‘A warm glow in a cold dark place’

Wednesday January 31st 2024

Habitat for Humanity volunteers welcoming arrivals from Gaza in Bucharest, Romania.

Two hundred and fifty wood-burning stoves have been distributed in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine by Habitat for Humanity Ukraine in recent months.

Many arrived just in time for Christmas, and all will keep families warm and allow them to cook simple meals.

Stoves in storage and ready for distribution in Ukraine.

Funds raised by the Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal for people displaced in and from Ukraine as a consequence of the war with Russia continue to support Habitat for Humanity’s work.

Warren, a Habitat volunteer, described the difference the stoves make, saying: “They help not just physically but mentally. A warm glow in a cold dark place, something life-sustaining to tend to and have some control over in these uncertain and difficult times.”

In Romania, as well as support for Ukrainian refugees, the Government has asked Habitat to assist 400 people who have links to Romania and who have been evacuated from Gaza. Habitat has provided some nights in a hotel to allow them to catch their breath, helped them plan their next steps, and has also provided social housing.

To find out how you can donate to Bishops’ Appeal online, by cheque or standing order, or through your parish, please visit the Bishops’ Appeal website.