War Divides - People Heal

Our friends Marina and Mike are Russian and Ukrainian... they want to help heal and ease the suffering this war is creating.

Marina, a Russian/American citizen, and her husband Mike, a Ukranian/American are devastated by the war in Ukraine, having family on both sides of the conflict. Their days are spent, as many others of us following the day by day events, horrified at the atrocities, and heartbroken for the people suffering. For them, it is more than images on a screen, it is the living reality of their families, their nations of origin, their people. They have made a decision for Marina to travel to Europe to directly serve and aid the waves of refugees entering bordering countries.

Marina has made local contacts in the Czech Republic to assist with relocation efforts and material support being sent to the Polish and Slovakian borders. She has taken a leave of absence from the school district at which she works and is covering her travel and board expenses from her own family resources. In addition to her volunteer efforts, there is much financial need to support the families who have escaped with little or nothing to meet their daily needs as they are getting established.

Through the efforts of the Czech community where Marina will be working, individuals have been taking daily collections, and personally transporting and housing refugee families since the conflict began. Word from local efforts indicate that this is only the first wave of need, with many more expected for the foreseeable future.

The funds raised here will be sent with Marina to purchase supplies, clothing, medical supplies, and to meet whatever needs are being identified on a daily basis as refugee families are being transported and established in local communities.

Watching this war unfold, it is easy to be trapped in heartbreak, grief and helplessness. Marina and Mike have decided to put their support into direct action.

We are choosing to support Marina and Mike in this effort because we've seen their compassion, their grief, and their fierce commitment as a family to do all that is in their power to help and heal victims of this tragedy.

We invite you to do the same.

Eric and Jana Griffith