We’re a Scandinavian couple, Boas and Mirjam Adolphi.  We’ve been in Ukraine since 1992

I’m Boas from Sweden and my wife, Mirjam, is from Finland.

 

As missionaries, and believers in Christ the Messiah, we se that it is our duty,

 and also a command from the Bible;

*To help the poor and needy, especially the children.

*To show the love of God in practical ways.

*To help orphans, homeless children and other children at risk.

 

Street children are a big problem in Ukraine.

According  officiell statistics 2007, there are about  800.000 streetchildren, in Ukraine. 

Ages as low as  4 up to  16. 

Why?

 

For many street kids, the home situation is a catastrophe.

The parents live in hopelessness becoming alcoholics trying to escape the depressed economics.

The children are victims of domestic violence, torture, rape, etc…

For them, home is hell, that is why they say;

 “ It is better on the street than at home”

 

Their homes on the street are often found in basements, sewer systems, parks etc…

To get something to eat they have to beg, or steal money for food.

Many of them are sniffing glue,  which keeps the hunger away for a short time, and gives them a sense of warmth  so they can forget the terrible memories they have of home.

The glue damages their brain after years of sniffing.

 

Of course we can’t help all these children even if we wanted to, but we do the best we can to help.

 

Outside Kiev, in the villages, there are similar problem.

Domestic violence, drugs, alchoholism,etc, which makes these children rum away from home, many in their desperation find their way to Kiev, the big Capitol, thinking life would be better, but it just end up worse. Sniffing glue, stealing to survive, and also prostitution.

 

Our aim is to stop them before they end up on the streets.

 

In the village Piski, 80 km northeast of Kiev, we have our Children's home, and Rehabilitation center called

 “Friends House”