Pat and Len Joy, a Christian couple from Basildon in Essex, have been working with street children in the Ukraine since 2003. They felt a strong personal call to 'sell everything and follow me' which led them to sell their house in England and move to Knyazhiki near Kiev where they have purchased, extended & refurbished a bungalow to be a Patronate (similar to a foster home) for 2 boys and 2 girls. They are surrounded by land where they grow much of their own food.
Pat and Len have set up a charity in the Ukraine (Children's Joy) and there are four main aspects of their work:
● preventative work keeping children off the streets by supporting their local social services to feed, clothe and buy school materials and medicines;
● looking after children on the streets, although they now don't do as much of this work as they see that prevention and longer term care is what is needed;
● giving children a loving home;
● helping children who have always lived in the children's home adapt to adult life by producing a manual on the tasks of ordinary living:
this work is done in collaboration with others.
Click on the website and video (you need to be logged into Facebook for this to work) links below to see more of what Pat and Len do.
Pat and Len have set up a charity in the Ukraine (Children's Joy) and there are four main aspects of their work:
● preventative work keeping children off the streets by supporting their local social services to feed, clothe and buy school materials and medicines;
● looking after children on the streets, although they now don't do as much of this work as they see that prevention and longer term care is what is needed;
● giving children a loving home;
● helping children who have always lived in the children's home adapt to adult life by producing a manual on the tasks of ordinary living:
this work is done in collaboration with others.
Click on the website and video (you need to be logged into Facebook for this to work) links below to see more of what Pat and Len do.
Who are Children's Joy UK?
We are a group of Christians who have set up a charity in the UK to support this work. We have been inspired by Pat and Len's commitment to their work and to the way they have responded to God's call.
Below are some links to information about our major supporters.
We are a group of Christians who have set up a charity in the UK to support this work. We have been inspired by Pat and Len's commitment to their work and to the way they have responded to God's call.
Below are some links to information about our major supporters.