Our Community: Dom Christa and Alona L.
In the past twenty years, Zhytomyr has struggled against a decaying economy, brutally high unemployment (about 60%), and a slow population decline. Yet her character grows and never fails to surprise those who are watching. A bright spot at the heart of this is the growing Christian community.
“Dom Christa,” (pronounced doam hreesTAH) or Christ’s Home, is a new church having a big impact on orphanage graduates in Zhytomyr.
Alona Legenchuck and her family
A woman from this church named Alona Legenchuk has been actively volunteering with Last Bell for several years now. She spends time with our youth and faithfully gathers supplies from her church friends for our basic needs pantry. She also owns a salon and has used her business to help our young ladies in many ways. Alona is a natural-born networker, and has even included our staff at events for Zhytomyr business women.
Supplies donated for a young mom at Shelter Crisis Housing
This past Christmas, Alona and others from Christ’s Home created gift boxes for our Stop the Cycle and Shelter Crisis Center moms. Each mom received diapers, food, clothes, toys, and special treats.
Disposable diapers are a treasure for our young moms
What a gift – to be serving orphanage graduates alongside God’s people from churches all over the city. In the words of LB staff member Lena Voznyuk, “Orphans unite the people around them for good deeds!”
(Keep watching this blog for profiles of other churches and partners in Ukraine)
