Center of Hope Ukraine

 Center of Hope Ukraine in Uzhhorod: A Heartfelt Thank You

Dear Friends, Encouragers and Supporters,

We are excited to share some news with you—a new chapter in our journey to support the people of Ukraine. With your encouragement and financial assistance, we have secured a property in Uzhhorod that will soon be transformed into a location for Center of Hope Ukraine: a center for occupational therapy and physical rehabilitation. This is a significant milestone because we will have more space to provide essential support for Ukrainians recovering from strokes, traumatic brain injuries and other physical and cognitive traumas.

First, we want to extend our gratitude to each of you. Your generous contributions have paved the way for this dream to become a reality. As we begin this renovation process, we are reminded of how vital community support is. Together, we can build a haven for healing and hope.

The property we acquired is situated in a great location, making it accessible to those in need. After the renovation is complete, there will be 40 square meters of space for Center of Hope where we will provide occupational therapy and psychiatry. There will be space for treatment rooms: including a kitchen and bathroom where we can train our patients to be independent in these areas again. As we begin to share photographs documenting the renovation process, you'll see the potential spaces that will soon come to life with energy and purpose. 

Currently, we are in the initial stages of renovation. The first step involves demolition of the summer kitchen and shed, as the walls and roof have rotten away and are beyond a simple repair. It’s an exciting phase as we redefine each space to ensure it meets the needs of our future patients. Our vision is to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that promotes healing—one that feels like a second home for visitors. 

As we move through this process, we want to keep you informed! Expect updates with photos showcasing our progress, along with stories of the individuals who will soon benefit from your generosity. Each milestone we reach is a testament to the significant impact of your support. We thank God for each of you!

We are aiming to complete the renovations by June 20 (the date given to us by our contractor), and we are hopeful to open our doors shortly thereafter. Center of Hope will be run by a dedicated team of professionals who are followers of Jesus and who are also passionate about making a change in the lives of our patients. They will provide not only occupational therapy and psychiatry,  but also emotional support and community engagement, enabling individuals to rebuild their lives and regain independence.

Thank you once again for being a vital part of this journey. Your support means the world to us and to those who will walk through the doors of Center of Hope in Uzhhorod. Together, we are creating a space filled with hope and healing. Stay tuned for more updates as we move forward, and know that every contribution is making a profound difference. 

Please enjoy our photos and captions below!

With gratitude,

Mike & Annie Hallenback

Center of Hope Ukraine

centerofhopeukraine.org

P.S. We are still planning to build a larger building for Center of Hope on our land in the village of Horyani! That will be Step 3! 

Right now, we are focusing on Step 2: Creating a permanent (and bigger) location for Center of Hope Ukraine in the city of Uzhhorod. 😊 

Happy New Year 🥳

Center of Hope Ukraine 

A center for physical rehabilitation that focuses on occupational therapy and psychiatry.

Our stats for 2024! 

How many new patients did we see?

How many treatment sessions were provided over the year?

New patients and new consultations for 2024: 26 people

Treatment sessions provided by our staff: 399 50-minute treatment sessions.

Scholarships provided for patients in need: Out of 399 treatment sessions over 2024, 62 of these sessions were provided free of charge!

Psychiatry sessions: 29

Our website: centerofhopeukraine.org

Check out our YouTube channel: Mike and Annie in Ukraine

Happy Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving from Ukraine!!!

Unfortunately, we woke up this morning to a country wide air-raid alert that lasted from 5:18-9:15. Multiple locations were hit across the country and the energy system was shut down as a precaution from 6:30-9:05 (which meant no electricity).

Thankfully, our oblast was not hit by any missiles or drones, but the electricity shutdowns have since increased.

Here is a snapshot of the damage done around the country (from Kyiv Post):

“In this morning's sub zero temperatures, Russians launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving millions without heat, water and electricity.

Rescuers are working in dozens of locations and damages are still being determined.

Kyiv: Debris has fallen on open areas within the city.

.

Volyn: Several strikes in Lutsk. Parts of the city are without power, and public transport has been halted.

Sumy region: Several infrastructure facilities in Shostka were destroyed. Damage reported to a school, hospital, residential buildings, and water supply facilities.

