Humanitarian Help

Club Member Rev. Margaret Fowler Reports on Her Recent Efforts in Support of the Fleeing Children.

"I want to help" was on everyone’s lips as soon as the humanitarian crisis began unfolding in Ukraine.  A Ukrainian friend of mine, Lisa Mazura, who I hadn’t seen for a number of years, but who I was in touch with through Facebook, put out a plea for items needed for children coming out of the orphanages in Ukraine.  I contacted Lisa and said I would do my best to get some help from Christ Church.  

Before I knew it, help was arriving not just from Christ Church, but from the whole community. Social media at its best.  Cars began pouring into the Christ Church car park with children’s clothes, nappies, medicines, toiletries, shoes, new underwear and socks, buggies, and even a beautiful crib.  By Thursday on the week of our collection, I thought no more would possibly come but by Friday the amount of donations had doubled!  We even found boxes of items outside the Church door on the Sunday morning.  

So Generous and Kind

We began to hear that shops in the town were empty of nappies, wet wipes, toothpaste and toothbrushes - we knew where they were - in Christ Church small hall! One donor even brought in 400 colouring books, and another contacted me to ask if they could donate 50 children’s bed chairs. Everyone was so generous and kind.  Occasionally someone would bring items in, but seeing the amount of items we had to sort, they offered to stay and help us, which was very welcome.

Lisa arranged for a Hungarian driver, Slava, to collect the donations on the Sunday afternoon.  The drivers are working free of charge.

Again, social media worked its magic, and volunteers from the Billericay Foodbank arrived to help those from Christ Church load the van, which was soon on its way to the distribution centre at the UK/Ukraine Aid hub in Enfield.  By 7 p.m. that evening everything was on its way to Ukraine.  A job well done!

Our grateful thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard to make this happen.  I am keeping in contact with Lisa who is shortly travelling to Ukraine with a convoy as an interpreter."