The beginning of Nasledie
The idea to start Nasledie Heritage Foundation came to us in March 2006. For a period of time, the desire to start this organization remained nothing more than just an idea. An idea for a huge project to help low income families and orphan children. We left no stone unturned as we searched for a way to get started and had constantly prayed, "God bless this idea." It seems that God's principle is that He opens the door of opportunity just as you are grasping the handle of the last door. After a year, the Lord introduced us to people who became our source of help. With their help our foundation was founded and registered in January 2007.
The idea and purpose of Nasledie
Nasledie Heritage Foundation was started with the purpose of working with low-income families. Our goal was to help families stay together with their children despite
difficult circumstances and conditions. In order to do this, they needed support to help their children not just to grow, but also to
reach their fullest potential. We were created to help them! We wanted to support them when they were discouraged, we wanted to
say that there is hope when everything breaks down, and we wanted to remind them that
God loves them even when it seems that they were not
wanted.
How the story has unfolded
In 2006, Slavik had an idea of starting a Day Care Center for children that come from troubled families. Alyona had been involved in work with orphans since 1998 and at the time was working with Lela Steele in the orphanages in Odessa. They met, were married, and now have three kids and enjoy serving the Lord and His children together.
In 2006, after praying for about 6 months and searching
for the facility, we felt God was leading us to something different than serving children from troubled families. We had our
first summer camp for children in the poverty stricken village with a team of 11 volunteers.
As summer ended, the Lord led us to the orphanages outside of the city of Odessa. Every
day the Lord unveils a new opportunity on the field of this ministry.
Through the years, many volunteers from many different churches in and
outside Odessa have joined the ministry and shared the love of God with orphans in
the Summer camps, Kid’s Games, and Family Games projects. They continue to work in orphanages, special
needs orphanages, and help in meeting the needs of the older generation. In the summer of 2014, we began to work with refugees that had come to our area from Eastern Ukraine.
For years, we prayed that God would help us to open the Circle of Friends day center. In March of 2015, He answered. The children started coming everyday to be loved, to get help with school work, to get something to eat, and to build relationships. Most importantly we share the love of Christ with the children. We were able to work through the Bible program, The Greatest Journey, from Samaritan's Purse in the spring of 2015. This day center program was renamed and reopened at our new location in the winter of 2016.
In the spring of 2015, God blessed us with a property of our own. This Circle of Friends Center is the home to the offices of Nasledie Heritage Foundation, Camp LELA, refugee center, orphanage graduate center, JAM(Jesus and Me) Day Center, and many more things to come.
In the spring of 2015, God blessed us with a property of our own. This Circle of Friends Center is the home to the offices of Nasledie Heritage Foundation, Camp LELA, refugee center, orphanage graduate center, JAM(Jesus and Me) Day Center, and many more things to come.
Nasledie Heritage Foundation has been active since 2006 and the Lord continues to open the doors for many opportunities to spread the Word of God among orphans, troubled children, adults, and refugees in Odessa and the surrounding area.
Slavik, Alyona, Mark, Maria, and Margarita