June 2026 – We drove through the gate of the Hearts of Love Center in Konotop, Ukraine. A group of moms waited outside on the steps. The loud buzzing overhead distracted us; everyone was looking up. As I got out of the van and looked up, a Russian drone flew by.
“Jeff, hurry up, drones are flying over head!”
I heard shooting and realized Ukrainian troops were shooting at the drones. A few minutes later, we heard explosions nearby as drones hit their civilian targets. My first words to the group of ladies were to ask if they wanted to be evacuated, right now, that very day. “No, we will stay in our homes with our children,” they said.
Beauty Should Not Be Postponed
Many years ago, when the center for special needs children started, the only professing Christian was Lena Yuschenko. In her heart, she wanted to support moms like herself who had children with special
needs. Since that time, most of the moms have embraced faith in God through Lena’s sincere and humble ministry. One of them recently posted on Facebook:
“War has taught us not to postpone life and the appreciation of beauty,” they wrote. “The Day of Vyshyvanka in Ukraine is about the identity of our nation, and also about BEAUTY! It is about the beauty of the soul and the beauty of our wonderful women who didn’t break and who don’t surrender. We live, smile, believe, and love. The war takes away a lot, but it reminds us how precious each new day is.”
Vlad’s Mom, Zhenya, Was An Orphan
“My name is Zhenya, I am 37 years old, and I am the mother of 18-year-old Vlad with severe autism. He is non-verbal, he doesn’t speak, and our schools would not accept him. I thought I was alone in this world with a son like this. My husband works hard to support us, but as a mother of a young son who could not talk, I was sad and depressed. I felt alone.
“I grew up in a boarding school-type orphanage. My mother was an alcoholic who abandoned us to our grandparents. My cousins and aunt were in the same household, and there was no room for us. Sometimes we lived on the streets. We were happy in the orphanage, but it wasn’t a family.
“After ten years, I graduated from high school and didn’t know where to go. I cried a lot because I felt lost and depressed. I remember praying to God, and it seemed like He helped me. A technical skills school accepted me without a proper ID or home address. The problem was that I wasn’t legally registered and didn’t belong to a family.
“I met my husband, Volodomyr, in technical school, and our son, Vlad, was born. I cried very much. I was young and upset. He had a disability, and I didn’t understand what to do or where to go. When I started looking for a kindergarten, I gave up again. I felt the wave of depression, but I knew he needed school and training. Doors were closed to us everywhere, but I didn’t stop trying. During a visit to the city council, I was given the phone number and address of the Hearts of Love Foundation. They told me I could go there for help.”
I Found A Family
“Lena Mykolaivna met me at the door, calmed me down, and reassuringly told me that I was not the only one, that there are many such families and mothers whose children are born with disabilities. I went home that day with tears of happiness. I realized that God had somehow heard my prayers and cries for help. Like at the technical school, I found people who would help me, and what I really found was a family. I found a group of people who always listen to and support me, and they are happy to see my son. He literally runs to his classes.”
Someone Far Away Thinks About Us
“First, I want to thank God for everything. I am so grateful to my friend and substitute mother, Lena. And I want to thank you, Mercy Projects. You are friends who come from abroad to help, listen, and provide assistance. There is a war going on in Ukraine, there are drones and regular explosions, but you come and visit us. And our sponsors write and ask, ‘How are you? Are you safe?’
“We get letters and understand that someone far away thinks about us and prays for us. It is so important and means so much. I love you, and our family loves you. My family is happy. I thank God that on my difficult life path, He has placed people like Lena and Hearts of Love. I found a family here, and Vlad and I are grateful for each new day.”