Twenty-four hours a day, the line of Ukrainian refugees at the Polish border town of Medyka stretches as far as the eye can see. Tired, hungry, and scared, people are fleeing for their lives.
Ukrainians, volunteers, and Convoy of Hope staff talk in measured sentences. No one is shoving. Without warning, people turn their faces to the ground, sky, or away from one another to weep. Comfort is offered between close friends and families. So many tears have been shed recently that the coming and going of emotions is part of existing now.
On Sunday, Convoy of Hope partnered with a local Polish organization to provide 9,000 meals to refugees who recently took their first steps of safety into Poland.
Convoy’s Christian Rodriguez offered a warm smile as he passed out chocolate candies to kids in line. “You do see hardship. You do see trouble in their eyes,” he said. “But you also see hope as they come through. Getting that meal in them and seeing their kids get taken care of … they have hope.”
Katia and her son, Gabriel (2), eat a warm bowl of soup provided by Convoy of Hope. Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine — the city where Russian soldiers recently took over a nuclear power plant — fed her 2-year-old son small sips of hot soup that billowed with steam in the cold. Nearby, Katia’s mother fed her grandmother. Four generations of Katia’s family escaped danger today. They simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief and mourned those they left behind. Someone will come to pick up Katia and her family soon to take them on the next step of their journey.
Amidst the sound of rolling suitcases and bus engines, thousands of refugees edged toward the front of the line. Each one took them a little farther from their home and a little closer to safety. Along the way, kind and generous Polish people, along with organizations like Convoy of Hope, are offering food, diapers, clothes, stuffed animals, and hugs. Hospitality and compassion are abundant, and Ukrainians can use as much as the world can spare.
Convoy of Hope’s response to the crisis in Ukraine continues. Along with our partners throughout Eastern Europe, Convoy of Hope is doing everything it can to help those who are in desperate need.
Thanks to your support, Convoy will continue providing hope to Ukrainian refugees. To support this response and others like it, click here.
A response team from Convoy of Hope’s global headquarters is now on the ground in Poland. Within minutes of arriving, the team witnessed thousands of refugees — primarily women and children — dragging luggage and seeking shelter. Simple needs, such as electricity for charging phones and the ability to stay warm are incredibly difficult to find. Many children seem dazed
Convoy’s International Disaster Services team is actively trying to make contact with partners in affected areas. Please keep Ukraine in your prayers and continue to stand with Ukrainians who are suffering.
Many, however, have taken a different stance, seeking safety far away from the places they recently called home. Officials from the United Nations reported that at least 100,000 individuals have fled their homes, and millions more may do likewise as the fighting continues.
Through local partners, Convoy of Hope is working to provide shelter and necessities such as water, food, and hygiene items for refugees fleeing Ukraine. Thank you for sharing hope by standing with people who need it most.
To support this response and others like it, click here. Convoy of Hope is actively reaching out to local partners to find ways to help Ukrainians amidst attacks from Russia.
Through partnership across Europe, Convoy of Hope has worked diligently in Ukraine since 2014, alleviating suffering in and around the nation. Convoy’s International Disaster Services team is actively trying to make contact with partners in affected areas. Please keep Ukraine in your prayers and continue to stand with Ukrainians who are suffering.
Convoy of Hope is an American nonprofit humanitarian and disaster relief organization that provides food, supplies, and humanitarian services to impoverished or otherwise needy populations throughout the world. The organization also engages in disaster relief work. Learn how you can help support their work in Ukraine here.
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