All donations to the church’s Help Ukraine are sent directly to partnering churches there.
“From what we have heard the churches have gotten a reputation of where the people can find help,” Soro said. “When the government doesn’t have the resources, it’s like, ‘go to this church; they can help you.’”
While the war has scattered more than 400 Ukrainian Baptist churches, others are still serving as the war allows. Churches still active are growing in members and are more on mission than ever, he said.
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“Pastors are becoming chaplains. Things have changed in what they’re doing, but their mission is the same,” Soro said. Through churches, “refugees are finding a place to stay. They’re finding food, clothing, and all the stuff they need as they’re escaping the war.”
First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church is especially thankful for God’s protection and provision during the war, Soro said.
“We’re just thankful for the little things these days, the fact that we can be living and breathing, and be in this country and safe,” he said, “those are the things we’re thankful for.”
Soro is thankful for the support of fellow believers and encourages Southern Baptists to continue praying for Ukraine, as conditions have not improved there.
“Some of the pastors are being taken … and sometimes never seen again,” he said. “Don’t’ forget. Just hearing from the direct lines of communication we have, it has not gotten much better. Even though the news says we’ve started to get back some territory and all of that, which is good news, but it’s definitely not over and the people there need our support.
“The churches continue to be working and preaching and spreading the Gospel even in these times, which is probably more necessary than ever, giving people the true peace that they’re looking for, which is Jesus Christ,” Soro said. “They continue to work and they continue to need our support.”
This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.
