Firewood Brings Warmth, Encouragement
Samaritan’s Purse is supplying much needed wood to help war-weary Ukrainian families survive as temperatures fall.
For many villagers in Ukraine, wood supplies their only heat. As another winter of war approaches, those without it are left to wonder if even after surviving attacks, they will lose the fight to the cold. For a stroke victim, an amputee, and a cancer survivor, the gift of wood from Samaritan’s Purse and its church partners in Ukraine is bringing not only welcome warmth, but the strength to go on.
Showing God is Near
In Feb. 2022, just as the full-scale invasion brought artillery fire near her village, Anna* suffered a stroke. Suddenly life changed. Her mobility was limited and it became a challenge to tend her garden and care for her home and family. Every day since has been a battle.
“After the stroke, I couldn’t walk properly anymore. I couldn’t go outside to get wood. The house would get cold, and I would just lay there, wrapped in every blanket I had,” Anna said.
With wood both heavy to haul and expensive to purchase, Anna struggled to survive.
“I wasn’t expecting anything,” Anna said. “Everyone is in trouble these days. But when the volunteers arrived and started unloading the firewood, I couldn’t hold back my tears. It was like a sign that we are not forgotten, that God remembers us.”
“This wasn’t just fuel. It was warmth. It was dignity. It was hope.”
A Samaritan’s Purse partner noted, “For Anna, this wasn’t just fuel. It was warmth. It was dignity. It was hope. It allowed her to cook, boil water, stay warm, survive—and feel seen.”
Anna could barely put her gratitude into words. “When you’re laying in silence, feeling like no one cares whether you live or die—and then someone knocks on your door and says, ‘We came to help’—your heart warms up. You remember: God is near. He sees. He acts through people.”
Anna is just one recipient of the over 27,000 cords of wood Samaritan’s Purse has distributed since the beginning of the war.
Behind every delivery, there is a story like hers—full of pain, but also full of hope.
“Warmth is not just firewood,” Anna said. “It’s someone remembering you. It’s a door opening and someone with a kind smile saying, ‘We’re here to help.’ And in that moment, your heart feels lighter. I am deeply grateful to everyone who makes this work possible.”
Providing Warmth and Life
When the war reached Borys’* hometown in winter of 2024, he could no longer stand by and watch. He joined the local forces that built fortifications for Ukraine’s military.
“Heavy shelling began while we were working. The team evacuated quickly, but I was left behind. I had to walk to the nearest settlement through freezing conditions. By the time I arrived, I had lost all feeling in my toes.”
Doctors informed Borys that amputation was his only option. After being discharged from the hospital after the procedure, he moved to a new city away from the fighting. But there he found himself alone, with no family, no home, and limited mobility.
Through kind strangers, he received a woodstove to help him survive. “But I had no way to obtain firewood—not physically, not financially,” Borys said.
That’s when Samaritan’s Purse and a local church came to his aid with firewood to heat his shelter, and a blackout kit containing a flashlight, bucket, thermos, power bank, hand warmers, blankets, and a Bible to help him amid the frequent power cuts. This support allowed him to find strength.
“Because of your help, I will be able to get through the winter. I thank God for you.”
“It’s not just firewood. It’s warmth—it’s life,” Borys said. “Because of your help, I will be able to get through the winter. I thank God for you. May He bless you abundantly!”
This support provided Borys the important reminder that he was not forgotten and that he still matters.
“Your kindness has had a profound impact on people like me,” Borys said. “You bring light to dark places. I now feel that my life has meaning again.”
Giving the Strength to Keep Going
While war raged around her, Olena’s* faith was tested in numerous ways. The devout Christian and regular attender of a local Baptist church came down with cancer. She prayed fervently asking for healing and held tight to God’s promises. In time, relief came.
“Today I am in remission,” she said with a smile. “I believe God carried me through it all. I felt support—from the church, from my family, even from strangers. And today, I am not just healed—I am renewed.”
But her troubles did not end after the cancer hurdle was crossed. As the primary caregiver of her disabled son, Olena still faced physical limitations and financial difficulties.
But when Samaritan’s Purse delivered the family a load of firewood, she saw it as an answer to many long nights of prayer.
“God did not leave me,” she said. “Even when I saw no way out—He was there. And He sent people who came to help us.
“Now I know I am not alone—and that gives me strength to keep going.”
Please pray for Ukrainians who have at least another five months of winter ahead of them. Ask God to preserve life and show many His love during this difficult time.
*Name changed for security
