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At Sasha’s House
by Steve Millikan
Steve Millikan was a founding board member and traveled to Ukraine this summer with one of Last Bell’s Discovery Trip groups.
Sasha remembers the day clearly. He was on his way to school, wearing his backpack. A police car stopped and picked him up. They said he would go to school somewhere else now. They dropped him off at Orphanage #4 in Zhytomyr, saying he would live there now, but could return home on weekends and holidays. He would sit at the window as the weekend came, waiting for someone to pick him up. Nobody ever came.
When Sasha was in 6th grade he bought a bus ticket and, unbeknownst to the orphanage workers, rode out to the village to look for his older sister, which displayed incredible determination for a young orphan boy. He found his sister, but recalls he wasn’t angry with her for not coming to see him. He was just happy to have found some family.
Inside Sasha’s childhood home. From left to right: Steve Millikan, Andre Pankyeyev, Sasha Kaplun, Pastor Kim Drake:
Sasha Kaplun was our guest and storyteller during our “Day of the Orphan” with Last Bell. Housefather Andre was our translator, the closest thing to a dad Sasha has ever known. His story is sad, but not unusual: his father abandoned the family after Sasha’s first birthday. A few short years later his grandmother died, and then his mother passed away. His brother either hung himself or was murdered, but Sasha wasn’t allowed to go to the funeral. He had a part in a program at the orphanage that was considered more important.
We had hoped to get a glimpse inside the factory where Sasha works now as a foreman. Instead, after a few minutes’ wait, he hopped into our car and we sped off toward the little village that had been home during his younger years.
His childhood home is abandoned, overgrown by weeds, and hopelessly run down. We wonder if it would be better to just start over, but in reality he’s one of the lucky ones. At least he’s co-owner (with his sisters) of an old village house that has not been stolen by a relative or someone in a position of authority. Already he and his young wife Alona (sweethearts since 8th grade) have started the renovation – purchasing insulation material that will go under the floors, once they’re repaired. It will take many years to make even part of the house livable.
Sasha in front of his house:
Alona is a sweet young lady who was bullied and abused by her father. We’re very happy she and Sasha are together. Sasha is intentional about providing for them and protecting her. Like you and me, they have dreams for the future, which include helping break the cycle by adopting orphans into their own family. Sitting in their apartment later that evening, we rejoiced in the almost surreal experience of being served tea and chatting with these two grown-up orphan kids. They are adjusting to married life, and with God’s help will continue living productive, successful lives in community with their family from Last Bell and their other friends.
Sasha is a sort of role model for other orphan kids: testimony that you can beat the odds, have a good marriage, even possibly advance at your job if you’re responsible, hardworking, and reliable. These traits are very hard to cultivate for those without parents or trustworthy adults invested in their lives. Sasha, like so many others in the extended Last Bell & Haven families, has beaten the odds so far, but he and Alona still need love, support, encouragement, and guidance.
Last Bell staff blessing Sasha and Alona on their 1-year anniversary:
Finding a Place to Call Home
by Mary Millikan, Board Member
A basic priority of any mercy ministry is to know the culture, which is often a huge part of the plight and can dictate the strategies needed to be truly of service. It is hard to comprehend working in a country where corruption frustrates all your efforts. There are many kind and helpful people in Ukraine; but in complex situations involving many government offices and officials, running into some form of corruption is inevitable.
Each of our kids has a different family background and thus each one has a different situation regarding inheritances. In Ukraine, houses and apartments are passed down from generation to generation, so of course this is difficult for orphans. Some, like Sasha, do have properties that are registered in their name. But others are not so lucky. For example: imagine Dima has an old house in the village that belonged to a parent. The person in charge of managing this house for Dima tells him it would be better to sell the house and apply the money to an apartment. When Dima is old enough to realize he should be asking about this money, it’s gone. Our lawyer finds out the house is now owned by someone else, who of course isn’t responsible in any way. So we must help this child find another housing situation.
This is why we must start working earlier with the kids in the orphanage to help them understand what they own and how to keep it. Also, the kids sometimes lose their passport, which in Ukraine is identification for everything. If it gets lost you must have proof of residence and get registration papers. All this can become overwhelming, and the kids give up finding the right offices and filling out the right documents. So our lawyer Simon and the rest of the staff are both helping the young adults currently struggling with their documents to find places to live and educating the kids still in the orphanage about how to protect themselves and be prepared.
Prayer Requests, Needs, and Thank-Yous
Please also continue praying for Katya Chornoknizhna who is mourning the death of her husband and learning to survive without him while caring for two little girls.
Please help us finish construction! We do need the Shelter finished for all the kids who plan to live with us, who are now finishing out the schoolyear at their trade schools and orphanages. We hope to bring them to live with us the day they graduate. But we also need the Shelter for everyday ministry: open-door days for older kids; the Stop the Cycle program for moms and kids; and Loving Community Church services. Pray for finances to come in so we can begin using the Shelter for ministry again!
Status of Shelter Renovation Fund:
Raised $50,191 of $65,000
NEED: $14,809
NEWS BULLETIN: Just today we received a donation of $2,000 toward the Shelter Renovation, so we’re that much closer! A big thank-you to today’s donor!
A big thank-you to a generous friend from Indiana who provided for Masha’s Bible training. Thank you to a sponsor who provided funds for a retreat for moms and kids. And thanks to all those who have given for Dennis’s recovery!
Status of Dennis’s recovery fund:
Raised: $900 of $3,000
NEED: $2,100
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