Last Bell Ministries has chosen to respond specifically to the needs of the graduate. Our program enables graduates to take the time they need to transition from institutional living to independence. These strategies are central to the ministry:

• » In a Christian home environment, the graduates will learn skills for independent living such as food preparation, shopping, and taking responsibility for personal finances and possessions.
• » They will have the opportunity to be involved with a church family, learning how to serve; both the graduates and the church benefit from the relationship.
• » The local church and Last Bell staff will offer them consistent Bible study, discipleship, and personal mentoring.
• » They will receive the help they need to do well in their college or trade school studies and prepare for the workforce; this might include tutoring, extra classes, and financial and legal help. They will be equipped to be independent, respected members of the local community.

Ira Mikityook:

Ira joined our staff in June of 2006. She was in training to be a houseparent, but the Lord brought a married couple to fill that role. Ira is now our orphanage liaison and will occasionally serve as substitute houseparent. Twice weekly this fall she hosted culinary classes at the local Baptist church for 5th-9th graders from the orphanage. She taught the kids how to make several items on a menu, and provided games and a short Bible lesson taught by a pastor from th,e church. She is studying to be a lawyer, and is spending time in University classes in December. During the new year, after her session at the University, she will continue to teach one culinary lesson each week. She will also be planning the bi-monthly graduate reunions hosted at the church, and putting together all the mailings to orphanage graduates: invitations to church and Last Bell events, birthday and holiday greetings, etc.

Andre & Oksana Pankeyeyev:

My name is Oksana, I'm 27 years old and my husband Andre is 30. We came to Christ six years ago. One year after our wedding, we ended up going to a Christian camp for young adults, where we found out that God was waiting to forgive our past and change our lives and live through us. We repented at the same time and soon after we were baptized. A few months later we were invited to serve young people in our city. We taught youth these subjects: abstinence, pregnancy, abortion, drug and alcohol abuse, and what God thinks about these issues. About a year after this ministry started, something big happened, God's miracle in our life. I bore a child. From the age of ten all the doctors told me that pregnancy is a very big risk for me, I have very serious medical problems with my hips. I know that this happened only because of God's mercy and our faith and hope in Him. Now we have two children, a daughter Margarita, she's almost five, and a son Daniel, almost 2. And then through some period of time Liz has give us invitation to minister to graduates from the orphanage and to live in the house, the doors of which will be open to all of them. Before that time, I had been praying without ceasing that God would show us what ministry to pour my life into. We know that this is God's calling for our family and the realization of all our discussions and questions. God is alive. God is strengthening us for this very difficult ministry and we know that in Jesus we have all, and he has us. Because of knowing that this ministry is God's will for our family, we are waiting ecstatically on the future for this wonderful work of God and the fruits for his glory.

Liz Millikan:

Liz is our only American living in Zhytomyr, and is serving as supervisor. In January she will be returning to Ukraine after several weeks in the United States. She will also be researching information about ministry to graduates as the team makes plans to grow the ministry. She oversees the administrative aspect of the ministry, keeping staff accountable for reporting, and she ensures that the staff are following LBM's ministry guidelines as they meet graduates' needs. She leads staff meetings, represents the needs and progress of the staff to the board, and conveys direction and activities of the board to the staff.

In the summer of 2006 we purchased a house on Borisa Tena street in Zhytomyr. Previously we had housed one to three girls in an apartment. Space was a problem as we needed room for houseparents, girls, and community space, as well as a residence for the director.

The new house fills all the requirements, with four large bedrooms upstairs, a nice livingroom and kitchen/dining room and garage downstairs. Also on the property is half of a shared house (common in Ukraine) that can eventually be remodeled for the boys' program, director's residence, or independent living for residents. There is also a beautiful rose garden, a driveway for outdoor activities, and a small space for a patio.

Who will use the home?

The houseparents will be a constant presence in the home. They will have the back bedroom, and we hope to provide a bathroom for them upstairs. At this time the girls in the program over 18, Anya Hrobust and Luda Misyookshko will reside in the house. There are girls in the program who cannot live in the house. Miroslava will turn 18 in a few months and may move into the house in the spring. Some of the girls go to trade school in the villages, so they need to live in the dorms. Katya, who is 15, will come to the house evenings and weekends as her grandmother has guardianship of her.

We are currently exploring possible uses for the house; our vision is to see the house functioning as both a residence and a ministry center. This might involve computers for graduates to use, English language tutoring, field trips, and activities such as crafts and puzzles, music, and sports events. Students wanting to take part in Last Bell's program could come to the house on a consistent basis, receiving the life skills training, school assistance, and opportunity for spiritual teaching and mentoring.

Presently the four girls, as well as Slavik and Valera, two boys formerly in the program, attend the Bible Study taught by housefather Sasha on Saturday evenings.