Russian invasion of Ukraine
Mondays Are Stressful
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.
“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.
Come Get Your Blessings
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.
No bomb shelter? No school
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.
Serving God during the War
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.
Sight-seeing and Searching for Scar Cream
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.
Warsaw Again
Here we are again, bringing life-saving medical supplies for soldiers and civilians from the USA to Ukraine. Today, my husband and I flew 10 x 70-pound duffle bags stuffed to the brim with tourniquets, military first aid kits, binoculars, anti-biotics, surgical instruments, and other critical care essentials. Each bag is valued at about $1,500-$2,000 worth of Amazon Wish List items that donors like YOU ordered and had shipped to our Atlanta office. We cannot thank you enough!
New Home, New Mexico
Welcome to America! That is what many Ukrainians are waiting to hear – including our dear Yana and her mom Luda. Finally, after leaving their home in Ukraine on Hope Now’s very last evacuation convoy this past March, and spending the last 4 months in Romania, these 2 ladies have arrived safely and are ready to settle into life in New Mexico!
Kat’s in Donetsk
One of our ministry partners is a husband-and-wife team in Cherkasy. Their names are Dima and Katya, and their mission is to feed and help the desperate people of Ukraine.
Hope Now has been supporting Dima & Kat and their team financially since Ukraine was invaded in February. Due to the generosity of many donors like you, we have been able to provide funds for Kat to buy a used transit van. This little white wonder has been driven all over Ukraine picking up humanitarian aid, buying groceries and household supplies, and bringing food to starving people. We help by supplying money for diesel, sending lifesaving medicines from America, and for providing funds to buy food to make food bags to give to people still stuck in hot spots where there is nothing left. Recently, Kat used the funds we sent to make a trip to Eastern Ukraine, in the heavily hit area of Donetsk. Here is Kat's report:
Hope Now has been supporting Dima & Kat and their team financially since Ukraine was invaded in February. Due to the generosity of many donors like you, we have been able to provide funds for Kat to buy a used transit van. This little white wonder has been driven all over Ukraine picking up humanitarian aid, buying groceries and household supplies, and bringing food to starving people. We help by supplying money for diesel, sending lifesaving medicines from America, and for providing funds to buy food to make food bags to give to people still stuck in hot spots where there is nothing left. Recently, Kat used the funds we sent to make a trip to Eastern Ukraine, in the heavily hit area of Donetsk. Here is Kat's report:
A Video Thank you
Ukrainian soldiers are always very happy and relieved to receive lifesaving tourniquets, medicine and IFAKs (Individual First Aid Kits) from Hope Now. With God’s direction and your help, we have been able to provide over 3,500 pounds of medical essentials to Ukraine since the war began.
Letters from Ukraine - Cyndee's news from Ukraine!
You probably remember, that when the war started on February 24, 2022, the orphanage was ordered to release all of the children and send them “home” to their guardians. This was due to the fact that nearby military targets had been bombed and therefore the government needed to rehouse those affected residents. They needed to use the orphanage to house displaced families, so the children were sent “home” and became scattered all around various small villages in the area. Many of the kids were sent back to the very people who caused them to be taken to an orphanage in the first place. Some went to poor relatives, who can barely afford to feed themselves, let alone additional children. Our team has continued to do everything in our power to maintain contact with the children, and to help them survive by making regular visits to check on them and to bring them food and essentials.
Penicillin to Poland - Cyndee's news from Ukraine!
We are grateful to have adventurous volunteers willing to schlep 700 pounds of medical supplies, tennis shoes, and kids socks & underwear across the pond. That’s exactly the mission that Hope Now sponsors Meg & Zoe embarked on yesterday as they checked in 10 x 70-pound duffle bags on their journey from Atlanta to Warsaw, Poland.
Our city was hit today!
Russian airstrike kills 1, wounds 5 near Cherkasy. Two missiles hit an infrastructure facility, Cherkasy Oblast Governor Igor Taburets said on June 26.
Inna was teaching Sunday School at First Baptist Church, where many of you have attended if you have ever visited Hope Now in Ukraine. Located near the bridge, the church is a beautiful, 3 level traditional church complete with balcony and basement. The grounds are lovely and full of flowers at this time of year. While the 10:00 am church service upstairs was in full swing (interestingly enough, an American missionary was preaching), downstairs the Children’s Ministry team had their classes in their rooms and the children were busy finishing today’s craft activity. Inna and another teacher have 11 children in their class. At 11:28 am, a very loud explosion was heard and felt by everyone. Inna said, “We quickly gathered the children around us. They were silent and we immediately began to pray.” About 30 seconds later, a second explosion also shook the church building. “Two of the boy’s faces looked completely frozen and white with fear. These boys recently moved to Cherkasy where it was safe – they have already lived through many explosions in Kharkiv before moving here, and they thought it was happening all over again. When will the war end, they asked? They were so sad.”
Inna was teaching Sunday School at First Baptist Church, where many of you have attended if you have ever visited Hope Now in Ukraine. Located near the bridge, the church is a beautiful, 3 level traditional church complete with balcony and basement. The grounds are lovely and full of flowers at this time of year. While the 10:00 am church service upstairs was in full swing (interestingly enough, an American missionary was preaching), downstairs the Children’s Ministry team had their classes in their rooms and the children were busy finishing today’s craft activity. Inna and another teacher have 11 children in their class. At 11:28 am, a very loud explosion was heard and felt by everyone. Inna said, “We quickly gathered the children around us. They were silent and we immediately began to pray.” About 30 seconds later, a second explosion also shook the church building. “Two of the boy’s faces looked completely frozen and white with fear. These boys recently moved to Cherkasy where it was safe – they have already lived through many explosions in Kharkiv before moving here, and they thought it was happening all over again. When will the war end, they asked? They were so sad.”
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