Visiting the Orphans

Rachel, my oldest daughter, and I will be visiting the orphans Oct 29- Nov 10 in Ukraine. They have a fall break. We have permission from the orphanages to come and visit. We are very excited about seeing all of them again. They were such a joy in the lives of many while they were here.
We are hoping to take blankets and candy to the orphans. If you would like to donate to the mission trip or things we will be taking that would be awesome. Please be praying for the children and us. We pray for God's perfect provision and timing.

Visiting the Ukraine

We are praying about dates for taking a group to visit the Ukraine. We are planning on visiting the orphanages that allowed us to host children.
One orphanage has requested blankets. If possible we would like to carry blankets to all the children in the orphanages that visited our home. We are guessing about 700 blankets are needed. We plan on trying to buy in bulk or ask some be donated.
If anyone would like to help with these projects or would like to go with us to Ukraine, please contact: Hollieeholmes@aol.com

They are back in Ukraine

We had a wonderful month. Full of fun and blessings. The children are back in their various orphanages. We hope to see them one day again.
Thank you to all that helped in any way. We could not have done it without you. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun!
We hope to visit the children where they live. If you would like to join us contact the host.
Thank you all for your loving hearts towards these precious children.

Schedule

We have added a few things to the schedule. Please join us for the birthday party Friday night, Sunday night Laua and the talent show Monday night. Fun for all!

Please come visit.

I heard someone say they had not been invited. All are invited and encouraged to come and visit on host home days. We would love for you to spend time with the children. They are great and amazing.
Sorry, we have no time to call you. Call us. There are 15 of us living in 1 home.
You are invited. We suggest you call before you come to make sure the schedule has not changed. Thank you.

Wow, what fun.

Thanks to all that have visited, helped drive, brought food/ drinks and just joined in on the blessings. We are blessed to have such good friends.
Please watch for changes to the schedule and call before you come.
Today we added a trip, for the older children, kayaking and canoeing.
We still need a 12-20 passenger van to drive to the beach.
Please call to confirm trips you plan to attend with the group.
Shopping Monday night at 7:00 call 527-7677 or 680-3736

Planned Schedule

Please watch for changes and updates.
Aug 4 Appointment date in Ukraine.
Aug 7 Arrival to Atlanta. Drive to host home, very late.
Aug 8 Day at host home. Visitors welcome 9-9.
Aug 9 Day at host home. Visitors welcome 9-9.
Aug 10 Worship with Palmerdale First Baptist 9-11:30
3:00-8 Home of Dean and Tina Naden - youth party -Jasper
Aug 11 Swim and lunch 8-11(Sharit)
McWane Science Center (Thank You)
Aug 12 Swimming - lunch (Mann)
Aug 13 Dentist 4 @ 11
Orr park Montevallo 1-4 (lunch) 4-6 church crafts, gym
6:30 Wilton Bible Baptist dinner
Aug 14 Anniston Museum of Nat, Berman Museum,(Thank You)
picnic and Wright Dairy 9-2
Trussville Playstation 6-9 (Thank You)
Meet OATHE and Church at Bradford Rd. youth
Aug 15 Swimming & dinner 3-7 (Anderton small group Living Word)
Visitors 9-1
Aug 16 Day at host home. Visitors welcome 9-9
Dinner small group Living Word
Western night - bonfire, smores 7-9
Aug 17 Worship with Grace Chapel and lunch
Lake @ Nelms after church
Ride horses with Jen
Aug 18 Swimming - lunch (Farguson)
Take them shopping @ 7
Aug 19 Amerex @ 10-11 (lunch out)
Visitors 1-9
Aug 20-22 Laguna Beach Christian Retreat,
Panama City, FL (Thank You)
Dinner Montgomery Taylor
Aug 23 Visitors 9-1.
Farm Day 1-6 with Grace Chapel - Dinner provided
Visitors 6:30-9.
Aug 24 Worship with Living Word
Visitors welcome 2-9 at host home
Living Word dinner (Heather Sharit)
Cake and ice cream at 3:00 for host.
Aug 25 Rain Day: Host home, visitors 9-9.
Aug 26 Pump it Up 10-12. Rest 1-2 @ Jane Anderton's
Bowling at Lightning Strikes 3-5
Visitors welcome 6-9
Aug 27 Huntsville Space and Rocket Center (Thank you)
Dentist
Evening worship with Ukraine Church 7:30-9

Aug 28 Visitors welcome 9-12
Dentist 2 @ 8
MST Dentist 4 @ 1-3
Urgent Health Care West @ 4:00 Naden
Swim @ Nadens and dinner

Aug 29 Grace Chapel - lake day (lunch) 9-1?
Girls hair done @ 3:00 (Thank You)
Fighter jet ride, boys @ 3:00 (Thank You)
Visitors welcome 5-9 at host home.
Birthday Party 7-9 at host home everyone welcome.
Gifts not necessary. If you do bring something bring for all 8 children. Call host for details.

Aug 30 AL Adventure10:30-3.
Visitors welcome 4-9 at host home.

Aug 31 Worship with The Church At Bradford Road 10:30
Visitors welcome till 2-9 at host home.
Crafts Girl Scout troup @ 4 (dinner).
Luau night - dress tropical - bonfire 7-9.

