Dmitry...sweet boy...

We have some difficult news to share with you today. Project TLC was so encouraged last spring to have a team of doctors in Kyiv and funding in place to evaluate sweet Dmitry for surgery. He needed this surgery years ago. In the USA he would likely have had this lifesaving surgery shortly after birth.

Because he didn't get timely medical care, the pressure in Dmitry's head has caused it to grow dramatically. Orphanage doctors tried to tell us that his condition had compensated, meaning the fluid had begun to drain and his head wasn't getting worse. Recent photos and visits have indicated this may not be true. He is getting worse. He is losing skills and the ability to move around.

And worse, after months of trying to coordinate care for him, we have been assured that Dmitry will not be allowed to travel to Kyiv for medical evaluation and possible surgery. The funds pledged for his medical care are not available for any other purpose.

But...the good news...he still has hope.

After being evacuated from a region affected by war, Dmitry was unable to be adopted since traveling to the capital of his birth region for paperwork and passport applications was impossibly dangerous. All his paperwork was in order, it was just too dangerous to try to obtain required new travel documents once the adoption was complete.

A new official procedure is in place now and he can be adopted at any time! This is great news, and honestly, we believe it is his ONLY hope for survival. It is a miracle that Dmitry has lived as well as he has lived for as long as he has lived. A miracle that he has learned to talk and to laugh. I cannot believe that God has preserved his life for no reason.

Have you considered adding a child like Dmitry to your family? A child with special needs that has no hope otherwise? He has the potential to be a great blessing to the right family! How can we encourage you? Contact us at ProjectTLC@cox.net for more information.

Looking back - 2014

Project TLC had grand plans for 2014. God had other plans, mostly.

We had plans in place to bring a group of Crimean orphanage directors, caregivers and social workers to the USA for a two week educational seminar at a world reknowned special needs center. This plan fell apart when we lost access to Crimea early in the spring. Heartbreaking! How disappointed we were that they would not get to experience how early intervention, education and inclusion can enrich their communities and improve the lives of their children.

We had plans to help a very sick boy get the medical care he desperately needed. All the funds were in place. The doctors were willing. The doctors were waiting. Our plan fell apart when his village exploded in the turmoil of a war. So frustrating.

We have periodically shared information about children who are available for adoption. Adoption, while not always possible for every child we serve, is the best hope for an orphaned child to reach his or her potential. It's a reflection of our own adoption into the Kingdom of God. It's redemption.

We had plans to continue caring for children at a mental institution by sending volunteers to spend time with them daily. Despite some challenges, this program was successful and continues to improve! We see incereased communication skills, increased coping skills, and happier kids. They are getting what they were programmed to receive...love. Several generous monthly sponsors have so far funded this program by 50%.

While not all of our plans for 2014 were successful, not all bore fruit. However, we are encouraged by new connections and new possibilities for the coming year. We will share more about that soon. In the meantime, will you pray for us...and with us?

Yes, we needs funds. Yes, we need volunteers. But truly, the greatest way you can help is by going to our Father God in prayer. Lift up the children, that they might have hope in Him...the volunteers, that they might have strength for the task...the orphanage workers and officials, that they might have soft hearts and open minds...for the Project TLC board, as we determine our upcoming projects. Most of all, pray for the people of Ukraine during these difficult days of war.

Our Father does not NEED us to do anything for Him. He does not NEED us to come to Him. But it gives Him joy, He lets us participate in His plans, and it changes things. Prayer helps! We feel your prayers, so please keep them coming as we make priorities for the coming year.

Giving in the Season of Buying

Today is "Giving Tuesday." Ever heard of that?

After a series of days focused on shameless and conspicuous consumption, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, we have a day to switch gears and do some giving!!

Please consider Project TLC on this Giving Tuesday! 

Our caregivers are volunteers from the perspective of the orphanage, BUT we must pay them a salary...and it's the only job that these ladies have to support their families. Food prices have gone up dramatically so we felt compelled to give them a raise. Otherwise, the ladies would have to find employment elsewhere, and the children would suffer.

