This story is like a love letter going back and forth between Ukraine and Chilliwack.

Chad Martz of Chilliwack is heading back to Ukraine after Christmas to join his wife, Mary Martz, to continue their vital work distributing food and supplies in war-torn areas.

Their work is through Hungry for Life International, the Chilliwack-based Christian charity, where Chad is director of operations, and Mary is a project manager.

Ukraine, where Mary is originally from, is one of the 15 countries where Hungry for Life is active at the moment.

sa国际传媒淲e were there before the war, we are there during the war, and wesa国际传媒檒l be there long after the war,sa国际传媒� Chad says.

A Russian passport is what it would take to be allowed to purchase some things right now in Ukraine, and everything is crazy expensive.

sa国际传媒淪o things like a razor or deodorant or dish soap are very much in demand, in addition to food, but out of reach.sa国际传媒�

One disturbing image thatsa国际传媒檚 stayed with him since the last trip was a street scene where some recently liberated Ukrainians seemed both sa国际传媒渟o desperate, and so lifelesssa国际传媒� at the same time.

Itsa国际传媒檚 hard for some to imagine in the West but many donsa国际传媒檛 have any food and there are no stores open.

Theresa国际传媒檚 no light, no heat, no anything, he said.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been part of food distribution efforts around the world, and it can get pretty chaotic when people are desperate, and Ukrainians are quite reserved about it. But this was the first time I had seen people literally running to our vehicles just to receive whatever we had. It wasnsa国际传媒檛 just food they were looking for it was basic necessities.sa国际传媒�

Using the family networks in Ukraine established with Marysa国际传媒檚 large, musical family before the war, has been very successful to date for HFL, because they didnsa国际传媒檛 have to vet any of the support groups or church partners theysa国际传媒檝e been working with.

Consequently they have helped distribute a sa国际传媒渟ignificantsa国际传媒� amount of resources across Ukraine, namely about 1,000 tons of food (more than 2 million pounds) which has helped so many thousands of people.

They bought food and supplies on the ground in Europe over the first four months of the war, to get the best bang for their donated buck. It was definitely cheaper than shipping North American goods.

They managed to complete 650 to 700 deliveries across Ukraine with the help of more than 40 partners, Martz said, continuing to tally their efforts.

They focused on the most in-demand food items like pasta, cooking oil, sugar, canned meat, and buckwheat. They tucked in cheese from Holland.

Overall, the support shown by those in the West in general, as well as from Chilliwack specifically through different types of charity fundraising, has not gone unnoticed.

In fact, it has given many a lift out of a very dark place.

When Chad was photographed chatting with a Ukrainian senior during the last trip, they had been discussing a community news item in The Chilliwack Progress. The story told of how Hampton House seniors had been involved in fundraising to help Ukrainians, just like her.

You could see by the expression on her face how this simple gesture affected her.

The kindness was so welcome. Just speaking to folks and reminding them that they had not been forgotten by the world, meant so much, Chad said.

sa国际传媒淚t shows that people are continuing to do what they can from this side, and to show them ladies of the same age that are in a retirement home who are trying to raise funds to help them, well it brings a huge amount of encouragement.sa国际传媒�

Theysa国际传媒檙e living in bomb shelters with no heat, or power, and a very small amount of food. When handing out food and goods, the volunteers will often sing to offer encouragement, or just talk.

This type of encouragement is sa国际传媒渁lmost as important as the actual food in itself,sa国际传媒� Chad said.

The consensus of many he spoke to was that they would sa国际传媒渏ust not be heresa国际传媒� without the help from the West, whether it was military, humanitarian, financial support, or otherwise.

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sa国际传媒淪o I would say not on behalf of myself, but on behalf of the Ukrainian people, what wesa国际传媒檝e been able to do collaboratively has made a significant difference in peoplesa国际传媒檚 lives like this.sa国际传媒�

To those who have contributed or donated to help Ukraine from Chilliwack and beyond, he wants everyone to know how appreciative they are for the help, with a deep sense of gratefulness.

sa国际传媒淚t seem so hollow of a word to use, but that really is it, being very grateful,sa国际传媒� he said.

The Ukrainians who have benefited have been lifted up during the darkest times of their lives.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 so encouraging to the people there and they have conveyed that to me over and over again.sa国际传媒�

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jennifer.feinberg@theprogress.com

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