Why Ukraine Matters
By Rev. Majed El Shafie, President & Founder, OFWI.org
For over a year, Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine has been a constant in the news cycle. People’s lives have been torn apart. Millions of people have been forced to flee their home, some out of their home country all together. Some may take the view this is someone else’s problem, but the OFWI team, inspired by our faith, hears the call to action.
What we witnessed in the last year is that we see many countries and many governments focusing on weapons and military aid to Ukraine. It's something that is definitely needed so Ukraine can defend itself from this unjust war, but when we are looking at the civilians, the civilians cannot eat a gun, babies cannot eat a bullet.
At the centre of OFWI’s work is acting on our faith. Receiving the Lord’s mercy and ending the persecution I faced for being a Christian in Egypt is what inspired me to create One Free World International. While I will leave that full story for another day, it’s at the core of why the war in Ukraine matters.
Over the past year, working with partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Europe, we have helped get food, clothing and medical supplies into Ukraine, while helping those forced to flee get out.
Relief supplies for an orphanage in Lviv. Medical supplies to a military hospital to help soldiers recover. Food, clothing and bedding to temporary shelters. Logistics support to those forced to flee. While the war may be “old news” after seeing it in the media for 17 months, the need is still great. That is why we continue to answer the people of Ukraine’s call.
We have to have a focus as a society, as an organization, as humanitarian organizations, how we can protect the seniors, how we can get the civilians out of the warzones, how can we send immediate medical aid to the soldiers and humanitarian aid to help civilians survive.
This has been and will continue to be our focus. It’s how we can help Ukraine in their fight for their culture and country. It’s how we can help ensure Russia’s military is stopped and sent home defeated. It’s how we all come together to ensure Europe remains free and we stop the rising tide of hate, extremism and the threat to human rights.
You may not think it is much in the context of a global war. But a full stomach, healed wounds, and a safe place to sleep is how we help give Ukraine a fighting chance.
Learn more about our work to support Ukraine on DonorSee: https://donorsee.com/standwithukraine