Keeping on!

Our work at the Agape Rehabilitation Complex continues. In the past weeks we have continued to receive refugees from the eastern regions of Ukraine. Most have arrived in small groups, slowly filling Agape to capacity. As of today, all rooms are full and almost every bed in the rehab gym is occupied. But tomorrow that will change as the next group of people with disabilities and their family members will be evacuated to Europe. 

The previous evacuation group departing from Agape

This group includes families from Kharkiv, Izyum, Mariupol, and Donetsk, among other cities. Some of them know they have lost all they left behind and others are still unsure. Here are bits of some of the stories I know: 

- Yuri and his sister came from Kharkiv. Yuri has been a quadriplegic since 1989. Back then, there was no available physical rehabilitation in Ukraine, only periodic visits to sanatoriums for procedures. Due to his injury, there is little Yuri can do for himself, but he had a home that had been adapted and a lift that his sister used to transfer him. They know that is all gone now and upon arrival at Agape they realized his sister did not know how to physically assist him without that equipment. So, Sveta and I got to spend a few days training her to move him in bed and transfer him to and from his wheelchair. They don't know what awaits them in Europe, but we are all thankful she can physically assist him now. 

- Masha and her mother and brother came to Agape from Mariupol. The story of their evacuation is one of the most difficult ones to hear as they lost their husband/father in the process. He went out first in search of transportation and never returned. To this day they do not have any information about him. Later, Masha's mother found a way out of Mariupol with her two children. Although her brother's disability is the most obvious of the family, Masha also appears to have a mental disability and her mother possibly a psychological disorder. Their family has been with us for a couple of weeks and Masha has become the favorite playmate of the daughter of one of our employees. Last week, Agape was able to help Masha celebrate her 6th birthday! 

- Ira and her 81 year old mother came from Izyum. Ira, who is a believer, shared some of their story during the service at Fimiam Church on Sunday. As is the case with most, their evacuation was a harrowing experience and they were thankful to find in Agape a peaceful place to stay. Each evening after dinner at Agape, someone leads an time of testimony, possibly singing, and fellowship with the current residents. This is led by men from various churches in our city. At the end of this time last Saturday evening, Ira's mother repented. Ira shared how she has tried for 15 years to talk to her mom about God, but she didn't want to listen. Her mom would say, "I know the Lord's prayer, that's enough." But in God's providence, He used a war to drive her from her home and across Ukraine so that He could not only save her physical life, but her eternal soul. I bumped into Ira on Monday morning in the hall and she swung open the door to her room to reveal her mother sitting on the edge of her bed, bent over and reading the large print Russian Bible she had been given. I wish had a picture, but trust me that it was a beautiful sight! As long as a person has life and breath, they are never too old for the salvation only God can give! 

- On Saturday evening we listened to the evacuation stories of 2 families from Mariupol and Berdyansk, all of whom are believers. Both families lived for a more than a month in their occupied cities without water and heat. They told of the "down to the bone" cold they felt, even long after arriving in a heated facility. They told of traveling through many Russian checkpoints on their way out of occupied territory, of the questioning, pilfering and even theft of their belongings. And then they told of coming to the first Ukrainian checkpoint and the utter joy they felt to see Ukrainian colors on the soldiers uniforms, to hear "Greetings to you" in Ukrainian when they rolled down the window, to be welcomed and treated kindly. Some cried and others screamed, but all reactions were expressions of joy to be out of the occupied territory and reunited with "their" people. While listening to them, I found my mind thinking their immense joy was just a foretaste of the profound joy they, I and other believers will experience after death when we leave this earth and find ourselves welcomed by God to our eternal home!!

So what else have we been up to? Well, we organized a food drive for people with disabilities who have not evacuated to Europe. Last week we were able to pack 100 bags with groceries and hygiene products and deliver them to the homes of adults and children with disabilities.

Those of us currently working at Agape have also had a few gatherings to celebrate birthdays or just have some needed time of fellowship together. 

This was a "big #" birthday so we had to order some good stuff to celebrate

A drive-by surprise to serenade our speech therapist on her birthday!

So what is next at Agape? Well, as of today we have a timeline of May 2 for restarting rehab on a limited basis! We have many questions to answer and details to work out, but that is the current plan. We will continue accepting refugees, but the number will have to be reduced. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find places in Europe ready and willing accept people with disabilities, so the evacuation process will likely continue to slow down as more time is needed between groups to work out all the details. And we are receiving more and more phone calls from people with recent injuries or diagnoses who are in need of rehab. So we will attempt to do both rehab and refugee care simultaneously for a time. Please pray for us as we work out all the details. Many of our employees are still in Europe with no time frame on when they will return to Ukraine, so operating at full capacity is still in the future, but we plan to get started.

Also, I wanted to make you aware of our need to purchase one or more used adapted buses for Agape. Two of the three buses we currently have were barely making it before the war. And now with all the driving, often on bad roads, since the war started, all three buses are going downhill fast! Agape staff in Europe are searching for buses in Germany and we hope to purchase as least one, maybe more, to bring to Ukraine. Because of the war, customs fees for bringing vehicles into Ukraine from Europe are minimal, so it is also good to take advantage of this time. Will you please join us in praying for this need? And also prayerfully consider a financial contribution? Below are pictures of our buses from several years ago. They don't look this good now and they don't run reliably either. 

If you need information on how to make a donation, please refer to the previous blog post. 

Thank you once again to all who support us prayerfully and financially.