20 Years of Ministry in Ukraine
October 1994 Kyiv, Ukraine – Twenty years ago this month the Lord lead us to hire a national director, Irina Skrypnik, and officially register Mercy Projects in the newly independent country of Ukraine. We desired to begin a new ministry to families and children affected by the Chernobyl disaster.
Ukraine’s transition to independence was filled with rampant inflation, corruption and unemployment. Families living in the nuclear contaminated zone suffered greatly. Irina completed our legal registration as an International Charity Fund, hired local Christian staff to assist us, and the first 100 children were sponsored by the end of the year.
Supporters in America helped us distribute thousands of books and bibles into Russian Youth Prisons, Ukrainian prisons, orphanages and through Christian camps. It was truly a season of planting seeds and reaping a spiritual harvest. While sharing the gospel in prisons, however, we learned that most of the teens came from orphanages, broken homes, and poverty.
From Kyiv we began to organize summer bible camps for at-risk children in addition to visiting orphanages and youth prisons in Russia. While simultaneously preaching the gospel in youth prisons, we felt we must do something substantial to help prevent young people from ending up on the streets or in prison. We approached social service offices to help us identify who was in most need.
Child Sponsorship Ministry Begins
The Child & Family Sponsorship ministry began with numerous supporters stepping up to sponsor at-risk children and make a profound difference in the trajectory of their lives. Today, many of these young people have become Christians and are now raising families of their own.
Families living in poverty began to receive grocery help. Medical support and education classes were added as part of the sponsorship program. Today, many young graduates now give back and help Mercy Projects run the camp ministry for new at-risk children. Lives are being changed due to the generosity of sponsors. There is much fruit in God’s Kingdom!
Thank you for your help over these many years.
Today we need your help for military famlies in Ukraine. Mercy Projects is donating 500 sets of bed sheets to the local military hospital as well as clothing and bibles for returning soldiers and their families.
A gift of only £15 will purchase one set of bed sheets for those in the hospital.
Thank you for your help to comfort the afflicted.