We can only give the initials of those receiving help, for privacy reasons, and this is just a tiny but representative selection of the dozens of cases that we could cite. Remember that these people have left behind all that they have and have fled with little more than a small bag of essential belongings. They need shelter, food, essential medicine and toiletries, transportation, help with communicating with distant loved ones, and a warm, reassuring feeling of safety after traumatic days in the cities that are being pounded on a daily basis. Vitalii is Dean of Studies at Kyiv Theological Seminary, and co-pastors a church there. At the moment he and Liudmyla have to be relief workers, around the clock, hundreds of miles away from their home in Kyiv. He is pastoring a new congregation. Not everyone helped is a Christian, of course. May this witness of love touch hearts and make them more open to the Gospel!
So, just a very few examples of those being helped, but they give a profile of the situation, assisting us to pray for all concerned:
• ‘A’ and ‘Y’ – this couple (both of them) have cancer and have needed help to get tests and medicine and food, apart from a new telephone to replace a broken one. Having a working phone is no luxury in Ukraine at the moment.
• A Christian family from Kyiv; ‘N’ and ‘S’ – the husband is disabled, and they have 3 children.
• ‘B’ and ‘J’ and baby (6 months) – B usually studies at the Kyiv Theological Seminary. They had no money left to buy supplies for them or the baby.
• ‘O’ – he had recent heart surgery and fled to safety with wife’ L’ and two friends.
Vitalii and Liudmyla are also channeling funds to Christians who remain in Kyiv, Kharkiv, etc., who have no means at all at the moment, or to those who are still going out into the community to take aid to the housebound (not everyone can reach a shelter) and who are transporting refugees out to safer areas, risking their own safety as they do so.
