Hello family and friends,
The Christmas fundraiser was a success!
We raised more than $4000 to help four village schools and two Orphanages. Sveta and I are ecstatic!
Sveta has been busy connecting with the directors of the village schools. She wired the money to each director or manager. They are in the process of ordering the educational equipment to be put to use immediately. We will have receipts for every purchase soon.
Mark’s Moments
Take a look at our latest three videos. If you only have 6 minutes to spare, be sure to see our 2017 update video.
On our last visit to America, friends ask me if Ukraine is changing for the better. I say emphatically, “Yes.” Here is a current article that suggests that corruption is under attack. In Ukraine, a Successful Fight for Justice, Then a Murder It is not a pleasant story, but it does show that truth is what Ukraine is moving toward. Corruption is on the way out.
It is interesting to read how some journalists represent Ukraine. This article about the new police force in Ukraine is not exactly 100% correct. Read the comments at the bottom of this link page. I have lived in Ukraine for 15 years and I have watched change take place in different cities. I see the new young police force in our city. I see a generation of young people who want to change their country. When you read about Ukraine, challenge everything. With fake news and propaganda hackers, we must test the sources of all that we read.
I think that this article helps me, someone with high hopes for Ukraine, to better understand why the anti-corruption programs are not moving forward faster and better. Bringing about change in a country the size of Ukraine is not easy. What I found most interesting was how it seems that the Oligarchs have more control of the country than the government. MUCH continues to operate without any interference for any organization. It seems that the needs that MUCH meets will remain.
We see problems of corruption in Ukraine on different levels of government. Last year, a disgruntled employee anonymously brought false changes against a direct of an orphanage. The investigation went on for about 6 months. The director was found innocent of all charges. The orphanage is in Western Ukraine, very pro Ukrainian.
Currently, the director of a school that we have been working with for three years is in a similar situation. This time, someone wants her job. After all possible complaints have been proven false, one was made up. We sent a letter in support of the director to the proper authority. It was returned to us, explaining that it was written in an incorrect format. The school pro Ukrainian, is in eastern Ukraine, influenced by pro Russian sympathizers in government. And the beat goes on.
Sveta’s Journey
Very often doctors are in a hurry to prescribe antibiotics for a child or a shock dose of treatment to relieve themselves of responsibility. If doctor prescribes a “weak” medication for a child or one that has “slow-effect,” it will have mild results. When this happens, it appears that the doctor is not so qualified. I saw it when our grandchildren were ill. The parents requested the doctor to make a house call. He prescribed antibiotics without knowing the results of the previous tests.
When Sasha was three months old, the doctor diagnosed him with dysplasia of the hip joints. If
treatment did not begin on time, pathology of the musculoskeletal system and even disability could occur. The doctor ordered the child be put in special stirrups, and remain in this apparatus for five months. The mother of the child decided to try another treatment, to begin a massage therapy treatment.
Oksana, our massage therapist in Mykolaiv, gave Sasha two ten-day courses of massage therapy. Oksana and Sasha’s mother saw positive results. The baby’s legs were symmetrically and painlessly spread in both directions. After seeing these results, Sasha’s mother visited the doctor for a new evaluation. The doctor confirmed that the baby’s dysplasia of his hip joints was corrected. He made a new diagnosis and
cancelled his recommendation of needing stirrups.
A second similar story occurred with a four-year-old girl, named Victoria.
The child was repeatedly sick. Obstructive bronchitis of an allergic and infectious nature lowered her immunity system. The main problem was shortness of breath and a clear lack of oxygen. The girl was regularly treated by a pulmonologist and took antibiotics quite often.
This time, when the doctor prescribed antibiotics for Victoria, her mother decided to delay using them. She decided to turn to our massage therapist Tanya and her child received a 10-day massage therapy course of drainage massage and massage to correct her spine. It was an unpleasant procedure. During the massage treatment the girl cried. Unfortunately, the pain was necessary.
Such a hard massage therapy is necessary in her situation and because of it, we saw good results. When in the middle of the massage course mother with Victoria visited the doctor, the doctor was surprised when he listened to the baby’s lungs. Her breathing improved. Chryps, the wheezing, decreased. The doctor said that antibiotics were no longer needed. How wonderful! Victoria did not need antibiotics! Massage therapy was the correct procedure for this illness!
We are so very grateful that God opened the door of massage therapy for Mark thirteen years ago. Because of his need and success, hundreds of children have been treated with positive results. Mark and I are thrilled to be a part of this and see the results!
Living my dream,
Sveta
Our goal for 2018 is to find more monthly sponsors to maintain and grow our massage therapy and Transportation Scholarship programs. The village school projects will continue as once a year fundraiser. There is so much to do here in Ukraine. God’s timing and your compassionate support will move us forward.
Thank you friends of MUCH!
Blessings of love and healing,
Mark and Sveta
You can see all of our videos at our YouTube channel.
