Community News
Today's Good Samaritans
Food and medicine are what is needed in Ukraine today. And we have an entire team of Good Samaritans who are willing to bring these much needed items to the sick and poor. One of our dedicated mentors, Luda and her husband recently bought food with your donations, and made up large food parcels to give out to the least of these in their community. Many of you in the USA also sent our Atlanta office lots of great over the counter medicines, which we brought overseas, and in turn sent into our volunteers in Ukraine. So, Luda and her husband were able to bring medicines to those that can distribute it to people in need, and they could bring food to those that have none. You are Good Samaritans, all of you!
What makes a Grown Man Cry?
Lately, our ministry efforts have turned from evacuating orphans to providing humanitarian aid for starving civilians and giving life-saving medical help to soldiers defending Ukraine. In these stressful and emotion encounters, for sure, there are many tears. Apart from describing the horrors that most soldiers have seen on the battlefield, in the village square and in the wheat fields, do you know what really makes a grown man cry? A first aid kit.
Preparing for Easter
Tomorrow is Easter in America! What a wonderful day for us Christians to celebrate the greatest story in history – Jesus’ resurrection from death! In Ukraine and in many other countries around the world, Easter won’t be celebrated for another week, as they follow the Orthodox calendar. However, our family of 14 in Madrid is celebrating tomorrow, so today they were busy coloring eggs. This refugee family was happy to have eggs to color, even though they look much different that the kind they usually made at home in Ukraine.
This is Ukraine today – shot with our own cameras
One of the big differences of working with a huge, global NGO and a small, focused charity like Hope Now, is that we can tell you (and even show you!) where your donations end up and who they are helping. Take a few minutes and click on the video above, to see how your donations make their way across the border, into the hands of desperate Ukrainians trying to survive in the bombed-out city of Chernihiv.
“Humanitarian Aid” has a Face & a Name
We usually think of Humanitarian Aid as sort of anonymous. Who does it really come from, and who does it go to? We usually never know. However, when you give financially to Hope Now, or order something off our Amazon Wish List, YOU are providing Humanitarian Aid and we can tell you exactly who is receiving it. That’s because our own volunteers sort, pack, ship, and hand deliver it to people who need it, in Ukraine. You are being the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need in a war-ravaged land. Vitalina and Zhenya are some of the orphans who received food parcels this past week, along with others from Shpola Orphanage.
Some days are for Crying
“We cry every day.” That’s the big change in the lives of our Ukrainian volunteers, kids and moms who were evacuated to Sweden, Italy, USA, and Romania. Yes, it’s true there are other changes too – especially for those in Romania, like sharing a house with 6 other families, living in a residential home compound (a sort of orphanage), having visitors who bring candy, Coke, treats and SO MUCH FOOD day and night. Not having to go to school, trying to learn Romanian, needing to go to the dentist, doctor, or document maker. Having makeshift birthday parties with strangers, arguing over silly things, worrying about who’s in charge, trying to figure out if there is a schedule and most of all – wondering if your friends and relatives back home in Ukraine are still alive. Trying to get information about them from any slight thread. And being terrified for them, after hearing, firsthand report after report of the brutal carnage and horrifying abuse happening in Ukraine day after day, at the hands of the invaders.
Happy Birthday Nazar!
"It was the best birthday ever!" Happy news to hear from a child, but it's also bittersweet. Our wonderful Romanian hosts from Richard Wurmbrand School in Iasi knew from our registration records, that Nazar had a birthday coming up. So, they did everything in their power to make sure it was a very happy birthday indeed! Cake, juice, games, songs and funny photos make celebrating your birthday in a refugee shelter almost bearable.
I Went to Ukraine Today!
Well, I was only there for about an hour…just enough time to walk from Romania over to Ukraine. It was a beautiful, but crisp day – and it was great to be back on Ukrainian soil, if only for a little while.
Happiness is NOT imaginary!
Imagine my happiness 2 days in a row to be able to see and hug our precious kids from Ukraine! Yesterday, we brought kids across the border and today we were able to go visit a group of 15 that we brought over about 10 days ago! We drove about 3 hours from Siret to Iasi Romania, to the Richard Wurmbrand School. After having a wonderful tour of the school, and hearing about the history and exciting new plans for growth, we bundled into the vans and headed to the group home in Victoria where our kids are being hosted. Shout out to "World Central Kitchen," who is not only providing hot meals at the border, but also at shelters housing Ukrainian refugees.
It looks much bigger on TV!
Today, we got to see for ourselves, up close and personal what the Siret border crossing is really like. You know what? It’s much smaller in person! It’s mainly just a narrow street, lined with various charity stands – free things for incoming Ukrainian refugees. There are some gravel parking lots off to the side, and it was not very busy at 8:00 pm – not backed up at all. In general, it was very organized. Weary travelers seemed generally happy to be there, and glad they made it across the border. The Romanian people were welcoming and helpful! We were glad to receive our 10 Ukrainians – all orphanage families. It was easy to find them once they came across.
Headed to ROMANIA!
Just a very quick note to say that the last few days have been spent sorting, packing and weighting luggage. We have filled each of the 8 duffles to the brim with medicines, first aid kits, socks, underwear and items that Ukrainians have asked us for. When we arrive in Romania, we will be searching for additional humanitarian aid and will pass this across the border to our team in Ukraine. They will take it from there.
Newlyweds from Mariupol to Western Ukraine
Update on our dear Myroslava: Our newlyweds fled their newly furnished home in Mariupol, and after having spent 3 days traveling on a freezing cold train with only 4 apples to eat, they have now settled down to 'village life' in Western Ukraine. They found this house (which had just been vacated as the owners fled across the Ukrainian border) and were offered to live there for free -- just pay the utilities. It looks like a time capsule -- the owners fled literally in the middle of a meal, it seems -- and did not have time to tidy up, or put anything away.
At first, Myroslava could not sleep here, as there were so many tiny uninvited guests running around all night long -- mice! However, these sounds are often drowned out by air raid sirens, or missiles themselves. Like many Ukrainians, Myroslava and her husband have decided to stay in Ukraine. They volunteer when they can, and visit various Ukrainian governmental offices, looking for that illusive stamp that will prevent her husband from being drafted into the war. Myroslava is classified as "disabled" due to her extensive scoliosis -- you may remember that as a child, she had surgery in the USA to repair this life threatening disease. Her husband is technically her caregiver, but so far they have not been able to get a stamp to prove it. If they can prove, it, then they can cross the border into Europe. Please pray that this soon becomes a reality.
At first, Myroslava could not sleep here, as there were so many tiny uninvited guests running around all night long -- mice! However, these sounds are often drowned out by air raid sirens, or missiles themselves. Like many Ukrainians, Myroslava and her husband have decided to stay in Ukraine. They volunteer when they can, and visit various Ukrainian governmental offices, looking for that illusive stamp that will prevent her husband from being drafted into the war. Myroslava is classified as "disabled" due to her extensive scoliosis -- you may remember that as a child, she had surgery in the USA to repair this life threatening disease. Her husband is technically her caregiver, but so far they have not been able to get a stamp to prove it. If they can prove, it, then they can cross the border into Europe. Please pray that this soon becomes a reality.
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