Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Alone at Christmas

It's almost Christmas and I have been thinking back to the orphans in Ukraine that I spent time with last winter. When we were at Orphanage #4 in Odessa I remember that my first reaction to the place was one of loneliness and bleakness. In fact, I posted about it at the time. Of course, there are kids all around but it always seemed lonely to me.

I put together a little video here with some pictures from Ukraine. I start with some of the familiar landmarks in Kyiv, such as the SDA, Independence Square, and St. Sophia and St. Michael's monastaries. From there, we go to Odessa by the Black Sea, and Orphanage #4 where Sergey lived, and finally, Andreyevo-Ivanivka, where Valya lived.

The thing I wanted to mostly show was some of the kids I met, all older, some of which will be kicked out of their orphanages about a year and a half from now. Most of you reading this have no interest in adopting an older child, and I understand. But there really are some great older kids that would love to have a family.

There's an estimate that there are about 147,000,000 orphans in the world. That's a lot of kids; it's even overwhelming. But we can help, one family at a time.

Our friends, the Nasekos family, whom we met while we were in Odessa, posted recently about From Whom? Please take a look at it.

If all of you reading this committed today to adopt an older child, you would have them with you next Christmas. What a gift that would be for them, and for you...





Music Credit
Alone by Matthew Mayer from his CD Crossing the Bridge
He's from South Dakota.

7 comments:

Heidi and Felix said...

Powerful video! Studies suggest that if just 1-2% of Christian families only adopted, there would be no more orphans anywhere in the world.

Thank you for remembering the fatherless this Christmas. Blessings,

Felix

Alan said...

Felix, coming from you that means alot, thanks! You're one of my heroes.

Unknown said...

What an incredible reminder of the many who are still at #4....if only we could find families for Vladik, Jenya, Edich, Marat, and Yuri.....

I have some great photos of all of them from not so long ago.....I pray that they stay warm in this very cold season and that a family comes for them soon....

Matthew Nasekos said...

Merry Christmas Pretre family! Thank you so much for what you have done and your continued love for these kids. Karina thinks about ya'll a lot. May God bless and keep you!
Matthew

Unknown said...

Nice Vid brother. We are excited to get over there and pick one of thise precious kids up!

Unknown said...

Alan,

Where can I register for the VIP Customs treatment you told us about?

Thanks.

Jon

Pam DeFrees said...

thanks for this reminder, Alan. I keep up with so many of the teenagers who have been adopted and I love hearing how they are doing in school and how they are active in their youth groups and how thankful they are that they have a family who loves them. It's awesome! I still have a few boys I would love to bring over. They just aren't adoptable yet or other issues that are making it impossible right now. So....I wait on God's timing. I can't wait to go see them all again this summer. Here'a video I made showing our trip from last year. This is mostly my family since I made it to show to those who suppored us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txFqCSC310I
Can you e-mail me to let me know if Sergeys best friend (starts with an "M" was adopted this month?)I'm not putting the name just incase I shouldn't. But, I haven't heard and I'm dying to know. I've been praying and praying for everything to go through. I sure hope it did!!! d7defrees@hotmail.com
Please say hi to sweet Sergey for me!