In Ukraine...

ChildAid to Eastern Europe work with a number of projects in various parts of the country - New Beginning in Mukacheve and Children's Heart in Kamianske work primarily with orphans; Love Without Borders is helping to rebuild communities in the east after the recent struggles; and Little Lighthouse in Makariv run a small rehabilitation centre for children living with disabilities. All staff are currently safe.

The team have a contact living in central Ukraine who has stayed to distribute nappies etc that arrive into the centre; however, if the bombing continues she will need to make a very dangerous journey with her family to the west of the country - please pray for her. Those in Moldova trying to support refugees are under immense strain, and ChildAid's partners are working with an NGO to provide a place of refuge and hot food.

ChildAid’s partner, Little Lighthouse, has managed to evacuate some of the families with disabled children a little way out of Makariv for their safety. Makariv has experienced some fighting although it is currently free from Russian troops. Their centre continues to be used as a shelter.

The struggles in Ukraine continue and our prayers for peace, for reconciliation, for hope must continue.

We thank the Lord that to date Kamianske has escaped any direct shelling. But the children connected with the Children’s Heart project are frightened. They see armed police and soldiers on the streets all the time, they constantly hear the sirens, babies crying when woken up. The shelters are inadequate, or for most families non-existent – most have nowhere to hide; when the sirens go off, they simply go outside and wait until the sound ends. Our children have collected up the sweets our partner gave to them and have handed them to the defending soldiers. They say, “they've been guarding us there all night, let it be sweet for them.”

The same cannot be said for Makariv. It is one of the epicentres of heavy fighting, lots of ruins everywhere, the town is constantly under shelling and is completely destroyed, houses of the families with disabled children who we support through Little Lighthouse have been totally destroyed. They continue the evacuation of the families they support as food supply is getting very low, and with no phone connections we are just constantly looking for people and trying to get them out, and find them a suitable place to live according to their children’s needs. If the child is in a wheelchair that place needs to be where they can use their wheelchairs. If it is an autistic child, they need to be relocated somewhere where they can feel calmer and not be stressed by lots of people or bright light.

The project Children's Hearts are trying to offer relief and support to children in Ukraine by providing activities such as painting and horse riding in between shelling raids.

Childhood is being lost yet in Kamianske, Children’s Hearts try and give some of that back.

They report: “It was quiet today. No sirens. We brought some of the children together, including refugee children from Volnovakha. For 10 days they had sat in the basement with their family without leaving, until they could escape.

We tried to distract them from horror and anxiety by just drawing and mixing colours in peace and quiet. However, they talk about how to survive shelling in the basements, they know the level of danger from how sirens sound, they know the hours of silence between shelling.

And I, wiping my tears, hold out a cookie and offer to paint once more, as much as they want!

And tomorrow.. tomorrow we will come up with something else with them! To distract these little hearts from the horror of war!“

There have been concerning developments in the region of Transnistria in Moldova. With a total population of 2.9 million, it saw an influx of 450,000 refugees with around 100,000 still residing there.

The Tony Hawkes Centre in Moldova has sought to return to providing rehabilitation programmes for children with disabilities. They have been offering free-to-access programmes for refugee children in need of care, including one boy with speech development issues who was exacerbated by 8 days of constant shelling when he was in his home town. The treatment he is now receiving is making a substantial improvement, but he just wants to return home.

Children’s Hearts in Kamianske report that the city seems “safe” and so are planning to go ahead with summer activities in the “House of Light” centre. Many parents have requested this as their children are missing out on so much – the team will convert the basement of the premises into a make-shift bomb-shelter.

There is a blessing of plenty of material aid in the city, albeit this is not available for the local families who struggle with inflation and availability of supplies. ChildAid's partner continues to work six days a week to help who they can.

In Makariv, Little Lighthouse are also taking a more positive approach and, with families beginning to return, they are considering re-opening the rehabilitation centre in a month or so after repairs have been completed.

In the west, in Mukachevo, where once again there appears to be a plentiful supply of aid for refugees. Many of the young people under ChildAid's care are trying to lead as near normal lives as possible with many of them undertaking work experience training.

Christian Medical Association of Ukraine (CMAU) – (we are supporting this project through The Philadelphia Trust). CMAU is working under the authority of the Ukraine Ministry of Health to provide a portal for getting medicines, supplies and equipment to hospitals, health centres and frontline paramedics.

By 29th March they were able to distribute medical and other supplies to more than 100 hospitals, humanitarian organisations, churches, military bases and refugee centres over the country. This work is extremely vital as supplies are scarce in Ukraine, so please pray for the team working diligently to support Ukrainians.

The CMA work primarily from Lviv, where they use large warehouses to store and transport aid across Ukraine. They also have warehouses in many cities and frontline areas. They provide donated equipment to hospitals across Ukraine and drugs and medical kit such as bandages and tourniquets to smaller practices and medical groups. Expenses include cost of drugs, transport, warehouse costs etc.