Kharkiv region: Strikes on a civilian enterprise in Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv. No casualties reported so far.

Rivne region: Smoke observed over Rivne following a series of explosions. Over 280,000 subscribers in the region are without electricity, with water supply disruptions reported.

Vinnytsia region: Residential buildings damaged, a utility structure destroyed, and a car set ablaze.

Air defenses active: Air defense systems were operational in many regions, with most missiles targeting western areas.”

1. First picture: This is a screenshot from an app we downloaded on our phones. It keeps us updated on daily air-raid alerts in our oblast and around the country.

2. This is a map of the routes the missiles and drones flew on Thanksgiving Day.

3. Another map indicating direct hits and damage.

4. Our current schedule for electricity after the damage that was done to power supply stations across the country. The colored areas indicate no electricity. Our city is divided into 6 "shifts". We are purple, or number 6.

Update on Phase 2 of the Building Project

 Center of Hope Ukraine 

***UPDATE*** on Phase 2 of the building project!

Phase 2:

***PAID*** $300-500 USD Geological Survey

***PAID*** $3000 USD Well

$3000 USD Septic

$10,000 USD Architectural plans/down payment to building company

Total: $13,000 needed to complete Phase 2

We are building a center for occupational therapy, psychiatry and physical rehabilitation in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.

We want to invite you to be a part of this project: Please tell other people or organizations who want to be involved. We can send you our official building project proposal. 

PayPal: mjhallenbeck@hotmail.com

Web: centerofhopeukraine.org

Please contact us for tax-deductible giving 🙂

Center of Hope Ukraine: a center for occupational therapy, psychiatry and physical rehabilitation in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.

Phase 2!!!

 Phase 2 of the Building Project

Center of Hope Ukraine 

We are moving onto Phase 2 of our building project!

We are building a center for occupational therapy, psychiatry and physical rehabilitation in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.

Phase 2 includes:

Geological survey (to assess the type of foundation needed): $300-500 USD

Well: $3000 USD

Septic: $3000 USD

Building company/architectural plans/down payment: $15,000 USD

Total: $21,500

           -   5,000 (building company)

————————

           $16,500

Our building company contacted Mike on Monday to let him know that they were giving us a discount of $5000!!!

They understand we are working as a nonprofit and want to support this project! 🙌🏼

We want to invite you to be a part of this project!

Please tell other people or organizations who you think would want to be involved.

And… we invite you: COME TO UKRAINE! Come and see what we are doing! Come to the clinic for rehabilitation and see what we do every week. 

PayPal: mjhallenbeck@hotmail.com

Web: centerofhopeukraine.org

Center of Hope Ukraine

 Center of Hope Ukraine

Center for occupational therapy, psychiatry and physical rehabilitation in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.

Rehabilitation Center Building Project 

Phase 1: Completed 

Purchase land: $16,000

Documents / Lawyer / contractor fees: $2170

Survey: $90

Building design (ADA Compliant): $7130

Electricity: $6500

Fence: $6500

Clear land: $1851

Total: $40,241

$40k! Thank you all so much for supporting this dream that has become a reality!

We are providing life changing physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual rehabilitation to Ukrainians right now, every week. 

We are working towards building a larger space for physical rehabilitation. This new, bigger space will enable us to accommodate more clients and more staff and more equipment. But until then, we will continue to provide the best care for our patients!

I recently read the book, The Power of Imagination, by Andrew Wommack. He included this quote by TE Lawrence:

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”

#AndrewWommack

#CharisBibleCollege

YouTube:

@MikeandAnnieinUkraine

Friday July 28, 2023

 Friday, 28.07

The cost…

What began as a dream in 2006 is now becoming a reality.

Our goal is to obtain the necessary documents needed for the building process this fall 2023. We’ll then move on to the well, septic system and grading the land. We hope to have the foundation in place by spring of 2024.

Thanks to you all (heart), we have had the money in hand for each step we have already completed:

• Documents to make the two pieces of land into one

• Lawyer fees

• Design fees

The cost to complete the building will be $250-350,000 USD… and the only thing we can say to that, is that with God, all things are possible. Logically, it seems like an insane amount of money to raise. But, in 2006, it also seemed like such an unattainable idea that we would someday be living and working in Ukraine, providing occupational therapy to people. 

