"Graduates" From Grace Youth Shelter

On a Monday night it was our pleasure to host some of the young men and women who have grown up in the Grace Baptist Church Shelter. It just happened to be the 9th anniversary of the opening of the home. We have known many of these children since they were six and seven years old. Three married couples came and one young man brought his fiancee. Their wedding is planned for mid-June. In the right foreground you can see little Melanie, our first "grandchild" from the Shelter. Her mother, Marina, grew up at Grace, met Alexi who works for the Grace Mission and was married at the church with her extended family at the Shelter.

The boys enjoyed the banquet style meal. Velodia is in the foreground. The third young man, Sergei, was conscripted into the Army when he was 18, has served his enlistment and is back helping with construction at the Black Sea Camp. He is one of the young men who would benefit from having a small apartment at the Transition House (see last Blog.) In fact the first four boys you see in profile here are in need of decent, supervised, clean housing that is safe and emotionally supporting. According to Ukrianian statistics, more than 85% of young men leaving state orphanages wind up in prison within three years of leaving. Grace Shelter has prepared these young men for a better life with spiritual and emotional support as well as the love of house parents and a congregation of "extended" family.

Christina, Velodia and Mischa (striped shirt)

The other side of the table shows more of the girls and some of the younger boys, ages 15-17. Our dream is to hold this dinner at the new Transition House when it is completed. For many of these young people, it is a treat to go to a restaurant and have a three hour dinner with family and friends. This restaurant was named "Robin Bobbin".

Third from bottom is a profile picture of Lydia, the house mother to these 32 young people over the last nine years.

Baby Melanie (pronounced May-lahn-ee) sitting on her Momma's lap. Marina grew up in Grace Shelter. Melanie is hugging a bunny that plays "Jesus Loves Me" in English. She loved to press the bunny's tummy to make it play, over and over and over and over and over and over......

John and K. J. Proctor with Christina (left) and Violetta (right). Christina is 18 and so is no longer at the Shelter. She is in great need of adult supervision and a constant loving support she had before. She is a prime candidate for the Transition House. Violetta is 15 and so has a few more years before she will have to leave us.