Ukraine: News and Gratitude From the Front Lines
With a matching grant of $10,000 from district-wide Ukraine Relief contributions to Converge Heartland, Converge Church in Omaha recently sent $22,800 to support the regional ministries and ministers of their sister church in Ananev, Ukraine! Pastor Alexander Yakimenko writes...
"I am grateful to God to every soul that contributed and donated for our needs, for the needs of the church, for the refugees, for our ministers, and for our families. All the brothers of our council convey to you great gratitude and appreciation for this mercy and sensitivity. Please pray for further wisdom and consistency for us in this distribution process as distribution of aid to the poor continues.
Because of community announcements and our growing reputation, everyone knows to come to our church for assistance. Dozens of displaced people daily come to our church for food and assistance and many attend our church services. In all, we have served over 1,000 refugees in our small community of Ananyev. In addition, a new humanitarian aid category has been added in Ukraine, namely the care of widows and families of those who have died. This includes all of the widows and families affected since Ukraine's first conflict with Russia in 2014. In addition to serving our eight, local, war-widows, we are helping 20 more displaced war-widow families who have lost their spouses and fathers to sickness since arriving in our town.
Though we do not require church attendance before providing assistance, some of the refugees choose to attend our church gatherings. We desire to show the love of God through care and personal attention. Regarding the sacrifice that God requires of us, it is written in Isaiah, 'Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?... if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.' (Isaiah 58:7,10 ESV)
Even though official reports are full of optimism, the news from the war front and from other regions is alarming. We do not lose heart, knowing that the Lord has allowed this test. His hand will stop all this at a certain time. So our faith is not in the victory of the army, but in God's mercy and strength.
Please send our sincere regards and thanks to all our brothers and sisters in Christ."
Pastor Alexander Yakimenko
Pastor of the Evangelical Baptist Church (House of Prayer) in Ananyev, Ukraine
June 28, 2022