Samaritan’s Purse continues to provide medical relief to displaced Ukrainians, serving them at our Emergency Field Hospital on the outskirts of Lviv, in western Ukraine.
We are also operating a 24-hour medical clinic at a train station in Lviv. To meet growing needs, we opened an additional clinic in one of the city’s major bus stations.
Our fourth medical intervention, an Emergency Outpatient Clinic, is meeting medical needs in southern Ukraine.
If you are interested in joining our DART roster to be a part of these types of disaster responses, click here to apply.
“Bombs and missiles are everywhere.”
Violetta arrived at the train station clinic complaining of nausea and a severe headache, most likely caused by the stress of the multi-day journey away from the throes of war. At the clinic, she received medicine to help ease her symptoms.
“Bombs and missiles are everywhere. Houses are being ruined,” Violetta said. “Children are scared—dead bodies and casualties are everywhere.”
“There was an explosion blast near our house where we live. It’s really hard and complicated to talk about it.”
For two weeks, Oksana hid in her basement with her children and grandchildren as missiles rained down around them.
The buses and trains were overcrowded. It was impossible for them to leave so they hunkered down in Kharkiv, praying and hoping they would one day make it out alive.
“It was really hard for me. The whole city was bombarded by bombs, and the school was rained by rockets and missiles. There was an explosion blast near our house where we live. It’s really hard and complicated to talk about it. We were not able to sleep at night because we permanently heard sounds of bombs and missiles,” Oksana said.
Finally, they found a way out, but what’s next for her family is unknown. The doctor prescribed pain medicine for her ailments and encouraged her with prayer.
Many patients are in a hurry and anxious to keep moving.
Olya rushed into the white tent carrying her two-year-old son, Kimal. For days, he had suffered from vomiting and diarrhea. He was lethargic and dehydrated when they arrived.
The medical team wanted to complete a full exam and further assess his need for IV fluids, but time was ticking. She came into the clinic with less than five minutes before her bus was scheduled to depart. She was visibly conflicted—should she catch the bus west with her sick son or pause to receive medical care?
In the end, she chose to bundle her son up for the cold weather and push forward. The doctor gave her advice to help her son stay hydrated, but in their fast-paced escape, the role of Samaritan’s Purse was to love and support them in their journey—no matter what that looked like.
“We are here to show them the love of Jesus in a time that is so dark in their lives.”
Like Olya and Kimal, many patients are in a hurry and anxious to keep moving. Some will only sit still for five to 15 minutes before they are on their way again—catching the next train or hopping on a bus. The moments that our doctors and nurses have with them are short, but they take every opportunity to be the light of Jesus to them on their way.
“We’re not here just to treat the physical ailments of these patients,” said Shannon, another Samaritan’s Purse nurse serving at the bus station clinic. “We are here to show them the love of Jesus in a time that is so dark in their lives—to step in for just a minute to show them God’s love and just be a safe space for them.”
Your support enables Samaritan’s Purse to share the love of Jesus by providing assistance to people impacted by the Russia/Ukraine conflict.