Ukraine Appeal — Stories from Ukraine
In God’s providence, The Outreach Foundation has had the privilege to come alongside several ministries serving in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. We are pleased to share some of their highlights with you.
First, here are some daunting statistics
· According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 9,083 civilians have been killed and almost 15,800 wounded (real numbers are much higher as these do not account for those killed and wounded in occupied territories)
· According to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 78% of Ukrainians have relatives or friends who have been killed or wounded
· According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 6.33 million Ukrainians have fled Ukraine as refugees, and 5 million Ukrainians are now internally displaced
· According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the number of documented war crimes committed by the Russian army has exceeded 96,000
· According to the Ukrainian Air Force, up to 100 missiles a month strike cities in Ukraine
· According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, 29% of the territory of Ukraine has been littered with mines and explosives
Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS)
UETS President Ivan Rusyn shared a wonderful story with us about Olena Lahovska. Olena is a recent graduate of UETS’s Social Ministry Program. She is among the brave women who have stayed in place to serve the needs of the elderly population who are unable to migrate.
Olena shares that many people left her city, but she felt that God was calling her and her family to remain despite the tremendous risks involved. Through UETS, she gained skills to care for the elderly who were unable to leave, even while enduring bombing. She says, “Our ministry’s motto has become I see you, you are here, and you deserve to be loved.”
Their programs for the elderly begin at 11 a.m. and about 150 people attend. They play games, are served a meal, and are provided with tea around which people talk in small groups. “Talking is very important for them.”
Olena and her team bring Jesus into the midst of the war for these elderly people. They are the face of Christ. UETS taught her how to be Christ’s witness by being present, by giving her new strategies for sharing the gospel, methods for caring, and practical skills involved with grant writing and how to request resources that fuel what they are doing in Christ’s name.
Radooga
Radooga Ministry has been hosting summer camps (Radobot) for children throughout Ukraine. They have held 25 camps to date and brought joy and the love of Jesus to 745 internally displaced children. The mission of Radooga is to transform the hearts and minds of Ukrainian children, and they have done this very well during the war.
One example is Sviatik, a 10-year-old boy who moved to Irpin with his mother and grandmother from Kherson Oblast. He was involved in robotics back home, so when he learned that there was a robotics class in Irpin, he was thrilled, although initially a bit hesitant about it being on the church premises.
Despite his initial reservations, Svyatik started attending robotics classes and didn’t miss a session. He wasn't very active in discussions at first but over time, he began to open up and share his thoughts with others.
One particular encounter stands out. During a class discussion, Svyatik began sharing his ideas and experiences. He excitedly explained how he had built a robot back in his hometown, and how it had helped him with some tasks. His enthusiasm was infectious, and other kids in the class started sharing their own stories and ideas. This camp is helping Sviatik build bridges with other children while building machines together. In Radooga’s experience, talking about Jesus and the good news He brings and experiencing His love is not far behind these initial steps for children of the war.
Peter’s Work
Another ministry Outreach has supported is Peter’s Work, which helps small church pastors and their congregations host camps equal in number to or larger than their membership! One such camp is in Lviv Oblast, which has a congregation of about 20, mainly internally displaced people, and 35 children attended the camp. Each of these children has lost their homes if not entire communities and family members.
Ukrainian coaches aligned with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes help to make the camps very active. The camps incorporate lots of music, early morning dance and group exercises, afternoon swimming, fishing, campfires, singing, and crafts. In one of the camps, they had positive results when an art therapist joined the team and was able to help children express their emotional wounds and trauma through art.
Your donations provided the resources so that they could operate the camp and provide each child with a backpack filled with school supplies and a Bible in the Ukrainian language. For most children, this was their first Bible ever, and they cherish them. Each child also received a food care package for their families.
One mother (Lena) says, “We are so thankful our daughter could be part of this camp. Before the war, she attended such camps. Now they are almost non-existent, and we have no money. Not only was the camp free, but my daughter was given new shoes, a backpack, a Bible, and a gift box. We were shocked such a camp could exist. We were told it was made possible for our children by Christians who love God and love children.” The cost for one child to attend camp is $150, which includes all the supplies and food for their families.
Your generosity is making a difference among the people in Ukraine. Be generous in prayer! The war in Ukraine seems to be lasting for an eternity and it is challenging to maintain focus. Our friends in Ukraine know this and appreciate every prayer that for them is an important petition to the God who is sustaining them. Set aside some time to pray for each of the people mentioned in this update.
Please continue to be generous in giving. Our friends have made it clear that donations have slowed to a snail’s pace. Gifts of any size are appreciated!
THE OPPORTUNITY
Along with your prayers, you may make a gift to the Ukraine Appeal HERE or by sending a check to our office.