We have received far more humanitarian aid than usual because groups, churches and schools etc., had collected aid for the Asian Tsunami, but having collected it were told that it was not required. We were very happy to help them by taking it off their hands, as it were, and all this donated aid has been to our benefit.

However, our financial donations took a huge nose-dive after the Tsunami and, although we fully appreciated the dire needs in Asia, it left a great hole in our finances. I’m pretty sure that with God’s help, and yours’, we will get over this hurdle and continue our work with enthusiasm.

Our children, especially the handicapped, are so precious to us that we will always work hard to find a way of overcoming the obstacles that, now and again, present themselves.

Unfortunately, I was not able to travel out to our centres in Chernihiv at Christmas as I was rather ill. The first time that I have ever had to cancel my visit. I developed shingles, which began in my right ear and then travelled round my eye, over my head and down the back to my neck. I’m now feeling a great deal better and will be travelling out to Ukraine on March 7th. I was last there in October, so I’m really looking forward very much to this coming visit. Philip was able to deputise for me and he enjoyed his visit immensely, especially since Ukraine has enjoyed a very mild winter by their standards (-20c instead of the usual –35c). Whilst there, Philip purchased 60 sq. metres of vinyl flooring for each of two orphanages at Priluki. One orphanage is for over 100 toddlers aged 1-4 yrs and the second, an orphanage housing 130 children aged 4-7 yrs.

The original flooring was in such terrible condition that Philip felt he had to do something immediately to rectify this situation. By purchasing the flooring in the local town, he was able to put some money into the local economy, and of course is was far cheaper than buying it here and transporting out to Priluki.

This photograph tells a very sad story. The 21 year old mother pictured has two children, one aged 18 months and the other, coming up for 3 yrs. The mother is an alcoholic and her husband, also an alcoholic, left her and disappeared.

The children are very badly neglected and, recently, the mother went off for 4 days, leaving the two kiddies totally on their own. The picture below is the grandmother who found them and Irena, one of our Aratta girls taking down all the details of this sad situation. Grandmother is now desperately trying to gain custody but the authorities have said, no! The reason given was that the mother is still very young and will improve, given time? The local church provided food and wood, but the mother then sold them to buy vodka.

Our Aratta friends are now trying to address this dire situation and are seeking a solution that will benefit the children. In our next newsletter, we hope to be able to tell you of definite improvements in this sad situation. We certainly hope so.

Now that the Ukraine has Victor Yushenko as president, we are very hopeful for the future there. After the ‘Peaceful Revolution’ in December, the mood in the North and West of the country has changed and a very positive attitude can be felt.

It will take time, but with Yushenko’s leadership, Ukraine wants, eventually, to become part of the EU and that will be very good for the country. He is alreadybringing in legislation to help the pensioners who, at present, receive very little. So, once again, positive steps are being made.

In the UK, we have many wonderful ladies knitting warm jumpers, gloves and scarves for us to take out to Ukraine and we are so very grateful to them. A great many of these items are posted to us from all over the country and receiving these parcels from the postman is just lovely. So our sincere thanks to all you ‘knitters’.

We’ve also had great help from a friend of ours, Bob Parfitt, who lives in Wellingborough. Bob has managed to obtain loads of nurses uniforms that are desperately needed at the hospital in Chernigov, plus a huge amount of toiletries, also badly needed.

We could use up the entire newsletter in thanking so many wonderful people who make our work possible, but sadly, space does not permit this. Each and every one of you is a vital part of our ongoing endeavours and with your continued support we can achieve so much. As I have said many times, BHA is your charity, because without you, we can do nothing. Only because of your kindness can our work continue to flourish. We can never thank you enough for your support.

The two scruffy individuals are Philip and I (he’s on the right) in the midst of loading one of the trucks!

God Bless you all.

Tony Budell.