When the war in Ukraine reached the doorstep of Kateryna (Katya) Chekh and her family, their lives changed overnight. A missile struck near their home, destroying the roof and shattering the windows. Since the house was now unsafe, Katya was forced to flee abroad with her four children—Maksym (17), Artem (12), Oleksiy (11), and Sofia (7). When they could not adapt and had to return, the family faced an even harder moment.
The family had to live in harsh, uninhabitable conditions … where local social services found them. For their safety, the children were temporarily placed in foster care while Katya worked to stabilize her life and repair the damaged home. By God’s grace, our AFFEO partner stepped in at this moment.
The children were not left to process their trauma alone. AFFEO partners provided trauma-informed psychological care, helping the children process the fear, displacement, and separation from their mother. They also supplied humanitarian aid to their foster family, enabling the four children to stay together. Over time, the children regained a sense of safety.
Today, the Chekh family is reunited and on stronger footing. The children continue to receive support and encouragement through our partners. In fact, Sofia says that her favorite days of the week are when she visits our partners! All four children are thriving—engaged, talented, and full of promise—while Katya is working steadily toward providing a secure future for her family.
We are so thankful that AFFEO could supply the needed funds to our partners so that the Chekhs could be reunited and begin their healing journey. Please pray that their healing would continue and that Katya’s efforts would continue to yield practical and positive results. Only the Lord can help us assist families like the Chekhs remain together—join us in praying that He would continue to provide the funds we need to do so for many others. Thank you so very much; your prayers are a real lifeline for Ukrainian families during these difficult days.