Joni and Friends Hosts International Family Retreat for Ukrainian Refugees

AGOURA HILLS, CA – Sept. 30, 2022

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Joni and Friends, an international ministry to people with disabilities, has worked with local partners to evacuate and care for Ukrainians with disabilities. Having rescued and relocated more than 600 refugees, Joni and Friends continues to provide long-term support including safe housing, food, hygiene products, medical care, and trauma recovery therapy.

Joni and Friends recently held multiple International Family Retreats specifically geared for Ukrainian refugees who the organization rescued earlier this year. International Family Retreats, a program of Joni and Friends, provides respite and care for families living with disabilities in countries around the world.

“These refugees now relocated in Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands have suffered challenges with low morale; they are, in fact, displaced persons in foreign countries.” said Founder and CEO, Joni Eareckson Tada.

“To give spiritual support to these Ukrainians,” Tada continued, “Joni and Friends hosted an International Family Retreat (IFR) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany earlier this summer. An additional IFR took place in September for 50 evacuated families in Rotterdam, Netherlands.”

At the most recent Joni and Friends International Family Retreat, 30 volunteers from multiple countries including the USA, the Netherlands, Germany, and Ukraine came together to serve more than 100 Ukrainian refugees who are currently living in the Netherlands. The Ukrainians were taken on outings, participated in arts and crafts, and offered counseling. One refugee gratefully shared, “I would like time to stop while we are here.”

Additional Ukrainian refugees with disabilities have been hosted at regularly scheduled International Family Retreats in Romania and Poland.

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, and needs will multiply. As in-country services and disability support programs have been significantly damaged, the plight of disabled Ukrainians becomes more desperate than ever. Joni and Friends commits to providing long-term support for Ukrainians living with disability and their families.

“In a world where people are questioning faith…or why does suffering happen, we do these things to show there is hope beyond suffering. I think it’s an opportunity to show there is hope in Jesus Christ,” said Jason Holden, Vice President, Global Operations at Joni and Friends.

About Joni and Friends: For more than 40 years, Joni and Friends has provided the hope of the Gospel and practical care to people living with disability around the globe. Ministry programs include Joni’s House, Wheels for the World™, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training. Joni and Friends also delivers daily inspirational media through radio programs and podcasts.

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