I cherish the picture used in this article for three reasons: 1.) The plastic drawer storage pictured behind me became one of my little projects during my time in Poland. That was our on-site "pharmacy". Thanks to Dr. Mary Tao and her network they donated many over-the-counter medications and supplies to help us help the refugees. 2.) In the photo with me are George Michelson and Dr. Yelena Kolezeva. As you all know, operations and logistics are my thing - medicine not so much - but when mothers and children are in need, you go all-in. Between the three of us, plus Tara Wilson Knuth and Don Hutchens, we had a smooth running pop-up clinic (on more than one occasion) in the Best Western-Felix. I'm grateful I could work along all of them and Dr. Tao and Dr. Anastasia Shnitser. 3.) It shows global community at work and that's what this world needs more and more of. With help from Svitlana Pakholkova Shuportiak, Andrew Dimakis, and Brian Wallingford from afar, we got the little boy the emergent care he needed. Check out the article for full details. P.S. Just because the Lincolnites are back in Nebraska doesn't mean our volunteering to help Ukrainians has stopped. We continue to keep and make new connections to help these refugees as the war in Ukraine continues. Please consider a donation to Operation Safe Harbor-Ukraine: https://operationsafeharborukraine.com/ 1,000 pounds of medicine: How Nebraskans are helping get medical care to Ukrainians fleeing war
0 Comments
Just want to mention something about bravery (which I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum). 😅 Did a lot of study these past 2 months. Started with finding where Poland & Ukraine are in the world map, then mainly focused on the health & medical needs & the numbers associated (number of people, percentage of vaccinations, types of wounds, prevalence of common diseases, COVID / flu activity, etc.). Then when planning for the Ukraine trip, I started meeting or talking with people on the ground or with family members inside Ukraine and even with the refugees. Saw pictures of Ukraine (and of course when googling Ukraine, it’s filled with those images where I thought we’d be “staying at”). That’s when fear really struck me.😬 In my luggage, I packed an extra jacket (to be used as pillow to sleep on the ground because a sleeping bag would be too bulky), high-calorie biscuits, forgot to bring the water-filtration straw 🙄, thermos (no fashionable or presentable clothing because I didn’t plan on that we’d be out in open air), and I even thought about some bribery so that if captured, I can ask for one fatal shot rather than the scary mutilation before allowed to die (yes, fear can really distort reality). Even took a trip to Holland to “say goodbye” to my BFF & tour my favorite Keukenhof right beforehand. My fear dominated my thoughts to the point I told my poor teammates that I wanted to bail out right before departing Poland. Then I went to the restroom to pray. That’s when God comforted me. Showed me my past where He’s never left me to fend for my own. Showed me He’d always enabled me when I responded to His calling. Went back to my teammates who were so understanding and so forgiving, and off we went for Ukraine. So, with much embarrassment, I present to you my actual experience inside beautiful Ukraine.😅 Happy Mother’s Day to all my mommy friends! 🌷💕💐
Our team was in Warsaw shortly after the second week of war and saw the influx of refugees to Poland increased from 1 million to over 2 millions. We visited the Warsaw Central Station which was packed with refugees sitting or sleeping on the floor, or walking aimlessly trying to figure out where to go next. The theme of these refugees: little children looking shocked & scared from what they saw back home and from the 3-5 days of waiting in the snow trying to cross into the Polish border, elderlies who appeared so frail and tired, and then there are the mothers…💔 Though looking beyond exhausted & carrying the little ones, the luggages, and holding their elderly parents or relatives, these mothers have this determined look on their faces that they will care for their loved ones in a foreign place, wherever that place might be, and are willing to take all the weights of the future generations of Ukraine onto their tiny shoulders. 💔 With their permission, I’d like to share some of these amazing mothers in this post. 💙💛❤️ Please go through the pictures to read about them. (This post is private for the protection of these amazing mothers.) OUR TEAMS 💙💛❤️🇺🇦 Just like the news we see about the war in Ukraine is only the tip of the iceberg of the amount of suffering and losses the Ukrainian people endures, Terry & I are only the faces lucky enough to be associate with this amazing team that can only be put together by divine Hands.🙏 In the midst of chaos, darkness and atrocities, this team of brave & dedicated men & women sacrificed their time and risked their lives to bring the urgently needed medications, medical supplies and medical care not only to the refugees but to the dangerous frontlines.❤️ They are truly the light that brightens the darkest moments. Thank you, ABC team (Agape Blessings Cure, a non-profit medical mission organization) and everyone who worked with us, for bringing love and hope to needed places.⭐❤️ 2+ months of praying, planning, and meetings. 2 trips to Poland. 1 week in Ukraine. Came home with a heart full of love, friendships, blessings, and the highest honor presented by the precious people of Ukraine. 💙💛❤️
Please keep Ukraine in your prayers. 🙏🇺🇦 I will start posting my journal of these life changing trips with the hope to present the beauty, love, kindness and resilience of the Ukrainians, and to thank my fellow teammates whom I’ve had the honor to serve alongside with and whom I love dearly. Please like / share so that together we can make more awareness and enlist more community support. War is not over. The suffering endured by the precious people continues to escalate. Deeply appreciate your support in any means. On behalf of the people in Ukraine (the comment that I heard the most during these past 2 months), Ukraine thank you and welcomes you with wide-open arms when the war is over and the country restores to its magnificent beauty. 💙💛❤️ About 120 orphans, mostly ages 0-6, many were relocated to this orphanage from other areas such as Kharkiv along with their original caretakers, supported by the amazing couple Ірина Гурик and Ігор Гурик. Deep appreciation for Blessings International who have tirelessly prepared and generously donated to help make this mission possible - over 1400 pounds of urgently needed medications successfully brought into Ukraine. 💙💛❤️ Today we visited babies from Kharkiv
We were joined by our partners - doctors from the United States, who examined children and brought gifts. In these boxes, medicine is needed. Also, they are impressed by the coordinated work of the staff led by Roman Kosilo. Thanks to Оля Щерб'юк Lesia Nebeliuk George Michelson Yours sincerely, Благодійний фонд "Майдан Гідності" |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
July 2022
Categories |