In the Media: Our Upcoming Medical Mission to Ukraine

Phyllis (92.3 FM):
Hi, Phyllis here at 92.3 FM. Today we have Dr. Lara Wieland with us. She is a rural generalist doctor who has been serving in Indigenous health in far North Queensland for nearly three decades.

So Lara, thank you for being with us today. Can you share with us a bit about your background and how your journey has led to your current mission?

Dr. Lara:
Yeah, thank you, Phyllis. It’s a privilege to be here with you. As you said, I’ve been working in remote Aboriginal communities for close to 30 years. And about 20 years ago, a group of us started a charity and children’s ministry in Kowanyama called Out There Kowanyama.

That’s a remote Aboriginal community in Cape York. We ran holiday programs, leadership camps, youth mentoring, student boarding, and a range of other projects.

Just before COVID, we changed our name to Only Passing Through. Obviously there are biblical connotations to that—us being strangers in a strange land, just passing through and needing to make our time count in an eternal sense.

We reshaped our structure, and the vision at the time was to develop a social enterprise to support an NGO in Bangladesh that I had become involved in. They do incredible Christ-centred work. But with COVID and other factors, that avenue didn’t unfold as hoped.

We had also started winding down some of our work in Kowanyama, though not all. And then in 2023, God opened a new door—I had the opportunity to travel to Ukraine with a colleague through the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine.

We really felt God’s clear leading to go.

Phyllis:
And what did you encounter there, Lara?

Dr. Lara:
Being in Ukraine during war was deeply moving. Even though they were under attack and in the midst of devastation, I saw Christians everywhere showing God’s love in action—to the bombed, the displaced, the sick, the injured.

I was particularly struck by the compassion, accountability, and integrity of the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine. When I realised how difficult it was to transfer funds into Ukraine, I suggested that our charity could step in.

Because we already had DGR status in Australia, people here could give tax-deductible donations. It was amazing to see how the structure we’d built earlier—without knowing what lay ahead—was perfectly positioned to serve Ukraine.

It reminded me that God really does bring good out of things that don’t always make sense at the time.

Phyllis:
He does. And aren’t we fortunate that He does? That’s such a reassurance for people too.

We’ll be back with Dr. Lara in a little while, after a couple of lovely positive songs. Stay tuned on 92.3 FM.

Phyllis (later):
Hi, Phyllis back here at 92.3 FM. We have Dr. Lara Wieland with us. Dr. Lara was just talking about Ukraine and her involvement there with the Christian Medical Association.

Since then, your involvement has grown, hasn’t it?

Dr. Lara:
Yes. After coming back from Ukraine and partnering with the Christian Medical Association, it became clear I could do more than just fundraise. With my background in medicine and medical education, we’ve supported practical projects—supporting doctors and nurses with upskilling, supplying medicines and equipment, caring for those with burns and life-threatening injuries, and running mobile clinics to reach people in the most isolated areas, always in partnership with local churches.

We’ve also partnered on a smaller scale with a Ukrainian church-based NGO doing incredible work—children’s camps, humanitarian aid, church planting, even working alongside military chaplains.

Phyllis:
That covers just life, doesn’t it! Really Matthew 24 love in action.

So tell us about the upcoming mission—you’re going back over there?

Dr. Lara:
Yes, this September we’re returning to Ukraine. We’re urgently raising funds for a second-hand van, medical equipment, and education resources.

We always pay for our own travel and time—donations never go to us. But we desperately need this vehicle. Trains are harder to access and increasingly targeted, but more importantly, we want to leave the van in Ukraine so CMA can equip it as a mobile medical training van for lifesaving first aid and advanced life support education across the country.

Phyllis (closing segment):
So Lara, how can people help?

Dr. Lara:
Three ways:

1. Prayer – Please pray for Ukraine, its leaders, peace, and especially for those suffering in occupied areas.

2. Spreading awareness – Ukraine slips out of the headlines. Please sign up to our newsletter and blog at www.passingthrough.net and share widely.

3. Giving – Our charity is fully volunteer-run. Every dollar you give goes directly to where it’s needed. Donations are tax deductible in Australia.

Regular giving helps most—even $5 to $25 a month makes a difference. It gives our partners in Ukraine certainty to plan wisely and keep showing Christ’s love in action.

So we ask: could you consider the cost of a cup of coffee a week as a gift of hope to people in Ukraine? You can donate at www.passingthrough.net/donating.

Phyllis:
That is a very powerful appeal. Thank you, Dr. Lara. May God bless you and your team. Would you close with a prayer?

Dr. Lara:
(Prayer)

Phyllis:
Thank you, Dr. Lara, and thank you listeners. Remember—even the cost of a cup of coffee can make a great difference. Donate at www.passingthrough.net/donating. Stay tuned here on 92.3 FM for more positive music and content.