Operation Lazarus Update

by Andy Langeland
Director of Operation Lazarus - Sevastopol, Ukraine

Our first month back in Ukraine has definitely passed more quickly than I expected. We have been very busy since we settled back into our daily routine here in Sevastopol, from reconnecting with friends and acquaintances and making new ones, to launching fresh projects for our group of post-orphanage teens.

One of the new activities we have begun for our four most committed young people is a program of weekly English lessons. Thanks to a generous donation of brand new “English As A Second Language” curriculum we have the opportunity to empower these post-orphans by imparting to them a skill that only a privileged Ukrainian young person could hope to attain. Even fewer still will have the opportunity to learn English from native speakers.

Possessing the ability to speak English fluently is a skill that can open many doors for a person in Ukraine, despite lack of other higher education. If one is well educated and is able to speak English fluently, the possibilities begin to multiply during this period as Ukraine continues to slog its way towards integration into the circle of developed nations.

We have known this group of teens for just under two years now and I have never seen them apply themselves or take anything as seriously as they do their English lessons. We are using a very formal and structured approach in order to show them that we are equally dedicated to their success in learning English. It is exciting to see them maturing to a point where they desire to study something of their own free will, and not because they are being forced to go to school. We believe this process will not only increase their knowledge but also their sense of self-worth. It also making a serious contribution towards increasing their ability to work toward and attain a non-immediate goal, something most orphans and many teenagers lack.

Pray with us that Andre, Nastia, Anya and Vanya continue to apply themselves to their studies and that we have the insight to teach them in the most effective way possible. The time we are investing in them both spiritually and academically is definitely putting them on a path that will change their lives forever. Thank you for being a part of rescuing these teenagers from the bleak and hopeless future they were headed toward before Operation Lazarus intervened!

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