Community bands together to support Ukraine family in need
Nataliia and Alex Murza, in the center, join Dave and LeAnn Hofstetter, who purchased the Ukraine quilt at the MCC Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale. The Murzas continue to live in faith and hope, despite facing plenty of struggles here after escaping war-torn Ukraine.
The gift of life is precious. The gift of compassion can help others going through great struggles enjoy that gift.
One family who escaped the war in Ukraine as refugees has found there are still plenty of challenges to face living as refugees here in the United States.
The hope is people here who feel blessed will reach out in giving and help the family through difficult times until they receive their work visas.
Kay Shue, who created a wall hanging honoring the people of Ukraine that brought in $4,800 at the sale, her husband Terry and many others have united to help the Murza family through this time.
The Murza family came to Kidron in late June and immediately faced plenty of obstacles in settling in. The apartment they were in was not furnished, a rarity in Ukraine. Kay Shue said her family rallied some people together to help them find the items they needed.
Currently, the family does not possess work visas, meaning they can’t find gainful employment to support themselves.
“It may be a year or two before they can get work visas and find paying jobs,” Kay Shue said. “Right now they have no income to get food and gas and essentials. Their rent is taken care of, but they face a lot of uphill battles, so we are trying to find ways to support them and walk with them through this time. We’ve told them time and again that we can’t do anything about the war, but we want you to know we are walking with you.”
After 20 days of war, on March 17, Alex Murza sent his wife Nataliia, his son Max, and his parents Oleg and Katya out of Ukraine while he remained to help with humanitarian efforts. During these early days of the war, Nataliia and her family lived in a frightened limbo, hearing the Russian warplanes and artillery but not knowing if it was aimed at them. They were hiding in shelters, hospitals and basements as the war raged around them. Despite their own difficulties, they found a way to organize meals for people in need.
While Alex stayed behind delivering food and medicine in destroyed cities, Nataliia took a leap of faith, and with the help of friends and strangers, she flew to Germany and then later the United States. For Nataliia and Alex, the main priority was getting Max and his parents to safety.
Through contacts with a friend, Nataliia found a place to stay in Millersburg in March of this year. The same contact led to Max attending Central Christian School for the last few weeks of the school year.
In late May Nataliia was informed it was not going to be possible for her to stay in the Millersburg apartment and she would need to find another place.
“A stranger in a foreign land, she started making phone calls and knocking on doors with humility and great courage and in a miraculous way ended up with a temporary house in downtown Kidron,” Terry Shue said.
Prayers were answered, people stepped forward to help and an apartment was located. The Murza family had a home, but there were still huge obstacles to overcome.
There are opportunities to give to the Murza family to help them through this difficult time. The Shues have partnered with their son-in-law, Pastor Jeff Hostetler of Berlin Mennonite, where the church has created an avenue to funnel any incoming funds through the church.
“Once a month they will write out a check,” Terry Shue said. “We really do have a gap financially to keep them sustained because they can’t work.”
He said the bank system in Ukraine is crumbling, and with so much uncertainty surrounding Ukraine, the fear and struggles are very real.
“I don’t know how you recover from a war. None of us do,” Terry Shue said.
Kay Shue said the Murza family never realized they would be in the situation they are in financially when they came to America as refugees.
Nataliia is ready to begin working as a volunteer teacher’s aid at Central Christian School while Alex volunteers at MCC Connections and CCS. The hope is their work papers will arrive, allowing them to earn an income, but until then they will rely on the kindness and compassion of people willing to share and give.
Anyone wishing to help the Murza family can do so by calling Hostetler at 330-893-2320 or the Shues at 330-465-0447 or by emailing TerryWShue@gmail.com.