In the opening days of the war in Ukraine, Pastor Valeriy Milinin and his family were in their home listening to air raid sirens, but there was no bomb shelter in the village. Their village is in Chernihiv Oblast (region), an area 90 miles north of Kyiv and 50 miles south of the Belarusian border. It was among the areas first attacked by Russian troops.
Read MoreTogether for the Family’s Executive Director Izdihar Kassis recently shared this news:
Together for the Family currently serves more than 1,700 families who were affected by February’s earthquake. During our visits to devastated areas in Aleppo and Latakia, we noticed that many children have no shoes or toys. So, in addition to providing food and blankets, we decided to provide them with shoes and toys! It was also a great time to share and pray with children and adults.
Read MoreRwanda recently experienced severe flooding which has caused extensive damage to homes and properties, leaving many families without basic necessities. These families are in desperate need of assistance. The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR) is reaching out to request support in helping these families during their time of need.
Read MoreThrough years of faithful partnership, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) and The Outreach Foundation have built many churches in East Africa. Outreach East Africa Mission Consultant Stu Ross recently sent this joyful news about a recent church dedication:
This Ndigu-Ini congregation was started in 1992 when members from the area felt their walk to their church was too far, especially for the elderly and the very young. They organized themselves and worshipped in an open field on the chief’s homestead.
Read MorePars Student Spotlight
Reza became a Christian in 2004 when he learned about Jesus through his father. When his father initially shared the Gospel with him, Reza rejected it. However, he did not want to ignore his father, so he decided to do some more of his own research. He wanted to compare and contrast the Bible with the Koran. This took him about a year, and during this time of seeking, Reza had a dream. In his dream, there were two groups of angels, and they were singing, “Arise, this is the time to worship Jesus.” Jesus was standing between these two groups of angels. He reached out his hand and invited Reza to worship. Reza woke up from this dream with peace in his heart that Jesus is the true way.
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation works closely with the Pastoral and Outreach Ministries Council of the Synod of the Nile in Egypt (POMC). Rev. Manassa Nesem serves as the Executive Manager of POMC and shared the following information about how refugees in Sudan are being aided by brothers and sisters in Egypt:
Political conflicts erupted over the reigns of power in northern Sudan between two leaders of the Sudanese army, which led to an increase in the frequency of skirmishes and resulted in a fierce internal war. These conflicts started on April 15 and continue. The repercussions of these events have created problems in all aspects of life in northern Sudan. As a result, there is a lack of food, water, and means of communication; moreover, several reports have included a large number of civilian deaths.
Read MoreIt was an honor to welcome Shapoor Ahmadi to the Outreach office in Franklin, TN today. Shapoor fled from Iran when he was 22 years old. He sought asylum in England and waited for two years for his case to be heard. He was provided a one-room apartment and 35 pounds ($45/month for all living expenses). He could not work during this time. He knew no one and had to wait for his case to be processed. At the end of the two years, his case was denied. Shapoor appealed and waited another two years. By the grace of God, his case was overturned.
Read MoreOn February 6, 2023, the world woke to the news of a devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey. We all watched reports from the field indicating the region was in dire need of help. The Outreach Foundation responded quickly (within 24 hours) by establishing the Middle East Earthquake Relief Appeal which has generated widespread support from our donor base.
Read MoreMaria is a psychologist from Ukraine who works in Poland. “The trauma I am seeing in children is terrible. It is a very different type of trauma, hidden trauma. On the first days after the children escaped their towns in Ukraine, such as Mariupol, Izium, Deobropillya, they did not say anything. They just sat in silence. There is nothing worse than the silence of children when they hear certain words that remind them of the war, or of their hometown. They fall silent and just stare into nowhere.”
Read MoreOutreach trustee Berry Long recently shared good news from Sebber Banda, Project Director of the Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province partnership:
I want to share with you a message and photos from Sebber about a government celebration and opening for the women's shelter and staff kitchen that have been added at the Madzimaera Clinic.
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation recently visited our friends serving sacrificially and at great risk in the eastern part of Ukraine. Dr. Ivan Rusyn and his wife Luda were terrific hosts and we met many of Christ’s faithful followers whose stories have yet to be told. These are the quiet heroes who daily risk their lives out of love for God, and affection for their country, and who are trying to be faithful to Christ’s call to witness about His glory in times like this. One of these heroes is Vasiliy, a 23-year young graduate of the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary who serves as Coordinator of Relief Ministry for the seminary.
Read MoreDear brothers and sisters, servants of Christ Jesus,
I greet you with the sweet peace that flows from the throne where Christ sits with the Father and intercedes for each one of us. I hope all of you, as well as your families, are doing well, enjoying health and fellowship with our good God. After two chaotic years of the pandemic, we are happy to be able to live life again.
Read MoreIn March 2023, The Outreach Foundation visited Kyiv. Among our goals for this visit was to provide Individual First Aid Kits (IFAKs) that had been requested specifically by Dr. Ivan Rusyn of the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) during his visit with us. These are the most requested items by soldiers at every checkpoint, he told us. Thanks to Delta Airlines, the baggage fee for 600 IFAKs was waived, which meant we were able to purchase an additional 200.
Read MoreThe Philemon Project GROW Center provides Christian early childhood development programs for underserved and at-risk children in Beirut. Rev. Dr. Robert Hamd, the GROW Center’s founder, recently shared this update:
The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon has affected the whole population. Those living at an acceptable level previously are now finding it extremely difficult to cover the costs of daily living and the essentials of health and education.
Read MoreSince its inception in 2000, Namumu Orphanage Center (NOC) has provided vulnerable children with food, clothing, shelter, medicine, and spiritual and educational support. Through partnership with generous Outreach donors, a van was recently purchased. We received the following letter from Siakwale Matomola, Namumu Orphanage Center Director:
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Read MoreFrom March 18-26, a window of opportunity opened for The Outreach Foundation to visit friends at the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) in Kyiv as well as some surrounding towns. The team was comprised of Mark Mueller (Outreach Executive Director), Tom Boone (Associate Director for Mission), and Victor Petrenko, husband of board member Amy Petrenko. Victor’s parents fled Ukraine following World War ll. Joining our team was Dr. Piotr Nowak, president of the College of Theology and Social Sciences (CTSS) in Warsaw, Poland. Dr. Ivan Rusyn of UETS was our host.
Read MoreLast week, four people from The Outreach Foundation traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, to meet with our partners. The Outreach Foundation has seven partners in Europe, and one is in Kyiv. Upon our arrival in Kyiv, we met with the staff of the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary led by Dr. Ivan Rusyn. The seminary trains leaders and pastors and currently has a student population of more than 500. Right now, the seminary is housing Ukrainian soldiers, but the students return in September.
Read MoreWhere do I begin?
Is it the beginning of our trip — on the western border of Ukraine — where rich dark soil and the appearance of normalcy teased us as we traveled to Kyiv? Is it our first night when we escaped from our comfortable hotel room to a bomb shelter from midnight to 4:30 a.m.? That peaceful route we just traveled was now under attack, thank you Lord for the people praying over us!
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