February 24, 2023
This sign says, “For the next 24 hours, pray and fast for Victory and Peace for Ukraine.”
One year ago today, on February 24, 2022, at around 5:00 am in Ukraine, the world as we know it changed. And it wasn’t for the better. Our volunteers and I, and the people we serve in Ukraine, all remember what we were doing when that first missile strike hit. At the beginning, no one really knew what to do – but God gave us ideas and soon we had a plan.
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February 23, 2023
The name “Bohdan” means “given by God.” Twenty-one years ago, in Ukraine, God gave a mother, a twin sister and countless friends a much-loved gift – and his name was Bohdan. Sadly, for all of us left behind, this past week, Bohdan was taken from this earth by way of a Russian land mine that exploded. Shrapnel imbedded into Bohdanchik’s temple, leaving him in a coma for 3 days before going home to the Lord. During his short time on earth, he was a bright light shining in a dark place.
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February 10, 2023
Bought in 2015 by our dear friend, Daniel, his shiny black Mitsubishi Pajero was the perfect car for him to carry his motorcycle to various competitions. The entire back seat and 2 lift seats could be removed, providing plenty of space to place his motorcycle inside. I remember one time, Daniel picked me up to give me a ride some place, and I was momentarily surprised to see an entire motorcycle in the back seat. I thought – wow, I could fit a lot of children and stuff in this car! Four years later, I bought it from Daniel and suddenly I had my own handy, dandy 4 x 4, which was perfect for me to drive on extreme pothole filled roads to the orphanage. I decided to name my new car, “Taras” after Ukraine’s poet laureate and political figure, Taras Shevchenko.
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January 31, 2023
Since February 24, 2022, when the unprovoked attack on Ukraine began, it has tragically been reported that over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 34,000 civilians have been killed. This heartbreaking data on the wages of war, has now hit home with the death of one our own, Andrei Boyko. However, Andrei was much more than a statistic. He was our much-loved exuberant friend, a devoted husband and father, a staunch patriot and most importantly, our fellow brother-in-Christ.
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January 11, 2023
All I want for Christmas is _____________.
Your 2 front teeth? A curly head doll that cuddles and coos? Elephants, boats, and kiddy cars too? Or maybe an Xbox, Apple Watch 8 or personalized wine chiller was at the top of your list?
Last month, the brave soldiers in Ukraine had a much different Christmas list than in previous years. The hottest gift items included drones, tablets, generators, binoculars, heat sensors, solar charged power banks and thermal underwear. Thanks to God and your generous donations, Hope Now was able to “play Santa Claus” and provide many of these items to Ukrainian soldiers defending their country.
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December 19, 2022
Yuliia, who escaped the capital of Kyiv and is now residing in the USA, writes about how her Ukrainian friends and relatives cope with no electricity in her war-torn homeland.
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November 24, 2022
We’ve said it before. A picture is worth a thousand words. And according to Google, an average reader will read 1,000 words in 3.3 minutes when reading at a speed of 300 words per minute. But during Thanksgiving week, who has even 3.3 minutes to spare?
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November 21, 2022
A lot can be said about Mondays…
“Mondays offer new beginnings 52 times a year!” “Mondays set the tone for your whole week.” “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”
“Mondays have always been tough. But now they are hell.”
For the past 3 Mondays in a row, Ukraine has endured horrific and steady barrages of air attacks. Ukrainians, trying to find humor in the depths of despair, have created several memes and expressions to depict their new, daily existence.
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November 04, 2022
As you probably already know by now, Ukrainians are very strong and resilient – especially our volunteer team who relies on the Armor of God for their protection. And God has continually proven to all of us at Hope Now, that He protects His children of all ages. Young and old alike.
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November 03, 2022
This fall, it was “back to school” for our orphanage children despite the ongoing horrific war in Ukraine. Surprisingly enough, the orphanage was returned (from the government) on September 1, which means the military who were using the place as their barracks packed up and left. However, in order for the orphanage school to reopen, the Administration asked us for help. There was one condition they had to achieve in order to reopen. They needed a bomb shelter for the children.
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October 11, 2022
Last time, we shared about our journey into Western Ukraine to bring 700 pounds of medical supplies to our team. Before our 13 volunteers headed back to Cherkasy to distribute these lifesaving items, we spent 4 glorious days together, relaxing and resting -- mostly free from air raid sirens. Our retreat was full of good food, “spa treatments” (think oxygenated blood!) and time to share with each other how the war has affected each team member.
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September 15, 2022
I just got back from Ukraine! It was a wonderful, yet bittersweet trip. My husband and I travelled to Poland to bring 700 + pounds of medical supplies, donated by generous people like you! After arriving safely with our 10 oversized duffle bags, we settled in to spend a long weekend in Warsaw. The weather was unbelievably hot, as Europe was in the tail-end of a summer-long heat wave. While Darrell made his Zoom calls, I traipsed around to all the local pharmacies in search of scar cream and potassium iodide radiation tablets, items that had just been requested by citizens fleeing the Zaporizhian Nuclear Power Plant region.
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