Ukraine Appeal — Partners in Warsaw WSTS
The following update comes from the College of Theology and Social Sciences, our partner in Warsaw, Poland. Since the war began in February, this partner has been an example of refugee work done well, and we are pleased to be partners with them.
As of July 23, Poland has taken more than 4.95 million Ukrainian refugees. Public playgrounds are bilingual with children trying to communicate with each other. Beauty parlors, nail salons, grocery stores, and many other businesses have been hiring Ukrainian women. Entering August, people are starting to adjust to the realities of a new life, very much different from how it was back home.
First some wonderful news! Meet SOFIA, a beautiful 21.65-inch, 5.65-pound baby girl. The Outreach Foundation team met with her mother, Olga, in June and they praise God for the gifts and prayers.
THEIR NEW LIFE
Week after week we’ve aimed to help our refugees become more independent. After they felt safer under the college’s care, we encouraged them to go off campus to explore the neighborhood. We’ve been able to equip the college kitchen with new refrigerators, stoves, and a dishwasher. We’ve been giving each family some cash so they can go buy their own groceries and cook their own meals.
We have also been able to give a small allowance to the children so they can buy something they would like to have, from a special snack to a small toy. All of our refugee kids attended school, some attended school online with several laptops purchased, some attended in person and some did both. Also, we helped mothers enroll in Polish and English classes, both online and in person.
After praying and listening to understand God’s plan for our refugees, we believe that all our refugees are strong enough and prepared to start their new lives on their own. We believe that now is the time to help them transition to independent living. This is our new opportunity! For some, it means finding stable employment. For others, it is locating an affordable apartment. For many, it is beginning to help them give voice to their emotional and psychological brokenness, especially the children. For us, it means considering new opportunities such as opening a day school for Ukrainian children.
After all, when children are abruptly taken from the life they had, forced to leave behind everything they know and love, from their little teddy bear to their father, how can they truly recover? Studies show that war is one of the worst traumas a child can suffer.
TRAUMA COUNSELING COURSE
On June 30, we completed a blessed and successful first module (of three) of the CTSS Trauma Counseling Course. We prayed for 100 participants and with God’s blessing over 500 signed up and more than 250 participated regularly! On July 18, we started the second module. This time we prayed and determined that having at least 80 participants would be a success, and God blessed us with 163! Once again, we can say, “Watch out trauma, we come with HIM, the greatest counselor!!”
TRAUMA COUNSELING CENTER
We are doing it together! Thanks to your kind donations the remodeling of the “Trauma Counseling Center” has begun. Piotr Nowak, the college president, allocated a large classroom on its campus to become the “Trauma Counseling Center” (TCC).
This will be Poland’s first Christian and Professional Trauma Counseling Center conducted in both Ukrainian and Russian languages. The center will provide education and supervision to individuals graduating from the Trauma Counseling Course, and will also offer employment opportunities. The primary function of the TCC is to support refugee children, youth, and adults in mental and spiritual healing which also provides an opportunity for evangelism. TCC is not only for “our” 38 refugees but also for any of the over 4.95 million Ukrainian refugees who entered Poland.
OUR PRAYER REQUESTS
The plan to help our refugees with the transition to self-sufficient living is not going to be easy so we need your prayers. Please pray:
for the strength of our faculty, staff, and students for whom this has become a personal mission
for the transition of our refugees who thought their time in Poland would last only two or three weeks
for clarity about God’s plan for us. We know that in the upcoming school year there will be an educational crisis in Poland. We wonder if God is calling us to address this in some way.
for our hope to provide scholarships to Ukrainians and other young people called to receive a Christian theological education through our ministry degrees
for the conflict in Ukraine to end and for God’s peace to come to all who are suffering
Finally, let’s remember God’s Word together and gain clarity for our purpose and energy to fulfill God’s call upon our lives: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Along with your prayers, you may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.