Joshua House — A Home for Children in L'viv Ukraine

These precious children grew up in poverty. All came from broken or destroyed families. Some were beaten to bloodshed many times. Others were molested, sold as slaves, offered for rape, or forced to beg on the streets. Many witnessed the murderous deaths of siblings or a parent, and some were threatened with death themselves. Incredibly, most of these things happened by the hand of their own parents.

Before coming to Joshua House, these forgotten children of L’viv, Ukraine were orphaned or abandoned, diseased, dirty and uneducated. They were mocked and shunned not just by other children but by adult neighbors and even their teachers. They wandered the streets alone, sleeping in cold basements or sewers, convinced they would never be loved.

In 1993, World Challenge sponsored Jim and Sandy McCann to provide a home for these severely abused children. They established Joshua House in memory of their own newborn son, Joshua, who died in Ukraine. Over the years, the ministry has taken in dozens of boys and girls whose lives have been powerfully transformed by God’s love. These children now enjoy special times of family fellowship, healthy meals, medical attention, and special tutoring by loving adult leaders. Their hearts are no longer filled with despair and rejection, but with love, joy, peace, hope and laughter. The fear and hopelessness that once haunted them are now faint memories. Whenever they’re mocked by classmates or teachers for not having parents, they readily answer, “We do have parents, who live with us and love us!”

Some of the youth from Joshua House are now in college, preparing for a lifetime’s work with children and abandoned babies. Others are training for ministry or to become missionaries. And all share the fulfi llment of a common dream: to have a loving, godly family, with two parents and many wonderful brothers and sisters with whom they enjoy a life of joy and peace through God’s love.

Christia — Alone in the World at Age Six
In her small mountain village in Ukraine, six-year-old Christia was known as “the master of her house.” To be the head of a household at that tender age isn’t just unusual, it’s tragic. Both of Christia’s parents were violent alcoholics who abused their ten children severely. Before abandoning the family, the mother slowly beat Christia’s three-year-old sister to death.

One by one, over the years, Christia’s other brothers and sisters were gone—murdered, poisoned, or fleeing to survive. When her father came home drunk and violent, Christia slipped out to walk the streets, sometimes for the whole night, even during the freezing winters. Upon her return, she entered a house with no heat or running water and every window broken out. Hardship was a way of life for Christia, and she didn’t trust easily. Other children called her names and picked on her, and she rebuffed even the friendly ones with a stony silence. Her young heart was hardened with anger and hatred.

By God’s guiding hand, Christia was led to Joshua House. In the McCanns she saw for the first time what loving parents were like. She watched as Jim tucked the other children in bed, speaking softly and kindly to them, and offering hugs and kisses. And Christia received the same loving treatment. One night, after she was tucked in, Christia said aloud, “I wish I could have a dad like Jim.”

Slowly, as God’s love was shown to her—through her new “parents” and brothers and sisters—Christia’s walled-up heart began to soften. Little by little, she changed into a tender, playful child who lit up the room with her smile. One evening, Christia asked Jesus to be “the master of her life.”

Today, Christia accompanies the McCanns as they go to the streets to minister to other lost little ones. She is now a living example of the healing power of God’s love.