Refugees

From Protest to Embrace: One Church’s Role in Welcoming Refugees

aheckman — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:08:32 +0000

From Protest to Embrace: One Church’s Role in Welcoming Refugees aheckman Fri, 10/24/2025 - 18:08

From Protest to Embrace: One Church’s Role in Welcoming Refugees

October 24, 2025

In May 2024, the arrival of refugees in rural Ireland did not go unnoticed. Tent shelters appeared almost overnight, and with them came a wave of uncertainty—questions about safety, identity, and what this change might mean for the community. As protests grew louder and tensions rose, members of a small local church found themselves confronting a deeper question: if people seeking refuge showed up at their door, how would they respond?

In 2023 and 2024, Ireland was experiencing one of the largest increases in legally recognized refugees and asylum seekers in its modern history. Thousands of men, women, and children arrived through official processes, fleeing conflict and persecution, and entered a system already strained by limited housing and support services. It was amid this growing humanitarian crisis that one Church of the Nazarene in Ireland opened its doors to newly arriving refugees so they could socialize, learn English, and integrate into life in their new country.

“My father always told me, ‘If ever you are in trouble in life, find a church, and they will help you,’” said Sofiane, a Palestinian man seeking safety in Ireland who attended English classes at the Nazarene church.

There were many residents in the area who welcomed the refugees and were delighted to have a chance to connect with them but did not know how to help. The Church of the Nazarene began to connect closely with others in the community who wanted to support these new neighbors—joining hands to respond together.

A few weeks after the tent shelter opened, the church became the main location for English classes. Due to the daily protests, the church organized buses every Monday and Wednesday to transport people safely to the class. While the church hosted the classes, the teachers and volunteers came from throughout the community.

“I was a little bit scared from the protesters,” said Anas, a young man from Gaza. “When we started going to the church and seeing Irish people in the church, we met good people and a good community. It was going better and better. We started to feel safe, because we found people in the church that love us and care about us.”

The classes paved the way for deep friendships to grow. “Learning their names, their stories, their likes and dislikes, and what they are good at—it was a joy to be able to be in a relationship with them,” said Rachel, a volunteer. “I have made a few lifelong friendships from that group, and that has been priceless.”

The church became a hub for language classes and the collection of material donations such as clothes, toiletries, and blankets. In addition, the local government’s integration team—responsible for helping refugees settle in Ireland—began to operate from an office at the church for one-on-one sessions with the men to connect them to services available to them, such as health care, education, and work permits.

The tent shelter became a temporary home to people from all over the world—Palestinians, Afghans, Somalis, Nigerians, and Sudanese. A number of men from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) were there, including Muzi, who was born in the Nazarene hospital there.

“I must say in those days, Ireland had begun to feel like home; I really enjoyed studying the Bible with people who actually show the heart of Christ,” said Muzi, who began to attend a weekly home group at the Nazarene pastor’s house near the tent shelter.

Over the course of the year, the church had developed a reputation for being a place that cared for refugees.

“Our life as a church has been enriched by the whole experience,” said Rev. Tim Bowen-Evans. “To welcome the stranger is part of the fabric of Christian life. To work hand in hand with others in the community and practice compassion together has been incredible. We can do so much more when we partner with others.”

Volunteers and pastoral staff at the church

“We take seriously Christ's command to welcome the stranger, especially when they are the recipients of hostility and violence for simply seeking refuge,” said Rev. Luke Carrig, one of the other pastors of the church. “The English classes, hosted at our church, provided safety and friendship and the mutual blessing of learning from each other—it was a joy! In welcoming them, we were, in fact, welcoming Christ.”

When asked about coming to church for the first time, Anas explained, “you feel completely that you are with your family. You are home.” That had been the church’s dream all along: that these men, who had traveled thousands of miles in dangerous conditions, would feel loved and embraced—that they would indeed feel like they were home.

Story adapted from the most recent issue of NCM Magazine. Read more stories of hope here.

