A Place to Dance, A Place to Dream

As my girls hurried off to catch up with friends, I had my own catching up to do! I’d heard CBN Worldreach had come along side Berdansk Orphanage to help in several ways. Before I could even get inside, I was captivated by a child’s smile. Her name is Anastasia, and I loved her! She told me she was four.

Inside, my CBN producer was just as taken with another child, Galina. Galina is seven. We were both amazed to learn Galina and Anastasia are sisters, and we were saddened by their tragic past. Their mother was an alcoholic and couldn’t take care of them. They often wandered around outside begging for food, and when the police picked-up them up, their mother never came for them.

The girls were brought here to Berdansk. It’s a loving environment with a committed staff raising well-rounded kids. They love the children like they are their own. You see them invest in the kids, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

But the reality is, orphanages in Ukraine must do far more than their government funding will allow. Supplies are often low and facilities sometimes in disrepair. That’s where CBN Worldreach comes in.

CBN has provided Berdansk with school supplies for every child! They’re also setting up computer classes for students scheduled to age-out of the orphanage, helping them to establish skills needed to get a job.

Our visit included a concert in a lovely hall, the only room large enough to hold all the children. We learned this would not have been possible without CBN. Why? Because the auditorium had suffered severe water damage and had been closed – until CBN stepped in and paid for the renovations. A new wall was built, fresh paint applied, and the children once again danced and sang.

Operation Blessing also brings in foods that are difficult to get, like fruit in the winter and periodically provides shipments of toys for everyone. On this day it was my turn to pass them out.

The most heart-warming story of all -- a flu epidemic had swept through the orphanage just before our visit. Nearly every child was sick. The director had run out of funds, but not out of ideas. She called Operation Blessing for help! They came from their office, 15 hours away, to deliver flu medicine for all 300 children.

It’s in this loving environment that Galina and Anastasia have found a home -- a place that CBN and Operation Blessing are honored to support.

It’s a place to dance.
It’s a place to dream.
And it’s a place that CBN is helping teach children that they matter.

I feel like God’s call to Americans at this hour is,”Rise up, oh Church of God, and step out for Me, and do something in My name.” God use me; use my life. When Your eye is looking to and fro, saying who can I send, my hand is going up. I’ll be ... I’ll do ... I’ll give!

In the Book of James, God says that religion that He sees as pure is to take care of widows and orphans in their distress. If you are a 700 Club member, I want you to know you are doing that. Not just in Berdansk, Ukraine, but in orphanages in countries around the world. If you’re not a 700 Club member, there’s so many children waiting for someone to come and say, "You’re special. I care about you," someone to bring them a message of God’s love. Join with us today. It’s just 65 cents a day, 20 dollars a month. How do you put a price tag on the significance of helping one of these little ones to understand how precious they are in the eyes of God? Join with us today and make a difference in someone’s life!