At this moment, more than 10 million people have left their homes in Ukraine to seek safety.

March 31, 2022

From the Desk of Leanne Ferris, Executive Director

Over the last five weeks of conflict in Ukraine, the Medical Ministry International family has demonstrated an outpouring of love and support for our directors in Ukraine, our network of partnering hospitals, churches, and the Ukrainian people in the communities where we have had a presence. I cannot thank you all enough for your donations, your prayers, and your encouraging words. Since travelling to Kyiv in 2017 to formally launch our programs, this local team has held a special place in my heart. I share these updates with you now so you will be aware of three themes 1) the resiliency and commitment of our local Ukrainian team 2) the loving faithfulness of our God who continues to answer the prayers of His people and 3) your support is making a tangible difference.

Dr. Emil Alibeili and Tofik Teymurov are the two directors of Medical Ministry International Ukraine (aka. Ukrainian Compassion Project). They are located in two separate cities along the Romanian border and are coordinating logistics to procure food, water and medical supplies and deliver them to our partners. Due to existing programs in the medical areas, volunteers are currently serving at two of Kyiv’s largest hospitals: Hospital Shalimova & Ohmatdit Children’s Hospital. Supplies are urgently needed to provide urgent care to those injured in the attacks and to their other critically ill patients. The team is supporting more than 16 different churches and are collaborating with them to monitor the needs of the community.

Activities so far:

Within the first week of conflict, volunteers packed 63 boxes of general medical supplies and other aid items at the warehouse in Hamilton. Staff delivered supplies to MEEST who was offering free shipping to Ukraine at that time for charitable distribution.

One box of high priority items was prepared early March and received by Dr Alibeili on March 29th. The team will distribute these items such as endotracheal tubes, blood glucose monitors and test strips, COVID-19 rapid tests, and suture to Ohmatdit Children’s Hospital and Olexandrivska Clinical Hospital.

$45,000 USD has been sent to the team in Ukraine to purchase and distribute food, water, and aid, including coal for heat, to the partnering hospitals in Kyiv and refugee communities, orphanages, and senior’s homes in the Odessa region. To date, 41 tons of aid has been distributed. Procurement is ongoing. Compassion Canada granted funds to Medical Ministry International for this purpose.

Medications valued at approx. $60k were sourced in partnership with Health Partners International Canada (HPIC) and shipping plans are in process to deliver to our team in Ukraine.

Pending initiatives include two additional grants in progress with HPIC to source and distribute additional medications valued at approx. $350,000 USD. Also pending is a shipment of dehydrated soup mix in partnership with Ontario Christian Gleaners, medical equipment donation from Dalton Foundation in Ohio, and a fundraiser by Guidewire Corporation. I seek your prayers for the implementation of these initiatives and for the funding needed to carry them out. We would still like to raise another $100,000 to meet the needs for the 6,000 people in the hospitals and communities we are partnering with in the coming months.

For more on our ministry prior to February 24, 2022 see www.mmi.org/ukraine.

In Him, Leanne