«The last straw was when ten men came to our house with a search. One of those Russians pointed a gun at my head while I was holding my youngest daughter in my arms and the older one was standing next to me. Then we decided to run away.”
Recently, a charity event was held in the city of Radomyshl, Zhytomyr region, in support of 20 families of internally displaced persons who found shelter in the city after the start of the full-scale war.
Since February 2022, Radomyshl has become a real center of assistance. The city, which did not fall under occupation thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has become a temporary home for more than 5000 internally displaced persons from the Kyiv region, the east and south of Ukraine. People came here with almost nothing – only with documents and clothes in which they managed to escape. According to the locals who received the first refugees, people fled in slippers on bare feet in the frost and dampness of that first terrible spring for the whole country.
Three years later, the war continues, and the need for help does not disappear. Towns and villages in the frontline zone are increasingly suffering from shelling and bombing by Russian deadly missiles. People are forced to leave their homes and save their lives. They often go nowhere with minimal luggage, with fear and without hope. That is why the NGO “We Can!” initiates charity events and attracts partners to support the civilian population of Ukraine suffering from the consequences of the war.
One of these actions took place in March this year. Our team, thanks to a partnership with the charity organization Star of Hope (Sweden) Hoppets Stjärna, visited the families of internally displaced persons in Radomyshl and brought people the necessary humanitarian aid. These are families from Sumy, Kherson, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, who have nowhere to return, their cities are either under the occupation of Russian troops or completely destroyed by the enemy. A total of 69 people from 20 resettled families received food packages, hygiene products, and children’s gifts.
As we talked to these families, we heard their stories full of pain and fear. Lilia Mazko, a mother of two daughters from the Kherson region, recalls: “We were under occupation for six months, from the first day. Sofia was then 7 years old, Polina was less than two years old. The children lived in constant fear due to continuous shelling and psychological pressure. FSB officers from the occupation authorities forced them to cooperate, and it was unbearable. The last straw was when tenmen came to our house with a search.One of those Russians pointed a gun at my head while I was holding my youngest daughter in my arms, and the older one was standing next to me… Then we decided to run away.Now we live in Radomyshl. Thank you to everyone who does not leave us in these difficult times.”
Natalia Radkova from Berdyansk shared her story: “I was eight months pregnant when we decided to leave my hometown for a safer place. Our city was occupied very quickly, we lost everything. Now we are waiting for peace to come , and we will go home to Berdyansk. We are grateful to the Lord that we are alive and all together. We are very grateful to our Swedish friends from the organization “Star of Hope” for food packages, diapers for children and the warmth of your heartsfor not forgetting us in a difficult time for Ukraine.”
In addition to humanitarian support, IDPs received spiritual reinforcement. Each child was presented with an illustrated Bible, a book that can influence the future of little Ukrainians. The atmosphere during the event was warm and sincere – people not only accepted help, but also shared gratitude, prayed with a team of volunteers, and felt part of a big family again.
The charitable initiative in Radomyshl was implemented by the NGO “We can!” thanks to our loyal friends and partners from “Star of Hope”. We are also grateful for the constant assistance to the Church of Victory in the city of Radomyshl, on the basis of which the meeting with the families of displaced persons was held. Volunteers of this church and the “There is Hope” project are always open to charitable deeds and prove their love and faith in God with concrete deeds. Therefore, the purpose of the action was not only to help with food and necessary things, but also to support people spiritually, to give a sense of support, hope and care. United for good – this is the slogan we carry out each of our humanitarian missions. We believe that good deeds done together are powerful witnesses of God’s love. And we don’t stop. We continue to bring light to where there is darkness and pain.
“Mission of Goodness” is a joint project of the NGO “We Can!” and the TBN UA channel, which was created to help Ukrainians in difficult times of trials. You can support the project financially at this link: Partnership