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Thank you very much for all your support of our Shoebox Appeal!
We send shoebox gifts out as part of loads of aid to Ukraine all year round, they are distributed at churches and aid distribution events, and our teams, who know their local communities well, take shoeboxes to the homes of people in need.
In December we loaded an articulated lorry filled with just shoeboxes to send to Ukraine (pictured being unloaded, below left). These gifts brought joy to thousands of children, teenagers and adults across the country.
The photo above was taken after the first of several Christmas services, at the church at our base at Motoyvlivka. Hundreds of children who have been displaced from home because of the ongoing conflict received your shoebox gifts and heard about God’s greatest gift of His Son, Jesus, through the nativity play. Pastor Andrei sends his thanks, saying; “Every child received a gift from you, this is a ray of light in their lives, in these times when rockets explode above their head, your help remains unchanged.”
The photo above right shows our Ukraine Director, Pastor Pasha (second left), with Colonel Yarislav and dedicated volunteer Ivanka (right), who collected shoeboxes from our distribution centre at Motovylivka and then drove over to the east of the country, to Kramatorsk, visiting lots of areas near the frontlines. They gave out these gifts to soldiers and to lots of people in need, including children in hospital who have been injured in the war.
The youth team from Soborna church in Kyiv travelled down to the Kherson region in the south in early January, despite the sub zero temperatures, to share the good news of the gospel through the nativity play and gave out hundreds of your shoebox gifts. As you can see on the photo, left some of these were our flatpack boxes, kindly printed and donated by DS Smith Packaging.
Youth team leader Sofia writes, “Despite the freezing temperatures, darkness, and uncertainty, God continues to bless and sustain those who seek Him. We truly feel His presence every day giving strength, peace, and courage to keep going. This winter is harsh, but His grace is stronger.
In the midst of the cold, God gives us the privilege to serve. He opens doors for us to be close to children, to support them, to protect their hearts, and to bring moments of joy, warmth, and hope even when circumstances seem unbearable. This is a great blessing for us. We believe that no darkness can overcome His light. Even now, God is working through His people, through prayer, compassion, and faithful service.
Thank you for standing with us, for praying, and for caring. May the Lord bless you abundantly.”
The same team travelled to the Chernihiv region in the north of Ukraine (above right) where they distributed 1,200 shoebox gifts and shared hope in Jesus, bringing joy and smiles to people in the frontline communities, including boxes filled by our friends at Shoebox Express. At Novhorod-Siverskyi, there was shelling directly aimed at the civilian bomb shelter where they were due hold the event, but despite everything the youth team went ahead with serving the local community.
All these journeys are made possible by your kind donations for shoebox transport!
We thank God for everyone who supports our Shoebox Appeal in the UK and for all the teams in Ukraine who distribute these gifts and share Christ’s love with children and adults living through very difficult times. We pray that each shoebox will be a blessing to the person who receives it, letting them know that they are not forgotten and pointing them to God’s greatest gift of His Son.
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