Zhytomyr, a town halfway between Kyiv and Rivne where Mission Without Borders works closely with a children’s home, was struck by Russian missiles on Tuesday, March 1, destroying many buildings, including a public school.

MWB partners with an institution in Zhytomyr for children with special educational needs. Eighty-eight children here are enrolled in our child sponsorship program. When the invasion began, the institution was closed by the government for the safety of the children, and they were sent to live with relatives or foster parents. Evacuating the children was important as shelling targeted the town, and in one case, destroyed a near-by public school.

Donate to the MWB Ukrainian Emergency Appeal today and help Ukrainian families fleeing the war

Oleksandr is MWB’s staff member who supported the children at Zhytomyr children’s institution, visiting them regularly and sharing the Word of God with them, helping them to understand God’s love for them.

MWB Ukraine’s Christian outreach team also ran activities here for the children – puppet shows, one-day camps, Christmas & Easter celebrations, and birthday parties. The deputy principal of the home said, “The joy you bring our children makes their lives here brighter and happier. You are a vivid example of goodness and love to every one of us and you inspire us during our hardest times. Our children love all the activities that your workers organize for them, and I noticed that they are especially responsive to writing and receiving letters from their sponsors. It helps them realize that they’re not abandoned, and that there are people who are interested in them and love them.”