Treating Body and Soul

Left alone, illnesses often grow worse. When war makes treatment inaccessible, issues of the spirit can also fester, compounding the physical ailments. In response to just such a tragic situation, Samaritan’s Purse has deployed mobile medical units to two beleaguered population centres in Ukraine. We are offering both physical and spiritual aid to war-weary residents.

Staffed by two general practitioners, three nurses, and a roving endocrinologist and cardiologist, the units have treated over 1,600 patients in the last year, including Violetta* and her husband Andrii*.

Violetta was the math teacher in her village, and Andrii worked at an energy substation even after Russia invaded. But when the occupiers demanded they obtain Russian passports and work for them instead, Violetta grew fearful. She and Andrii determined they would not cooperate with the foreign forces and fled their home, finding an apartment instead in an area about two hours away.

“It was difficult to get used to the new place,” she said, but the mobile medical units proved to be a source of hope amid the unfamiliar.

“Since my husband and I are not young and we have illnesses, we decided to visit the clinic to get medicine,” Violetta said. “I called and made an appointment. When we arrived for the first time, we were pleasantly surprised: a small cosy room, friendly staff, qualified specialists. We received consultations, medicine, prayer, and an invitation to church.”

Pleasantly Surprised

Violetta was wary of the invitation at first, but when she received the church address and discovered that it was near her new home, her interest grew.

She decided to visit the church and met the pastor who invited her to come back for fellowship and Bible study on certain days. Then the pastor prayed for Violetta.

“I hadn’t felt that kind of attention for a long time, and I wanted to learn more about God,” she said.

Now as Violetta attends church regularly, she encounters other people who have fled areas near her home village.

“The war has brought a lot of sorrow into people’s lives, but we can survive everything together,” Violetta said. “I feel support from pastors who are refugees like me, and I try to support people myself.”

God’s Watchful Care

The faithful staff of our mobile medical units continue to serve in these frontline areas to extend hope and healing where it is in short supply.

“Given the ongoing war, we are deeply honoured to provide medical care and support to those in need, especially those living near the frontlines with limited or no access to quality healthcare,” said a staffer* who cared for Violetta. “It is both meaningful and rewarding to witness their gratitude and the reassurance in their eyes, knowing they are not forgotten and that God is watching over them.”

Violetta’s eyes now gleam with hope when she talks about the care she received.

“We are so grateful for the humanity and true Christian attitude of Samaritan’s Purse medical clinic staff. It is so good that there is such an institution where you can get medical advice, medicine, and prayer.

“Maybe the latter is much more important now. Medicine, of course is very good, but in taking care of the body, we often neglect the needs of the soul. And the soul needs now more than ever the attention, comfort, peace, and support that can only be found in the hope of Christ.”

*Names changed or withheld for security.

Responding to the Crisis in Ukraine

Samaritan's Purse is providing food, clean water, and other non-food items, such as wood stoves, solar lights, and construction materials, to suffering families in Ukraine. We are also providing medical and dental care to those in need. Partnering with local churches and others, we work in Jesus' Name to bring this urgently needed relief to people in areas of conflict.