Scriptures support caring ministry among elderly and disabled
Focus on Southern Ukraine:

“I’m very glad that you’ve come here to tell people about the truth in the Bible,” says Oleg, who has been confined to a wheelchair since childhood. He is keen to tell the visitors about his relationship with the Bible. “When I was living in a children’s home, some people used to come to talk to us about God. They also brought sweets, so they got my attention! I started to read the Bible, though, and asked them questions about it. I wondered why so many people believed in God, so I read the Bible seriously in order to find out. I came to understand that it was a great book. I’m still not always a good person, but I try!” Photo: UBS/Dag Smemo (UKR06DJ-260.JPG)

84-year-old Alexandra’s broad smile lights up her small room with its river views. It’s hard to believe that she was very unhappy when she arrived at the home. “I worked hard and never had any children, so I felt very lonely when I retired. But now I’m very grateful to be here where I’m so well cared for.” She points to a booklet produced in conjunction with the Jesus film. “I believe in God and at the moment I’m reading this book about Jesus.” Photo: UBS/Dag Smemo (UKR06DJ-273.JPG)

Igor cannot leave his bed without assistance, but local Christians take him to church every Sunday. Until recently, he listened to Christian audio cassettes to pass the time, but his cassette player has broken down and will take some time to repair. His sight is poor, he says, so the large-print Scriptures will be a welcome replacement for his cassettes. Photo: UBS/Dag Smemo (UKR06DJ-275.JPG)

UKRAINE — Children run around happily on the narrow street outside the home for elderly and disabled people in Kakhovka. Inside the home, the 200 residents are much less mobile, but nevertheless they radiate the same joy as the children outside. The staff who care for them take pride in their work and are very committed to ensuring that they feel at ease, both physically and emotionally. Support for their work comes from a number of different sources, including local church members who visit regularly.

On this occasion, representatives from the Southern Region branch of the Ukrainian Bible Society have travelled from Kherson, 70 kms away, to join Pastor Sergei, the leader of a local charismatic church, in distributing copies of the Psalms and Luke’s Gospel in large-print format at the home. Pastor Sergei explains that his church has a range of ministries in this region, including putting on children’s entertainments and working among Romani people. Large-print Scriptures are always extremely useful for outreach to the elderly, he assures his Bible Society friends.

Greeted cheerfully

At the gates, the visitors are greeted cheerfully by residents propelling themselves along at considerable speed on a range of wheeled vehicles. Once they are inside the building, others begin to join them, too. There is a mixture of quite young people who, because of their disabilities, cannot live independently, and others who are very elderly and can no longer care for themselves.

“Greetings in the name of our risen Lord!” declares Pastor Sergei. He goes on to explain about the Scriptures that are being distributed today, likening them to a set of instructions for leading a good life.

“Read God’s Word from your heart and receive it into your heart,” he says. “I pray that the Bible will become your best friend and guide for life.”

Alexander Sultan, who is responsible for fundraising at the Bible Society’s Southern Region branch, is only 26 years old, yet he speaks with quiet authority when he tells the residents and staff how he came to know and love the Bible.

Started to understand

“As a young child, I tried to read my grandmother’s New Testament,” he says. “I didn’t understand it then, but somehow I remembered it and turned to it again as an adult. Then I started to understand the depth of its words.

“After that, my life changed and I gave my heart to God. I believe that these books can also change your life and that you will be blessed.” (For more about Mr Sultan and his work, see World Report 404/6.)

After handing out the large-print Scriptures, the visitors talk and pray for a while with those who have gathered in the home’s main hall. They are then taken by Ludmila, one of the nurses, to spend some time with those who cannot leave their rooms.

Hard work

“It’s hard work here,” she admits as she leads the way along the corridors, “but there’s a good atmosphere. It’s very clean here and our patients are happy and well cared for. We have our own bakery and we grow our own vegetables. We’re like one big, happy family. People often think that institutions are terrible places, but it’s not like that at all here.”

In each room, the staff talk warmly to the residents and check constantly that they are comfortable. All the residents are eager to tell the visitors how happy they are here (see photos captions).

Tranquility

As the visitors leave, Ludmila and her colleague take them into the garden. Here, overlooking a wide river, residents can sit and enjoy the tranquillity. It is also here that a vision shared by the residents and staff is taking shape.

“We want to build a chapel here,” explains Ludmila. “Thanks to small sums of money put aside by both the residents and the staff from their own income, we have already been able to build the foundations. Now my colleague and I dream of seeing it completed before we retire.”

This report refers to project UKRFR1. (WR 405/13 - 09/10.06) [9 photos]