A stack of action for kids hurt by war

Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) has launched 100 days of action to help children hurt by the war in Ukraine and is challenging LCANZ members to support the campaign by donating, walking – and making (and eating) pancakes!

ALWS Community Action Manager Jonathan Krause and Executive Director Michael Stolz recently made Ukrainian pancakes to encourage people to support the cause, by signing up for Walk My Way Ukraine in Brisbane in May, and/or holding a pancake day.

Why pancakes? ‘Pancakes are a favourite breakfast food in Ukraine’, Jonathan said.

‘With Shrove Tuesday – otherwise known as Pancake Day – coming up on 13 February, pancakes seemed a simple way to remind people that on 24 February it will be two years since the war in Ukraine started. Of course, the tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday began because it’s the day before the season of Lent begins. Many people choose to fast during Lent, and pancakes were a way of using up eggs, milk and flour before that time of fasting.

‘ALWS is launching 100 days of action to help children and families hurt by the war in Ukraine and who now seem to be in danger of being forgotten by the world. The war in Ukraine is hurting families in countries like Somalia too, because they rely on grain from Ukraine and Russia for their food supply. Especially now when floods have destroyed thousands of hectares of crops in Somalia.’

ALWS also has reached out to Lutheran schools across Australia with pancake batter, inviting them to hold a Pancake Day for Ukraine.

Over the next 12 months, with the help of the Lutheran family in Australia and New Zealand, ALWS has plans to help more than 210,000 children hurt by war.

‘These little ones are the innocent victims, and your love coming to life through ALWS will give them the life-restoring help they need, and reassure them they are not forgotten’, Jonathan said. ‘Our prayer is that the power of pancakes can kick-start our campaign.’

You can be part of this effort by:

• joining Walk My Way Ukraine, or supporting a participant with a donation
• holding your own Pancake Day on Shrove Tuesday, or on the second anniversary on 24 February, using Ukrainian recipes
• donating to help children of war – not just from Ukraine, but other ‘forgotten’ wars in places like Somalia and Myanmar.