The pace and fury of the war in Ukraine seems relentless, and our hearts are deeply burdened for this country and its people.
Praise God that the ministry of His people to those in deep need is also unrelenting, and we are able to report of sustained and sacrificial efforts in the border countries, and in Ukraine itself, to bring practical help and provision, and to share the message of Christ’s love with the suffering.
Our partners in Poland are actively involved in the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. They are providing accommodation for refugees. All have their own personal pain and stories to tell.
Another huge blessing is the involvement of our teams who purchase food and medicine in Poland, which is then packed into containers and transported into Ukraine.
One of our partners reported:
‘We just sent a shipment of medicines to Ukraine. We can see how much damage there is. Maybe the country can be rebuilt in a decade, but the wounds of human souls sometimes cannot be healed for the rest of their lives.’
Some of the graduates from Ruptawa Mission School are ministering in churches close to the Ukrainian border. Supplies are sent to them, as their church buildings are now refugee centres. Several current mission school students are also active in the border areas offering aid and reaching out with the Gospel message.
The Ruptawa Camp Centre directed by Pastor Andrzej Karzalek is serving largely as a transition centre. Several dozen mothers with children have already passed through the centre. Close to the German border, another pastor, Mateusz, helps these people to rent small flats, find new facilities. He provides clothes and other everyday items. Most importantly, he prepares residence permits and social assistance and helps them to find jobs.
Additionally, New Testaments have been printed in Ukrainian and are being distributed across Poland to locations where refugees are accommodated. We were delighted to learn that a Christian publishing house in Ukraine, with which we partner, has now secured the printing of New Testaments in Poland.
Praise God for this development!