We need more sponsors!!

Our current monthly heroes only cover about 50% of our caregiver budget and that can't go on for much longer.

However, it's not only about money! Some of the most precious gifts are of yourself...your time, your talents, your precious prayers. Project TLC has other needs that you could help with! Prayer coordinators, graphic design, writing letters, and creating content for our new website are just a few examples.

We are convinced that God has a plan to meet every need...from every small project to every lonely, fatherless child. Has God planned for you to be a part of meeting someone's needs? As we navigate through this advent season, anticipating the greatest gift of all time, ask yourself:

How best can I give of myself?

You can arrange to make a one-time gift, or become a sponsor through our Paypal links to the left. If you have time or other talents to offer, please contact us at ProjectTLC@cox.net.

Merry Christmas!!

I'm so pleased to share with you our most recent reports from our caregivers. Please remember, this is a "closed" facility, so the fact that we are able to minister there at all is a true miracle!

Sveta writes: 

"Praise God for strength and patience. These days we were without weekends 

because there was a lack of workers these vacation time. So we were asked to 

help. Children are so happy to meet us. Every day we walk them outside, jump on 

a trampoline, rock on a swing, having really good time. Kids look good. We've 

noticed less aggression from them. Almost no fits. We see things improving 

little by little. Thank you for your prayers. Be blessed." 

Natasha writes: 

"Each day we have our daily duties with kids. When you see happy eyes of the 

kids you understand how great is God's love that comes to them from us. The Lord 

fills our hearts with love for them. A short story. Today (Aug.30) I was able to 

visit group #7 which is kids from 14-18 yo. They were so happy like it was a 

celebration. We fellowshipped, walked outside, talked with them. They understand 

us and we understand them. Thank you for prayers. Amen." 

As the Project TLC ladies have worked to become accepted and trusted by the teachers and caregivers of the institution, they are able to visit additional groups of children. Eventually, we would like them working with the children in the laying room, but that is not yet possible. Baby steps. 

Please pray for these ladies as they provide a Christian presence to a facility smack dab in the middle of a Muslim village. They experience spiritual attacks, jealousies, and difficulties that we cannot imagine. Pray for the children that they would come to know and trust Jesus, even in the midst of 

their suffering.

And please, if you are not already supporting Project TLC, consider a modest monthly gift to our care giving ministry. We are not yet fully funded. I'm still holding on to these little ladies! When we reach the $500 mark I'll be drawing a name to receive this pretty little matryoshka doll set.

Standard Sponsorship Levels

TLC Advocate : $25.00 USD - monthly TLC Hero : $50.00 USD - monthly TLC Champion : $100.00 USD - monthly

Help Wanted

Project TLC was started after our adoption experiences taught us that some very simple and inexpensive things could change a institutionalized child's life for the better. Each of us had adopted from the same orphanage...a place with a reputation for being "rough" on kids.

Children there were picked up like packages, always facing away from the caregiver. No eye contact for the little ones. No smiles. They sat for hours on end in empty playpens in the heavy silence. Some were left slumped over in high chairs, or walkers which were tethered to radiators with old pantyhose. Disposable diapers hung out to dry and reused as often as possible. Cribs and play equipment in dangerous disrepair. Children hungry for human connection were often rewarded with beatings and verbal abuse. We witnessed these things firsthand.

In the course of our adoptions, we donated huge sums of cash to this baby house. We were new. We were naive. And we were forced to do it. Upon our return visit the next year, we found that nothing had changed for the better for the children we left behind. We found them dirty, wet, and forgotten in cribs. Some of our favorite children were missing, presumably transferred, and the workers couldn't even remember their names. They might as well have not existed.

When we found an institution that was willing to let us provide additional, dedicated full time caregivers, we knew that we could really help change the kids' lives for the better! They get eye contact, positive physical contact, and patient attention. They are prayed over, sung to, and valued. In short, they are treated with human dignity for the first time in their lives. 

