We’re so thankful for the generosity of our U.S. friends last month! The challenges for orphaned youth don’t take a break for Christmas. As the holidays approached, some of our orphaned moms faced cold, poverty, danger, and fear. But your gifts brought them hope.
Svitlana is an orphaned young woman with three kids. In the fall, our team visited her and saw she had no firewood. They immediately offered support. When the weather turned cold, Svitlana and her kids moved into the Shelter.
Arina, Svitlana’s oldest, dreamed of a beautiful new dress for Christmas.
Our staff made her dream come true!
To help Svitlana provide for her children, our Shelter staff worked with her to receive funds from the state and her ex-husband. And our partners at Mission to Ukraine set her up with firewood for the winter. Our staff took over a sofa and table so the family can spend time together comfortably.
After three months at the Shelter, staff member Yuliana writes, “Svitlana returned home calm, grateful, and with a sense of hope… Together we provide not only help, but also warmth, safety, and care for Ukrainian families.”
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On Christmas Eve, another orphaned young mom messaged us: “My husband beat me. Can I come to you? Because I have no one else to ask for help.”
She arrived at the Shelter in a taxi, anxious and scared, with a baby in her arms. She’d run out the door as soon as her husband left.
Our staff talked and prayed with her, and she celebrated Christmas with the Shelter family. She was encouraged to ask for help any time.
We can’t share her name or photo. But, writes Yuliana, “this story is another reminder of how important it is to have a space of trust, shelter, and people who are ready to say, ‘Come. We are here.’”
It’s because of your generosity that the Shelter can welcome and care for these women who are trying to stop the cycle of orphanhood in their families. Thank you!
Your monthly gift helps make the Shelter ready for moms like these. Set up a recurrring gift here.