THE STORY OF ANYA AND SIXTY ORPHANS FROM UKRAINE

THE STORY OF ANYA AND SIXTY ORPHANS FROM MARIUPOL UKRAINE

Currently, 1.5 million people have fled from Ukraine. Over half a million of them are innocent children, and hundreds of thousands of these children are ORPHANS.

Wings of Hope (Previously called Center Opeki) in Mariupol, Ukraine, is an orphanage center located in one of the most dangerous war zones of Ukraine. On February 26, 2022, the orphanage director Natalya, with the help of the Ukrainian government managed to evacuate SIXTY children ages 4 to 17 to the town of Zaporizhzhia for safety. She left them there with her oldest daughter Anya and her grandson. After Natalya evacuated the children, she went back to Mariupol to help more children and families in need, as new children kept coming to the orphanage in desperation, looking and asking for help. 

We have not heard from Natalya since March 3rd. All we know is that Mariupol is under heavy attacks, bombing and shootings. The people of Mariupol have no electricity, heat or water. They are hiding in basements and abandoned buildings. People are starving and dying from dehydration. 

Natalya's oldest daughter Anya and her grandson managed to escape Ukraine together with the SIXTY orphaned children. Anya and all the kids traveled through war zones for days by trains and buses, churches and volunteers helped them and gave them shelter and food along their trip and they finally made it to Poland, where they are currently staying at a hotel.  We are in daily contact with Anya. She is an absolutely amazing and resilient young woman, just like her mom. Anya's only goal now is taking care of the SIXTY orphaned children along with her son. 

We are asking for your HELP! Anya and the children have nothing. The children have left the only place they called home, the Wings of Hope Orphanage center, with just clothes on their backs. They are stressed, exhausted and terrified. They are children of the WAR! 

This fundraiser is very close to my heart. I have to help Anya and the children as a mom of two boys saved from the same WAR and as a friend! Back in 2017 we adopted two amazing boys from the war zone of Mariupol in Ukraine, our older son spent 5 years of his life in the same orphanage center Wings of Hope in Mariupol. Our boys were 10 and 3.5 years old at the time. These two boys are the sunshine in our hearts and the light in our souls, but most importantly, our boys are safe at home with their loving family, and they are smiling and thriving. 

Throughout our adoption journey, we met so many beautiful people and children in Ukraine. They became our friends and part of our family. This WAR is not these children’s WAR! 

All of the donations will be sent directly to Anya and the children. Our mission is to provide funds for permanent housing, food, clothing and medical care, most of the children are suffering from post-traumatic stress. Our goal is to support Anya and the children financially and emotionally. We hope and pray that the orphanage director Natalya will be able to evacuate soon with the rest of the children in need. 

Anya and the children need your HELP now! 

Thank you for every penny donated and every share of this fundraiser from the bottom of my heart!