Helping Ukrainian Refugees

Helping Ukrainian Refugees The stories of the Ukrainian refugees which our Pioneer's Team in Poland encounter. We will not share photos or print names, just share stories.

Choose a day and follow the stories for that day from story 01 to the final one for that day.

Day 14 Countdown to an Infamous AnniversaryBy the beginning of May it was clear that we would no longer need to keep our...
10/02/2023

Day 14 Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

By the beginning of May it was clear that we would no longer need to keep our home set up as a refugee transit center, so we took down most of the beds and packed away most of the linens and other items we kept available for when we would have guests at a moment’s notice.
The question became what would we do now? Through our friend Scott, we still had contact with orphanages and other people in Ukraine who were in need of food and personal items and the local refugee center, Full Market, still needed assistance, so throughout this month our aid was relegated to making large food purchases.
This break came at a good time, not only because it allowed us to return to working with our team here in Rzeszów, but also gave us time to concentrate on something very personal and important to us, the wedding of our son! Andrew and Anna were getting married in Bratislavia, Slovakia, where Anna grew up. Not caring for refugees in our home gave us the time we needed to prepare for and then go set up and be part of the wedding. We thank God that He has given both of our children spouses who are believers who are seeking to follow and draw near to God.

09/02/2023

Day 15 Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

Last night I received an email from one of our missionaries. My wife and I share the role of Area Leader for Pioneers in the Baltic Slavic Area, which includes Ukraine, Belarus and Poland, as well as several other countries. This missionary is one who has served in Ukraine, and he wrote to tell me that it was one year ago that we asked him, his wife, and their teenage daughter to follow the advice of their relatives and sending church and evacuate Ukraine So, they moved here to Rzeszów for a few days and then on to Warsaw, where they could work with the Ukrainian Baptist office there, at least until the threat of war had passed.

At the time, we were all convinced that nothing was going to happen, and so, after about a week in Poland, we talked about allowing him to return to Ukraine, at least to attend a missions’ conference in Odesa. Apparently, even the churches, seminaries, and students who were planning on attending were so sure that nothing would happen, that the conference was going to go on ahead as planned and so he flew from Odesa to Warsaw with our permission.
Of course, while his plane was in the air, Russia launched its early offensive, which included sending troops directly into Odesa to take control of the port city. His plane landed and they could hear artillery fire while at the airport. In order to escape, he would have to get on a bus and cross the Ukrainian/Moldovan border. Believe me, for all of us, we spent quite a bit of time on our knees praying for his safe return to his family. We rejoiced when he crossed the Ukrainian border and then again when he returned to his family in Warsaw.

Now, this family is living just outside of Budapest, so that their daughter could attend an international school there. Rather than waiting, they are using their time to assist refugees and those who are working with them. Please continue to pray for missionaries such as these, whose lives and ministries were completely changed by the war. Thank God with us for them, and those leaders in Ukrainian churches who have remained steadfast in assisting others, whether it be still in Ukraine or somewhere else just beyond its borders.

08/02/2023

Day 16 (01) Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

In early May we did not spend much time at home. We immediately took a trip to a town just south of Budapest to meet with Cathy, who is the Area Leader for that part of Europe and like us, along with her ministry partner Erika, have personally become involved in assisting Ukrainians during this crisis. We wanted to see more of what they have been doing. Working alongside a local church there, they were able to house refugees in their church building, in a rented government own building across the street and even rented several shipping containers for storage, showers, and additional housing as necessary. They partnered with others who were willing to drive goods into Ukraine and drive out refugees and together with their church pastor, leaders, and several of their church members, they were able to assist hundreds of Ukrainians who needed a place for transit to other parts of Europe. The work they have been doing there is amazing, and through your donations and prayers and the strength and wisdom God has given them, they have been able to continue to serve God this way. We are in awe and a bit proud of all that they have been able to do.

08/02/2023

Day 16 (02) Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

While in Hungary, we met a refugee that had been stuck at the church for a while. This grandmother, who could only speak Russian and Ukrainian, was waiting for information on where she could move, but had nowhere else to go until something could be worked out. Since we served in Russia (twenty years ago) we understood and CL could communicate enough in Russian that we were able to get to know this sister in Christ and hear her story.
What was amazing was that most of those who were assisting at this church, including our colleagues there, could not communicate with her easily since they did not speak each other’s languages. However, the people at the church knew she was a sister in Christ by how she lived and her attitude during such a terrible personal crisis. She consumed only what she needed, joyfully assisted in cleaning the church, even where other refugees had slept and then moved on, and spent time reading her Bible and praying. It was a joy to meet a fellow servant of Christ. They finally worked out a place for her to move on to, and we have not heard from her since. We can only expect that she is a blessing to whomever she is housing with, just as she was here.

07/02/2023

Day 17 Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

We returned home at the end of April only to discover some sad news. If you remember, we had a grandmother, two daughters-in-law, and all their children stayed with us for a few days. They then went on to a camp where they stayed for a few more days and then we helped them find a spot in a small town just outside of Szczecinek. These were the people we went to visit over the Easter break. We saw them on Good Friday, but because their children were ill, they were afraid that we would catch what they had and we did not get to see them again. When we returned home, we tried to contact them to see how their kids were doing and whether or not they had any needs. What we found out is that not long after we visited, the grandmother decided she was going back to Ukraine. Not knowing what to do, the daughters-in-law and all their kids went with.
They eventually contacted us again to tell us they had resettled in another part of Ukraine. Then recently, we heard from them again. Even the area they settled in, has had their utility infrastructure under attack. Where they were living they were without electricity, running water, and even heat. However, they would rather live in those conditions in the winter in Ukraine than come out again. At least for now. Please continue to pray for the safety of the people in Ukraine.

