The Russia-Ukrainian War
On February 24 th , 2022, Russia entered Ukraine, escalating the Russo-Ukrainian war that first started in 2014.
This caused absolute pandemonium in the country, especially for organizations like orphanages, as they now had to figure out how to keep all of the children safe.
At the time, Justin and the rest of the Hayslett family were not physically in Ukraine, but as soon as the news came out that the invasion had begun, they began immediately doing all they could to help out.
For the Ukrainians in the country, the common reaction was to flee into parts of Europe to get away from the crisis situation. It was amazing how so many people stepped up to offer their time, vehicles, and resources to help people, specifically orphans, flee the Ukrainian crisis crisis.
However, due to legalities, many directors from the orphanages were unsure as to whether they were allowed to let the children at their orphanages go. They didn’t know the legal ramifications that they might face if they allowed their children to leave the country. Weeks later, of the 100,000 orphans in the country of Ukraine, only a small number had been able to flee.
While this was all happening, Justin was on the ground at the borders, trying to get children and adults out of the country to safety and doing everything he could to protect and provide for the children who needed it most.
This crisis led to the creation of The Village, a facility in western Germany that is offering housing and care for up to 140 orphans, foster families, and other vulnerable people who have fled the conflict in Ukraine. Legacy Refuge has truly mobilized all possible resources to help Ukrainians get to safety and be protected from this crisis situation.
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