More details on this in the video

ICMDA - Supplies have been received in the front line areas of Ukraine, including a portable Ultra-sound scanner and other medical necessities like trauma dressings, paramedic kits, chest drains, traction kits, scalpels, syringes and tourniquets. Continue to pray for this vital work and praise God that opportunities like this have opened to get these supplies to soldiers and others on the front-line in need.

The Philadelphia Trust are supporting and in contact with Christian doctors in the country who are co-ordinating a big project to provide first-aid centres and equip them. They are, also, working with local church leaders who are providing support for refugees.

Faith into Action are seeking to get funds into Ukraine to support the work of church pastors they know who are helping those in their churches and local communities in Kharkov and Sokolova.

In surrounding countries...

Many of our partners in the countries surrounding Ukraine are doing all they can to help the many refugees that are crossing the border with basic humanitarian care.

Barnabas Fund have sent supplies of clothing, blankets and food to Ukraine on 14th March, as 650,000 people in Ukraine are now without electricity and 130,000 are without gas. The need is immense, and MMN were able to donate a bulk of clothing to Barnabas Fund to be sent on this shipment.

Breadline - Partners in Dancu have been responding to emergency phone calls all week. As they are so close to the Romanian border, they have set up a tent where they provide drinks and food throughout the day and night. They have already had various families staying throughout the week. Thank God that the Hope Club extension is complete enough to act as a hostel for these people and has underfloor heating installed. What a warm welcome it will be for people who have spent many hours in the cold at the Ukrainian border waiting to enter Moldova.

Emanuel Clinic continue to working hard in providing free medical care to refugees. They are, also, helping at a couple of refugee centres that are providing food and shelter for those fleeing across the border.

Emanuel Clinic are seeking to provide basic medical care to the refugees with free consultations and first aid parcels at a couple of Christian refugee centres.

The bakery in Dancu continue to provide refugees fleeing Ukraine with fresh bread and pastries. These women volunteer 24 hours a day to ensure no matter what time of day or night someone arrives, they will be met with a drink and something to eat.

CMIAid are providing packages of clothes and toiletries as well as providing meals to the mothers and children arriving daily in Moldova.

The team continue to visit the border at Giurgiulești to deliver food and other supplies to the refreshment post. The line of people seeking to enter Moldova at that border was 6km long. There were many cars and buses, mainly filled with mothers and children. There were some harrowing accounts from those working there of the trauma that these people have experienced and the stories they shared. Others were unable to speak at all. The weather has also turned cold and it has started to snow. Pray for godly wisdom as to how best help with the many needs.

They continue to provide daily meals to refugees in Cahul, which can number up to 200 each evening. In addition we supply fresh fruit and other essentials like nappies and hygiene items. Thank you for the support which enables us to give this help to those in need.

The team visited Odessa in Ukraine to discuss with Christian contacts shipments of aid, but were hit by the reality of the war when a siren sounded due to an incoming missile. Fortunately the missile hit a bridge south of the city and didn't injure anyone, but an apartment block the team visited had been hit only a few days previously, sadly killing over ten people including a mother and her 3-month old baby.

The team visited the drop-in centre which is providing hot meals and other provision to refugees from the East of the country, which number around 200-300 each day.

The team also met with a group of Christian leaders and a Christian member of the Ukrainian parliament to discuss the needs - supplies on the front line are scarce and as some water supplies have been shelled, even access to clean drinking water is an issue. CMIAid are shipping numerous supplies, including 50,000 John's Gospels in Russian and 30,000 Gospels in Ukrainian which will be distributed to soldiers on the front line.

Despite the horrific situation in Ukraine, God is still working - please pray.

The team have made several trips to Odessa to purchase food for distribution, as this seems to be the most cost effective. They purchase $20,000 worth of food each time to make food parcels for needy families and the elderly. On their last visit, they also purchased disposable cups, bowls and plates for a Soup Kitchen operated by local Christians which is providing about 200 daily hot meals for refugees who have fled from the east of Ukraine.

60 tons of food has been received from donations and is being transported to their warehouse in Romania for distribution across Ukraine.50,000 Gospels of John in Russian are now in their Romanian warehouse and are being taken into Ukraine for distribution to recipients of aid and to the Ukrainian soldiers

Please pray for the safety of drivers as they distribute this aid across Ukraine and for the team as they work extremely hard to try and get supplies to those in need.

European Partners in Christ (Romania) - One church leader reported they continue to provide three meals a day for 40-50 people. From shopping to cooking and delivering the parcels, everything is very well organised. They also stay at the border in Petea or Halmeu, serving warm drinks, a parcel made with a sandwich, a croissant and fruit to those who are just arriving in the country or to those who are leaving the country on their way to west countries. They have also been asked by a nurse from Red Cross, who also are also volunteering in Petea border, to help with some medicines, like children cough syrup - the children are especially affected by the long time spend in the very cold weather.

Depending on what their budget will allow, they would also like to help with the Romanian National Post service who is collecting aid, food , medicines, blankets , and winter clothes for Ukraine, for those who remained there and have no more food, no electricity and are stuck in the shelters. In partnership with Ukraine national service who will distribute it to the northern part of their country.

