In Ukraine’s brutal winter, snowflakes swirl and icy winds whistle through the window panes of houses. For countless people across Ukraine, winter presents challenges. Families gather small branches, leaves, and other things they can burn to create some heat. Firewood is not easily accessible, since the government owns most of the forests. And gas is too expensive for many needy families to heat their houses properly.
Disadvantaged widows and families keep the temperature in their homes just above freezing to reduce their heating costs. They dress in multiple layers of clothing, even in their houses. Some huddle around small stoves to keep warm. Many elderly Ukrainians spend most of their meager income on medicines, leaving them with little money to cover the high costs of heating.
Through the Warm-A-Family program, CAM helps meet these needs by delivering firewood to needy Christian families and individuals in Ukraine. CAM purchases bagged firewood from a Ukrainian business with authorization to buy trees from the government. This firewood is then delivered to thankful recipients. Each recipient receives two to four tons of firewood, depending on their needs.
Katrya,* pictured, often shuts off her heat during the night to save money. After receiving 100 bags of firewood, this widow exclaimed with tears, “What have I done to deserve this? Praise God for brothers and sisters who gave money to buy this wood!”
*Name has been changed to protect identity.
To help support the Warm-A-Family program, please click below to give a one-time gift or start a monthly sponsorship.