If you want to be a part of this, please let us know!

 God has used you all for the past 12 years and we are so thankful for all of you!

The picture below is the reason why we are doing this, why we are building a center to accommodate more patients.

Two men, who would have never met each other, if it were not for our clinic. Two men who bonded over the same diagnosis, the same symptoms, the same treatment, the same hope. 

People with disabilities don’t often walk the streets of Ukraine. They are hidden behind doors, made to feel that their life is over and they serve no purpose.

But, there is hope. There is recovery, There is purpose.

Our two guys, Zoltan and Oleksii. They come every morning to the clinic. They work hard. They have become best friends. One is 45 years old and the other 74. 

We want our patients to see each other and understand they are not alone. They are not the only ones with this diagnosis. We want them to see progress in their friend’s recovery and be encouraged that it can happen to them also.

Thursday July 28

 Thursday, 27.07

Center of Hope, Ukraine

What will the rehabilitation center look like?

We have been working with a building designer for the past several months. Our friend, Andrew, approached us almost 2 years ago, with an offer to help design our building. Andrew is not only a designer, but a carpenter and also a doctor. This has proved to be a great combination because he really understands the needs of our patients and has designed the building in such a way to suit their needs.

The building began as a simple one-level, 400 sq/m property. But, late in 2022, we understood that the building should be larger to accommodate the many Ukrainians, soldiers and civilians, who have experienced injuries related to war.

The building will now be 2 levels and roughly 1000 sq/m.

It will include a large sports hall for occupational and physical therapy, an accessible kitchen where patients will re-learn important cooking skills, accessible bathrooms and showers, a space for psychiatry and counseling, separate space for pediatric therapy and space for an on-site doctor. The second floor will also include living quarters for staff.

Check out the layout, floor plans and renders done by our friend Andrew!

Wednesday July 26, 2023

 Wednesday, 26.07

The land!

The land that we purchased with our savings back in 2021 is in an area of Uzhhorod called Horyani. It is located on the eastern edge of the city where there is a higher elevation. You can stand on the land and see the entire city of Uzhhorod down below.

The location is great. By car, you can easily reach the city center in 12 minutes. But, it is far enough, and high enough, from the hustle and bustle of the city to provide fresh air, privacy and ‘quiet’ to our patients.

Future site of: Center of Hope, Ukraine

Center for occupational therapy and physical rehabilitation.

Pictures and videos below include our land during different times of the day and during different seasons.

Tuesday, July 25

 2. Tuesday, 25.07

Our dream from the beginning, in 2006, was to return to Ukraine and build a center for physical rehabilitation in Uzhhorod. 

In 2012, we officially moved to Ukraine.

From 2012-2022, I began providing occupational therapy through home health services (and also had 3 babies).

In 2019, I became a member of the Ukrainian Society for Ergotherapy (occupational therapy)

In 2020, we became permanent residents of Ukraine.

In 2021, we bought land for the future rehabilitation center.

In 2022, I came on staff at Uzhhorod National University, Medical Faculty.

All of these steps have led us to where we are today. And we are thankful to our God who orders our steps: Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps”. 

We are not smart enough (we just don’t have those business savvy skills…) to know how to create a rehabilitation center from start to finish, but God knows!

In the videos below, we will introduce you to Stepan. (This will be on our private FB page: Mike and Annie in Ukraine)

 July 24, 2023

Week of Updates

 Hey friends!

We have been keeping our private Facebook page up to date for the past few years.

Please ask to join: Mike and Annie in Ukraine

We also have a new website about our medical work in Ukraine: 

https://centerofhopeukraine.org/

Fresh updates (also will share on our private FB page, BUT will not be sharing patient photos here)!

1. Monday, 24.07

This week we’ll be sharing about our medical work in Ukraine: occupational therapy, psychiatry and counseling. We’ll also be updating you on our building project and medical plans for the future.

In January 2012, we moved to Uzhhorod, Ukraine.