Sept 1 Labor Day - dress red, white and blue.
Visitors welcome 9-9.
Talent show at 7:00 everyone welcome.

Sept 2 Birmingham Zoo 9-12. Pack afternoon. Visitors 2-9.

Sept 3 Drive to Atlanta, children return to Ukraine

*Children will have nap time after lunch.
Some outings not yet posted. Trying to schedule YMC, hair cuts, dentist, eye doctor, ear doctor, movie.

Pray August 4th

Appointment date is August 4th. Please pray all goes smoothly. Please pray for safe travel.
We are planning on hosting 8. We were told 6 girls and 2 boys. Ages 6-15.
We are very excited and hopeful. We still need lots of volteers. Please see past blogs for the list of needs.

2 More?

We are praying about bringing 8 children instead of 6. This would mean another $5,000. It cost $2,500 per child just to bring them here. There are 2 orphans that were told they would be coming and their host home has canceled, due to August arrival. My heart goes out to these girls. I think we will be able to borrow a set of bunk beds for them. Planned sleeping arrangements change often here. We will decide very soon.
Appointment is still August 4.
Needs: Volunteers for trips, home days, meals, planning trips, organizing, garbage pick up and help around host home. $25.00 gift card, we would like each orphan to be able to shop for anything their heart desires. (This will be a field trip, you may sign up to help a child shop.) New clothes for each child. (We may do this as a field trip also to get correct sizes). Bottled water, Caprisuns, lots of fruit, popsicles, and meals. (Would someone like to get church groups to do meals?)
When needs are fulfilled we will take them off the list. We will add needs as they arrive. It would be helpful for those coming to the host home to call first and possibly help with errands on the way here. (I expect to run out of milk, eggs and bread often.)
To volunteer or ask questions e-mail Hollieeholmes@aol.com
If you have already volunteered please e-mail your name, address, phone numbers, how many will be coming with you and what you are volunteering to do. A complete list is needed.
Thank you!

Aug 4 appointment date

The appointment date is still scheduled for Aug 4. They do not feel it will be moved up. They hope to have the plane tickets on Aug 8 and return Sept 4. They have not bought the plane tickets yet. Please keep praying. Appointment dates have been moved up before. We would like to host as long as possible. Thanks!

August Arrival

The hosting company called today to say the visa appointment date was set for August 4. The earliest they will travel is August 5. School starts September 1. They will have to be back before September 1.
When they notify us of the plane ticket dates we will plan a new schedule. Unfortunately they will be here a shorter time. We do hope to get them to a doctor, dentist and eye doctor during their visit. We still hope to take them to Montgomery, Huntsville and the beach. We will have less days in the host home.
Many of us are disappointed by this news. It was stated the latest they would arrive would be this week. We are glad they do have appointment dates and are expected to be able to travel.
Please pray.

Waiting

There has been apointment date set for visas. It is later than we would like and they are trying to move the date up. If air tickets are available they could travel the day after the apointment.
Please pray for visas.

Still No Visas - Pray

PLEASE BE PRAYING FOR VISAS. I do believe their arrival date will be pushed back because they have not gotten appointment date or visas. Waiting on God's perfect timing. Pray all paperwork is in order and for no more problems.
At this moment we will be hosting 2 from Poltava (13 boy and 15 girl, requested).
2 girls ages 12 and 13 from close to Kyiv.
Oleg a 5 year old boy from Sumy.
I do not know about the 6th orphan.
Romans 12:13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Hosting Ukraine Orphans

Hosting dates June - August 20, 2008
6 orphans and a guardian from the Ukraine.
June 14 & 15 - BBQ at Palmerdale Baptist
Why are we hosting Ukraine orphans? There are over 100,000 orphans in Ukraine. 10% of them kill themselves before they are 18. Why? 60% of the girls end up in prostution. Orphanage boys have a 27% chance of getting a job. These children have a 1% chance of being adopted. Most must leave the orphanage at 16 with incomplete educations.
They need hope! We want to give them hope. We would like to give them a summer to remember. We plan on taking them to area attractions, swimming, and much more.
The cost: $2,500 per orphan to bring them to Atlanta.
This does not include anything in the U.S.
Biggest need: prayer.
If you or your church would like to help other needs: new clothes, paper products (plates, forks, toliet paper), food, meal(s), fruit, bottled water, juice boxes, gift cards for gas or clothes, new shoes, or sponsor a field trip. If you or your church has a 12 or 15 passenger van that we could borrow for trips that would be a blessing.
We would love to have lots of volunteers and churches working with us this summer to bless these children. There is still time to pick a day to help. Groups are encouraged to visit, provide meals, sponsor activities and just play with the orphans. Contact host to set up visits.
Volunteers needed: Field trips friends, cooking, drivers, dentist, eye doctor, host a day outing and much more.
Thank you to Grace Chapel for their love and support.
Thank you to Living Word Church, Jane Anderton and friends for the plant/yard sale on May 24.
Thank you to Palmerdale Baptist for the Boston Butt BBQ June 14-15.
Thank you to our family and friends for their prayers, love and support.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and fautless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

You may call or email: Hollieeholmes@aol.com 527-7677