Help Ukranians: Fix Truck for Towing Business

Hi! We are Anna Jensen and Landon Wehbe, fundraising on behalf of our new friends: Elyes, Alina and Parviz. They are from Ukraine, have received humanitarian parole from the US government, and are being hosted by Anna and Seth Jensen in Tampa, Florida.

 

(Left to right: Anna, Parviz, Alina, Elyes, Seth)

 

Please consider donating money for truck repairs so they can begin their towing business as soon as possible! The salvaged truck they have purchased was in a crash and needs many repairs including: two new doors, bumper, fender, mirror, hitch, and six new tires. We have estimated that parts and labor will cost approximately $7,000. 

Why towing, you're asking yourself? In Ukraine, Elyes had experience in the car industry, and Parviz was a lawyer. A great combination for entrepreneurs who want to start a towing business! 

(Ford F350)

 

Fundraising Note: Ukraine is currently not a supported country by GoFundMe. This means that we will not be able to verify Elyes Chaouch, Parviz Maherramov, or Alina Shaush as the recipients. Instead, any funds raised from this GoFundMe will go to Anna Jensen directly. Afterward, she will give the cash raised to Elyes, Parviz and Alina. She will also provide updates on the truck's progress to this GoFundMe. A previous GoFundMe that Anna worked with can be viewed here: Saigon Bay Vietnamese Restaurant - Tampa

 

(Left to right: Alina Parviz, Elyes)

 

Elyes, Alina, and Parviz have been such a blessing to us during their stay, and we have quickly become friends. Despite so much loss, they remain optimistic and demonstrate remarkable resiliency. Having already received their Florida driver's licenses and applied for an LLC, they are eager to start work as soon as possible, and they need your help!

 

Please donate to help Elyes, Alina, and Parviz fix their truck, so they can work and live independently and provide for their families back home. They are such wonderful, hardworking people, and they are so grateful for your generosity!

 

(Left to right: Alina, Parviz, Elyes)

 

Their Story

 

Elyes, Alina, and Parviz fled from Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 24th, 2022, after Russia launched an unprovoked attack on their homeland. Leaving family and friends behind, they made a quick decision to pack a weekend bag with a few changes of clothes and head to the border.

 

Elyes and Parviz were permitted to accompany Alina across the border before the law banning all-male citizens 18-60 years old from leaving Ukraine was enforced. They first believed the war would end quickly and hoped to return home to friends and family; however, they quickly realized that there was no end in sight for the war. Putin was not stopping despite worldwide sanctions. Their homeland was uninhabitable; it would take years to rebuild its cities.

 

With so many unknowns and families still trapped in Ukraine, Alina reached out to Anna and Seth via Ukraine Take Shelter: a grassroots website connecting refugees with host families. They decided to meet via Zoom the next day, and Anna and Seth gladly agreed to host.

 

Without any official programs in place by the USA yet, they had to take a chance by flying to Mexico and crossing the border in Tijuana, knowing they may not receive humanitarian status. After nearly a week of European trains and a few days of flights, they finally reached Tijuana. Many people were praying. God answered, and they received humanitarian status on Friday, April 22nd. They would fly from Los Angeles to Orlando the next day. Anna and Seth picked them up from the Orlando airport and brought them back to their home in Tampa.

 

After three weeks of adjusting, taking English courses, and cooking wonderful dishes, Anna and Seth invited them to a Lightning hockey playoff game, and Elyes, Alina, and Parviz were amazed at the spectacle. They also enjoyed a fun day at Busch Gardens to celebrate Lina's birthday.

 

They are so thankful for Americans who have opened their arms and wanted to help: from church to family. They ask for your continued thoughts and prayers as they navigate paperwork, a new business, and learning English in the coming weeks and months.

 

(Left to right: Elyes, Alina, Anna, Seth)

 

(Left to right: Alina, Elyes)

 

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Luke 10:27

 

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."

Matthew 25:35

 

"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

Hebrews 13:1-2