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Dear Friends,
As the team takes some time to rest and prepare for a busy autumn schedule, this week’s report is shorter than usual.
Life at the Centre still has people arriving needing support. Mid-week services continue to grow, and requests for help are increasing. Although things are quieter, another 150 emergency food bags have been packed this week for refugees coming to the Centre. As a reminder, each bag costs around £27 and feeds a family of four for one week.
The team also supported people without heating by providing four wood stoves to homes where people are living in extreme poverty ahead of winter.
Many young people are still meeting together, and Sergey and Valentyn continue to encourage them. All activities resume fully next week, alongside the start of the academic year. I know Bohdan and Alla are finding it hard to face the prospect of long, dark nights and children learning from home — a reality many parents are facing right now.
Please continue to hold the people of the Sumy region in your prayers. The situation there remains very serious, with Russian soldiers continuing to make incursions into Ukrainian territory, though thankfully they have been repelled so far. On Tuesday alone, around 70 cruise and ballistic missiles and drones landed in the region. In the nearby town of Trostianets, Ukraine’s largest chocolate factory was destroyed. As the area’s biggest employer its loss will be deeply felt by many families with it resulting in many people now leaving their homes in search of safety.
This week, Bohdan travelled into Sumy city and, while there, had to take shelter in a shop as Ukrainian forces defended against an attack nearby. Bullets were flying through the area, and finding shelter quickly in a nearby building was essential. It is a sobering reminder of the danger people are living with day by day, and of the courage shown by those who continue to serve in such difficult circumstances.
In the midst of this, the team continues to serve with courage in extremely dangerous conditions. Please pray for their protection, strength, and peace as they care for those most in need.
We have been blessed with many gifts to help cover ongoing costs, especially the provision of solar panels to power the Centre. Thank you all for your generosity. If you have made payments directly to our UK bank account and are a UK taxpayer, please let us know so we can send you a Gift Aid form and make your gift go a little further.
Thank you all for your ongoing support and prayers.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
If you would like to donate to Hope Lebedyn or support any of our projects, please visit Support us - Hope Lebedyn for more information.
