“I will not leave you as orphans, but will come to you”
John 14:18
As you may have already heard, the Jacobsens are adopting an 11 year old boy from Ukraine named Vova. Vova stayed with us last Christmas as part of a Christian Mission hosting program. Initially, we had no intention of adopting a child, but the Lord had other plans. We instantly fell in love with Vova and it was clear that he was destined to be a Jacobsen! We hosted Vova again over the summer and he excitedly said yes to adoption.
Vova currently lives with 300 other orphans in the Kherson Orphanage in the Ukraine. Orphans in the Ukraine literally have no future. Once they turn 16, they are required to leave the orphanage, turned out on the streets with the equivalent of $20 in their pocket, with nowhere to go. With no job or money, many are forced to live in the sewers beneath the streets, and most are compelled to turn to prostitution, drugs and crime. With such a bleak future, 15% of all orphans who “age out” of an orphanage in the Ukraine, commit suicide before age 18. 60% of the girls are lured into prostitution and 70% of the boys become drug addicts or hardened criminals. Many of these orphans accept job offers that ultimately result in their being sold as sex slaves. And there is no escape! Once an orphan turns 16, the Ukrainian government will not issue them a Visa.
This dark future will not happen to Vova! Judi and I are traveling to the Ukraine in January to adopt him and bring him home. Unfortunately, the costs associated with adopting a child from the Ukraine can often exceed $25,000. To offset some of these adoption costs, we are hosting a Christmas party/fundraiser in December at the 419 restaurant on Brambleton Avenue in Roanoke from 7:30 - ? There will be food, drinks, a lot of fun and Christmas cheer. Please plan on attending this event and help make this a Christmas to remember for an 11 year old little boy.
If you are unable to attend the Christmas party, would you please consider making a contribution to help support our adoption of Vova? The Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke has set up an orphan fund, to be used for International adoptions. All contributions are tax deductable. If you would like to make a contribution, please make your check out to “COHS-Orphan fund” and return it to us in the self addressed stamped envelope. We will deposit your donation.