06/02/2023

Day 18 Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of helping with such an overwhelming crisis is accepting those times when you are unable to help. One such example was the young family we met in the local refugee center in early April. If you remember, the husband was a med student from Africa whose documents had been turned in to extend his visa in Ukraine when the war began. He and his family fled Ukraine without his documents and spent months in the local refugee center trying to get his papers replaced.
While we were in Szeczinek, on the other side of Poland, he finally got his papers and his family was given permission to travel to England. When he contacted us about this we were overjoyed and offered to help purchase their flights for them. But for some yet to be explained reason, we could not purchase tickets from the website of the airline. We tried perhaps ten times, working on it until 3am, and even had several friends make attempts, and they were unable to do so either. Since he was up against a deadline, he could not wait for our return and had to find another way to purchase the tickets, which he did, and they left before we could see them to say goodbye.
In June, I wrote to see how they were doing. He replied “We are doing very good sir. God has been our strength and shelter.” We are grateful that God has watched over them and provided for them, even at a time when we were unable to do so.

05/02/2023

Day 19 (01) Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

While on this trip, we received a call from a fellow missionary who needed a place to stay, so we made arrangements for him and those traveling with him to stay in our home. Several weeks later, we would meet up with someone who stayed at our home while we were gone. They thanked us for our hospitality and told us they were glad they could finally meet us personally.

05/02/2023

Day 19 (02) Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

On our way back home from Szczecinek, we stopped off to pick up Carol Lynn’s sister Mary who had decided to come back and help us for a second time. We are grateful for her assistance and for her company as we continued to work through the emotions of all that has been going on around us.
Since we have been receiving less calls for refugees to stay overnight, we agreed to allow another Pioneers missionary, who serves in Budapest, to stay with us as he was renewing his visa.
Although we would still get occasional calls for refugees and other missionaries to stay in our home, it is clear that this stage of our Ukrainian ministry is coming to an end. Overall, we had over 150 people stay in our home or in our church over a three month period. It was amazing to see all that God had done during that time.

04/02/2023

Day 20 (01) Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary
In three weeks’ time, we will mourn the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. With that day coming, we would love to catch everyone up on what God has been doing since our last post ten months ago. So, each day, we will post some of our memories of what happened since then. We cannot thank all of you so much for your support and prayers over all this time. We could not have survived without you!

04/02/2023

Day 20 (02) Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

April marked a change in the refugee situation here in Rzeszów. Most of the organizations we were working alongside of had removed all of their people and families from Ukraine and the need for an overnight transit station almost completely dried up. This allowed us to plan a trip over the Easter holiday to go visit the family we helped to find a home for earlier this month. So, we took the van and traveled to Szczecinek so that we could visit them and also see who else we could help while we were there.
A family of believers in the town of Borne Sulinowo, about a half hour from Szczecinek, owned a small hotel, and they opened it up as a home for Ukrainian families. Our friends were given a place there.
We arrived in time to attend a joint church Good Friday Service held by the church in Borne, and since we did not let them know that we were coming, it was fun surprising our friends there. After the service, the woman who owned the hotel took us over to meet our Ukrainian refugee friends. It was good to see them, and the grandmother was much more animated, and seemed to be doing much better, so we were convinced that it was a good move for them. After talking with them for several hours, we agreed to return in the morning to take them shopping for whatever they needed.

04/02/2023

Day 20 (03) Countdown to an Infamous Anniversary

In the morning, we received several calls that changed our plans for the day. First, our Ukrainian friends contacted us and warned us that their kids had gotten sick in the night, so they would not be able to meet with us. Then, we heard from a member from the Pentecostal church, that they wanted us to take something into Ukraine for them and then the head elder from the Szczecinek Baptist church that there were three Ukrainian refugee families staying in the church who could use help. We went there and picked up a member from each family and took them to a local grocery store so they could get what they needed. When we returned to the church, we discovered that many of the family members were in need of shoes, so we took all of them to a local mall where they were able to buy shoes. All of this was possible because of the donations that people had made.
Later on, we found out that all the regional Department of Forestry offices in Poland collected their coats, boots, and other clothing items to be sent to those civilians who were serving on the front line. The donation from the Department of Forestry in the area where Szczecinek is located did not make the truck, so they asked us to take it and see if we could get someone to pass it all on. Their donations filled the back half of our van.

01/05/2022

Apr 09 (05) -
While on the tour of the refugee center, we came across a couple, with a little child, staying there. The wife is Ukrainian and her husband is a medical student from Africa. Just before the war began, he had turned in his documents, including his passport, to renew his Ukrainian visa. This meant that they had to flee Ukraine without his proper documents, which was making it difficult for them to work out visas to where they wanted to go to be with family.
As we talked to this couple, it became clear that he was a believer, and he asked us about our church, so we invited them to join us the next day, Palm Sunday, and that we would pick them up on our way there.

Adres

Rzeszów

Strona Internetowa

Ostrzeżenia

Bądź na bieżąco i daj nam wysłać e-mail, gdy Helping Ukrainian Refugees umieści wiadomości i promocje. Twój adres e-mail nie zostanie wykorzystany do żadnego innego celu i możesz zrezygnować z subskrypcji w dowolnym momencie.

Skróty

Udostępnij