Ukraine War Relief Visit #1: A Harvest of Gratitude
A Harvest of Gratitude
By Tom Boone, Associate Director for Mission
This week The Outreach Foundation will be in Poland and Lithuania to visit church partners who provide spiritual, physical, and emotional support to people displaced due to the war in Ukraine. Joining Tom Boone, Associate Director for Mission, are Dan and Jill Gilbert (Columbus, GA), Susan Montoya (San Diego, CA), Stephanie Olivero (San Diego, CA), and Outreach trustee Amy Petrenko with her husband Vic (Mooresville, NC).
First, THANK YOU to everyone who contributed generously to the supplies this team is bringing! You are true heroes to our friends. We are bringing 15 large duffle bags and suitcases, most of which will go to the border of Ukraine and Poland. Through Blessings International, we were able to fulfill the request of medics who need vital prescription medications for the military. Since the weather is turning cold, we were blessed to gather blankets, socks, gloves, hats, warming kits, along with a large quantity of vitamins, bandages, and over-the-counter medications. We will be delivering these to friends from Kyiv and Lviv on Wednesday.
Also, we are bringing toys for children and teenagers who are being housed by our friends in Warsaw and Lithuania. The College of Theology and Social Sciences (CTSS, Warsaw) and City Church (Lithuania) have been faithfully caring for displaced Ukrainian families. These families, mainly women and children, come mainly from the annexed regions of Ukraine or whose homes are in areas of Ukraine now completely destroyed. These toys will give these children and teenagers something fun on their first Christmas away from homes, fathers, and friends.
Our visit is well timed. Not only are we returning before the cold winter sets in to bring physical relief, but there has been a significant rise in people coping with fatigue, PTSD, and trauma. We are showing up to learn more of what it means to be the faithful body of Christ. We are here to listen, seek understanding, pray, and embrace. Since our visits in March and June, we have never forgotten these friends. So often we scroll through photo memories and pray over them from our homes. In being present, they know they are not forgotten.
Since the team is coming from different areas of the U.S. today, we are focused on getting oriented to one another and the objectives of our visit. Then Aneta and Pablo, our wonderful hosts from CTSS are taking us to dinner and to explain the November 1 (All Saints Day) traditions in this region. The candles made this old Warsaw cemetery seem so calm. Aneta told us that for her it is simply a way to pray and thank God for family.
Pastor Saul from City Church (Lithuania) is joining our team tomorrow. One of the wonderful results of our relief networking has been to see Eastern Europeans come together in God’s mission here. The Outreach Foundation supports their work. Tomorrow, our team from the U.S., Lithuania and Poland will take a five-hour drive to the border where we will meet with Dr. Ivan Rusyn of the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (Kyiv) and Fr. Oleh Kindii of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Lviv). We look forward to sharing their stories with you!
In all this, I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Corinthian church. “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God” (2 Cor 9:10–12). We, and they, are truly thankful to God for the gifts you have provided, the prayers ascending on their behalf, and the blessings of face-to-face encouragement.
Please pray for a safe journey to the border not just for our team, but principally for Ivan and Oleh who are making the drive through active war zones.
