adminabu | Abundance International

Massive Bombings in Odessa and Kherson Take the Lives of Five Children

adminabu — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 03:52:21 +0000

Several days ago, there was a massive bombing attack on Odessa and Kherson that took the lives of five children. The youngest of them was this 8-month-old, along with his mother. These children were not in any of our orphanages, but the loss is felt by all.

It takes a lot of people to be involved in caring for our kids. We are always very thankful to our donors, because of them we are able to help kids having better life, especially during the war. We have to be thankful to the people who arrange all of the logistics for that help for the children: making transactions, transportation, accommodation arrangements, shopping, deliveries, phone calls, connecting people, and accomplishing other different tasks is extremely important.

Today we also want to give appreciation to those people who continue to stay with our children, helping them every day, cooking for them, washing them, teaching them, taking all care of them, instead of leaving the country for their own safety. This is the hardest and the most noble work ever.

Dear Donors, we ask kindly to help children with vegetables and fruits. At the end of winter and the whole spring they become much more expensive in Ukraine, since they are done with their own harvest, the next one will not happen for 4 months and fruits and vegetables most of the time transported from other countries. Current needs are for: potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, oranges, bananas, bell peppers, lemons, apples, and grapes.

The photos we share represent you and your care touching lives in this country filled with pain and sorry. You make a difference. Thank you for being an Abundance International partner in care.

From all of our hearts to yours,

Marcum Davis

Founding Director

Abundance International

Two Year Anniversary of the War Stirs Patriotism in Ukraine’s Children

adminabu — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 02:51:02 +0000

It’s the two years anniversary of the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian President announced that 32,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in recent months. It’s a great lost for the country, but we also understand that it’s a loss for families, first and foremost. We clearly understand that more kids will end up in orphanages and children’s facilities of all kinds.

Children, like no one else, have been influenced by the war and its destructive power. Our Kids arranged a flash mob to bring attention to their plight. In the orphanages, children drew pictures declaring “No war”, and “Doves of Peace” to attract attention of adults to the horrible things happening right now in Ukraine.

We admire their patriotic mood, they all put blue and yellow flowers and held Ukrainian flags, because Ukraine is their motherland, which is in real danger right now.

We cannot change this reality, but we want to make sure that we will provide these kids with food, medicines, medical help needed and relatively safe places to stay. We need your help with those essential things for them. May peace come to Ukraine, especially for the children.

18-Months of Critical Care and Still Going Strong!

adminabu — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:09:09 +0000

Hello friends,

The news media may have forgotten the fate of these children, but you have not. I’m so proud of the team at Abundance International, and you. You’ve stayed with us and helped by our side.

Since the beginning of the war, we have been able to offer real help to 16 facilities. We continue taking care of 752 orphans, disable orphans, 12 families with temporary adopted children, 4 Medical facilities for children, one boarding school, 6 schools for orphans.

Over these past 18-months we’ve had to change our usual approach completely. We went from building, developing, improving, helping, spending time with children, to surviving mode. We had to find ways to make sure that our kids are not kidnapped, have food, and a safe and warm place to stay.

Hello friends,

The news media may have forgotten the fate of these children, but you have not. I’m so proud of the team at Abundance International, and you. You’ve stayed with us and helped by our side.

We’ve had to make sure we had people around to take care of them, receive medical support, and have access to education. As you can imagine, many people, even among our caregivers, left the country for their own safety.

Every day we faced new obstacles and had to adjust to the new circumstances. We were able to overcome them only with your help, our dear donors and partners in this work.

We all wish we knew when this would end, so it adds more gratitude to you for not leaving these children to be forgotten. We’re all in this for the long haul, and glad to have you by our side.

Warm regards,
Marcum Davis
Founding Director
Abundance International

[URGENT] One of Our Orphan Host Homes Was Bombed and We Need Your Help

adminabu — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:06:01 +0000

Hello Friends,

We desperately need your help to give emergency aid to one of our orphan host families in Kherson whose home was bombed and destroyed just a few days ago.

Generous local families took our orphans into their homes to give them a shelter and care for them. We had to build basements, arrange food and medical supplies, help to relocate children, buy alternative equipment and sources for heating, arrange new buildings to be able to accept more orphans from occupied or ruined territories among other things. All of that was made possible by your donations. It’s been a lot of hard work to find the resources and places needed to make this all possible.

Unfortunately, Russians have more than ruined any chance of a peaceful life for our orphanages by invading but continue ruining lives. The house of one of our families, who took in four orphans in addition to their own two children, was bombed on September 23rd, 2023. The only good news is that none of the family members or our orphans were hurt. Thanks to the parents, they had gone to the basement when the air raid sirens sounded.

We are currently working on finding a place for this family to relocate, we are helping them to save whatever is left after guided aerial bombs destroyed their house. The family consists of 7 members. They lost all household appliances and clothes in addition to the house itself.