Ireland

Eurasia

Refugee and Immigrant Support

Refugee Support

Refugees

From the Magazine

Ministry in Action: Creative Compassion in Jordan

aheckman — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 04:22:36 +0000

Ministry in Action: Creative Compassion in Jordan aheckman Sat, 09/06/2025 - 04:22

Ministry in Action: Creative Compassion in Jordan

SEPTEMBER 5, 2025 ~ AMY HECKMAN

In Jordan, several churches are meeting community needs through creative and compassionate ministry.

GARDENS CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

Gardens Church of the Nazarene hosts a thriving compassion center—a welcoming place where young adults from the church volunteer to serve anyone in need. The center offers job-skills training, language classes, small-business support, and children’s activities. Each program helps participants gain confidence and open doors to greater e

Refugee families, people seeking employment, and those experiencing hardship all find support at the center. The Eastern Mediterranean Field NCM Coordinator shared how two brothers who first joined the center’s programs later chose to give back. After completing barbering courses at the center, they opened their own barbershop and began offering free services to others.

“You always offer us useful and free programs and activities. We want to provide free barber services,” they told the team.

~~~

Omar* is 31 years old. He and his family fled Iraq as refugees in 2021.

“I was forced to leave everything behind in search of a safe life for myself and my family,” he explained.

Omar and his family found help at Gardens Church.

When they arrived in Jordan, Omar discovered the compassion center and enrolled in the barbering course. For him, this was more than a practical skill—it was a lifeline.

“What I found at the center went beyond education,” he said. “It gave me tremendous moral and psychological support, helping me get back on my feet despite the harsh challenges.”

Today, Omar's young daughter attends children’s classes at the center, giving the entire family a sense of belonging and stability.

“In all of this, I find solace in the Lord’s promise: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble,” he shared. “I pray the Lord will open a path for us and lead us to a future where we live in peace and dignity.”

~~~

Hana*, 64 years old, also found hope through the center after finding herself a refugee.

“We came to Jordan after my husband was subjected to an attempted murder, and my daughter and I faced a terrifying kidnapping,” she shared. “We left our homeland filled with fear and uncertainty, but we never lost hope that God was with us on the journey.”

Hana attended classes at Gardens Church.

In Jordan, Hana learned about the center through her church.

“It was a door of grace at a time when we desperately needed support,” she shared. “We participated in English classes, and the education and support the center provided were free—a sign of God’s love and mercy in the midst of our exile.”

Even with this support, life was not easy.

“We faced significant challenges, most notably the high cost of living and the lack of job opportunities, which placed psychological and financial pressure on us as a refugee family,” she said.

What keeps Hana hopeful is her dream for the future.

“We pray that the Lord will open the doors of mercy for us and guide our steps toward a new life of hope and healing,” she expressed. “In the midst of all this pain and hope, we find our comfort and strength in the Word of God: The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

The field coordinator reflects on the ongoing impact:

“The center remains a place where Christ’s love is translated into action. We pray its influence will continue to transform lives and fulfill the Gospel’s mission through work and service.”

IRBID CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

Another congregation, Irbid Church of the Nazarene, is serving young people through a vibrant youth and young adult club, supported by Nazarene Compassionate Ministries. Born out of the church’s desire to deepen ministry to this age group, the club offers a safe space for teenagers and young adults to connect, worship, study, watch football, and share meals together.

Young adults at Irbid Church.

Small groups at Irbid Church provide social connection and spiritual support.

Throughout the week, small groups for men, women, junior youth, and university students meet for spiritual nurture and support. The club is open seven days a week, and many activities are organized and led by the church’s own young adults.

“The club provides a quiet and safe place, internet service, and even academic assistance for students in Arabic and English through volunteer tutors,” explained a project leader.

Looking ahead, the church plans to expand their language classes to include local refugees and those outside the Christian community.

“Irbid Church of the Nazarene is perfectly positioned to offer these practical services,” said the leader. “Families in our congregation need this support, and we want to share it with the entire community.”

Members of a Global Care Force team visiting Irbid Church.

Beyond the youth club, Irbid Church has long supported those in need by distributing food packages, clothing, fuel coupons, blankets, and school supplies. Recently, the congregation partnered with Global Care Force to host a medical outreach, providing care to 223 people during a pop-up clinic.

Free medical care at Irbid Church through Global Care Force.