I began doing occupational therapy by myself through home care:

visiting patients in their homes to provide OT services to them.

My first patient was a man in his early 40s, a severe stroke with some of the main

symptoms being inability to move his right arm and expressive aphasia

(the ability to understand words, but difficulty in speaking). 

Now, in July of 2023, we have a small out-patient clinic that provides

occupational therapy (specializing in neurological diagnoses) and psychiatry.

Our team has grown to include Dr Gabrial Anaman, a psychiatrist and

our medical student volunteers: Nikolas (6th year medical student from Kenya),

Moyin (6th year medical student from Nigeria) and Maya

(a recent medical school graduate from Nigeria).

We now serve 14 patients every week with a variety of diagnoses:

stroke, traumatic brain injury, aphasia, back pain and

soldiers with injuries and PTSD related to the war.

Most of you in this group have financially supported us and our medical work

in Ukraine from day 1, back in 2012.

THANK YOU! <3

Without you, we would not have been able to be here for 12 years!

In the pictures below, we’ll introduce you to some of our team,

show some equipment and share the story of Zoltan, one of our patients.

(check out our FB post for pics!)

Contact Information and how to Donate to our work:

Mike and Annie Hallenback

Mike:

mjhallenbeck@hotmail.com

WhatsApp & Viber: +380991841003

Annie:

ahallenback@gmail.com

WhatsApp & Viber: +380665534094

Web: www.centerofhopeukraine.org

And the resurrection of our blog: http://mikeandannieinukraine.blogspot.com

It lives.

Donate:

Paypal

mjhallenbeck@hotmail.com

Tax deduction:

Donations can also go through our home church in Poughkeepsie, NY for a tax-deduction.

Just be sure to add that it is for: Mike and Annie Hallenback/Ukraine.

River Community Church

260 Mill Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

“SecureGive” is also available through the church for online or text giving.

Simply text 518.255.8887 to set up a new account or to make a donation.

Ukrainian Language School

This summer, we spent two weeks in Lviv studying Ukrainian at the Ukrainian Catholic University.

When we first moved to Ukraine, almost 5 years ago, Mike had wanted to do language study at this university. We kept putting it off that first year- it just seemed too difficult with a little baby.

Fast forward 4 years, with an almost 5 year old, 2 year old and a 4 month old: we realized it was never going to happen unless we just did it. So, we decided to do it!

It worked out really well! We stayed on campus in the newly built dormitory, had classes in the building next to the dorms (literally right next to it) and ate most of our meals in the cafeteria. 

I had my lesson in the mornings and Mike had his lessons in the afternoon. After the kids went to sleep for the night, we both did our homework for the next day.

We had the same teacher. She was a wonderful teacher! This was my first time studying Ukrainian and she gave me a great foundation to build on. 

Mike was at the advanced level- which did not surprise me. He has worked so hard to learn Ukrainian. He studied for almost 3 years in the US with a tutor and has had private lessons weekly since we moved here. He rarely gives himself a break from learning the language in one form or another. 

I studied at the beginner level. I had studied Russian prior to this- 2 years in the US and private lessons off and on since we moved here. I hear Mike speak Ukrainian everyday, so I have a lot of that vocabulary embedded in my brain. 

It was challenging to go from Russian to Ukrainian: the languages are similar, but also very different. Same alphabet, but some of the letters are pronounced differently. 

My goal is to continue studying both languages. Russian- with a private tutor. Ukrainian- with the materials from the university and Mike to correct my work.

We are hoping to go back next summer!

Our view from our first dorm room: a Greek Catholic church under construction.

This amazing park that was next to the campus: Striyskiy Park. Beautiful. We took the kids for walks there almost everyday.

Mike and his study partners.

Our view from our second dorm room (we had to switch rooms halfway through our stay). I love soviet-era looking buildings. We especially loved this partly finished dome-shaped structure.

A fountain in the park. It is from the Ukrainian fairytale, Ivasik Telesik, in which a small boy is rescued from a dragon by a goose who carried him home.

Every evening, we would take the kids out and do something fun with them. They were definitely tired. We had some late nights!

We had a lot of fun exploring the city center.