Lisa DeGrace

Hey there! I’m Lisa DeGrace, and I’ve been serving in Odesa, Ukraine with ACTION International Ministries since 2006. Initially, I served with a local church ministering to street children, children in shelters, orphanages, summer camps, etc. As time went on, I started to serve the street children who became youth by visiting them in prisons, their hideouts in abandoned buildings or sewers, hospitals (including HIV and TB), etc. While trying to tell them about how God loves them and has a plan for their lives, other local Christians and I helped them with documents, medical issues, educational, spiritual, and physical needs. My street children turned into youth, and I also began helping young ladies who had children or were pregnant. In 2011, we were able to rent a ministry venue to serve as a place for young men to stay who were striving to leave the street. They were counseled and overseen by several lay pastors from different churches.

On the night of March 4^th/5^th, 2015, our ministry venue was blown up during a period of diversions created by separatists (no one was injured, Praise God!), which led to reconstruction and eventually a new direction of ministry focused on helping mothers and their children who needed temporary shelter. Simultaneously, we had an afternoon program that helped children who came to get help from a tutor with homework and different activities. Even during COVID, some children came because we had extra tablets so that they could attend classes online. Our children were able to attend Sunday School, and many events for children, as our helpers were from different churches.

On Feb.14^th, 2022, after much prayer and consultation, we packed a few bags, our pets, and headed to Western Ukraine with 3 disabled adults, 3 children, and 2 helpers. We had hoped things would calm down in a couple of weeks so that we could return to Odesa. On Feb.24^th, we were shocked by the news of a full-scale invasion and the bombing not far from the place we were staying. March 4^th, through a humanitarian organization, I, my 6 wards, and our pets arrived in Poland. My role quickly became 24/7 house mother to 4 children (one teen joined later) and caretaker for a disabled and chronically ill adult.

Due to circumstances, my last trip to Canada to meet with ministry partners was the fall of 2018, and as a result, my support is at a critically low level. I seek to rebuild a prayer/support team to add new partners as indications predict this war could go on for several more years. I can’t leave with my wards or abandon them, so I am seeking God’s Will and direction during this waiting period. Please contact me or ACTION International Ministries Canada or the USA office if you have any questions.