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ORH Director, Daniel Jones, traveled with Derek Thomas to Ukraine in the latter half of September to observe relief efforts which ORH helps to support. The Lord gave protection for the very profitable trip.
The first area visited was the Lutsk refugee camp, which houses approximately one hundred from the Kharkiv area. The camp is a distribution hub for humanitarian relief. Lutsk in northwestern Ukraine is not currently under attack. Daniel Jones preached in the Sunday morning camp service and fellowshipped with many of the people.
The refugees assist camp staff to organize and pack the humanitarian relief for distribution. Five metric tons of relief can be loaded onto a box truck for delivery to needy areas in Eastern Ukraine.
To observe deliveries, it was necessary to travel to sites in Eastern Ukraine where pastors distribute the relief. Several sites were visited in the Kharkiv region including the recently liberated Izium. In Izium, the destruction from the war was significant; and approximately, seventeen thousand people are without water, electricity, or heat.
The only Baptist church in the city was destroyed by a Russian missile attack. Clearly, there is much evidence of the war's destruction. The people wept as they gathered in the street to hear the music and preaching. It was a joy to meet many pastors helped through the support of ORH to its partners. These faithful pastors have continued to preach the gospel although under siege.
The continuous message was “our churches have lost many people who have had to relocate, but the church is packed with new people.” The pastors reported that there is an open door, unlike anything they have experienced, to reach people with the gospel.
Many were helped with medicine and relief aid, and hundreds heard the gospel with several making professions of faith. Villages in the area are also having weekly Bible studies which could become new churches.
After several days in the Kharkiv area, the team traveled back to Kyiv to meet with health officials. Daniel Jones preached in a Sunday service literally shoulder-to-shoulder with people, even some standing outside. Most were unbelievers.
Pray for the work in Ukraine. The Lord is using the humanitarian relief efforts as a platform for the churches to proclaim the gospel, and ORH will continue, by faith, to partner with God’s faithful servants. ORH gladly reports that your prayers and financial support are a great blessing to the people of Ukraine. Thank you to the many who pray and give.
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