At the end of May I was able to drive into Ukraine to an area about 2 1/2 hours from the border.
I had three goals for this trip.
1.) To visit the church that Barnabas Ministries has been partnering with that puts together food packages to send further east to the war affected areas.
The church is doing a wonderful job of putting together the food packages and getting them sent to where is needed. The Christian love and compassion for the Ukrainian people was evident among those we met.
2.) To visit an orphanage that has had to relocate, due to the war, into that area from the east, near the city of Dnipro.
Since this orphanage has been relocated into this area at the beginning of the war, Barnabas Ministries has been helping with food, clothing and diapers. There are 70 children that are living in this building, which is in a very isolated area and was quickly renovated to house these children temporarily.
The building looks good from outside but once entering the building it is way overcrowded and not adequate to be housing 70 children, plus many of the workers which are refugees as well. They had hoped to be able to return home to the east soon, but fighting has restarted in that area the last few weeks, so they are very uncertain about the future.
The dining area is covered with black mold and the pictures do not do justice without the smells and sense of hopelessness that hangs over this place. The girls stay on the first floor, 7-12 in one room and all 30+ girls share 4 toilets and four showers. The boys, stay on the second floor up to 14 in a room and all 30+ share 3 toilets and 4 showers. There is no living room, and the kids mostly stay in their bedrooms and do online schooling in these rooms. It must be a very difficult life for them. I pray that more can be done for these children soon.
3.) The third goal was just to see the situation first-hand, to better know how to help in the future.
Although we were in a very safe and rather quiet area of the country the effects of the war can still clearly be seen. Please continue to pray for this war to end!
Thank you so much for helping us to reach out to the people of Ukraine during this difficult time. This month we have been able to send $2,500 for food packages and the purchasing and transport of goods for the orphanage cost us $1,300.
In the last few months, with little talk in the world news about the war, giving towards Ukraine has been very low, but the needs tend to be very great. Please pray about giving to help us with “Barnabas aid Outreach” so that we can continue to reach out in such situations as mentioned above.
Thank you for your support and prayers!
Daniel H. Hurrelbrink
Executive Director