This is the Church at work in Jordan—meeting practical needs, creating spaces of hope, and showing Christ’s love in tangible ways.

*Names are changed for protection.

Jordan

Middle East

children and youth

Refugee and Immigrant Support

Refugee Support

Refugees

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From Crisis to Care: Churches Stand with Displaced Families

aheckman — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 23:06:27 +0000

From Crisis to Care: Churches Stand with Displaced Families aheckman Fri, 08/15/2025 - 23:06

From Crisis to Care: Churches Stand with Displaced Families

AUGUST 15, 2025 ~ AMY HECKMAN

Since the start of 2025, more than 70,000 people have fled the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into Burundi to escape ongoing conflict.

“Some have traveled from as far as Goma, hundreds of kilometers to the north—another devastating example of repeated displacement in the East Africa region,” said a Nazarene Compassionate Ministries leader in Burundi.

Those who can’t find space in refugee camps have sought shelter in schools, churches, stadiums, or open-air camps. Governmental and aid organizations cannot fully meet the need for food, healthcare, and shelter, leaving people already traumatized by war to face yet another crisis.

To help restore hope and protect the dignity of displaced people, local Nazarene churches and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Burundi prepared a compassionate response in Rugombo and Buganda. Before launching the project, a leadership team observed refugee shelters, held listening sessions, met with health professionals, and surveyed refugee households to understand these families' most significant needs. Their data showed that 98% of refugees in the area do not have enough to eat or enough essential supplies to survive.

The project leaders value focusing their efforts on helping the most vulnerable to survive and heal.

“We want to meet household needs and reduce the malnutrition of children, nursing mothers, and elderly people who have been affected the most,” explained one leader.

The project provides essential items (such as mosquito nets, water cans, and soap) and food packs (consisting of rice, beans, and cooking oil) to support refugee families. A recent distribution provided care for 375 people from 130 households. In addition, trained church volunteers are offering trauma and child protection training for leaders in the refugee community and raising awareness about avoiding cholera and other communicable diseases.

“Through this support, refugees were able to obtain nutritious food and other essential items they needed,” shared one volunteer. “They also received items to improve their living conditions, well-being, and dignity.”

Refugees who received aid have expressed gratitude to church volunteers for the support, including food and non-food items. However, they also highlighted ongoing challenges they face, such as insufficient food rations, limited access to healthcare, and the need for psychological support. Many—especially women and children—are struggling with inadequate living conditions and the trauma that comes with enduring conflict and displacement.

Florence, a widow with children, expressed appreciation for the gestures of solidarity provided by the church.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt considered since arriving [here],” she explained.

Many refugees, including women like Mapendo and Promesse, reported that food rations are insufficient and that they sometimes go days without eating.

“The support we got will help us to eat for some days,” they said.

Pascal emphasized the significant need for psychosocial support, particularly for women and children.

“We want to thank you for thinking about this,” he said.

Through these kinds of distributions, church leaders are certain they are faithfully representing Christ and his love. With each food pack or supply distributed, they aim to help displaced people heal, thrive, and live out their God-given potential. Some people impacted by the outreach have also begun attending local Nazarene churches.

“[The project] planted a seed of compassion,” said one volunteer. “There is always joy when you serve.”

Burundi

Africa

Refugees

Refugee and Immigrant Support

Emergency Relief

Between Borders: A Story of Displacement, Suffering, and Hope

aheckman — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 20:50:29 +0000

Between Borders: A Story of Displacement, Suffering, and Hope aheckman Thu, 01/23/2025 - 20:50

Between Borders: A Story of Displacement, Suffering, and Hope

On the set of her latest film Between Borders, actress Elizabeth Tabish (The Chosen, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) testifies before a judge. From the witness stand, her character recounts a humiliating experience as a refugee, forced to repeat the phrase that she was “quieter than water and lower than grass,” in order to secure a job. The actress’ eyes well up with tears, and not all are for show.

While filming the scene, Elizabeth looked off screen and into the face of her character’s real-life inspiration, Violetta Petrosyan.

“As I’m recounting this story,” Elizabeth reflects, “I was able to look at her and remember that this was a real story. This really happened to this woman, this wonderful, kind woman.”

