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Channeling support through Vitalii & Liudmyla

12/3/2022

EMF’s Vitalii Mariash had tried to get back into Kyiv, where he co-pastors a church and is Dean of Studies at Kyiv Theological studies. Instead, he has been obliged to stay in the south-western city of Chernivtsi, where his wife Liudmyla had already taken refuge with their children Marianna and Mark. He is a trusted ‘assessor on the ground’, and has recommended that some of our appeal funds should flow to 4 particular needs.

Building a network

Vitalii is helping us direct support via the following:

  1. Through the Irpin Bible Church - an Evangelical church in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv. This place was heavily attacked in the past week (remember the folk avoiding shells as they crossed the river on planks? There are many believers in this town, and you may have heard the story of Anatoly, a Christian killed while helping others escape. https://www.christianitytoday.com/.../irpin-ukraine...  ): for petrol, and for renting cars and mini-buses to get people out, as well as for medicine, pillows, and mattresses. The pastor is Vitalii’s colleague at the seminary.
  2. Through an Evangelical church in Kyiv; the pastor is a graduate of the Kyiv (KTS) seminary: for delivery of medicine and food to elderly and disabled people.
  3. An Evangelical Church in Chernivtsi ( the city where the Mariash family are based); again, the pastor is a KTS graduate: for their refugee shelter, which presently holds 30 people, but which is being doubled in size.
  4. Vitalii and Liudmyla Mariash themselves … Vitalii explains … ’Our help is more personal – we help directly to families (not only here in Chernivtsi – throughout all Ukraine) whom we know or our friends know. By now more than 30 families were helped with EMF money through us – and every day opens new possibilities to transfer our money and love to those people in need.’

People under this kind of pressure spend more time on their phone sorting out problems than taking photos, so no new pictures available yet. We will post these as we get them, however.

Prayer Points

Please pray:

  1. Pray for wisdom for how to distribute resources effectively to those who can make best use of them.
  2. Pray for Vitalii and Liudmyla, for their safety and health as a family, and that they can be effective in helping other Christians in Ukraine.
  3. Pray for the churches in Irpin. Kyiv, and Chernitsvi, as they seek to help people suffering in the conflict.