Hair & nails class: our girls learn marketable skills
On Friday, August 29th, we celebrated the conclusion of a free haircutting and nail salon class that several of our girls took.
Girls with their certificates
This course was arranged specifically for Last Bell girls: a woman from social services visited the Shelter, and we shared with her about our girls’ unemployment and what a big problem it is.
So nine girls from the Shelter and three girls from the Haven took this course and received certificates.
The girls who learned haircutting skills included: Angela Kotenko, Lena Pinkovskaya, Katya Bondarchuk, all from Shelter, and Tanya Volinets from Haven.
The girls who learned how to do manicures included: Oksana Orendovskaya, Nastya Baranova, Marina Shepeluk, Natasha Ostrovska, Katya Polevaya (formerly Yakovenko), Galya Popik (sister of Tanya Kobyatko), all from Shelter, and Sveta Zuyeva and Alona Severenchuk from Haven.
Nastya Baranova (Stop the Cycle program) working with a client as part of the exam
All the girls were very happy and thankful because many of them have dreamt about such training! Their teachers were very warmhearted, became friends with all the girls, formed a common language with them, and even cried at graduation because they needed to say goodbye.
Many girls have already started to make money thanks to their new skills. I am sure their new knowledge will be very useful to them.
Oksana Orendovskaya painting nails
This same organization gave us some equipment so the girls could practice their new skills and work: two salon tables, a manicure table, a chair, a sink for washing hair, a haircutting machine, a hair straightener, a hair curler, scissors, and a special comb.
We brought all these things to the Last Bell Support Center and will install them in our kitchen for the girls to come and practice. We also want to invite a haircutting teacher to continue training our girls at the office. It would be very cool if we could have a big place for our Support Center where we could have a haircutting room. But this is still very good. Praise the Lord!
Even the girls say everything looks like a real miracle. Angela called me and said: “Oksana! I cut my husband’s hair! Can you believe that?!” God is merciful; He is full of miracles. Praise to Him!
~ Oksana Pankyeyeva
You can see more pictures of the class at
this link to our Flickr page.
I Am a Mom – new organization helping Stop the Cycle
On the 5th of August we had a meeting for the orphanage graduates who are moms, plus their kids. It was very cool! God blessed us with a very nice place to hold it.
We’ve become friends with an organization called “I Am a Mom.” It helps mothers who are in tough circumstances such as those with disabled children.
A few months ago I Am a Mom built a new office, a big one-story building with a few big rooms and a big kitchen.
This organization was started by a Christian lady named Natasha. Her husband is a friend of ours from the local charismatic church, and he built the third story of the Shelter. She dreamed about helping orphans who are moms.
When we told her about us, she said we were a big blessing for her! Though really her organization became a great blessing for us. They provided their comfortable office for our mothers’ meeting absolutely free! They also allowed our moms to attend all the meetings their organization holds, like professional photography, make-up lessons, lessons about healthy food, etc.
Our moms studying some information at I Am a Mom
Our partnership with organization “I Am a Mom” will have wonderful results – it’s exciting to watch! Our God is wonderful!
At the August 5th meeting we had 14 moms, 19 kids and 4 volunteers who work with the kids. Three of the volunteers are girls from Shelter, plus Andre and me. We discussed our upcoming trip to the sea and read Psalm 36, underlining the truth that unbelievers who do not follow His ways and their children are under danger, but God blesses the ones who believe in Him and fulfill the desires of their hearts.
~ Oksana Pankyeyeva
Last Bell grandkids playing at I Am a Mom
You can see more pictures of the mom’s meeting at I Am a Mom
at our Flickr page here.
Family time at the sea for Stop the Cycle
Dear friends,
Recently our Stop the Cycle orphan moms and kids went on a wonderful trip to the Black Sea (near Odessa). This annual event is a very important time of parenting classes, free childcare, and “together time” for families at the beach. We’ve found it to be one of the best ways to get fathers involved! It is so important for the growth of our young families. When we saw the continuing impact of last year’s retreat, we decided to repeat it this year, even though it’s costly and takes a great deal of planning. Imagine 50 moms, kids, and volunteers traveling together!
Our general operations budget covered the trip this year. Though it was worth it, the expenditure will leave the budget pretty tight for a while. Would you consider helping offset the cost of this valuable learning experience for our young orphan moms and dads? You can donate by clicking the Donate Now button below, or by sending a check to Last Bell Ministries at PO Box 247, Atlanta, IN 46031-0247. Thanks for your prayerful consideration.
Very soon we’ll share an update about this year’s trip along with pictures. Our moms especially are so grateful!
