Editor’s Note: The testimony and images below were provided by an SGA-supported pastor in Israel.

People fleeing Ukraine during the war have also come to Israel, where SGA is providing emergency aid. From an SGA-supported pastor’s recent report, here is the story of Marina and Valery, an elderly couple who had nothing when they arrived — but are now receiving aid and have heard the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Please continue to pray for Marina and Valery and for the churches in Israel as they minister to the refugees there in deed and truth . . .

The husband is 79 years old and his wife is 75. Their home was destroyed by bombing, but they miraculously survived. They buried their dead neighbors in the yard. Then they evacuated. You could make a horror movie about how they went through the checkpoints. They have three children. Now, as refugees, the children are in various countries around the world together with their relatives. Their children cannot be repatriated in Israel because they are the fourth generation. Marina and Valery are the third generation. They have the right to obtain citizenship, so they were brought to Israel without paperwork and placed in a hotel. But, already in Israel, while doing paperwork, it turned out that some of the documents were copies. So, there were some obstacles as a result of that.

The couple had absolutely nothing: no clothes, no shoes, no underwear. They kept quiet for two months because they had always been wealthy and successful people, so they were embarrassed to ask.

A female employee of the hotel told my sister, who is also a volunteer, about them. Thanks to your support and the money raised by our church, we buy them everything they need. Irina, the sister of SGA’s Bible training director in Israel, is in direct contact with them. She helps them in everything and tells them the Gospel as well. It was an incredible revelation to them that there are Christians who do not ask them for money to perform various rituals, but who support them themselves. Marina and Valery don’t dare go to church yet because they are afraid it could hurt their acquisition of citizenship. But Ira reads them the Bible, tells them about the Lord and that everything is under His control. 

Marina and Valery have begun to slowly come out of shock. Irina is the one who communicates with them because they are drawn to her. Please pray for their situation. We are afraid that if they do not have their documents confirmed, they will be deported. The question is: Where to? And if they are not deported, where will they live and by what means? At the end of August, they have to move out of the hotel. They have no right to benefits without citizenship. As refugees, they receive only 1,700 shekels to rent a place to live and have the right to work. But what kind of work can they do at their age? It costs at least 2,800 shekels a month to rent an apartment. And their health insurance has already expired. This is scary and frightening. All hope is in the Lord.

As for this couple . . .they don’t need to buy food because they eat at the hotel. But they had no shoes, and the old ones had fallen apart. So, we bought them shoes. Thank you so much for your support.

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.