The Illinois-based Slavic Gospel Association is reportedly leading efforts to help Ukrainians displaced by the Russian invasion get through with food supply and temporary shelter.
The Christian Post reported that the Slavic Gospel Association is supporting church-driven emergency efforts for Ukraine's vulnerable adults and children, particularly the elderly, the abandoned, women, and orphans. The association has been providing them with their needed food, medicines, blankets, and winter clothes in various housing locations since Russia invaded Ukraine four days ago.
"We have a very urgent situation, I beg you to understand, we are again sitting in the basement with children under the howl of sirens. I don't know how it will be tomorrow, we got groceries and we are distributing them," SGA quoted a Ukrainian pastor they are supporting.
From an SGA-supported pastor in Ukraine: "We have a very urgent situation, I beg you to understand, we are again sitting in the basement with children under the howl of sirens. I don't know how it will be tomorrow, we got groceries and we are distributing them." pic.twitter.com/lfULvQLhtv
"” Slavic Gospel (@SlavicGospel) February 26, 2022
The SGA announced in its website that it is reaching out to help pastors and people in the Ukraine war. They also launched an Emergency Ukraine Refugee Relief to support their undertaking while asking for prayers for those ravaged by the Russian invasion. The association said in a statement that 5 million Ukrainians are fleeing the war to neutral territory carrying technically nothing but themselves.
SGA disclosed that pastors from various churches address their respective communities' needs with whatever resources they have. The association highlighted that pastors from Ukraine's Chernigrov, Odessa, Sumy, and Dnepr regions are asking for prayers of protection, wisdom, and for the various needs of their communities in the midst of the invasion.
"Thankfully, CHRISTIANS from evangelical churches in the region have organized to provide bags of groceries...Winter Warmth packages with blankets and clothes...and Family Survival Kits. AND refugees receive the love and Gospel of Christ!" SGA revealed.
As of Friday, SGA Ministry Operations Vice President Eric Mock said that aid has already been transferred to people in 40 partner churches within the Donbas region. Mock also said in a separate statement that local churches are very aggressive in providing assistance to the those displaced by the unexpected war. Mock stressed the bravery of local churches to reach out to those in need.
"While others are fleeing, local churches are engaging, (local churches) provide food, winter clothes, blankets and medicines for thousands of at-risk people, including orphans, abandoned children with special needs, the elderly, those uprooted by the conflict, and marginalized ethnic groups. (They are bravely rushing to help those in need right now. They're unstoppable in the face of this crisis," Mock said.
Supporting the Providing aid as well alongside the SGA are World Help and Samaritan's Purse. Disaster Response Specialists along with relief items were dispatched by Samaritan's Purse on Saturday to Poland and Romania to help displaced Ukrainians who have fled from the Russian army.
Samaritan's Purse President Franklin Graham told WBTV on Saturday that they will also be constructing several field hospitals in Poland and Romania to treat Ukrainians traumatized by the event. The field hospitals will provide general and orthopedic surgery and will be equipped with an intensive care unit, among other medical services.
World Help, on the other hand, has released emergency essentials for 1,000 Ukrainians through local Christian churches and nonprofit organizations. World Help International Partnerships Director Kraig Cole urged Americans to help by sending whatever they can to help in the survival of those fleeing what is now becoming a true warzone.
