Testimony of Adoptive Parents in Ukraine

"I minister as a deacon, and my wife serves as librarian in our church. For 13 years we did not have children and it was a tragedy for us. We did not understand why this happened - we blamed God.

"Now we know that we had to change our own lives before trying to influence a child's life. We were thinking about adoption, but we were not sure about it. We hesitated until our friends fostered three children through the New Hope Orphan Care ministry here in Ukraine. We decided to visit the orphanage and that day we met Ruslana there.

Orphan children

"We discovered that she ended up in the orphanage because her parents were deprived of parental rights. We decided that we could help Ruslana and she could fill the emptiness of our family.

"Today she is eight years old. She struggles with some light mental delays and defects in her speech. We love our daughter very much and we hope to raise her as a Christian and protect her from evil."

(from November 2010 newsletter from New Hope International, New Hope Orphan Care Program - Ukraine. For information on supporting foster parents in Ukraine, click here)