Last Bell State of the Union
Dear friends,
Greetings from Indianapolis on behalf of those faithfully serving in Zhytomyr, Ukraine.
It’s hard to believe the people of Ukraine have lived for one and a half years under threatening skies. Our long-suffering friends know first-hand what it is to wander in the wilderness with God. There is no sign that an end to the war is near.
Our youth and staff constantly weigh decisions against the possibility of attacks, air raid sirens, and the potential of being drafted to the front lines.
Those of us who care deeply, though, continue praying fervently for peace to be restored, for God to relieve suffering, and for our ministry to continually renew our focus on loving and restoring orphans towards life and community.
The leadership of Last Bell is committed to shifting gears from the first shock of war into the needs of the present.
In this time of suffering, there is also profound joy. Our extraordinary staff continue to serve hundreds of youth practically, emotionally, and spiritually. You’ve been reading about young women like Karina who’ve experienced true life change.
I’m thrilled about having a full staff in wartime! Although several of our staff evacuated during the start of war, openings were quickly filled by dynamic, compassionate new team members.
The Board and I have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the long-term health of our ministry. We want Last Bell to keep serving for decades to come.
One of the biggest needs we see right now is for safe housing, especially for the young moms in our Stop the Cycle program. We’ve taken major steps toward adding transitional housing apartments. I look forward to sharing more news about that next year!
We’re expanding our youth tracking system to provide objective data about outcomes, confirming the meaningful change we see in the lives of those we serve.
We’re also preparing to better address the expanding vocational needs of our youth beginning in early 2024, especially those in our Educational Outreach program.
We continue to provide humanitarian relief to those in our community impacted by war, including military helmets, generators, medical kits, and other survival items.
We still need you! I’m thankful for your financial support, generous partnership, and your faithful prayers.
Bless you for your tender hearts for our vulnerable orphaned youth in Ukraine.
Together in this good work,
Megan Hershey
Executive Director