Orphans Crisis in Odessa, Ukraine
Many nations are in “lockdown” as a result of the spread of the Coronavirus around the world. The Ukraine is no different, and as a result of some of the quarantine measures, the children who were accommodated in orphanage boarding schools that we support and in which our teams minister, have been removed from these Orphanage Schools and sent back to their “homes”.
But many have no homes and nowhere to go. Many are on the streets, with no means to feed and take care of themselves. 552 children from 7 to17-years of age, were removed from these boarding schools. Many of these children are orphans with no parents, and the others cannot be fed or cared for by their parents, who are from dysfunctional families from which the children were removed in the past. They have been told to go “home” into unsafe environments, where there is no food, medicine or safety.
As a result, these many of these needy children are now living on the streets without food, medicines or shelter. We are working together to seek to meet the needs of these children as best we can. We’ve been to these villages in the past and understand a bit of where these children are situated. I cannot imagine what will happen to them now. I am really concerned that they could get into trouble by stealing or mugging innocent people to survive, or even being killed by other gangs struggling to survive.
To provide basic food, hygienic toiletries and medicines for 552 children is a lot to facilitate help for, especially at this time of crisis and quarantine.
So, to cover this need we would need to prepare for two weeks – we hope the crisis won’t last longer.
We are seeking to prepare at least 552 survival bags for these children containing basic food, hygienic toiletries, a mask and any medicines required.
We calculate that the costs per bag is around $33 per week, so that is $18,216 AUD. per week in total. We are currently believing that this will be resolved in 2 weeks and that would make the total cost of $36,432 AUD.
The need is huge but if you can help in any way possible, we would greatly appreciate that. Please pray for these precious children and their great need.
Thank you for your wonderful partnership in the gospel and your compassion for these precious children.
Love and blessings, Dave & Margurita
A young baby in Odesa who has recently undergone heart surgery.
If you are resident in the USA please follow this link to make your donation.
Residents of other nations please click on the button below
Are you resident in Australia and prefer to donate via PayPal, then this is the link for you:
Please do not use PayPal if you are resident outside Australia as the exchange rates used tend to work against the ministry, so please use the blue “Donate Now” button.
Welcome to our web site.
The seed of Smethurst Ministries was planted in 1972 when God called David Smethurst and his wife Margurita into ministry. This calling has taken them into churches, schools, youth groups, colleges, convents, military bases, prisons etc across the world including Africa, Australia, USA, Britain, Ireland, Latvia and other ex Soviet countries, Yugoslavia, Singapore, Malaysia, Iceland…
1988 saw the establishment of the Smethurst Ministries……. Read More >
Thank you for visiting our website and God bless you!
Dave and Margurita
Recent News
Ministry in England & Orphans in Ukraine ~ November 2019
On Sunday November 3rd I drove to Central London to minister to the Salvation Chinese Church in a combined service for Mandarin & Cantonese speaking believers at 12 noon at St Margaret Patten Anglican Church, near Tower Bridge, London. [...]
Ministry in USA and Europe Oct-Nov 2019
In early October, the Friday night Fellowship Meeting at John & Linda Andrewski’s home in Mashpee, Cape Cod, was joined by the Yarmouth Ladies Bible Study Group, led by Pat Greene. Linda, Pat and these precious ladies had knitted [...]
News from Eastern Europe
Brain Damaged Babies Orphanage in Odessa, Ukraine The great news is that we have been able to supply and install a Portable Respirator to help these disadvantaged little children with malformed lungs breathe normally when their lungs aren’t functioning [...]