We are just very grateful that everyone survived, but we’re asking for your crucial response and donations so we can help in every way possible. Can you even imagine if this had happened to you?

Please help us take care of this large family and get them back on their feet. Your donations are so important right now.

Thank you,

Marcum Davis

Founding Director

Abundance International

We Funded the Chernihiv Orphanage Roof Project! Plus, a Peak at Utility Costs

adminabu — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:40:52 +0000

We’re so grateful to you as a partner with us in Ukraine to bring hope and life to the orphans in Ukraine! We needed to get to work ASAP on replacing the roof at the Chernihiv orphanage for special needs kids because of the leaking, water damage, and mold damage from the decades old roof on the building.

Thanks to you, we raised the funds to get this work done and will begin the work immediately, so it will be finished before winter comes! I love what we’re doing and the army of people, like you, who make this possible.

A special thanks goes out to the Christian and Missionary Alliance Global for their generous support in bringing in the final funding needed. We are grateful for our partnership with the CAMA.

One of the unforeseen expenses that has become a reality for our orphanages is the cost of fuel and electric utilities. The cost of gas has risen from 26 hryvnas per liter to 50, thus adding to our expenses for logistics. The cost of electricity has gone from 1.44 hryvnas per kilowatt hour to 2.64 hryvnas per hour.

That is hard enough for individual households to bear, but even more so for such large facilities as we support. In terms of priorities, keeping the lights on and gas for cooking and heating are non-negotiables. We don’t want to see funding for food and medicine take a hit, so we ask for your continued support.

Unforeseen challenges keep us on our toes, but we don’t shy away from challenge. Thank you for your love and care for these little ones. It shows the kind of person you are. We’re all glad that you’re with us.

Ukrainian Flood Victims Face Bombing and Devastation

adminabu — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 14:33:42 +0000

Dear friends,

The toll taken by this war has been staggering beyond anyone’s imagination. Bombings of civilian targets, hundreds of thousands killed, millions displaced, and when we thought it couldn’t get worse, it just did.

We just received these video clips from one of our workers who has been delivering water and rescuing people and animals.

Before I get into the video, I want to let you know that all of our children are safe and none were harmed. As God has continued to guide, we felt compelled to move the children to the homes of families and out of the three orphanages in the Nova Kakhovka area for fear of Russian abduction. The additional benefit was that these families lived in places that were at higher elevations than the flood waters. They will still need for us to bring food, water, and medicine for our orphans, but they are safe.

As you’ll see in the linked video below, our team has been active in bringing help to the victims of this flood. We just received a list of things they are asking for:

Gas
Drinking water
Ropes
Cages for animals
Rubber boats
Rubber boots
Medicines
Bread
Fish
Canned meat
Cereals
Sleeping bags
Animal food
Power banks

We can attempt to bring them in from Mykolaiv, but the amount of work required will be extensive. I hope you can help with your donations again.

What you’ll hear in this video will shock you. Nearly every few minutes you’ll clearly hear the impact of bombs hitting the Kherson areas we were working in. It’s beyond outrageous that these people who are already fighting for their lives, having lost their homes, are now being bombed.

Pray for peace in Ukraine.Thank you for being part of everything we’re doing.

Gratefully,

Marcum

Chernihiv Ukraine Orphanage Roof Needs Replacing Before Fall

adminabu — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 02:50:28 +0000

The support of charitable organizations, such as Abundance International, has become crucial in light of the insufficient resources provided by the Ukrainian government due to the ongoing war. While the orphanage will receive some funding from the government, there is no allocation specifically for building renovations, despite the urgent need. It’s important to note that most of these buildings were constructed in the 1940s and 1950s, with very few updates made since then.

One of our current projects involves repairing the roof of our orphanage in Chernihiv. Even though the building was constructed over 40 years ago, it appears much older. The original design did not include proper water drainage, resulting in water seepage under the roof and subsequent mold growth within the interior walls. This mold is causing respiratory illnesses, particularly among the bedridden children, and poses potential life-threatening risks. While there are local efforts to remediate the mold issue, we require funds to install a modern gutter and drainage system, which amounts to addressing the root cause.

We have experience with a similar project, the complete roof reconstruction of the Kherson Baby House, which was undertaken just two years ago. We carefully planned that project to ensure all the work was finished before the weather changed seasonally. Consequently, the orphanage, comparable in size to Noah’s Ark, now has a new, modern roof.

The spring of 2023 in the southern, northern, and central regions of Ukraine has been unusually cold and rainy, making it impossible to commence any construction work. This leaves us with only a few summer months to secure funding and complete this project.

We invite you to join us in making this project a reality by helping us raise the necessary funds quickly. We will keep you updated with photos of the process, ensuring that you can witness your donations making a real-time impact.

