Putting God at the centre of humanitarian aid with Mission Without Borders
Mission Without Borders
30 November 2021 // Sponsored
For 60 years, Mission Without Borders (MWB) has worked to be Gods hands and feet on the ground in Eastern Europe. Through communist rule, conflict, unrelenting poverty, and now a global pandemic, MWB has sought to see Gods hope reach every home touched by the darkness of their generational struggles.
Operation Christmas Love is MWB’s largest initiative reaching thousands of homes with the message of Christ by providing them with desperately needed food – putting Christ at the centre of our humanitarian aid. This $50 box is helping to ignite that hope and bring families back together in Eastern Europe.
This year we are faithfully believing for an increase as we prepare to reach over 42,000 families.
This one box changes the stance of these families, children and especially those in their senior years, whose situation has told them over and over that there is no way out, there is no hope.
Olha is a refugee in western Ukraine, living on her own with cerebral palsy. For Olha, receiving an Operation Christmas Love box and the support of MWB encourages her to hold onto hope even amidst struggle and heartache.
Olha, disabled refugee in Ukraine waiting to receive her Operation Christmas Love box. Picture: MWB Australia
“I’ve used a wheelchair since I was seven years old. My cerebral palsy started progressing not long after I started school,” Olha said.
“I started spending most of my time inside the four walls of our small apartment. I didn’t have friends, but I had a loving mother who did everything she could to make life a little sweeter.”
When the war first began in the Donbas region of Ukraine in 2014, Olha’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. All facilities and services came to an abrupt halt. Like many others, Olha and her mother sheltered at home, without running water or electricity.
Riddled with cancer, Olha’s mother found herself with no food and no support.
Eventually, she found an opportunity to take her daughter as far away as possible from the conflict zone.
Olha recalls, “My mother died soon after we moved. I wish she was with me, but it is not possible anymore.”
Olha was taken in by the local church community in Blahodatne. They provided shelter in an old home. Although it had been uninhabited for a long time, it was somewhere safe to call home.
Olha is just one of 42,000 struggling people and families that your $50 box could reach this Christmas. Although alone, Olha has found family and hope through MWB and the support of people like you.
“I’m happy that I found a new family in Christ. I’m thankful for the support that I receive. I thank MWB for the Operation Christmas Love boxes. I cannot thank the people who gave generously in person, but I will keep them in my prayers. I am limited physically, but my heart and my soul are free.” she says in a tone of gratitude.
A $50 Operation Christmas Love box, filled with food and the message of God, will help provide necessary relief for struggling families and give them hope this Christmas.
Lyuben – a 70-year-old granddad caring for his 5 grandchildren – shares, “For the first time in years, someone has given help without us asking. It shows that God has not forgotten us and that there are still good people in the world.”
If we all can give a spark of hope to even just one person, who will be touched by an exchange of hope – from you to them – just imagine what will be ignited in Jesus name.
Spark Hope today by giving a $50 box here.
