Frequently Asked Questions - Orphanages
Within Christian circles (church events) usually shorts are not appropriate for women or men. However, you will see many non-Christians wearing much worse. In the orphanage, at a picnic, or any other outing outside of church events, shorts for women and men are appropriate. I would recommend a summer dress down to the knee for women, and slacks and a nice short-sleeve shirt for the men. Tie and sportcoat are not necessary inside of church. Again, sandals should be alright at the orphanage and around town, but not when we visit the churches.
Overall, do not wear your best, high fashion clothes (remember these are poor people). At the same time, don’t wear old worn out clothes either. Just wear something appropiate, like jeans, slacks, knit pull over shirts for men. Summer dresses or light weight long pants for women. I would bring a light sweater or jacket in case it gets cool in the evening.
Yes, orphans are in desperate need of shoes and clothes. My recommendation is that you collect as many pieces of new clothes and shoes as possible, and new or lightly used jeans, and send them three months in advance to Ukraine using Meest-America transportation company. Ron Putnam will provide you with information upon your request.
Throughout the year, SCM works weekly within the orphanage you will minister while in Ukraine."
As much as humanly possible they will try to do so.
Probably not with the orphans, but with one of the churches we will visit, yes.
DVD is available, but most people and businesses are still behind the United States in their technology. It is best to bring multimedia in VCR format, but if you have the capability of bring both, that is best.
Yes, limited preapproved outings may occur at the discretion of the orphanage. But they are very limited.
Each orphanage will have between 40-80 children at any given time. Come expecting to minister to 80 children at each orphanage.
There are children of all ages at the two orphanages where we work, but I have never seen any children under the age of three at the orphanages. Last June, there were 57 kids with ages that ranged like this:
* 3-7 years old - 14 girls (1st group)
* 7-12 years old - 15 boys (2nd group)
* 12-18 years old - 15 boys (3rd group)
* 8-16 years old - 13 girls (mixed group)
When the missionaries came in 2005, the numbers increased to 80 kids almost overnight.