Give the Gift of Hope to Ukrainian Refugees

A paraplegic herself, Martina understands the unique challenges facing people with disabilities. Working closely with Galyna, our Ukrainian Regional in-country coordinator, Martina has now welcomed hundreds of disabled refugees into Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. In the process, she says she has seen miracles…

Joni and Friends partners like Martina and Galyna are doing so much more than simply evacuating people with disabilities out of Ukraine. As Martina says:

“The refugees have emotional problems as a result of the war. We are organizing therapists and counselors for them as well as safe houses, food, and medical care. We pray for the spiritual and emotional needs of every refugee.”

For people with disabilities still in Ukraine, evacuation and basic safety remain critical concerns.

For refugees, a new wave of needs quickly surfaces; evacuees find themselves in unfamiliar places where they can’t speak the language, let alone find jobs, day-to-day stability, or counseling to deal with the trauma they have experienced.

Long-term Help and Eternal Hope

Joni and Friends sees the long-term needs of the people flooding out of Ukraine, especially those with disabilities. The organization’s Netherlands location has welcomed hundreds of evacuees impacted by disability.

And while our evacuation efforts continue today, we are also dedicated to serving the families who have decided to remain in their homeland.

At the outset of the war, more than 2.7 million Ukrainians reported living with disabilities. By the time the war ends, that number will sadly be much higher; the needs will multiply. Joni and Friends commits to the road ahead, long as it may be, to rescue, care for, and meet the needs of Ukraine’s people with disabilities.

Thank you for remembering Ukrainian families living with disabilities. Your prayers are renewing hope all over the world! As one mother with a disabled child put it,

“I see God every moment through the people who care for us here.”