“It was a little bit of a cheat for me as an actress,” she adds. “It was very easy to get emotional, because I was sitting right across from the person that this happened to. It was a very special moment.”

Between Borders shares the harrowing tale of the Petrosyan family—Violetta, Ivan, and their two young daughters Julia and Olga—as they flee violence in Azerbaijan in the late 1980s. In their search for safety and a sense of home, they meet Jesus in a budding Russian Church of the Nazarene.

When Connie and Lonnie Norris moved their family from the United States to Volgograd, Russia, in 1993 as volunteer Nazarene missionaries, they soon crossed paths with Violetta and Ivan, ardent atheists and exhausted parents trying to build a life for their family in yet another country. The couple skeptically visited a worship service after Violetta’s mother began attending a church planted by the Norrises. Initially, Violetta stopped by solely to listen to English, but found herself returning, drawn to the message of hope and healing found in Jesus.

“I always say that my life started when I accepted Jesus,” Violetta remembers. “Everything changed from that day.”

“I’d never seen joy that much on display,” says Violetta and Ivan’s daughter Olga, recalling her first encounter with believers as a child. “They actually wanted to know me,” she says, adding, that “it was such a big thing, to feel loved by people.”

“And then realizing why they’re so different than people just across the street—oh my, it’s Jesus. I want to know that Jesus,” she remembers thinking. “That’s why the hunger for Christ came, because I saw that.” Every Sunday after, the family returned, finding peace and warmth in a violent, unwelcoming world. “That was the place I ran, because I felt loved and accepted by others,” Olga says.

“People need each other,” adds Lonnie, who spent seven years planting churches with Connie in and around Volgograd. “Hospitality is one of the things that’s noted in the Bible that we crave. It’s an inner need. It also gives us an opportunity, in community, to work out the Scripture, interpret the Scripture, make it practical. It’s in community that we encourage one another.”

Community in Christ—the tragedy when it’s missing and the safety net it weaves—is a focal point of Between Borders.

“It is a story that reminds us to be good to each other, to love each other—especially those who are on the outside of society, or ‘othered’ or rejected,” Elizabeth says. “It’s a beautiful story of what can happen when you take care of each other.”

Through the eyes of the Petrosyans, Between Borders explores racism, displacement, and human suffering, as well as humility, hope, and trust. “It’s important to tell stories that represent complex issues that Christians should wrestle with,” says producer Isaac Norris—son of Connie and Lonnie. He also emphasizes the film’s deep Nazarene roots. “The Nazarene Church’s global mentality and focus on compassionate ministries are so evident throughout the film,” he says.

“God is active,” adds Lonnie, emphasizing that Violetta and Ivan’s journey is a powerful testimony to God’s unchanging nature. “He loves our displays of faith that ignite his power and true miracles,” Lonnie adds. “He remains very serious about establishing his Church.”

“I’m so grateful that this movie is coming into existence,” Violetta says. “It is telling our life story, which probably mirrors thousands of other life stories, and we are happy to be in all of it as a tool to bring that message of hope and love.”

“Telling stories through film is an approachable medium that can cast a wider net,” Isaac says. “Jesus told parables, and this is our way to stand on a hill in front of thousands of people and share the Gospel message through story.”

- Story originally shared by the Eurasia Region of the Church of the Nazarene

Find tickets to Between Borders here.

Refugee and Immigrant Support

Refugee Support

Refugees

Live Compassion

A Ministry of Presence at the Border

aheckman — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:57:10 +0000

A Ministry of Presence at the Border aheckman Wed, 03/08/2023 - 15:57

A Ministry of Presence at the Border

MARCH 8, 2023 · BY NMI STAFF

In Przemyśl, Poland, the global Church of the Nazarene has been responding since the onset of war in Ukraine.

When the war broke out, the first Nazarene responder at the Polish-Ukrainian border was a Syrian pastor, seeking ways to serve. Soon after, a team formed, putting out the call for volunteers to come and physically provide resources to the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their homes.

In Arizona, USA, Ukrainian Ira Petersen immediately knew that she needed to go.

