Titusville pilot returning to Ukraine for aid work

TITUSVILLE, Fla. - Local pilot Joe Hurston is about to make his third trip to Ukraine to deliver life-saving water purifiers to people trapped in the war zone. Before he heads to Ukraine again on Monday, Hurston and his wife Cindy prayed at Titusville’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Hurston’s missions have taken him to disaster sites and around the world. He takes along high-tech water purifiers, each of them capable of providing fresh water to a thousand people per day. 

"We've laid a lot of foundation," Hurston said, "we have a lot of really good contacts. Our goal is to position these in areas where the Russians are going to be attacking."

Unlike his first two visits, though, this time Cindy will be going with him. It will be her first time in a war zone. "We've been in hurricane devastation, earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons, tsunamis, things like that," she said, "this is the first time our disaster is man-made and so unnecessary. It breaks your heart."

TRENDING STORY: Netflix tells employees to quit if they’re offended by new culture memo

Cindy is a nurse, who says she'll be able to give medical aid, and help with training to use the purifiers. She says there's also something else she'll be bringing along. 

"I also prepared a nice playlist of music, encouraging music. If I find anyone, a group of refugees waiting around I'm going to play their national music, their favorites, sweet songs to let them know the world is thinking about them."

On this trip, Hurston's bringing 11 of the high-tech water purifiers to the people of Ukraine. Now, counting the 19 units he's already deployed there, that means altogether he'll be able to provide fresh water to 30,000 people. Joe Hurston says the machines can work with water from any source, except the sea. "Gives them, in essence, a water treatment plant in a 29-pound package," he said.

Hurston says they'll be in Ukraine for the rest of May, and he's already planning ahead to a fourth visit. If you'd like to donate to help them on their way, you can donate at www.airmobile.org.