A Home I’ll Never Forget
In Ukraine, people continue to suffer on both the war and home fronts. As I write this, peace negotiations are underway. Feelings of hope and fear alternate; people desperately long for peace.
Story by SNIZANA BAIEVA-NAVROTSKA, UKRAINE
Our work in the Odessa region continues as usual. We organize gatherings for women once a month in three villages, and children’s Bible clubs meet weekly in four villages. We also distribute food and supplies to the poorest families in those places.
Deplorable Living Conditions
We have seen many terrible living situations through our work, but a recent visit shocked all of us. We approached an old, dilapidated building, surrounded by a yard and pasture. The door was opened to us by the family’s grandmother, who leaned on a crutch. One of her legs had been amputated.
We stepped inside the home that felt more like a barn. The one living area had a view into another space, which was inhabited by livestock. The room was cold and scarcely furnished with a single bed, one chair, a table, and a sink. The high concrete walls felt prison-like, and there was no bathroom.
We met a ten year-old girl with disabilities and her mother. The daughter’s comprehension was that of a much younger child and she wore diapers and a blanket. Each adult wore a coat, even indoors.
I was deeply grieved by this family’s situation and inhumane conditions, but I tried to hide it from them. I will never forget their place!
Food, Firewood, and Good News
We brought the family firewood, two boxes of food, a Bible, and Christian literature. Our gifts were greatly needed and appreciated.
Almost all of the family’s meager income is put towards rent, leaving insufficient funds for food. The firewood and food we gave them will keep their home warm for a while and enable them to eat adequately. And now that we know them, we will visit regularly with more aid.
Thank you for your support! Without it we couldn’t assist families like the one above. Your generosity is sending aid and the gospel to ones who desperately need it!
“In God Is Our Hope and Future”
“The war has shattered many families and individuals. In Ukraine everyone knows a family that has lost a father or husband or son, or of someone who has become disabled for life. Many suffer from mental trauma,” says Snizana, our young worker in Ukraine.
“The hardest thing is to witness how the war has affected children and teens. The loss of loved ones and friends, constant fear and anxiety for family members and oneself, and uncertainty about the future have extinguished their joy and hope.”
Snizana is an eyewitness of this lost hope as she has worked with many children and youth during the war. She herself is coping with the absence of both her husband and father, as they are on the frontline.
“The children and young people of our country need God.”
“The future of our country rests on this generation. It is not in our power to ignite joy and hope in a child’s heart, but we can embrace them, encourage them, and tell them about Jesus. Our prayer is that children come to know Jesus and His love as they hear about Him at our Bible clubs and read the Bibles we give them. God can shine a light in their hearts and make them bearers of blessing and hope in this devastated land. Pray with us for the children and young people of our country!”