“The help ‘path’ was kind of obvious,” Ira says. “Get as close as possible to Ukraine and Ukrainians. I couldn’t just sit and watch from the distance when I could actually do something.” Through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries’ presence at the border train station in Przemyśl, Poland, Ira says, “God showed the direction and opened the door.”

Since then, a steady stream of Nazarenes from Ireland, France, Bulgaria, England, the United States, South Africa, and beyond have flowed from their homes toward the tiny train station flooded with people in crisis. Students, families, professors, nurses, farmers, and pastors have all found a place to serve those fleeing the danger of war. Some haul suitcases up and down hundreds of flights of stairs, providing a moment of relief from a heavy burden. Some brew pot after pot of steaming tea, offering warmth within bitterly cold outdoor lines to passport control. Some sit and color with the littlest travelers, giving weary moms the chance to recharge a phone or repack a bag or simply rest in a chair.

Whatever their role, these Nazarene believers are answering the call to provide the ministry of presence in a moment of pain.

“This group of people had their safety and humanity taken from them,” says Caleb Sandlin, who lives in Missouri, USA. “I chose to volunteer on the border because I believe that’s what Christ would have done. I chose to volunteer on the border because I am a servant of Christ, and I refuse to not share the love of Christ with those in need.”

Matteo Ricciardi, of Italy, knew the call for volunteers was meant for his own ears. “I was moved by God to help,” Matteo says. “When we pray that God gives us ways to serve him and opportunities like these come to our attention, the response can only be to commit one’s strength, invest one’s time, and share grace.”

“Here at the border,” Ira says, smiling, “We have people that speak English with many accents, Ukrainian, Russian, and a lot of different languages. But,” she continues, “the language of love, language of care—anybody who cares and loves, they know that language and they could show it, they could share it.”

Shared from NMI Central. Subscribe to this weekly update here.

Ukraine

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Lebanon: Building Bridges and Building Hope

aheckman — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 22:41:36 +0000

Lebanon: Building Bridges and Building Hope aheckman Thu, 12/08/2022 - 22:41

Lebanon: Building Bridges and Building Hope

DECEMBER 8, 2022 · DANA FRANCHETTI

Since 2019, Lebanon has been caught in a devastating financial crisis. What was a difficult situation has gotten worse and worse, increasingly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 explosion, and the war in Ukraine. Now, basic items people need to survive cost dozens of times more than they used to.

In Beirut, the 2020 explosion left 300,000 people without homes, and the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria have brought over 1.5 million refugees into the country. Both events have created an extreme need for food, housing, and financial resources to help restore people’s standard of living in addition to bridge-building work between the different cultures that now call Lebanon home.

The Nazarene school in Lebanon has embraced the call to care for their community, including many people impacted by these crises, by providing education, support, stability, and community for around 350 children representing 14 different nationalities.

Marlene Mshantaf has worked at the school for 36 years, serving as principal for 32. Shortly after refugees from Syria began arriving in Lebanon, staff at the school noticed two school-aged children that lived in a neighboring home. The children spent their days sitting on the balcony of their home watching the students at school. After about a week of observing this, Mshantaf went to their home to see why they weren't in school.

She learned that the family were refugees from Syria and didn’t have the resources to send their children to school. In fact, they hadn’t been able to attend school for two full years. Mshantaf invited them to enroll in school free of charge, and this propelled the school to discover how to provide not only an excellent education for the children in their community but also reconciliation and hope.

Over time, the staff observed that there was tension in the school and in the community between Lebanese and Syrian individuals. To break down barriers, they began hosting weekly reconciliation meetings for the students. These meetings lasted for eight months.

“So, now you cannot see that students will say, Oh, you are a Syrian, you are a Sudanese, you are a Nigerian,” Mshantaf says. “No, they all play together. They’re all friends together ... and now it even impacts the families and the parents.” People involved with the reconciliation work have stopped seeing their neighbors as strangers from different countries. Now, they see them as friends who are working through this challenging time together.

Staff have been intentional about developing a curriculum to help facilitate this reconciliation, as well as cultivating a sense of community, safety, and dreaming big dreams for what God has for their lives. The curriculum at the school includes all the educational pieces you would expect, but it also includes education around safety and protection, leadership development, goal setting, and life skills.

