N&S DOMa: April 2016

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Life in Darivka, the plant type

This Tulip tree will be the center of the therapy garden at Stephen's home

supplies

I think the work crew's staying dry through pouring rain at the time this was taken yesterday

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Rain and a few delays, but the action continues.

Less than 2 weeks and the team from the States will arrive.

Planning lots of work for them to do :-)

Layer 2 of the foundation blocks gets stacked around the outer perimeter

Friday, April 22, 2016

Trying to keep up with the changes, daily

A tree, not just a stick & a Tulip tree at that!

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Each day brings a bit more progress, this was yesterday, April 19th.
It was pretty yesterday. Today it's not stopped pouring rain, which is great for the new trees we planted, not great for doing cement work.

This is the arrival of our Tulip tree that will sit in the center of the garden.

This is the walnut tree that is being moved so we begin with a bigger tree that will provide shade in the next 5 to 8 years. This little walnut we'd have to wait quite a bit longer. We'll find another good spot for it.

The new Japanese cherry tree found a spot in the corner,

it's blooms already making everyone smile.

& the Tulip tree

a good days work

This is a cherry, then an apple and a peach on the far end

Monday, April 18, 2016

PROGRESS!

Much more work is now involved as the team of "directors" have discussed the need for leveling the building plot so the house will have an even floor. This is a challenge to also keep water from draining towards the house. Raising the ground appropriately, in the right places, is the solution. It will take more foundation blocks and placement of this extra layer is in motion.

It is spring here in Ukraine and the trees are blossoming.

This apple and cherry tree are a couple of the flowering trees on the therapy garden at Stephen's home.

Friday, April 15, 2016

Not to cause any distraction from the work being done on Stephen's home, but plans for Naomi's home are beginning to come together.
Here below are the preliminary drawings for the floor-plan layout of the house and adjacent private dwellings for married couples.

Monday, April 11, 2016

As of noon on April 8th, 2016

The start of Stephen's Home

Saturday, April 2, 2016

April 2, 2016

Friday, April 1, 2016

The back wall of the house will sit here

March 30, 2016

Things are happening quickly out at the Stephen's home plot.

All the foundation work is being put in.

Holes for the foundation blocks to be set into

About

Loving on disable children in a small town, state run orphanage.

THEIR FUTURE

Most kids in Ukraine have to leave the orphanage at 18 years of age. A normal, healthy orphan has a rather bleak future if they don't have the encouragement of others. Most have few life skills and a poor education, and they are left to fend for themselves.

But for handicapped orphans, those labeled mentally disabled, their future is miserable. At 18 they are uprooted from the only home they have ever known, the orphanage, and sent to live in a psychological "internat" (government run institute) or an old-age home for the rest of their lives. They have no rights… no formal education and no understanding of life outside the orphanage. Desperate for freedom and longing to be loved, they are isolated from society.

Throughout their life in Ukraine, nothing for these disabled children comes easily. The world here is not handicap accessible. The stigma and cultural perspective remains in many people’s minds that these kids are not kids and need to be shut away. That is what has been done, having been placed in institutes they are not allowed to leave. The mentality of some who work in the homes is that the children don’t have feelings because they cannot respond or interact as a typical child. The children are not expected to live. That changes the whole outlook on care, feeding, nurturing, health, and every aspect of life.

But what about their hearts?

Necessities are covered by a small stipend from the local government for families who keep their disabled children in their homes. Many homes are single moms, and if she is at home with her disabled child, she cannot work to put food on the table or provide a roof over her family’s head. The government’s stipend does not begin to cover these needs. In many ways, out of a pure lack of resources, it is easier for the family to allow the government to provide, which means giving up their parental rights and letting someone else take care of their children.

The government will step in and remove a disabled child from the home if there is alcohol abuse, drug, and/or physical abuse. These addictions often result in the child having epilepsy. This is one of the biggest problems in the orphanage.

For all the children, no matter if their disability is physical, mental, or both, between 18 and 19 years of age, they will be moved to an asylum referred to as a psycho-neurological “internat” for adults or to a facility comparable in nature to an old folk’s homes.

This is the future for these young adults.

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