Taking the gospel to every community, meeting their material needs and equipping Ukrainians for a brighter future.

The greatest need at the moment is food

Says Pastor Dima who is heading up the ministry in Kadna Gora. Many people in the villages no longer have an income. Some are those displaced from their homes and in a totally new place. Some are pensioners who are no longer able to claim their pension due to lack of transportation links. Many have lost their jobs due to the war. Some are still working but can no longer afford everything that they need because food prices have risen so much.
Pastor Dima has developed a relationship with the owners of the wholesale food market in the nearby city. He phones and asks what is available, and the team there set it aside for him to come and buy. He drives and fills up his car with as much ashe can fit in. He does this three times a week. He then takes all this food to the church in Kadena Gora where his team of volunteers sort it and distribute it to anyone who drops in or phones for help. In this way, Pastor Dima estimates they have been able to support twenty other churches this week.

In Cherkasy, Pastor Oleg asks us to pray for the church. They are continuing to serve not only displaced people who come in to the city, but also those who are facing poverty and hunger in their home town. As a church they continue to meet together in small groups to pray and encourage one another. Pastor Oleg writes:

"Please pray for the church, for many have left.  A little more than half of us remain. 
There are difficulties in renting premises and ministry leaders.  Many who are here
think of leaving in fear of a war that may come to our doors."

In the village of Denghi the church has come together to serve the villagers, and those displaced and newly arrived. They have opened the church to welcome new arrivals and bless them in any way they can. Here are some words from one person who came to the Sunday service this week.

"I am sure that God allowed us to come here to get into the church and change our lives."

This week we have been able to support a church group in Irpin, a town just North-west of Kyiv which you may have seen on the news last week being terribly and ruthlessly bombed. Our friends in Irpin Bible Church have established a network of evacuation vehicles and at last count had evacuated 3000 people. They have also purchased a couple of vehicles to opperate as mobile petrol stations, taking fuel into the conflict zones to help fuel up cars of those evacuating others. This is an essential work as fuel is incredibly expensive and difficult to come by, but it is also a very dangerous vehicle to be driving in a conflict zone.

Send a message to Ukraine

Through this awful time we have been reminded, as I am sure many of you have, of the importance of staying in touch. Praise God that we have the technology today that allows us to do this even when we cannot meet face to face. It would be a huge blessing to our friends in Ukraine if you could send a short video to encourage them and assure them of your prayers. Send it to info@ucm.org.uk or reply to this e-mail, and we will translate it all into Ukrainian for them.

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