For over a year, parts of Eastern Ukraine have been a war zo ne due to “Russian-backed rebels” in the area. Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed since this all started. Thousands more have been displaced from their homes and becoming refugees in other cities in Ukraine. And thousands still remain in the war-zone areas. Stories of dozens of people crammed into a basement for days or weeks on end have been heard from friends and ministries working in those areas. Most people stuck in these dangerous areas don’t have access to banks, food, water or heat.
A man named Taras, originally from western Ukraine, is living in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine as a missionary and pastor. From what we’ve been told, he is one of the only missionaries that has stayed in that area with all of the danger there. He has been leading groups into these dangerous cities and villages without food, bringing bread and whatever else he can to the families, children, elderly. Looking at his Facebook posts, he has tons of stories and pictures showing anywhere from 100 to 500 people lined up waiting for what is often a life-saving loaf of bread.
We are so blessed by our local church in Sumy and their heart for their country. Our pastor, Valentyn, went to Bible school with Taras and has known him for years. With their own minimal finances, the church in Sumy has been working themselves, and supporting the work of other Ukrainian churches, helping refugees and those trapped in the war zones of Ukraine. So in partnership with our church in Sumy, we want to help support the work of Taras and his church in feeding the hungry and desperate people of eastern Ukraine. Their biggest need is simply money to help purchase the food and supplies. Please use the PayPal link below to donate specifically towards this fund. And if you’d like to give by writing a check, please include a note indicating that you’d like to support this fund.
Please continue to keep the country of Ukraine in your prayers.