The shelter here in Ukraine is a temporary home for those coming from the front lines. Since we’ve opened its doors to IDP’s, we have had slow weeks where it’s at half capacity and weeks where it’s brim full. The IDP’s usually stay for a week or two as Chaplain Leonid searches for places for them to live.

Our team assists with providing the essentials for food, along with hygiene kits for each person that arrives, and clean quarters for them to stay. We welcome them and explain that they can treat the shelter like their own home while they live there. Leonid and his wife greet the families and share the Gospel when they can. Our team is available for rides, minor health checkups, and any questions they may have. Each time I go to check in on the families, I see new friendships being made, and a sense of peace in the home.

I don’t always realize the extreme circumstances some of these families come from before entering our shelter. One family in particular had been evacuated recently and the nineteen year old daughter had been hit by shrapnel in her home. She had received stitches and needed proper cleaning of the wound daily. I assisted her with her wound for the next week, and one day I asked her if she was scared in her old home, she just looked at me, nodded her head strongly and said “yes”, without hesitation.

The last couple weeks have been picking up with evacuations due to the lines moving on the front. The shelters are full, and there aren’t many options for people to live. It’s becoming more of a crisis for housing here again, so please pray for Ukraine and for these IDP’s that need safe homes to live. Pray for their safety and for all of those that are trying to help the Ukrainian people. Thank you!