The New Playground is here!

Hello Everyone!!
Look at our photo album section for photos of the finished playground/school place with roof!!! We was fundraising money for this and all is finished now so the children have a place to play and learn and they are sheltered from sun and rain!!!! You can also see photo how it look before. This is amazing because before all the kids was waiting for food in mud or standing in rain .Thank you so much all of you who help with this project ....this mean so much to the kids and I am still amaze how fast all this happened!  

Having this play area allows the kids to continue to learn and socialize.  I have shared before the one year of teaching our gypsy kids make a HUGE changes already!!!  I was so incredibly amaze how much improvement the children have in manners and simple things like ...not eating school supplies ... :-) But they are learning how to spell and count!  All of this is because we have the two great "teachers" with gold heart and LOT of patience!  We also would like to thank all of you...because of your support this really is happening for the kids....in Mukachevo Gypsy camp!

I am setting up the next project to our Mukachevo kids. There will be a small team who will delivery winter jackets and also rest of the back packs from summer (we have problems with government and only half back packs was delivered in summer).  This December we will take over all the remaining back packs and we hope to take over 140 jackets.  We did a winter coat project last year and it was a great success as each child received a jacket to keep warm.  As you know, kids grow and so the need for us to clothe each child in a winter coat is our hope for this new project.   

Please email me if you have any questions or if you would like to donate a winter coat for a child.  The winters are very cold and each year the children need winter coats to survive the brutal cold.  If you are interested, you can email me for specifics on the winter coat sizes Teamgypsykids@gmail.com.  

Very soon my next update will be about the girl with the 8 kids.  We are working on a special project to move them into a small house for the winter.  I will share more soon.

This Sunday I am fundraising by selling donuts in Calvary Community Church...so please come and say hi to me... :-)) I may wear my "czechoslovakian-Ukrainian folk costumes "...if I will be brave Sunday morning  :-))))

Thank you so very much for loving the kids!!!!
Vendy

Ukraine Outreach Newsletter #2

Wednesday was a full day of arts, crafts and games.  We have been told that arts & crafts help the children develop some dexterity, creativity and early learning/problem solving skills.  We also see great improvement in their behavior.  Many of the children are trying hard to share with each other, affirm each others artwork and older kids helping younger kids with their work.  Your heart becomes full as you see their big hearts look for ways to be helpful and share what they have with one another.  Since the kids are constantly in a state of survival, we see all these new behaviors as a sign of real progress.  Our team is in constant awe and gratefulness for the leaders who are here making a difference in the children’s lives each and every day.

As you look at the new photos, you will notice a few taken of the campsite and homes where these little ones live.  It is heart breaking to see them in such conditions but with your help life improves day by day and month by month.  

Today, while the team took the kids swimming a couple of us meet with the leaders of the soup kitchen.  We discussed plans for a future school and possibly some new housing for the children.  We are dreaming big here and know that in time we hope to accomplish all these big dreams that will change the lives of these wonderful children.

Enjoy the pictures (click here for album #2) and notice the smiles, hugs and joyful energy present in these full days of loving and playing with these dear ones.

Thank You!

Ukraine Outreach Newsletter #1

We had some travel problems but our team are here and working with the kids.  Monday we met some of the children and prepared for our week of crafts, songs and games.  Tuesday was a full day with the children.  If you look at our photo galleries (click here), you will see we started our Tuesday program with making pictures.  The children have such basic skills that it is a challenge for them to use crayons, pens and pencils.  Many of the kids liked to use the stickers so they made their pictures from just stickers.  As you may know, we have hired a teacher to work with the kids for a couple hours each day.  Her hard work is showing some results.  One of our team members is a teacher and she was sharing with us that the kids are showing verbal and writing skills.  We are so excited that the early beginnings of an education process is now being formed.

Wednesday’s children’s program is just about to begin.  We will report more in 24 hours and post many new pictures.  

We thought you would like to know some quick project updates...

• As you look through the pictures, you will notice the new outside patio/floor is completed.  We are now using this floor for our daily programs.  We are so blessed to have several of you donate to this project.  The Soup Kitchen staff said it is such a blessing to have a place for the kids to play without getting muddy.  The new patio also allows for more kids to join our program as space has been limited.  Its hard to believe a patio/floor could bring so much joy.

• Please forgive us as it has been a real challenge finding internet service in this village.  We now found a place and will update you with 4 more days of news letters and photos so stay tuned.

• We also want you to know that we do plan to give out the back packs but are waiting to do this at the end of the trip so the kids can leave safely without losing them and the church requested we wait so that all the kids get their back packs at one time.

• If you have any questions, you can email Vendy at teamgypsykids@gmail.com

Thank you for your support!  It is amazing for our team to see your contributions at work here in Mukachevo.  We hope you enjoy the photos.

History of those we serve

Thank you for downloading this PDF.  We hope it helps you gain a bit of insight into the children, their camp and those who serve these wonderful people.

Winter has come to Mukachevo, Ukraine

Temperatures in the Mukachevo, Ukraine region has dropped to record levels.  Hard rains, cold temperatures and now snow has caused several clay brick homes to collapse, many families are without electricity and running water and some people have died.  

It is difficult to find any hope with news like this but news over this past week has brought a glimmer of hope to our hearts.  The winter jackets we sent two weeks ago have begun to arrive.  We are very happy to report 15 of the 26 boxes have arrived and all 140 orphan children now have a warm winter jacket.  Everyone’s generous donations provided three times the need for the orphans so we are very glad to see extra jackets, used clothes and winter gloves go to families who just cannot afford to clothe their families this winter.  

Tomorrow 10 more boxes will be mailed bringing our total to 36 boxes of jackets, gloves and used clothing.  We are grateful for your donations and generous hearts.  Your contributions are making a huge difference in our kids lives and your giving was so great it has now blessed many poor families in Mukachevo. 

UP NEXT:

We are moving quickly now to focus on our next need.  WINTER SHOES are desperately needed, so please check in this week for how you can help.

THANK YOU!