Individual Histories

(names have been changed)

Pavlo is half gypsy. His parents forced him to beg and steal. And he was severely beaten if he came home empty-handed. One time, he was so badly beaten, that he lost his memory. Once, as Pavlo looked on from a distance, he saw his older brother, standing with his mother. And he watched in horror, as his older brother demanded money from an elderly woman, and then stabbed her to death. Both his mother and brother dragged her body off, and simply buried her somewhere. When we found this 9-year-old boy, he had run away from home, was living on the streets, and was begging at the train station. We invited him to come to Joshua House, and he showed up at our doorstep the next day. After being engulfed by this loving family, he decided he wanted to stay! Since then, he has given his life to the Lord, and calls us "Mom and Dad." The Lord has filled him with love and joy, which bubbles over to everyone he comes in contact with.

Zina and Ksushia's natural parents were alcoholics, and didn't live together. Their mother would often abandon them for days at a time, locking them in the apartment with no food to eat; or locking them out of the apartment, resulting in their spending many nights outside in the cold. They spent their days on the streets, begging for food. They were dirty, cold, and their hair was lice infested. Their mother's boyfriends often beat their mother, and tried to kill her on occasion. One time, the beating resulted in a brain aneurysm, and she laid in the hospital, in a coma, for months. She became a mental invalid, unable to care for her children. Before this time, Ksushia was already living on the streets. And Zina, at age 5, was alone.But the Lord opened the door for us to take her into Joshua House. And in the mean time, we were able to find Ksushia, through the police; because at a very young age, she was arrested for being an accomplice with 2 other small boys, for theft. We were able to intervene, and get Ksushia released to us, providing we would take full responsibility for her. Zina is a very smart girl, and loves to keep everything neat, clean and orderly. She also has a beautiful voice, and loves to sing and dance to the Lord. Ksushia has a great heart of compassion for others, and a real gift of intercession.

Maria grew up without a father. Her alcoholic mother would often beat her head against the wall and cursed at her. Maria said her mother hated her, and often didn't even feed her. Her older sister would physically abuse her, and often lock her in a closet all night. Their apartment, as well as Maria, was filthy and bug infested; and had no food in it when we came to visit. She had no friends, and was always alone. She was often afraid and cried a lot, because nobody loved her. She often lied in bed, hoping for, and wondering when we would come and visit her again. One day, we simply asked Maria's mother if she wanted her. And she replied, "No! Do you want her? Take her!" So at age 5, we took Maria into Joshua House. She was like a frightened little kitten off the street, who had been cold, hungry, kicked and beaten. She was very thin, and looked sickly. When we picked her up, she would cling to us; burying her head in our shoulders, not wanting us to let go of her. But now, she is a bundle of joy - full of energy and life. And the speech problem she had when she came to us, has been healed. She likes to play and pray; and sometimes even receives a word from the Lord for others.

Katia and Olenna lived in a small room, in the attic of a house. They had no running water or sinks. There was an outhouse outside. And they drew buckets of water from a well, and carried them upstairs. They had little food, and no warm clothes. Katia was born out of wedlock. Her mother became pregnant with Katia, while her husband was away on a work assignment. Olenna's father didn't want Katia to be born. And their mother wanted to abort her, but it was too late. When Katia was born, Olenna's father wouldn't recognize her as his daughter, and ignored her.Olenna never heard her mother tell her that she loved her, or had any personal conversations with her. She often felt that nobody really wanted her, and wanted to run away. She even attempted suicide. Their parents often fought and yelled all night. Their mother didn't come home at night many times, for fear of being beaten, which forced Olenna, at a very young age, to become a mother to her little sister, leaving no room for her schooling. Their father would bring his bring his drinking buddies home, get drunk, and fill their home with smoke and cursing. Many times, when he was drunk, he would lock their mother outside - even in the winter - and threaten to kill them and their mother, if they opened the door for her. One time Olenna tried to protect her mother from her father, and he chased her with a knife, yelling, "I'm going to kill you!" Eventually, their mother fled to her mother and sister's family, along with Katia; abandoning Olenna to live with her violent and abusive father. But we were able to take Olenna to live with us at Joshua House. Katia's life became more difficult, when her mother left her alone with her relatives, to live and work in another city; coming to visit her only on certain Sundays. Katia was not wanted by her relatives. She was neglected and mistreated, and made to work like a slave. Or she would be kicked out of the apartment at times, even when she was sick, because nobody wanted her around. Katia was 6 years old when her mother agreed to let us take her into Joshua House. Now, these two sisters, live, play, and laugh together in one big family. The Lord has totally transformed Olenna's character. She leads the worship dance. And both of them are doing well in school.