Nova Kakhovka Ukraine Orphange Asks For Our Help

adminabu — Tue, 23 May 2023 01:10:23 +0000

I hope this email finds you well. As you are aware, we have been a lifeline of support to five orphanages in the Kherson region, including those still in Russian-occupied territory. Today, I am writing to inform you of a pressing request we received from one of these orphanages. I kindly ask for your support in responding to their needs. Here is the letter we received from the orphanage director:

To Our Friends at Abundance:

We are profoundly grateful for the continuous help and generous support that has been provided by Abundance International over this past year. Your ongoing assistance has brought immense comfort and hopes to the lives of the 88 children residing here who have not been evacuated due to the constraints of the Russian occupation. The significance of your kindness cannot be overstated, and we sincerely appreciate your unwavering dedication.

While our facility faces numerous challenges, we acknowledge that not all needs can be met until the end of the ongoing war. However, there are some critical requirements that we need your support with. The following items are of utmost importance for the well-being of the children:

Food: Oatmeal, buckwheat, cottage cheese, cheese, butter, milk, chicken legs, oil, potatoes, carrots, onions, tea, cookies, flour, sugar, bread, and buttermilk. These food supplies are essential for the nourishment of our orphans. While the children express their desire for fish, candies, fruits, sour cream, cucumbers, and tomatoes, we understand the challenges in obtaining these products due to their increased cost and the hazardous situation in our region.
Toiletries: We are running critically low on washing soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and dish soap. Our supplies have been depleted, but we have managed to adapt to the circumstances and continue without some of these items.
Educational and Recreational Materials: We kindly request coloring papers and coloring pencils for the younger children, as well as A4 papers and pens for the older orphans. These items not only provide entertainment but also support their educational development.

We would like to express our profound gratitude to Abundance International for your unwavering dedication, kindness, and the incredible support your team has provided in the past, present, and future. Your contributions have made a tangible difference in the lives of these deserving children.

Once again, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for your continued support and commitment to making a difference in the lives of these vulnerable children. Together, we can bring hope, love, and a brighter future to those who need it most.

-The Nova Kakhovka Orphanage

[Special Video] An Easter Greeting From One of Our Children

adminabu — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 05:12:32 +0000

Dear friends,

Ukrainians celebrate Easter one week after Americans. Their traditions are rich: they make traditional Easter bread Pasky and paint eggs Pysanky or Krashanky, they decorate them with different symbols, which typically means protection, love, happiness, and prosperity.

Early in the morning of Easter day Ukrainians go to church. Unfortunately, this year Ukraine was bombed even on this holiday. We thank to our donors for their help and support of our orphans, because of you children had Easter bread, eggs, traditional sausages, and some candies. We would like to share with you the video, where Nastya tells you a traditional Easter poem Hayivka.

Please watch this delightful video as Nastya shares this poem with joy:

It is a wonderful sunny morning,

The Holy song is sung by people,

All adults and children are happy,

Because Christ is risen!!! Christ is risen!!!

There is a tasty Easter bread on the table and around it there are pysanky.

We know that God loves us every day, every century.

Our family is big, but we all pray for one thing:

To see our Ukraine happy and successful,

Let Ukraine bloom like flowers on Spring days.

I was busy this morning, I was painting eggs, I painted on them the Saint Ukrainian signs, which protect our family. My pysanka is very beautiful, because it is for my mom!

Thank you for your continued support and for making a difference

in the lives of Ukrainian children.

Help Keep Ukrainian Children Warm and Well-Fed This Spring

adminabu — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 08:46:34 +0000

We hope this email finds you enjoying the warmer temperatures that spring has brought. However, for the children in Ukraine, the situation remains challenging. With the government turning off the central gas and heating system at the end of March, many families and orphanages are still struggling to stay warm during the cold nights. The older buildings, in particular, can be quite frigid.

To combat this issue, we must find alternative forms of heat, such as electricity, wood, and coal. Unfortunately, these alternatives can be costly, with an average family spending up to 20% of their monthly income on heating alone. For larger orphanages, this expense is even more significant. Although the Ukrainian government offers some subsidies, more is needed to keep up with the rising costs. That’s why, for the next two months, we’ve committed to helping our facilities pay these bills, ensuring that the children can stay warm and avoid cold-related illnesses.

In addition to the heating crisis, the cost of essential vegetables has risen dramatically, putting a strain on our ability to provide nutritious meals for the children. For example, the price of 1kg of onions in the local currency, hryvnias, has skyrocketed from 12 to 68 hryvnias. These escalating costs make it challenging to maintain a healthy diet for the children we serve.

We urgently need your support to keep the children warm and well-fed during this challenging time. Your generous donation will enable us to cover the heating costs and provide essential vegetables for proper nutrition. Together, we can ensure these children stay healthy and safe this spring.

Thank you for your continued support and for making a difference in the lives of Ukrainian children.