50 Days of War in Ukraine
This past Monday was our first corporate food voucher distribution at The Cathedral of Christ in Kyiv, since the February 24th Russian invasion. Vika Konchaskovka coordinated the event and reported nearly 130 widows and pensioners participated. Many of them picked up vouchers to take to other widows in the program who live in their area. Over 210 widows received food vouchers this week.
Below are photos of the event. The widows and pensioners holding slips of paper with numbers on them represent the IDs of the other widows they will be delivering food vouchers or food packets to those living in their district. Vika’s husband Andrei, Valentina Y., Igor, and Pastor Ruslan joined Vika to serve the widows and pensioners. We are blessed to have such a committed and loving staff in Kyiv.
This team plans to do another gathering for voucher distribution next Monday, April 18, as well as an Orthodox Maundy Thursday Easter distribution of vouchers and paska (Easter) bread. This is something everyone connected with us looks forward to receiving. Vika is working with a local baker to bake a little over 500 loaves of paska for this special celebration.
The metro subway system in Kyiv is not yet operating at full capacity. Buses have helped cover the areas the subway has yet to reestablish its service. We hope more public transportation will be fully operational by the 21st, allowing more widows to attend the Easter celebration (Orthodox Easter is celebrated on April 24 this year).
You may remember a prayer request for Oksana’s brother, Volodya, last week. He was wounded by shrapnel and had a major concussion in a large explosion several days ago. He is starting to hear a little and talked with Inna, his wife, on Sunday. The shrapnel has not been removed yet, and the doctors are consulting on how to proceed. Serhiy Basarab contacted a church he knows in the Dnipro area (located right outside the eastern conflict area), and they sent someone to visit and pray with Volodya. Oksana was very grateful for this visit, as was Volodya, who is a follower of Christ. As of Wednesday, Volodya still has a fever, hearing difficulty, and severe headaches. Many in his military unit were also injured in the same incident as Volodya.
In his conversations with these churches, Serhiy learned most of the church sanctuaries have been set up as shelters for internally displaced families. They have asked for assistance, and we are arranging payments to a vendor who can supply multiple bed sets to help accommodate more people in the shelters.
Oksana had a recent conversation with a widower in our program, Vitaly. His son served as a volunteer in the civilian defenses and was killed recently. This is the first reported death in the war of anyone connected to our mission or programs. We are grieving this news with Vitaly and ask you to be praying for him.
We are very grateful to two sisters who helped us locate medicines needed for the children and staff of Stara Basan orphanage. One of the sisters works in a pharmacy and was able to order some of the drugs through her network manager. The other bought the rest of the needed medicines through another pharmacy. Our orphans received nearly all the medication they needed thanks to their connections and persistence. We are hopeful the remaining meds will become available in the coming days.
We are praying for God to bless these two special ladies who worked hard to help us aid the children at the orphanage. This is a picture of part of the medicines and needed shoes for the children. Thank you for your support in making this possible.
Our team was also able to connect with a former music student who lives in the contested Donbas area. Her name is Kristina, and we learned she and her mother Tatiana are trapped inside Krasnohorivka, an area of heavy fighting with no refugee corridors of escape. Kristina shared that even once a corridor opens, they would be unable to afford transportation. Fortunately, Olga Alexeeva, our bookkeeper, was able to send the needed financial aid, and they will flee the area as soon as it is safe to do so. Kristina expressed thanks to MMK for our assistance, and she praised God for how He provided in their time of great need.
Pray
Pray for God to bring closure to this war sooner than later. Far too many lives are being lost in this senseless plan by Putin.
For all the people who have had family members and friends killed.
For the plans to harm Ukraine to be completely foiled.
For the upheaval everyone in Ukraine is experiencing.
For those aid workers who are exhausted and worn to be renewed and invigorated in the help they are providing.
This coming Sunday begins Ukraine’s Holy Week celebrations, and we want to see God glorified in the many ways He is providing for and protecting Ukrainians.
For the military units who are coming under heavier and greater attack from the renewed Russian war efforts.
For the Russian soldiers to be more humane in their treatment of the people in the captured areas and to be held accountable for their actions.
Give
ONLINE: You can give online to musicmissionkiev.org
CALL: You can still call our U.S. office and donate with your credit card. Our office phone number is 407-699-7172.
CHECK: Send a check payable to Music Mission Kiev, PO Box 161849, Altamonte Springs, FL 32716.
Contact
Please take the time to contact your government officials. Even if you have already called or written them, please do so again. I cannot overstate the importance our influence can have on our government to do more.
Greg
CEO | Music Mission Kiev