We want to briefly share with you the events through which God guides us – His grace and mercy has sustained us.
On Feb 24th, large scale hostilities began throughout our country. In the city where we lived, hostilities had begun even earlies. The shelling damaged the city’s electricity and water supply. Due to this situation some of our people left the city and when we arrived in L’viv we were received by a church. We continue here, seeking a building where we can serve refugees and start a summer Sunday School.
We have been called to serve people. We had to leave our homes and go into obscurity, but God’s grace has sustained up. Thanks to Him, we can ‘walk’ in this ministry truly empathizing with people because we have gone through similar.
Everyone we have been in contact with has lost something – their homes where they lived and loved and felt safe, earned a living and now no one knows if they can return, if their homes will remain intact and safe. Many people have lost relatives or friends. Disappointment, brokenness, fear, and insecurity is evident in people’s faces. They do not know what lies ahead or how they are to proceed. We are trying to do everything in our power to help them.
As we communicate with these broken people, we understand that our help is important to them. One family from the Kharkiv region had to flee for their safety due to the hostilities. Their eldest son in 12 and the youngest daughter is 1. They are grateful for the temporary accommodation they have found at this Church. Not only have they supplied food, personal hygiene products, diapers and baby food, but they are grateful for the moral support offered to them.
Another family with 4 teenage daughters who had fled their home in the 2014 war, lived in Odesa for two years and had returned eventually but were living on the border between Ukraine and the DNR, in 2022 when the hostilities intensified, they were forced to move yet again. This center has embraced them, given them assistance, goods, clothing, footwear and been a tremendous help during their very difficult season.
16-year-old S from the Donetsk region fled with her mother. She says that she is grateful for the full support of this church – the food, hygiene products, clothing and even sweets and treat, as well as allowing her pet to remain with her. The moral support received is vital!
Serhiy arrived with his wife and disabled son. When the shelling began in Kharkiv his wife had just undergone kidney surgery and both she and the disabled son required medical attention as they could no longer get this in their city of Kharkiv. Here they were shown hospitality, given a place to live and because he does not work and his social benefits aren’t enough to cover living costs and because his wife requires further treatment, he is hoping to travel out of Ukraine.
D and his grandmother fled the Donetsk region where their 9th floor apartment on the outskirts of a city was shelled. He is thankful for the assistance the Church has provided in filling out documents as they hope to travel to Poland.
These words of encouragement and feedback inspire gratitude and encourage us to continue in our desire to serve people even more. We want to expand our ministry for these refugees and immigrants, and we believe that more people will learn about Christ and accept Him into their hearts.