Here we are! Send us!

God is preparing another SACS mission team to go to Ukraine. This group is ready and excited to leave for Odessa, Ukraine on June 7th. There are so many new faces on the team this year and it will be so exciting to see what God will do through each team member. They have been working hard to get their hearts ready and to prepare material to share God's love with the orphans.

This is the first summer that I (Pam) will not be joining the group but my heart and prayers will be going with them. Two months ago my husband and I adopted a 16 year old from Odessa, Ukraine. We are still adjusting to our new family and I do not feel I can leave Viktor right now and go back to his home country and leave him here. I know God wants me here at home this summer. I am amazed as I think back to almost 5 years ago when I first met Viktor at the  Fontanka orphanage on one of our SACS mission trips. What if I never went to Ukraine? What if I didn't "go" when God told me to "go"? God's plans and thoughts are so much bigger than ours.

We do not know what seeds have been planted in the last 8 or 9 years that our school has been going to Ukraine to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We know there have been many who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. We know there have been many who have learned that God loves them and has a plan for them. We pray these children and teenagers will grow to trust in Jesus and learn to depend on Him as they grow into adulthood. The reality is, that most of the orphans end up dropping out of college after they graduate from the orphanage. Most end up in prison or on drugs, in prostitution or sex trade, and many, many commit suicide. Our hope and our prayer is that we can change this by sharing God's love. When these kids see that our group comes back summer after summer, they begin to believe that God really does love them and have a plan for them. We also pray that local churches reach out to these kids and help them grow spiritually.

I have a few friends in Ukraine that I have kept up with through out the years who are now in their early 20's. One is a sailor and is doing pretty well. He is a Christian but I do not know how closely he walks with the Lord. Another is a mess. He is suicidal, gay, miserable, jobless, an alcoholic, and does not want to admit he believes in God. He does what ever he has to do to survive. He is 22 now and I've known him since he was 15. He became a Christian when he was a teenager but life failed him and he doesn't trust in anything he used to believe in. He is the normal product of the "after orphan life". When we were in Odessa to adopt, we met with this friend very often and talked with him about his need for forgiveness and his need for God. He came to church with us a few times but then chose to live his life and not follow God. This is the sad reality. This is why we go to share the Good News of Jesus. The kids and adults who are going to Ukraine in June do not take this assignment lightly. They are not going on a European vacation. In fact, they are giving up their summer by going on this  mission trip. They have sacrificed many hours getting ready for this moment. This group has a desire to be Jesus to the fatherless. If God's children do not go and tell them, who will?

One more thing. These kids need families.  They pray every day for someone to want them and bring them home. They want a future and they know there is no future for them there. It's hard though, let me tell you. It's very hard. Our house is not the same. It's stressful and emotional but we know we are in God's will and we know God is in control. We also know that orphans are very dear to God's heart or the enemy would not be attacking so much.

Actually there is one more thing; You may not be able to go to Ukraine to be there in person but you can help those who are going. You can pray. Please pray. The enemy fights in the spiritual battle non-stop. He is around every corner and every turn. It's exhausting at times. Please pray. Pray for doors and hearts to be open and pray for wisdom and discernment. Pray for hearts to be overwhelmingly open to love of Jesus.
You may also want to give financially. You can just imagine how expensive the travel and material and everything costs. Each team member must raise their own $3000 and I know not every team member has been able to raise all their finances yet. So, if you feel led, you can just write a check to
San Antonio Christian Schools (SACS)
19202 Redland Rd
San Antonio, TX 78259
and write UKRAINE MISSIONS
on the envelope or check.
You know God will bless you as much as the mission team. He always does. He's like that ya know. :)