Here is another report from Ukraine with wonderful stories from those receiving aid in Jesus’ name! These emergency supplies were provided through the generosity and prayer support of friends like you, and were shipped by SGA from Poland.
We are a small evangelical church community. This war showed us clearly the needs of society and challenges for us as Christ’s church.
From the very beginning of the war, our church was receiving people fleeing from hostilities: old, young, with children and alone, sick, unwashed, in blood, scared, crying, hopeless. We offered them a shelter in the church building, provided them with hot food and other things. In spite of experiencing fear, as the people of God, we were still able to serve these people to the best of our capacity.
The members of our church would bring everything they could share to the people in great need, and most importantly, they did share with them the Gospel of Christ as the only hope.
[Our] Relief Center for internally displaced persons was officially opened in August 2022. Since then, we have helped more than 170 families from among single elderly people, young families, and families with children. Most of these families lost housing.
Every Saturday we get together with these people and attend to their needs—groceries, clothes, blankets and pillows, dishes, etc. Many families show a desire to communicate with us. Some started attending worship services; some came to celebration services, and some attend home Bible study groups. Even those who have returned home keep in contact with our church. We are ready to continue ministering to people for the glory of Christ!
They were hiding in the basement for two months. On April 29, a missile hit their house, which burned down in 30 minutes. At the time of shelling, they were in the basement. As a result, Olena received minor injuries (some bruises and scratches), while her husband had a more serious injury in his leg, making him unable to walk without help. Ukrainian defenders found them and evacuated and arranged further transportation to [the] hospital. Now, her husband underwent several surgeries, but he still has a fragment that remained in his leg, which requires further examinations. This family has been receiving help [at our Center] since September 2022, and we often see them in our service gathering.
Galina is all alone, and she has no husband or children. Galina left Mariupol in a few days after the war began. Before that, she and her neighbors had to fix some food on the fire outdoors, as there was no gas supply in their apartments, and arranged shelter in basements, keeping a supply of water and food. Since Mariupol was constantly shelled, her apartment was severely damaged, and now her home is beyond repair. Galina has been receiving help since August 2022, and we were also able to help her to get a cane, as she has a hard time walking . . . the woman socializes with other refugee families.
Svetlana is from the Luhansk region. From the beginning of the war, her husband went to the front. Svetlana left [for a different region] in March together with her children’s families, where they were able to rent a place and live independently. Their hometown in Luhansk Oblast is under occupation now. In November 2022, Svetlana’s husband fell in the war defending our country. Since then, she is helping widows whose husbands fell in the line of duty. Svetlana is a Christian and attends an evangelical church in [a different community].
Inna [pictured right] and her family displaced from the town of Primorsk in the Zaporizhzhia region. In March, they first went to [another] other town where they stayed for several months. They returned home in the summer, hoping to live at home and that it would be calmer, however the fighting continued and they decided to go to [a different town], where they now rent a housing and attend the local church.
Many families with small children were able to get new T-shirts and blouses.
In a time of great uncertainty, God is bringing help, healing, and hope to the people of Ukraine through SGA-supported pastors, churches, a seminary, and SGA-sponsored Compassion Ministry. Be a part of God’s incredible work with your generosity and prayer support.
Your gift of compassion helps struggling people with emergency aid that generally includes Scripture materials, food, medicine, warm clothing, and shoes.