The results have been even better than we imagined! Yes, the children are benefitting, but we didn't fully grasp the contagious nature of TLC until we learned that the regular orphanage workers' hearts were softening, too. They were starting to treat the children with more care, less harshness. Beatings occured less frequently. (Beatings? Yes...the sad reality of institutional existence.) Even some local Christians have started to visit occasionally and bring fruit for the children. God is at work here. 

However, our caregiving fund is running dry and we need your help. We can't fail these kids. If we can find 20 people to commit to a gift of $25 per month, our caregivers will be funded and we can explore opportunites to expand in new facilities. 

Will you partner with us to bring TLC to children in mental institutions? 

It's too hot now for a chocolate giveaway...but we have this little lady! Isn't she darling? 

When we hit our monthly $500 sponsorship goal, I will randomly draw the name of one of our newly committed supporters to receive this sweet little matryoshka doll. She's about 4 inches tall and fresh off the plane from Ukraine.

You may set up your sponsorship via Paypal below, or contact us at ProjectTLC@cox.net for additional options. One time and smaller gifts are always welcome. We will keep you posted on our progress!

Thanks for helping us care for the kids we left behind...the least of these.

Standard Sponsorship Levels

TLC Advocate : $25.00 USD - monthly TLC Hero : $50.00 USD - monthly TLC Champion : $100.00 USD - monthly

Program Update

It finally feels like summer, so let's have a program update!

Supporting adopting families is new for us, but something to which we couldn't say no! It's extremely painful to watch families in urgent funding situations. When a child's life is on the line, failure is not an option.

We will be taking t-shirt orders for the next 11 days to benefit two families. If this effort is well received, we will consider a quarterly t-shirt drive to benefit families. Please, help us make this a success!! The more shirts we sell, the larger the cut that our families will receive. We hope to contribute up to $17 per shirt. Order yours HERE. 

Little Dmitry is still waiting for his surgery. His region has been plagued by violence and unrest for months. There is no end in sight. Other options are possible and being pursued, however. The funds raised for his surgery will be held in trust until he is helped, or until we learn that it is no longer possible to help him. 

Our caregivers are doing great! The ministry to the children continues with great success. The ladies are being given more stable working hours and conditions. The children are progressing and love the additional care. It is a privilege to shine the light of Jesus on their needs. This is an ongoing work to save lives and souls.

We raised nearly $500 for our care-giving program with our recent Ukrainian chocolate fundraiser. With a monthly budgeted need of $440 though, we need to find regular monthly sponsors to keep the program afloat. Failure here is not an option. Contact us at ProjectTLC@cox.net if you could commit to a small monthly gift for our care-giving program.

Opportunities for expanding our care-giver program into new facilities have been presented to us. As funding stabilizes, we hope to share these opportunities with you.

Thank you for following and praying for the work of Project TLC. 

Matching Grant for the McDonalds!

Our T's for Orphans fundraiser is off to a great start! The Adoption/Redemption shirts have broad appeal and invite conversations that might never have taken place. Just a few weeks ago, the owner of a Dairy Queen struck up a conversation with me...said his family recently adopted from Uganda. Another customer behind me jumped in and shared his own foster/adopt story. What a blessing!


You can reserve your shirt until June 30 but remember, the Kunkle family travels in just NINE DAYS!! Order form HERE.


In other great news, an anonymous donor has offered a $500 matching grant for the McDonald family! You can read a little bit about the twists and turns in their adoption story http://stepoutoftheboat.blog.com/2014/06/10/starting-over/.


This is a great opportunity to support them if you don't need or want a shirt, or if you would like to make a smaller donation. They need $1500 urgently, so your gifts large and small are deeply appreciated! Use the donation button below to give online. Email us ProjectTLC@cox.net if you wish to make other arrangements. Thank you!