Nor Cal Ukrainian Family

My name is Laura Rettinger and my family has been hosting a family that fled the war in Ukraine. I am asking you to join me in helping this precious family with a financial foundation as they begin in their life in the United States and navigate the complicated and lengthy process of immigration paperwork, work authorization, and finding a place to live.

As pastors in Ukraine, Ivan and Olga dedicated their lives to serving others. When the war broke out, it was no different, but the work changed. Their work quickly changed to helping hundreds of people find refuge and safety by transporting them across the border into Poland. They have worked tirelessly to gather and distribute food, medicine and essential supplies to those in need, as well as making endless trips to Poland's border, helping women and children escape.

In July, Olga and her 2 daughters received papers to travel to the United States, but it meant choosing to leave Ivan and Olga's disabled mother. It was the first time in 26 years that Olga and her husband have been apart for more than a couple days. To say the choice to leave was hard, would be an understatement. With martial law stating that men between the ages of 16-60 have to be available to fight, they decided it was best to part ways and come to U.S. with the hope that some day they would be reunited with Ivan and Olga's mom.

Here is the story in Olga's words:

"We are a family from Ukraine, Donetsk city. In 2014, the war came to our city and after personal threats to our family, we were forced to save our lives. We moved to central Ukraine. During these 8 years, we faced many difficulties - we lost our home and jobs, and my mother had a stroke and became disabled. In February 2022, the situation in our family, and for many people in Ukraine, worsened. At the time, our eldest daughter Victoria lived in the Kyiv region, not far from Bucha, hostomel, Irpin. God saved her life during the first attack and heavy shelling of Kyiv. My children's emotional and physical health deteriorated due to the war, and we were forced to leave the territory of Ukraine. At the moment, part of our family is safe in the US, but my husband and mother could not leave. My husband serves in the church and continues to help people affected by the war. "

-Olga

Please consider helping with some of the following needs that will go directly to the family's needs:

Getting into an apartment

Gas cards

Computer for student

Furniture & Household Items

If you're interested, here's a link to a video from Ivan's church in Ukraine of them serving their community.