Warm greetings from Wisla, Poland! Our lives and priorities have been totally disrupted since the outbreak of war in the Ukraine. Since 24th. February in excess of 2.3 million refugees have entered Poland, approximately 7% of our total population. In addition, circa 1.5 million Ukrainians already live and work in Poland, a significant, new mission field!
We established a number of links with Ukraine believers many years ago when we were helping the start of Ukrainian Outback, so we know many of its leaders. They are our “reliable contacts”, some came to Poland, some are still at home.
Spontaneous “food supply” from Outback volunteers to a group of 31 Ukrainians living in a pension of one of our leaders – Jack.
We’re hosting in Poland mostly mothers with kids, as husbands were not allowed to leave Ukraine (with exceptions of those who have 3 or more kids)
Ruslan is a lay leader of Ukrainian Outback of 2021; he was taken to army. He was counselling a young soldier with trauma and praying with him when a passing officer stopped and asked: “what are you doing”? Ruslan replied: “we’re praying to God”. The officer responded, “Then you will be our chaplain.” Ruslan went to the trenches talking to many soldiers who prayed to receive Christ. Please, pray for him, for his safety and God’s continuing help.
The Russian Army are surrounding several large areas where people are dying because of rockets and hunger and lack of medicines. I have seen pictures of tens of bodies laying one on top of another, reminiscent of the old Auschwitz photographs. Many people have been buried just in front of their homes that now look like cemeteries. I am sure you have seen such pictures in your news. Many moms with small children come to Poland, often after having spent days in various trains, the final miles frequently on foot. Heart-breaking moments, when they arrive at a Polish transit place, totally exhausted. One mom carried the body of her infant baby who had died some hours earlier, leading still two extra babies…
We’re helping to organize both small and large shipments with food and medicines to places where our Christian friends recommend. We’re just preparing a big shipment on a 24-tons truck (50,000 pounds) that will be reloaded to small vans and delivered to SUMY (front line Eastern Ukraine). If this will work well shipments will go every week.
In the eastern part of Ukraine most of the shops are closed so every bag with food is very important. Small packages of medicine are opened and divided among many who need them.
A friend from a Baptist church next to the border has turned their auditorium to a giant dormitory, welcoming 170 people every night. He told me; “we used to have a church meeting once a week, now we have it 24/7”. (Over 3,000 people have been through their building. Helped in the Name of Christ.)
I’ve just heard a story at church from a mom who left her father with severe cancer in Mariupol, a city totally bombarded and surrounded by the Russian army, all windows blown away, freezing during night, just one neighbor bringing him soup once a day made from whatever edible scraps she could find. He is, literally dying from hunger. The neighbor lady walked 10 km to the place where she was able to charge her phone and call her daughter who is now in Poland. Yes, friends, pray for the peace, God’s miracle! We hear first hand extremely moving stories, such as children, age 5 – 15 who stopped talking, totally blocked emotionally, after their first experience of war.
Vitali is one of Ukrainian Outback’s leaders staying in Poland (he was abroad when the war started). We’ve recorded with him a series of courses and evangelistic videos to be used in outreach.
Our music band “Cześć” organized a concert to welcome all the Ukraininas living in Wisła in the local community. Our church was packed. Now we organize polish language lessons for all in
We’ve printed thousands of stickers with links to our newly created evangelistic platform Nadiya.in.ua (Hope in UA) that are distributed with humanitarian help to Ukraine.
We’ve printed 100,000 small prayer books – design and content created by Ukrainians to meet the Ukrainian culture. They’ll be distributed among refugees in Poland, connected with links and QR to Nadiya.in.ua.
5,000 plastic bags to help with the distribution of humanitarian help in Ukraine. Sharing the message of hope and links to Nadiya.in.ua platform.
How to help? Well, the whole Polish society opened up in an unprecedented way to receive refugees in their homes, often sharing small 2-bedroom flats, feeding and trying to help.
The good news is that the Church has really stepped in; everyone I know is involved in a number of local initiatives of assistance and practical help. Our volunteers host in their flats some 150 people.We, as a ministry, are well organized and have multiple acquaintances we can enlist with confidence. It seems like the Lord was preparing us for this.
We have divided our actions into categories:
We’re implementing the plan in three perspectives:
We want to provide both
A lot is being done, if you’re interested a detailed resume can be found on the regularly updated link below:
We’re working closely with our Ukrainian friends to focus our efforts on providing real help (both humanitarian and spiritual).
To cope with all of it, we have employed 6 Ukrainian believers to coordinate it, both on the spiritual and humanitarian level.
We are, of course, not the only people who are helping; there are literally thousands of initiatives. Often we’re cooperating with other churches or organizations, we try to react fast, with laser-beam precision, meeting the biggest needs.
Many of you are sending us money, via our 501c3 US structure, New Europe Communications in the USA. Thank you so much! We are just a channel in this process. The information on giving money from USA is here: http://nec.ccm.pl/ukraine/ From other countries – just write to me: hkrol@ccm.pl
Nadiya.in.ua (Hope in UA) is a new evangelistic platform that we’ve launched in express-mode – just two weeks. It’s a full-scale online platform with courses, messages and personal connection with trained Mentors. In the near future we plan to create more courses meeting current needs and questions Ukrainians struggle with.
The first course on the platform is called “How to live further?” and gives both practical and spiritual guide to cope in the crisis.
Just yesterday we had a first webinar training candidates for new e-coaches to serve at newly started Ukrainian course platform, https://nadiya.in.ua/ . 40 people have signed up for it. We print lots of evangelistic materials, translated into Ukrainian. The main point is – to connect spiritual help with humanitarian, bring hope to people!
Well, on top of it all – our Polish ministry is also active full speed, with a number of new projects, good development, etc.
Friends, we deeply appreciate your Friendship! Together, we may change the World, in the power of Holy Spirit! The Lord is answering prayers, indeed!
Henio.
April prayer requests:
