SOUTH UKRAINE — In November 2022 Kherson in South Ukraine hit the news when it was liberated after the Russian occupation. A year later families living in a nearby village are rebuilding their lives in South Ukraine thanks to support from Christian charities like Mercy Projects

More than a year after this village near Rson in South Ukraine was liberated, Christian charities like Mercy Projects continue to help rebuild the lives of countless families whose homes were almost completely destroyed during the Russian occupation.

Despite their home being badly damaged in the fighting, Christian couple Yuri and Nina have opened up their home to accommodate volunteers helping in the village and they constantly provide meals for people throughout their community.

Speaking through Mercy Project’s team member Andre, they explain what motivates them to help others despite losing so much themselves and their hopes for rebuilding their lives.

Andre – Mercy Project’s Team Member:

“God help us and we want to help others to restore their lives because God keep our lives, keep something from our house so we can have a place to come back and because of that we want to share something with others and help others to rebuild their life.

One of several families Mercy Project has supported in the village is Marina’s, providing her with a greenhouse to enable her to grow her own vegetables as well as vital winter supplies. When they were caught in the crossfire of the fighting, she was able to flee the village with her two children, but when she returned, they were devastated to see the scale of the damage to their home. Thanks to the support of several charities, her home is slowly being rebuilt. So how is she able to cling on to hope for the future?

Marina:

“We live in our parents’ kitchen, but we are at home. We are engaged in household chores.”

Our members of our family are alive and healthy. So it keeps us encouraged that we survive through all of that so we can survive through everything.

And Mercy Project’s founder and president Jeff Thompson said the most important aspect of their ongoing work in this region is to provide long-lasting hope.

Jeff Thompson – Mercy Project’s Founder and President:

These people, these folks have suffered from the war. We’re out here helping some people, we’re delivering supplies, we’ve loaded up our van with some warm clothing, some sleeping bags, some jackets and things. Got some foodstuffs. But, you know, we really want to bring the hope of Christ in the situation.

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