Inna’s story begins like many others.
On the morning of Feb. 24, she awoke to loud noises near her home in Kharkiv. She prayed it was just thunder … but it was something much worse. Inna, her husband, sister, and two small children were forced to run for their lives.
Early in the war, Kharkiv was devastated by Russian airstrikes. Many refugees found shelter underground in metro stations – it was far too dangerous to be above ground, and evacuating would mean traveling through an active war zone.
The shelter Inna’s family found was far from ideal; they were packed in a basement with 100 other refugees for an entire month. The families shared everything they had, but their few resources ran out quickly.
They needed blankets, medicine, and, most importantly, food and water. The only choice was to leave and look for help.
Inna and a few other refugees made the difficult choice to leave the safety of the basement and search for anyone who could help. They learned of a location distributing essential supplies and hurried there to get whatever they could.
Then the unthinkable happened.
As Inna stood in line for food, Russian soldiers began firing at her and the other civilians. It was a moment Inna will never forget. She was lucky to escape alive.
After a month of waiting for the right moment, Inna’s family escaped Kharkiv and made it to a refugee shelter in Lviv, where World Help partner received them. They were given the food and supplies they needed, but every day is still a challenge. Inna hasn’t had a good night’s sleep since Feb. 23.
Now, every time Inna speaks to her children, her husband, or her sister, she says goodbye. She has no way of knowing which conversation might be their last, and as the war continues to escalate in Ukraine, families are forced to face the reality that they might never see their loved ones again.
Inna’s sister and children left the country to find safety, but Inna stayed behind with her husband. She hopes to cross the border and be with them soon, but all she really wants now is to go home. Inna meditates on Psalm 90 and prays for peace to return to her beloved country … but until that day comes, she needs to survive.
Refugees like Inna have nowhere to go. Until they can leave the country or return home, they’re relying on refugee centers to provide them with essentials like food, water, blankets, clean clothes, and more.
With the number of Ukrainian refugees well over 5 million, the need is constantly growing … and our partners at these refugee centers can’t do it alone.
For just $35, you can meet the basic needs of a refugee like Inna for a whole week. Your gift will provide necessities like food, water, shelter, transportation to the border, and more for a refugee in Ukraine or another high-conflict area.
Ukrainian refugees don’t know how they’re going to survive this war, especially when Russia isn’t holding back. They’re scared … but you can be a lifeline. When you give $35, you provide tangible essentials, but you also demonstrate the love of Christ and give them hope for tomorrow.
Click the button below to help a refugee make it through the days ahead.
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