“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:27
KYIV, Ukraine. Many Christians today take to heart the appeal of James. Among them, Sasha Prokopchuk and his congregation are involved in ministering to orphans and those placed in shelters for abandoned kids. Up to date, they have cooperated with more than 150 orphanages!
Earlier this year, they reached out to boarding schools for orphans all over Ukraine. They offered them Bibles for kids and teens as well as other materials the children could benefit from. As a result, they received 23 requests for Bibles and coloring books. The teachers who wrote back were thrilled that the kids would have the opportunity to read and study the Bible.
In response to the requests, Sasha’s congregation, with the help of EEM, shipped nearly 1,900 copies of materials, including more than 400 Teen Bibles (Bible for You) and nearly as many Bibles for Young Readers in March alone! In addition to this, they distributed almost 1,500 books through the Response center—a center which offers free Bibles, Bible correspondence courses, and Christian seminars.
Says Sasha Prokopchuk: “Most of the people who write us are really surprised that in this day and age we are able to offer such a precious gift—free of charge. They are very grateful for all our work and efforts.”
More and more requests are being made now for materials in Ukrainian, which shows that even years after we set foot in Ukraine, there remains plenty of ground to cover. We are thankful to the local churches for serving those who need it the most. We are grateful to be a part of this ministry—what James calls “pure and undefiled religion.”
