The last 40 days
Our Romanian project partner, The Way of Joy Ministry has hosted since February 21 until March 30 (38 days), a total of 140 refugees, of which 90 lived within the association for more than two days , and the remaining 50 came for just a few hours to gain some sleep and then set off again. The cities they came from are: Vinitsa, Kharkiv, Odessa, Kharkov, Kyiv, Dnipro, Bila Tserva and Nikolaev, Apolianka, Matusovo, Zhuravka village. The countries that the refugees are aiming to reach are Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Ireland and Austria. 90% of those who leave have no-one or know of anyone in the countries they plan to go to. Currently only two families have remained in Iasi and who have wanted us to find limited term housing, a maximum 3 months, in the hope that the war would end so that they can return to their country and homes.
All the refugees who have managed to reach the Way of Joy project have benefited from accommodation, three meals / day, and free transport (only two families had to pay for transport to Italy and Spain, where there was no company that offered free shipping, but of these two cases we managed to get substantial discounts and we also covered some of the money needed for tickets). For all those who left, a food package was prepared for the trip with sandwiches, fruits, water and other snacks and money was also offered (depending on the number of people in the family and the distance that had to travel) of between 50 and 200 euro, to enable them to spend on their forward journey.
There was also some children from an orphanage that were reunited with their mothers once the war began. They were so hungry that they were eating toothpaste but the Way of Joy was able to feed them five times a day with a meal and snacks (breakfast, lunch, dinner + 2 snacks). So hungry were they, even eating all this, they were asking for more food.
Great volunteering
Throughout the time of receiving refugees, the volunteers at the Way of Joy have got involved with everything they possibly could – both through their practical service (changing and washing linen, cleaning, preparing and serving food, clothing donations, shoes), and financially, through small donations on which they gave to the refugees. There are two hairdressers in the church who came and cut the hair for the children who needed it for free. The volunteers themselves have very limited means and there has been special moments to treasure where they have learned together that they can make a difference in the lives of these people who are going through such terrible times.
As a Christian organisation, the Way of Joy was able to host a larger family of Christians who had fled and together they were able to give thanks and worship together.
All the families that left Iasi have arrived safe and sound at their destinations.
A new beginning
Elena is a great lady of 57 years old that decided to remain to live in Iasi, until the war will end and her city, Gostomel, will be reconstructed. Her house was bombarded and she doesn’t have anything left. Her son is in Ukraine, working as a police officer and he cannot leave Ukraine. She is really scared, but she is managing well with her situation. She has been helped to find a room where she now lives and she is hosted by a lady named Camelia, where we were able to pay her first month of rent, 160 euro. We also found her a job and she will be a pastry helper in one of the biggest pastry chefs in town, called GLAZURAI. The boss speaks Russian and so they are able to understand each other.
We would like to thank everyone that has contributed to this cause. Without you we would be unable to support the Way of the Joy project in doing this amazing work that they continue to do.
Our work continues in helping these people, please do not forget them. The war continues and so must the help.
If you feel inspired to support the work, you can make a single donation or set up a DD if you would like to support the work continuously whilst the war remains with us. Please visit our Donate page
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