Valia's father was an alcoholic, her mother never had time for her, and her sister was in prison. After her mother would come home from work, at 11:00 at night, her parents would often yell and fight with one another until the wee hours of the morning. Valia couldn't sleep during these times, and sometimes had to stay outside all night. She had a hard time keeping up in school, because of being tired all the time. Also, no one wanted to be around her, because she always had lice in her hair. All the neighbors knew about her family's problems, and forbid their children to play, or even to speak, with Valia. At the age of 7, she was becoming a nervous and frightened wreck. Finally, in desperation, she grabbed a knife, went into a closet, and was ready to take her life; because love, the one thing she craved as a child, she couldn't have. In one last, desperate attempt to live; she cried out to God with tears, and told Him, "If you don't do something in one week, I will come back here to this closet and kill myself." That week, she found a Bible, and the first words she read as she opened it were, "GOD IS LOVE." Soon after she read that, she was invited to come to a children's Bible study in our apartment. And she said that she experienced love - real love - God's love, for the first time in her life. Now, even though her family had broken up, hope arose in her heart. And God provided her with a family at Joshua House. We discovered God's calling and anointing on her life to lead worship. She has a beautiful voice, and has written a number of anointed praise and worship songs. She, and the rest of the worship team, have professionally recorded a tape. It's been played on secular radio, and has been distributed to believers all over the Ukraine! She also has a vision to begin a Christian children's home.

Annia never saw her father. He was killed when she was 3 years old. Her mother became an alcoholic, and started living with other men. She was also mentally disturbed. When Annia was 5 or 6 years old, her mother sold her to be raped, and abandoned her. Her older sister was in prison. The only person Annia had left to care for her, was her bed-ridden grandmother. Their tiny apartment was filthy, and infested with cockroaches. They had very little to eat. And all Annia knew how to make was tea and bread. She often became dizzy, and even fainted in school, due to malnutrition. She became very sick, and was hospitalized at times, with fever and stomach pains. Annia had no friends, because of having lice in her hair continually. When Annia was 11 years old, her grandmother died, leaving her all alone. She came to us in tears that morning, telling us what happened. And she was the first child the Lord told us to take into our family. She came as a very sick and shy, little girl, who wouldn't answer you when you spoke to her. But the Lord healed her completely of her sickness. Annia is like a rose that had once been closed, but is now in full bloom. She has all the giftings of a writer and historian, remembering all the minute details of her new experiences, and those of others in her new family. She loves to talk about them, with the utmost joy and enthusiasm. And she has more boldness in witnessing to others, and sharing her testimony, than all our other children.

Lida, Luda, Luba, and Lesia are 4 sisters, who lived in a small village in the Carpathian Mountains. Their parents were both alcoholics and extremely violent toward each other, and especially toward the children. They never knew love from their parents. They weren't allowed to go to school. They were forced to beg and bring home vodka for their parents, and even forced to drink it themselves. Luda saw her mother severely beat one of her little sisters, day after day, until finally she died. One day, their father beat their mother so badly, that she almost died. She went into shock, and was sent to a mental hospital. The girls have not seen their mother since. Their father's parents then came to live with them. But in a drunken rage, their father beat their grandfather to death, and their grandmother escaped to another village. Many times the girls had to run away, even in the middle of winter, and sleep outside in a hay pile somewhere. They went hungry continually, as their father spent all the money on alcohol. Luda and Luba were sent to work for other families - receiving only a place to sleep, and very little food in return. They were forced to do farm chores from early morning, until late at night, even when they were sick. Luda was hospitalized many times. Also, her ears often bled, and she went deaf in one ear. Lida had to do all the household chores, cook meals, and take care of little Lesia, who was only 3 months old, when their mother left them. Each of the girls wanted to die, and had thoughts of suicide. Eventually, Luda and Luba sought refuge in a shelter. It was there that we found them, and brought them to Joshua House. Later, we were able to rescue Lida and little Lesia as well. Now, they are all serving Jesus. Our children prayed for Luda's ear, and the Lord restored her hearing. Lida now has someone to lovingly instruct her, and teach her how to make wise decisions in life. Luba wants to be a preacher of God's Word, and share what God has done in her life, so that others will be prepared to meet Him. They have all received the loving parents and family that they could only have dreamed of before. And little Lesia has the biggest, most beautiful smile you have ever seen; and is so happy to finally have a mommy and daddy.

Dmitro's father was a harsh, military man. Both his parents were cruel and hateful to him. He never knew love. His father would beat him daily, with whatever he could find - a rod, a belt, his fists, his feet. His head often bled, and he would be knocked unconscious at times. His father even poured boiling water on his head, followed by the hot pot. He came to hate and fear his parents; and developed a nervous, irritable, impatient and rebellious character. He ran away from home many times. He slept in the woods, and in train stations; and begged for money and food. Alone and angry, he cried out to God to take him out of this world; believing that he had no choice, but to go to hell. When we heard about Dmytro, we invited him to come join our family. Here, he discovered God's love and grace for him, received love from his new family, and healing.