Let me tell one last story about our time in the Ukraine 31 years ago, which I think speaks to what is going on right now. After a powerful church service in which many had come to Christ, we sat in the church basement enjoying a wonderful Ukrainian meal. Suddenly the door opened and in walked a young man, weary from long travel. As his story unfolded, we learned he was from a remote part of Siberia, where his church had heard that Bibles had come into Ukraine, somewhere near the city of Kiev. His church had laid hands on him and sent him as their ambassador in search for Bibles.
This young man, a Siberian Russian, had traveled seven days on boat from his village—where the only land travel is by dog sled—to the nearest city with an airport. From there he traveled by plane, train, and bus in search of Bibles, but after traveling 2,600 miles he still had none to take home with him. The Lord led him to the Ukrainian church where we had just shared.
The brothers of this church were moved by his story, and promised to give him a suitcase full of their precious Bibles, which we had brought to them, to take back to his people. Steve and I were thrilled to know that this young man, our brother in Jesus, was headed back to cover that 2,600 miles again, bringing Bibles to his church! The moral of the story? A Russian from Siberia found Bibles in the Ukraine, brought in from France by a Canadian (Bill) and two Americans. This is the body of Christ. Nothing—not even a war started by a godless madman—should divide the body of Christ in Ukraine, Russia, America, or anywhere else.
How and Where to Give Financially to Help Those Suffering in Ukraine
If you prefer to designate your funds to EPM so we can determine where to send them, as always 100% of the monies designated will go to them. EPM will not keep a dime. If you simply put Ukraine on the memo line of your check, we will send the funds entirely to ministries such as those below, which we know to be Jesus-centered and committed to sharing both the gospel and whatever help they are able to give. Or if you give online, select “Relief Fund,” and through March 31, we will give everything from that fund to ministries working in Ukraine.
Below are the first five ministries EPM has given to since the invasion of the Ukraine three days ago. We believe in each of them, but there will certainly be many other worthy ministries that we will also recommend and some of which we will support. I’m giving contact info in case you wish to support one or more of these.
In the initial days since the invasion of Ukraine, EPM has sent $26,000 to five different organizations at work there, $16,000 from our general fund plus one special fund gift of $10,000. These ministries are quite different; a few are large, some are much smaller, but they have in common big hearts for God and for people, and they believe God’s Word. Their works complement and supplement each other. These ministries each believe in meeting both physical needs and spiritual needs, not one instead of the other. Here are those five ministries, and again we realize there are many other good ones as well:
Water Mission
Water Mission, a vital ministry EPM loves and supports (see our recent blog), has sent Disaster Assistance Response (DART) teams to Poland and Moldova, which border Ukraine, to assess the needs and implement their response to provide urgent water, sanitation, and hygiene to refugees from Ukraine fleeing the war.
These will primarily be women and children since the Ukrainian government is banning all male citizens ages 18-60 from leaving the country, so they may join in the armed resistance.
See watermission.org
Cru/Unto
They say the following:
Cru® has over 120 national staff members in Ukraine right now, some with small children. Some families have moved closer to neighboring borders. Others have left the country. Still others have decided to stay and continue ministry. …Some families have been separated as the husband has been called up for military service. As you might imagine, being uprooted and fleeing an active conflict is expensive.
We are raising emergency funds to relocate and house Ukrainian missionary families. As we don’t know how long this crisis will last, finding safe housing for the coming months is absolutely critical.
