The war in Ukraine is still raging.
People flee new conflict zones every day, and ongoing bombings have left many without electricity or access to clean water. A Send Relief partner in the region described the current situation as “pure chaos.”
A saving grace of this year’s survivors has been home gardens during the summer months, giving many families consistent access to food for the first time since the war’s genesis in the spring of 2022.
A recent Send Relief project was successful in addressing some of these ongoing needs by providing over 2,500 food boxes, nearly 750 hot meals, over 35 fuel sources, almost 150 bedding packets and more than 200 fresh sets of clothes to families actively fleeing the combat zones.
As a result, 2,000 Ukrainians heard the gospel, 150 came to faith and 15 have been baptized so far!
One survivor, a doctor named Lena, was forced to leave her village on the third day of the war as Russian soldiers invaded the city she had always called home.
She shared, “At first, we were all afraid to even speak Ukrainian. The children were terrified of the constant shooting. My doctor colleagues were brutally beaten because soldiers found some Ukrainian ‘information’ in their phones. One coworker was only released after three months of captivity. Although we wanted to flee as soon as possible, it was very scary and very difficult because of the endless shelling.”
Many villagers were stuck in traffic jams that lasted more than a week, with some families dying on the road due to a lack of food and water sources. The Russian military wouldn’t let anyone exit or enter without special permission, but Lena was able to escape via an ambulance as she was delivering medicine.
Lena continued, “I am very grateful to everyone who helps people like me who have lost everything. Thank you for the housing, the food and clothes and everything else you’ve given us to live. I hope that many more people will be released and will be able to leave occupied territories to live again in a free Ukraine.”
We pray for the same.
If you would like to offer even more help and hope to displaced families in Eastern Europe, click here for more information or to get involved today.
Published September 15, 2023