HelpUkrainiansInNeed

 

It has been some time since my last update and it has now been one year since the russian invasion of Ukraine and I wanted to give you all a small update and a big thank you to each of you for all your thoughts, donations and support during this hard year. 

This Summer and Fall I was able to spend together with my parents for what I am extremely grateful for. They were able to come and stay at my home, here in the US for the first time. They really loved the experience and getting to know a different culture, they were greeted with happiness, warmth and felt very welcomed by all Americans they met during their stay. They were able to enjoy nature and have some emotional and mental rest. My dad really fell in love with large cups of ice and unlimited refills and my mom loved sitting outside on the porch and waving and smiling to all the neighbors driving by, it was quite a new experience to her. 

I can't believe that it has been a year since russian invasion, I still remember the evening when my mom called and told me that a war has begun and my aunt was calling crying that there were tanks, shootings and she did not know what to do and where to go, it was a tough year. It felt like my life has also in some way stopped at that time, and it took a long time to come back to reality.... and that is how i felt being here in safe environment, I can't even imagine the horror Ukrainians went through being there, with all the air raid sirens, rockets, shootings, losing their loved ones, no utilities such as water, electricity, empty grocery stores ... 

 

How are things going in Ukraine right now? Well, the war did not end... Every day civilians,children, soldiers are wounded and dying from the russian attacks but Ukrainians are fighting for their freedom and Country.

The Novovolynsk Baptist Church from my hometown that many of you donated to is still helping in several ways. They are still helping all refugees that came to my home town, those who did not leave the country and remained in the city of Novovolynsk. The refugees from all over the city come to the church for food and groceries distribution and for some time the church was able to provide clothes. Four refugees had a will to get baptized last year. Currently, several refugees still live in the church, the majority of refugees are living in apartments and houses with host families, as well as villages outside of the city.  A group from the church also delivers food and clothes to Kherson region. 

The church is also engaged and helping the military, they help with getting warm clothes, food, medicines, generators, sleeping bags and helping in any way they can.

There are a lot of soldiers being treated in the Novovolynsk hospital, the church also helps them with food and providing home cooked meals, and they visit the sick and injured. 

I, myself, have been also donating to my cousin Yarina. She lives in Gorodnya, Chernigiv region, Ukraine. She has been helping the military and volunteering with all kinds of things: collecting dry shower kits, warm clothes, food, making candles, collecting medications and making patriotic cards and bracelets with children from the school she teaches at. 

 

Since we are at the One year mark of the war I've reopened the donation page if anyone wanted to donate again to the church or to Yarina and her efforts.

Everyday we are one day closer to the end of this war and your past donations have touched and helped soo many people and any future donations are greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you!

Natalie. 

 

Hello Friends!

Thank you everyone for your prayers and donations. Your donations have helped the church travel to Andriivka, which is a town outside of Kyiv and other towns outside of Kyiv that were occupied and heavily damaged by russians. The russians are gone for now but the Ukrainian people in those towns are left with nothing and many homes and buildings are destroyed but it is safe enough to travel into the area to provide help, and thanks to your donations and others the church volunteers and priest brought a couple vans full of food. Arriving at the first town they were met with lines with hundreds of people who heard the vans were coming with food. Along with food they brought bibles to give away to try and help people through their hards times and bring hope and love. A message from the preacher Alim "God did not leave Ukraine, He stays with us. With sincere faith we deliver help to hotspots, from there we take away people who have already lost hope of salvation"

One woman from Donetsk spoke on video to share her emotional message how thankful they are to be saved from the war by church volunteers. We will put together a new video shortly to share the videos, messages and images from this latest aid trip. 

In the city of Novovolynsk most places that are hosting refugees are full right now but people are inviting refugees to stay in their homes and the church is giving food packages weekly to refugees who are staying in people's homes.

Again, many many thanks to everyone who has helped, your donations and prayers are helping soo many people now and making a real impact on people's lives and they have no words to express how thankful they are to have your help and prayers keeping them safe.

Alot of you have asked about Natalie's family and her parents and brothers and families are safe, Novovolynsk is a safe place to be right now. Her Aunt and her family that live in a small town near Chernigov are safe and the russians have left their town after four weeks, they have cell service returned but still all the bridges into town are destroyed and no food or aid can make it into the town. They are not starving though because most people in the village have root cellars with stored vegetables so they have some food to eat.

Hello Friends!

The last round of donations was delivered to the church, and part to help military members. The church continues to help refugees by providing shelter, food and necessities. Also they have been traveling to other cities and providing food to those who can't leave or do not wish to leave their homes behind and continue to evacuate those who do wish to leave. They just returned from Kyiv region, please pray for all the drivers safety and for safe trips.

The donations to help the military have purchased materials that volunteers have used to make pillows and make more of the large camo netting as seen in previous pictures.

Thank you very much for the donations, prayers and time spent on making Easter cards from Gowanda NY and Mary Ann for her support. Thank you to everyone who has donated and continue to donate and support Ukraine. Below are some updated pictures from the people that you all have already helped to feed and support in their time of need, they want to "Thank each one of you, your generosity means soo much to them"

More donations will be sent this week! They should arrive next week and will update then.