Nearly seven years ago God planted the invisible seed of a dream into the heart of a tenacious New Brunswick girl. Today that “thing that was not” has been called forth by God in the visible realities of Hope House and First Step Centre. I believe that in God’s eyes these realities already “were” but the visibility waited for a fertile heart to hear the call, receive the seed and nurture it into flesh (and mortar).

Hope House, purchased by World Hope Canada in December 2003, is a home where abandoned street children can live and be nurtured by Christian parent/guardians.
First Step Centre just celebrated its 2nd year anniversary on Jan. 12th. Here we provide hot meals, showers and clean clothes, basic medical care, education, and Bible teaching for children still living on the street. Many street children have come to know Jesus and are being discipled through World Hope’s ministry at First Step Centre. Through the two teachers we employ at the Centre many of these children are learning to read, write and do simple math – education previously out of their grasp since they “don’t officially exist” in the eyes of the government of Ukraine.

Lisa DeGrace grew up in the Moncton Wesleyan Church and after graduating from college at Dalhousie Univ. in the early 1990’s, she went as a missionary with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship to the post-Soviet world. While walking to an ICF prayer meeting in Odessa, Ukraine one evening Lisa encountered, in her own words, “three very smelly filthy kids.” These children were street kids – neglected, abused and abandoned to care for themselves without benefit of home and parents. After talking with them and buying them some food, Lisa proceeded on to prayer meeting. That night as Lisa’s friends joined her in intercession for these children God planted the invisible seed of today’s very visible Ukraine Street Children Rescue Ministry.

“As I began to tell about the children it hit me! The oldest child’s name was Yulianna – which because of the child’s appearance I translated to be Julian. Now I realized that Yulianna was a young girl – not a boy as I had assumed. How could I not have noticed that he was a she! At this point I exploded into tears ... disturbed by the fact that this young girl could look so wretched. Was God opening my eyes by introducing me to Yulianna?”

In reflecting back on four year’s of development in God’s work of rescuing street children I realize that there is more to establishing a ministry such as the one in Ukraine than just prayer and the passage of time – but these are essentials. Prepared hearts will hear from God about what He plans to do (think of the OT Prophets) and willing hands will begin to act – not by sight but by faith - following God’s plan. As things progress God begins to call on others in his body to partner with what is gradually becoming visible.

Looking ahead I see hundreds more street children in Ukraine that God’s intends for us to rescue in the years ahead – the magnitude of the need that this ministry addresses is frightening at times. Looking back I see what God has done and I am encouraged and strengthened in my faith. God has raised up a strong team of labourers for the rescue of these children: Lisa DeGrace, Jennifer Carruthers (another Moncton Wesleyan and Bethany Bible College graduate) in her 2nd year of service in Ukraine, Sergei Svistun our Ukrainian Administrator, and 9 other Ukrainian believers employed by World Hope are all a part of God’s hand extended in compassion for the children. In addition to those serving in Ukraine are over 300 Atlantic Wesleyans (just the ones I know about!) who have supported the Ukraine ministry financially and through prayer.

I believe in “ ... the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” By the power of this Living Faith I want to sing God’s Melody of Hope for the future into the lives of hurting people in the coming year. I hope you will do the same.

May God bless you and make you a blessing in 2004.

Anne Medders, Executive Director
World Hope International – Canada