Thanks to Zion members and the surrounding community for the tremendous support you have given to the Ukrainian families that have been displaced by the war. Over $15,000 has been collected from individuals, Zion Foundation, St. Francis Xavier, Rotary, Thrivent, and the Easter Egg fundraiser.
Viktoria, the young woman who we had intended to sponsor, has elected to stay in Ukraine. Her boyfriend, who she thought had died in the war, was seen in a POW camp, and was recently released in a prisoner swap. We are thrilled for Viktoria and this turn of events.
Yevhen and Katya, the couple who visited Zion, are doing well. They and Katya’s mother, Natella, live in Minnetonka where Yevhen has a job with Cargill. Katya and Natella continue to work on classes in English and certifications in their medical fields.
Dmytro and Alina Bushkin and their two children rent a house in Coon Rapids where Dmytro has also found employment. Dmytro’s mother, Halyna, has completed cancer treatments but is waiting for further tests to determine the next steps.
A third family—Alexander, Christina, and their daughter Varya, who is 6 months old, fled Ukraine and went to Germany. They recently arrived in the U.S. and are living with the Bushkins until they can find an apartment of their own. Alexander is a hairdresser and Christina was an international banker.
Although we are not the official sponsors for any of these displaced families, we have been offering support on an as-needed basis. Financial distributions have been approved by Zion’s Ukrainian Family Support Group. We have reimbursed travel expenses for Dmytro’s mother, occasionally assisted with utilities and rent, covered necessary out-of-pocket expenses, coordinated food assistance through the food shelf and local contributions, and are in the process of finding and delivering appliances and furniture that have been requested.
All of these families are grateful for the help they are receiving but are eager to become self-sufficient. Thank you again for your ongoing prayers and support.
