Hello Friends, Family and Neighbors in Our Community,
As you know, millions of people have been forced to flee Ukraine, leaving everything they have ever known behind. The majority of these refugees are mothers and children, as men are staying behind to fight for their country.
A few weeks ago, the United States opened borders for 100,000 Ukranian refugees to come to America. Within days, hundreds of refugees started making their way to Tijuana, in hopes of crossing the border to San Diego, California. A dear friend of ours, Vitaliy Bozhduga, and his youth team from a local Ukranian church in Portland, were the first Americans to greet the migrants at the Tijuana airport. In the following days, they worked with officials in Tijuana to help set up transportation, shelter, food and life necessities for them. Within a week, there were hundreds of refugees waiting to cross the border.
Through their nonprofit organization, International Christian Mission-Pathway to God, they have been able to purchase airplane tickets to fly refugee families from Ukraine to Mexico. Once given a parole status by the US, their church shuttle bus has been driving families from the San Diego border to Portland, Oregon. Through this process, we now know their stories first-hand. Many of them have lost everything and have nothing to return to back home. Mothers and children don’t know if they will ever see their husbands or fathers again.
You have an opportunity to help these Ukrainian refugees, right here in our very own community. By working together, we can give these families a chance at life again. Your donation will go directly to the necessary resources and support they need as they rebuild their lives here in Portland, Oregon. The most critical need right now for these families is basic life necessities and money for housing. Your donation will help secure living arrangements for these refugees, and help provide them with the basic necessities for making a home for their family.
Here are a few stories to share with you about the heroic journey of coming to America.
Meet Andrii and Anna Mylymuk, and their 4 beautiful children Katerina, Kseniia, Andrii and Matvii. Their family fled from Ukraine to Romania, where they lived in a dark, cold basement with no living conditions. They had no means to seek anything better for their family. Through the mission, they were able to purchase airplane tickets for their family to fly to Tijuana, Mexico. They met them at the airport, and after they were given parole status to enter the United States, they brought them on the church shuttle bus from San Diego, California to Portland, Oregon. They are currently living with our youth pastor's family who has 7 children of his own. Andrii, Anna and their 4 children are desperate for housing and everyday necessities.
Another family brought to Portland, Oregon through the Mission is Vitalii, Olesya and their six year old, Danyil Diachuk.
Life for them was already hard before the war started. It was very difficult for Vitalii to find work in their village, so he had been working abroad for months to save money for his family. When the war started, Vitalli was working in Poland. The war brought more challenges, and stores and businesses closed. In Ukraine, Olesya and Danill became terrified as they heard sirens all day and their city soon was attacked by missiles. By the grace of God, Oleysa and Danill made it safely to the border in Poland, and were reunited as a family again. They used all of their money to buy plane tickets to fly to Tijuana, Mexico. There they were greeted by the Mission and its many volunteers, who helped them cross the border and fly to Portland, Oregon. And although they came with only 1 suitcase for the three of them, they are so grateful to be in America and together as a family. The Diachuk family needs your help so they can rebuild their lives.
Ivan and Irina were married last summer, and soon after moved to Maripoul to start their lives together. They are both musicians, and shared their love and gift of music with the local children’s choir in their town church. Not long before the war started, they found out they were expecting a baby boy. Their dreams of raising a family together in Maripoul were shattered as the war started, and the city they loved and lived in was taken under siege. Homes were destroyed, food was scarce and gunfire continued to no end. Ivan and Irina fled Maripoul to Irina’s home town in Kriviy Rih, Ukraine, hoping to find safety there. Sadly, her hometown became victim to new attacks. It’s a miracle that Ivan and Irina survived their journey to Poland and then America. They are so grateful to be in a safe place and to not fear for their lives. They are hopeful for a peaceful life for their baby boy.
These are only 3 families stories of their journey to Portland, Oregon. We now have 30 families that need your support and that number will most likely continue to grow. Thank you for sharing your time, your energy and your support with us. We are so grateful for any contribution you can make to these families lives.
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