On June 23-25 and July  7-9, Emmanuel Charity Association held medical outreaches for the villagers of Toshkovka, Luhansk region and Ugledar, Donetsk region.

By now, the CBN-Emmanuel’s medical team has already held a total of 10 medical outreaches in conflict-affected eastern Ukraine!  Each medical outreach has been an important event for the locals of Donbass. People living in the front-line area don’t have many chances to visit a doctor – they are lacking money due to war and unemployment and, in most cases, it’s very difficult for them to get to bigger cities to attend medical facilities. Before the war, people of Ugledar used to go to Donetsk (56 km away from Ugledar) for any medical services. To do that now local have to go through several check-points waiting in line for hours. This process is too difficult for elderly people and they don’t go anywhere. There is also a lack of children doctors in the area and in order to see a single-discipline medical specialist, they have to go to the town of Mariupol which not many of them can afford.

At the medical outreach, the locals of Toshkovka and Ulgedar were able to undergo common exams and test and to consult medical specialists of «Medical Mobile Clinic» – therapist, pediatrician, neurologist, dermatologist, eye-doctor, ENT specialist and OB/gyn.

Many of the patients needed spiritual and psychological support and had a chance to talk to Christian counselors from local churches.

Little Andrey came to the medical outreach with his mother. The boy and his wonderful family live in Ugledar. Two years ago they experienced a terrible accident – while Andrey’s mother was cleaning the room, Andrey went to the balcony to play with his toy cars. His mother Katya suddenly heard the noise of opening window and saw that Andrey fell down from the second floor. The child was delivered to the intensive care department in Dnepropetrovsk where he stayed for three days. Luckily, no threats to his life were found! Every six months Andrey’s mother has to take him for a regular check-up with a neurologist. When the family heard about the medical outreach in their town, they decided to undergo a medical check-up with the doctors of «Medical Mobile Clinic». During their time at the clinic, Katya couldn’t stop crying – the accident has caused a heavy load of guilt for her. Doctors and Christian counselors talked to Katya and prayed with her to help her accept what had happened and stop feeling guilt. «Every time I look at my son, I start crying, – Katya shares. – I can’t stop thinking what could have happened in the worst case scenario. I am thankful to the doctors who cared enough to listen to me. I was able to pour my heart to them and it feels much better. I am thankful to God for saving my son. And I am thankful to all doctors of“Medical Mobile Clinic” for their help and support!»

There were many elderly people at the outreach. This medical help was timely and much-needed.

Tamara Ilynichna is an experienced medical worker herself. For many years the woman had been working as a nurse in Pavlovka village (within 2 km from Ugledar). Lady Tamara is a widow – her husband died of cancer several years ago. Her sons live with their families and her daughter died in war. “The war has already taken my daughter. It happened in Abkhasia where she served in the military. She was only 28 years old. War is a terrible evil”. The woman came to the medical outreach to check her pancreatic gland. She underwent an Ultra Sound exam and was impressed by the doctors of “Medical Mobile Clinic”.

She also talked with the Christian counselors and it made the day for the women who often has no one to talk to: “They gave me free medicines which is a great support for me in my situation. Before the war, everyone would go to Donetsk for medical services. Now, it has become unreal. You have to somehow reach a check-point and wait in line for hours under strong sun. And you still have to go to the clinic for a doctor’s appointment. It’s such a joy that you’ve come to us! Thank you so much!”

Raya and Luba are to sisters who have been very close. «Our follow villagers often tell us that there is normally no unity between people like we have”,  the sisters share. They live in Stepne village, within 20 km from Ugledar and their brother drove them to Ugledar for medical outreach. There is no water supply in Stepne village and Luba would normally go to the neighboring Novotroitske village to get water. The need to pass through a check-point has made getting drinking water even more difficult. To add to the problem, Luba twisted her ankle so badly that she wasn’t able to move when neighbors brought her to the medical outreach. The doctors of Medical Mobile Clinic” did their best to help Luba as soon as possible. They gave her a shot of pain-killing medicines, took her to ECG and matched her glasses. The sisters have never experienced such a wonderful service before! Besides, Luba received the medicines she needed for free!

«I believe in God and I always call on Him. I had a stroke several years ago and God saved me. And today He brought me to this medical outreach! Thank you all for caring for me so well!” – Luba says.

Luba is on the left 

The total of 988 people received free medical aid in two outreaches in Toshkovka and Ugledar villages. 766 received free medicines and 477 prayed with the Christian counselors.

The locals thanked the doctors of Medical Mobile Clinic for coming to their village to provide support in this difficult period of time in their lives. 

To donate for medical surving of  Emmanuel Charity Association you can here