Greetings, Ignite Family!
It started with a text message a couple of weeks ago to the effect of... "I have a friend with donors who'd like to send a shipping container with sports gear to help with relief for Ukrainian refugees. They'd like to assist Kingdom-focused partners to use sports for trauma release, evangelism, and discipleship. You're my go-to - who are your people?"
In a brief initial conversation with my friend who cannot travel at this time, I threw out a sentence (half in jest, if I'm being honest) "Shoot, I'd go and help make sure it gets where it needs to go...." And, Friends, you should know that with some people if you say it, it's a done deal. SO, off to Europe I shall go and have been helping to mobilize a collaborative effort that includes churches, communities, sports ministries, athletes, coaches, etc. The shipment is expected to arrive at a port in Croatia, but will potentially extend to reach Poland, Moldova, Turkey, and possibly directly into Ukraine.
The objective is two-fold: To provide immediate respite through sports for refugees who have arrived in Croatia, to provide gear to other sports ministry partners with expansive work across Europe, and to train local churches and communities with sports concepts parallelling Discipleship, along with crisis training and intercultural intelligence certification, etc. in anticipation of an increased influx of refugees.
You've heard me say or have seen me write - "presence over presents". It goes back to my third visit to Beslan, Russia in 2008 (the solo trip). I was training some sports activities for School #5 with application to life skills. Their PE Coach showed me a community playground donated by a well-meaning nation as a humanitarian gesture. Its intent was to provide space for constructive release in the healing process after the brutal attack of 2004 (if you don't know it, Google "Beslan Tragedy"). While appreciative of the gesture, the coach said something I'll never forget. "It was nice but the reality is, every time we play on this playground we feel like we are running on the souls of our dead children. They gave us money, they gave us stuff.......but you came. You are here."
I've heard that so often. Presence. Nothing can replace it. We must go - not as tourists, nor as bearers of material presents (though we need "gifts" and givers to even make it possible), but as carriers of the presence of Hope.
SO - July 16-30 Ignite International has been asked to take a lead role in not only receiving the shipment of equipment but also as part of a collaborative multi-faceted effort to prepare a community of churches and ministries in Croatia to provide relief for refugees. We all know Poland cannot sustain the load on its own. The immediate density of refugees in Poland will inevitably dissipate across Europe. This ministry we have been asked to collaborate with is positioned in Croatia and is already, currently providing shelter and crisis relief for several Ukrainian families.
Please prayerfully take action and join us in this effort!
With our thanks always - more below!!!
Judy
