able to share with the participants  practical skills and examples on how to be a good parent and how to enjoy being a good parent. Our goal in this training was to stimulate participants thinking and to help them to look at themselves with a perspective  of a true parent and to help them to realize their significance in the lives of their adoptive and foster children.

For ILDC team it is always very encouraging to witness a mind change in participants of our trainings... 

Help us to continue to equip child welfare workers to make difference in the lives of children and their families.

30$ will allow us to train one family for one day.

300$ will allow us to train a group of 10 – 15 families for one day. 

REMEMBER to designate your gifts to ILDC UKRAINE

FEW WORDS FROM KATYA!

Dear everyone,

I want to take few minutes to thank everyone for everything they have done! I can't even begin to describe how appreciative I am, and what an honor it is, to have so many people who care deeply enough to make things better for those that are suffering and are in need of help. I want to give HUGE thanks to Maxim F., Max, Victoria, Ruby & Lynn, Julia, Pavel, Cherie, Olga the U.S. Embassy, Gregg, Kylee, Job Corps, the group of teens in Holland and EVERYONE else who has helped out in some way! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am truly blessed and speechless of how abundant the love of God is! That He would send such amazing people to rescue the shattered, broken, hopeless, and alone; giving hope, love and a brighter future. You ALL are very kind-hearted and deserve only what is good. You dont even know what you have done for me, and it will be remembered forever! It is truly a miracle in my life! I've been blessed beyond my means, and I pray that God will bless all of you in a BIG way in return! Know that each of you have rescued the lost, and turned a life around for the best! It is like a puzzle; I was shatted to pieces, then because of YOU, I was put back together into ONE bright picture! So, thank you all for the WHOLENESS, your big hearts, and efforts to bring me a life full of great opportunities!

You're all in my heart and prayers!

Be blessed!

with love,

Katya

A PHONE CALL FROM CRIMEA!




 The training in Crimea for child welfare workers was conducted a week ago to equip the workers with practical skills in working with Children and Families at Risk. This module helped them understand how to be more effective in doing Family Assessment. In our previous post we had mentioned that in the beginning of training we had opposition from the participants. As the training continued we were able to witness significant change in their thinking and approach. We were encouraged by the phone call by the deputy director of Local Social Services. This time they could not wait for the ILDC trainer to come back and conduct assessment training. Our trainer was quite surprised when the number of participants doubled at the training! The group of school counselors and psychologists also joined in this time. At the end of the training participants shared their feedback about the usefulness of the training for them.

They were very glad to get the formal training in this area since they did not have any effective model of Family Assessment to use at their work setting. The group is eager to finish the remaining 3 Modules of Case Worker Core program by the mid of April in their city. The deputy director was very grateful to have all 4 volumes of The Field Guide to Child Welfare in her personal library as well as much needed resource!

There is an exciting opportunity for you to get involved:

Help us to equip child welfare workers to make difference in the lives of children and their families.  

20$ will help us to train one child welfare worker for one day.  

300$ will help us to train a group of child welfare workers...

REMEMBER to designate your gifts to ILDC UKRAINE!

AN URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!

Today we received a very disturbing news from our Adopt Ukraine manager Victoria in Krivoi Rog.

Our great friend and partner in our work, Pavel was hospitalized with supposed heart attack last weekend. Pavel is the Head of Social Services in Krivoy Rog. He is a good Christian man and we had a great privilege to work with him for last couple years. He is a real fighter for children rights and he has been very active in helping children to find families and as well he helped to restore parental rights to the parents. They are many good things I can tell you about Pavel, but at this time I would like to ask you for your prayers.

May the Lord heal him and grant him soon recovery.

We will keep you updated  

Thank you in advance

ILDC WORK PRESENTED IN THE US!

Oleg Shelashskiy, executive director of ILDC has recently returned from the trip from the US.  We were invited to present the work of ILDC on Sound Ideas Consultation 2011 in Seattle, WA. The trip was organized by the partners of ILDC – Commission for Children at Risk and Doorways to Hope. As well he was able to visit one of ILDC founders Institute for Human Services in Ohio. Oleg Shelashskiy was privileged to  have an opportunity to present the work of ILDC, to share about the results of 2010 and talk about ILDC plans in 2011.

As the result of the trip, ILDC has received an opportunity to partner with some great people and organizations that are passionate about the orphans in Ukraine, Russian and around the globe.

We want to express our gratitude and appreciation to our friends and partners from Commission for Children at Risk and Doorways to Hope for arranging and organizing this trip and all events.

We anxious to see what we can do together for the better future of the orphans, meeting orphans greatest need - love, care and acceptance.

KATIA WILL BE GOING HOME SOON!

We are happy to announce about Katia's upcoming return back to the US! There is sponsor now, who has given enough money to cover her airplane ticket to Atlanta.The ticket should be purchased any day now. We would like to ask you to continue your prayers for Katia, her safe return home and for her life. May God give her courage and wisdom to face her future and to take steps to be succesful in life.

We want to thank everyone who is suportting us and everyone who was involed.  There was a great team work shown and lots of cooperation between LAMb International, our partner organization  in Krivoy Rog, USA Embasy, the head of the Krivoy Rog Social Service, ILDC staff and all those who have been praying for this situation faithfuly and  have shown their love in action!