Helping Ukranian refugees in Romania
Our Romanian partners have been delivering your Christmas Shoeboxes to vulnerable families for many years, working with many of them throughout the year, providing support and love.
They have now travelled to the border town of Botosani to volunteer at a centre for Ukranian refugees. They travelled with their team to Botosani in a convoy of three cars, taking mattresses, beds, food, clothing, toys and supplies.
“There, among people with hearts as big as the sea, you only have time to give everything you have, to help, to join the struggle and to love. The work is mostly done with volunteers. These people asked for unpaid holidays from work, others skipped school… after a night they spend awake, they go back to schools, jobs, only to come back with so much joy after they finish the other work.”
The refugees are brought from the border by volunteers who make these back and forth trips all night. The volunteers and refugees don’t always speak the same language so google translate is used a lot to communicate.
The women and children crossing into Romania are frightened. Some refugees are being robbed at the border by cars asking them for money to transport them, then robbing them and leaving them on the side of the road with nothing.
People are exhausted and freezing. It is bitterly cold. In Botosani it is -2° today. Some people need warm clothes, others need medical attention. Some have pets. The centre provides safe crates for the pets and is working with a pharmacy and a veterinary clinic. The ambulance service consults on anyone needing further medical attention.
Cernauti, Ukraine
“We went to Cernauti town… bringing food, hygiene products for women and children, medication, warm clothes and blankets. The entrance in Ukraine can only be done with police escort. You could very well feel the fear and coldness of war in the air.”
“At the place where we unloaded, we met so many people from the northern part of Ukraine who came south to find some refuge from the bombing and shooting.”
Our partners will return to Cernauti next week with more food and medicine.
The Bible says, if one part suffers, every part suffers with it and you have felt this suffering and decided to get involved and offer comfort. Thank you.