Bob & Mickey Bender

Bob and Mickey Bender are residents of the Phoenix, Arizona area. They have three grown children and 10 grandsons...no granddaughters. Bob is a retired Marine Corps officer who was in during the time before the Iron Curtain came down, so his whole career was spent preparing to fight the Soviet Union. He vowed to not leave the U.S. after his retirement.

In 2002, Bob and Mickey met a couple, Barb and Barry, from Minnesota. Barry was involved in acquiring property for Global Action in Ukraine. The property was to be used for, among other things, a summer camp for Ukrainian orphans and street children. Bob and Mickey listened to the stories that Barry and Barb told each time they came back from Ukraine, but only were involved financially.

In 2007, after hearing one of Barry's reports about a recent work trip, Bob started asking questions and, before the evening was over, committed to work at a summer camp at Hope Center, near Kerch, Ukraine. Not only was he going to leave the U.S., but he was going to be with the children of his former enemies and teach them about God's love.

At the camp, Bob and Mickey fell in love with a 12 year old Ukrainian orphan girl who lived in a family style orphanage in Zhovti Vody (Yellow Water), Ukraine. Mickey and Bob were doing all of the necessary things to bring her home as their daughter. After about a year, Mickey and Bob went to Ukraine to see her "home" and meet with some local officials. All seemed to be going well. When they arrived home, however, they learned that two very important parts of the Ukrainian law changed while they were visiting her. These changes made Mickey and Bob ineligible to adopt her. They were heartbroken.

After talking to friends in Arizona that were also friends of Jeanette Dubanoski (Director of OAI), they heard about Orphan Advocates International, so they contacted Jeanette. They wanted to know how to help the Ukrainian girl and her group and some other orphans in Ukraine that had been to the camp at Hope Center. They now financially help her home and help identify orphans who may need help with clothing and school supplies at Christmas time. They figure that maybe God wanted them to help more children than just her, although she is always in their hearts."

Bob and Mickey are helping OAI to identify the needs of this country and are helping coordinate the ways that OAI can help.