Collecting Christmas Presents for Orphans

Getting ready for Christmas in an orphanage in Ukraine

We are collecting Christmas presents for some orphans in Ukraine.  If you are interested in sending presents to a child, please read the following letter from a friend of ours:

For the last several years I have been involved in ministry to orphan children in Ukraine and some of my friends have been ministering to children in many poor orphanages outside the city.  The children in these orphanages range in age from 7-18. 

The children come from many different situations.  Some have parents who have died, are in jail, have been involved in drugs or alcohol, or have abandoned them at some time in their lives.  No matter the reason that the children have been placed in the orphanage, life there is tough for all of them.  The children have the same schedule day after day, eating, sleeping, going to school, and having all their free time right at the orphanage.  Even holidays are spent in the orphanage and without much celebration.

This year, we have organized a Christmas Gift Project to provide a special Christmas gift for the children in these orphanages.  Many churches from here will be gathering gifts, but we also need help from you in the US.   The goal this year is to collect enough gifts so that each child in 16 orphanages will receive something special on the day when we remember the most wonderful gift ever given: the day when Jesus Christ our Savior was born.  Maybe you would be willing to help?

This project is open to churches, small groups or individuals.  We are looking for anyone willing to help.   If you are interested in learning more, I will include instructions about the project at the end of this letter.  For more information please contact Matthew at Nasekos@perumission.org.

Thank you for your consideration of this opportunity to be a blessing to the orphans of Ukraine!

Instructions:

If you or your church or small group is interested in sending Christmas gifts, please e-mail Matthew as soon as possible (Nasekos@perumission.org). Please let me know how many gifts you would like to send.  Then I will send you an email with information (age and gender) about one of the groups of kids.

 It’s up to you to decide how to divide up the needs and gather the gifts.  All gifts should be mailed directly to the address I will send you once you let me know that you are interested in sending gifts.  Packages usually take 2-4 weeks to arrive in Ukraine so all gifts should be mailed before Dec 1st.  In Ukraine, we celebrate Christmas on Jan 7^th so hopefully the gifts will arrive in time.

Gift Guidelines:

All gifts should fit inside a sealed quart size zip-lock bag and the cost of each gift should not exceed $10.  Each gift should include: 1 pair of socks, 1 type of candy, a Christmas card, and an extra item(s).  Some ideas are listed below but these are only suggestions and other items may be included as well.  Be creative and use your imagination J  The zip-lock may be sent wrapped or unwrapped (We will wrap unwrapped gifts so they will all be the same).  All gifts should be labeled with the age and gender.

Gift ideas:

any small toys, balls, cars, crayons, markers,  colored pencils, coloring books, hair things, lip gloss, jewelry, photo frame, photo album, keychains, yo-yo, legos, building games (k’nex, magnetic toys), small notebook, stickers, UNO card game, small puzzles, brain teaser games, small electronic games, watch, hat, gloves, scarf, calculator, flashlight, belt, comb, brush, small calendar, expanding washcloth, etc.    

Karina, last year in the orphanage painting Christmas balls.