The Reality of Family Separation

Over time, Illia put the pieces together in his mind, like a vast jigsaw puzzle of case workers, peer input, and visits from Grandma. He concluded that he’d been sent to the rehabilitation school by a judge because she didn’t think his mom was taking good care of him. The judge considered taking him away completely, like what happened to his brother and sister. But at least for now, he’d still go home on the weekends.

Some of the kids at the rehabilitation center eventually go home for good. Others are sent to an orphanage. When he first learned this, he wasn’t sure which was worse.

Enter Olya

Having been first exposed to the plight of orphans in her role as an interpreter for The Boaz Project’s short-term teams, Olya developed a burden to prevent family disruption whenever possible. She saw the abuse and neglect in the state institutions and wanted to help children avoid that. 

Keeping Families Together

Her work is difficult. Not every family makes the changes she prays they will. Yet, believing that transformation is possible, Olya faithfully pours into these at-risk families, offering resources, encouragement, and opportunities to make important changes while the courts are deciding the children’s fate.

So imagine our excitement to learn about the work Olya is doing! 

Though she’s gone through the appropriate training and is serving families referred to her by the courts, Olya can help very few families at a time, as she maintains her full time job.  Recently, we’ve been dreaming and discussing ways to partner with Olya so that she could focus on this calling full time! 

Olya is willing to leave her job and serve more families like Illia’s. Don’t you think we should make that possible?

We Need YOU!

For $100/month, a family at risk of disruption can:

– attend the bi-weekly Biblical principles for families lessons

– receive some practical items for hygiene or food bi-weekly

– get monthly home visits to discuss their specific goals and progress and learn about resources available

– have their children tutored as necessary

– celebrate their children’s birthdays with a gift and party

Once she leaves her current employer, Olya will be able to serve ten families at a time. I’m hoping you’ll keep her busy by supporting one of these families.

We’re looking for 20 sponsors who will give $50/month to cover half of the fees for an at-risk family to receive these practical services and learn about the hope Jesus offers them.

Of course, you’re welcome to cover a family completely!

When you sponsor a family, you will not be assigned a particular family, but will receive regular updates regarding the services they receive and hear about some of the families participating. 

You can keep children out of the state-run system that is so detrimental by making a monthly pledge at www.boazproject.org/atrisk.

On behalf of children who need their parents,

April Jurgensen
Founder/Executive Director
The Boaz Project, Inc.

*Name has been changed to protect the child’s identity.

P.S. We’re hoping to have funds in hand so that Olya can begin adding families to her caseload July 1st!