They would also like to help with providing accommodation for more refugees arriving next week; there are places where people could stay, but these are just empty rooms, without mattresses, or bedding, or towels, so they would like to help with this provision.

Faith in Action Missions have been able to organise aid – food, blankets, sleeping bags and much more - to be shipped to the Light of the Gospel church in Kharkov. The churches are reaching the people through support being sent out. They are working hard to make provision to take some of the Ukrainians into Northern Ireland, including sorting out the visa situation.

As well as providing support to refugees, the team are also trying to support those occupied by Russian forces - Balakleya and Kramatorsk, which are difficult to visit. About 40 people from the local church are constantly involved in serving these Ukrainians, which number around 30,000. Major battles continue, and in the homeland of one of the church leaders, a number had died. On the other side of Kharkov when fighting began this week, the police sent civilians to the team by bus - the bus was shot at and there were no windows, but everyone survived. The bus was mainly filled with elderly people who were placed in the school or in Taranovka. The team visited Kharkov this week and held a small meeting in the main square where they prayed for victory and peace in the country.

Philadelphia Trust report of numerous contacts trying to provide shelter and supplies for refugees fleeing the country. Many women and children who have had to leave husbands/fathers in Ukraine have fled to Poland, Germany and Romania - any money they have is worthless as it is linked to the Russian Rouble. The Agape Ministry in Lutsk is trying to provide support for disabled people trying to leave Ukraine. When they arrive in Germany the team is trying to find places for them across Europe - this is a huge task and requires much prayer. Through existing contacts, the Trust have been able to provide medical kits to doctors on the ground.

Romania

Tim & Jenny Gooding report of a campsite, associated with the assembly in Cluj, owned by the Romanian equivalent of Postal Bible School, (Timpul Bibliei) which has been offered as temporary accommodation for those who need it. The site has 60 beds, but with additional mattresses can take 80 people. They are currently on alert to receive some families at the campsite who do not have another country to go. They have been involved in sending clothing, blankets and hygiene kits to the border, along with items of food.

European Partners in Christ are supporting church leaders who are opening up their churches to provide meals, blankets and hygiene packs or even a place to stay for a few days.

Evangelical churches in the crossing points of Siret and Sighet have put mattresses on the church floors for refugees which are now full. Tim and Jenny have had a few people stay at their home who are passing through the country trying to reach contacts in other countries, including an 18-year-old girl and a mother and her son. The railway station constantly has refugees passing through trying to reach other countries, so volunteers are based at the station offering advice, and Tim and Jenny made food packs with a gospel tract inside for families passing through. The refugee camp in Sighet had 1,100 refugees waiting to cross the border, food and supplies were scarce, so Tim and Jenny have made food and hygiene packs to deliver to them, and have also included a gospel tract in these.

The first waves of incoming refugees has now subsided to a trickle in comparison to what it was. The greater need has now shifted to keeping up supplies of medicines and medical aid to the hospitals who are treating both the wounded soldiers and civilians. To this end we have donated a part of the gifts which we have received to help with the purchase of the requested items from two of the hospitals in the west of Ukraine.

Tim & Jenny Gooding have driven supplies of food and hygiene packs to the border for use in refugee camps in Ukraine which house mainly children and mums who do not have the finances to cross the border and survive in another country. Among the team who visit these camps are also balloon modellers and children's entertainers who try to bring joy to a bleak situation. They have transferred another gift to enable Dr.Adi to purchase a portable ultra-sound device with two transductors and also a Cauterizer to seal wounds in surgery at a hospital in Teceu Mare, about 40 km inside Ukraine. If the equipment arrives in time, Tim and Jenny hope to visit the hospital.

They were able to delivery a Cauterizing Machine and a portable Ultra Sonic apparatus which had been requested by doctors in a hospital 40Km into Ukraine from the Sighet border with Romania. They delivered the equipment to the hospital in Teceu Mare where the conditions were extremely surprising - the hospital was trying to run on outdated equipment and was very busy due to the influx of 3,000 refugees.
From there they visited in a clinic in Bocicoi where again the equipment was very dated, and staff were needing to use a 45-year old X-ray machine with no use of protection and having to put themselves at risk to radiation. Another ultra-sound machine has been ordered for the clinic. A large building in the same area as the clinic which had been used to house psychiatric patients is now being used to house 450 refugees. They are all mentally suffering after what they have experienced and witnessed over the past couple of months.

Slovakia
Acet Slovakia are working with Komunitnecentrum Kompas, a Christian NGO, connected to the church there, they collect the Ukrainian refugees from the Slovak border to give them food and lodging, where possible in Christian homes rather than leaving them in the tented camps that are housing refugees at the moment.

International Health Partners are preparing to send Essential Health Packs (kit of basic medicines and supplies) to their partners in these countries to assist them in helping the refugees fleeing from Ukraine.

Medair have a first response team at the border in Poland to help with the immediate needs of shelter, food and health of the refugees, particularly to the most vulnerable.