Defending Needy and Afflicted Ukrainian Evacuees in the Netherlands
Oleg, an eight-year-old boy with intellectual disabilities, arrived at our Joni and Friends safe-house in the Netherlands utterly traumatized. He was hiding in complete darkness in a basement for eight days before being evacuated out of war-torn Ukraine.
“He is so very scared of darkness,” said his mother.
Jan van den Bosch, a member of our Joni and Friends International Board of Directors who resides in the Netherlands, knew exactly what to do. He ran to his car and returned to Oleg with a simple flashlight. After showing Oleg how to use it, the little boy’s disposition instantly transformed.
“That flashlight is a bar of gold!” said Oleg’s mother.
He held it all through the night. It made him feel safe and brought peace to his broken heart. Joni Eareckson Tada hears the heart of Ukrainian evacuees through Scripture. She explains:
“Truly, Ukrainians with disabilities are the people of Psalm 25:16-18 who cry out to God, ‘Turn to me and be gracious to me… relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress.’”
Joni Eareckson Tada
God responded to their cries through Jan and his team. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Jan didn’t waste a minute. Recalling the experience, he said:
“I reached out to our Ukrainian friends, Sergiy and Nataly, who connected me to Galyna, our Joni and Friends in-country partner. I just asked, ‘How can I help?’ and Galyna organized the evacuation groups. Galyna is truly my hero, as are Sergiy and Nataly. They are living under circumstances you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy. Constant bombing. Constant fear.”
Jan van den Bosch
As Joni explains, “Galyna is our boots-on-the-ground in Ukraine. She’s in lockstep with Joni and Friends and has her finger on the pulse of what’s happening. She is ‘working her network,’ tracking down and rescuing disabled people out of harm’s way. Because when air raid sirens go off, they cannot jump out of bed, grab a few things, and make a dash for the bomb shelter.”
Since the war started, Jan and his team at a Christian care facility have welcomed 118 Ukrainian evacuees, and plan to bring in 57 more next week. Jan shared an update from the Netherlands:
“It’s a four-day bus trip for the Ukrainian evacuees. We are giving them shelter, hygiene products, medical attention, clothing, and food – including cakes decorated with the Ukrainian flag that say, ‘You are safe with us.’ They come traumatized, but after a day of food and rest, their mood changes 100%.
We have doctors and provide psychological care on site. When the children arrive they are terrified, but the next morning they are playing together – acting like children. So much has happened to them, yet it is amazing how resilient they are.
We can house 400 people total. And we’re committed to caring for these families for at least a year. As long as the Russians are claiming Ukraine as their territory, these families can’t go back. We will house them, feed them, and give them medical care. We need to be committed to provide shelter, comfort, and hope long-term. This builds trust.”
Jan van den Bosch
Jan’s dedication to defending the needy and afflicted echoes the heart of Joni Eareckson Tada herself.
“At Joni and Friends, we do not merely ‘remember’ the afflicted; we do something about their desperate plight.”
Joni Eareckson Tada
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
James 1:22-25
Caring for Ukrainian evacuees has become all-consuming for Jan and his team. This outpouring of compassion is nothing less than the Gospel in action.
As Jan put it, “I knew if we were going to do something, we needed to do it now. Every day I can see the Ukrainian evacuees forming a community. They are becoming a family and find comfort and even joy in being together. Yet they are always thinking of their family members left in Ukraine, fighting for their country, or hiding in caves and basements. They will not surrender to the Russians. Their reply to this war is rooted in their faith.”
Every day, Jan is inspired by the spirit of these Ukrainian evacuees.
“All they say is, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you’ while making the sign of the cross. They are so grateful! Though they are from another culture and speak another language, they are Christians, and we are Christians. Christ is our common bond.”
Jan van den Bosch
“I have tears in my eyes because it’s so humbling,” Jan continued. “I pray, ‘Lord, I cannot handle this!’ but then I remember Micah 6:8, and I’m extremely blessed to do this.”
“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8
Jan said, “It’s great to be part of Joni and Friends. I see the impact of the early days when Joni went behind the Iron Curtain to share the Gospel with people living with disabilities. It was an extremely bad situation. Joni gave them so much comfort then. Now, people with disabilities are coming from eastern Europe to be comforted by Joni and Friends again.”
Ever focused on Christ, Jan and his team led a church service for the Ukrainian evacuees seeking shelter in their care facility. At a time when others might be tempted to lose hope, they bravely turned to Psalm 27 and thanked God for his provision.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.”
Psalm 27:1-3, 5
While Jan inspires the world to be the hands and feet of Jesus, the Ukrainian evacuees inspire Jan.
He said, “I had a meal with a young girl with an intellectual disability. She had endured the four-day journey from Ukraine to the Netherlands and never stopped smiling. She kept making the letter “V” with her hand. “V” for Victory! She really touched my heart. She wouldn’t give up. And neither will we.”
As long as little children are hiding in blackened basements, as long as people with disabilities are trapped in war zones, as long as it is called “Today,” Joni and Friends will follow Christ’s call in Luke 14 to go out quickly into the streets and alleys, into the roads and country lanes, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame so that God’s safe house will be full.
Please continue to pray for Galyna as she selflessly evacuates people with disabilities and their families from Ukraine. And pray for Jan’s team as they provide long-term care for these families in the Netherlands. Your prayers are shining the light of Jesus into the darkest corners of Ukraine.