“This will help us to achieve more with them and work more with them and help them feel that, yes, this is a safe place for them,” Mshantaf says.

When families struggle to meet basic needs, it can become nearly impossible for children to thrive in school. To help reduce the impact of the current economic crisis taking place in Lebanon, the school partners with local Nazarene churches to connect children with clinics and psychology professionals and provides food vouchers to families. Through mental health care and steady nutrition, children are overcoming the physical and emotional barriers they face. With this holistic approach to education challenges that would otherwise distract students from thriving in a school environment, students have found a place where they belong, and they are setting an example for their own families and the community beyond.

“We want the example of the school really to be the example of all the country. We want the people that we helped also to feel that we should be working with everybody. . . We should be hand in hand," says Mshantaf.

“We have a big dream that our graduates will be good people in society,” Mshantaf adds. “We want to help the people of the community and the students from our school become what they’re dreaming to be.”

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Reflections: The Border After Violence

aheckman — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 17:55:03 +0000

Reflections: The Border After Violence aheckman Thu, 10/13/2022 - 17:55

Reflections: The Border After Violence

OCTOBER 13, 2022 · TEANNA SUNBERG

Teanna Sunberg, a missionary with the Church of the Nazarene who serves, along with her husband Jay, as the Field Strategy Coordinator team in Central Europe, has been leading the Nazarene response to Ukrainian refugees at the Polish-Ukrainian border since the war in Ukraine started last February.

Tuesday, October 11. Przemyśl, Poland.

I’ve heard the following reports from our neighbors in Ukraine—

A Nazarene family watched and heard a rocket streak by their apartment building at 6:30 this morning. It detonated in the city center of Kyiv.
The daily train from Kyiv to Przemyśl, Poland, was significantly delayed. We’ve heard unconfirmed reports that it left the station just minutes before a rocket detonated.
We’ve also had unconfirmed reports of a medical team that left Ukraine by car just 30 minutes before the rockets hit Kyiv.

The line of people returning to Ukraine today is very short, as people are trying to avoid going back during a time of increased violence. We’ve also seen a significant increase in people bringing children, most babies and toddlers, out of Ukraine since Monday.

Our team of Nazarene volunteers at the border went in search of large teapots to be ready to give hot tea out to people. We suspect there might be large numbers of people arriving at the border in the next few days. However, just as possibly, people may shelter in place, resulting in lower numbers at the train station. Either way, volunteers with Courage for the Journey, the refugee ministry of NCM Polska, are there and serving.

I’ve spent parts of my day with young Ukrainians who do not want to be alone today. We are doing a lot of talking, trying to process questions for which none of us have any answers. The bombings today are triggers for many who lived through the invasion on February 24. This is significant trauma.

Even when the news cycle forgets to update about Ukraine, Iran, or North Africans seeking freedom, autonomy, and their voice—it doesn’t mean the war is over or that people are safe. In addition, even though the war in Ukraine might seem to be a long way away, the effects actually reach far beyond the country’s borders. These attacks targeted the Ukrainian energy grid, but the rest of the world is experiencing the effects in the form of food and energy availability.

Courage for the Journey relies on volunteers to care for travelers at the border. We have been sobered, encouraged, and touched by the number of volunteers who have asked if they can serve. These volunteers have ranged from ages 19 to 70 and have been a mix of Americans and Europeans, including people from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Croatia, and the United Kingdom. Most are lay people who volunteer for a few weeks, but some have served full-time for several months. Their ministry includes providing a safe space for women and children to rest, help securing train tickets, assistance carrying luggage, and providing food and water, and offering listening ears and spiritual support.

This team of volunteers, and those they are caring for, need your prayers.

Pray for peace. Our hope is in Christ.

Want to help with refugees at the border?

Volunteers are especially needed to serve in Przemyśl during the months of January and February—email tsunberg@eurasiaregion.org to learn more and apply.

Refugees

Refugee and Immigrant Support

Ukraine

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Worship on the Move

aheckman — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 17:25:42 +0000

Worship on the Move aheckman Thu, 08/25/2022 - 17:25

Worship on the Move

AUGUST 25, 2022 · CHET BUSH

Though the biblical narrative often depicts the community of God as a people on the move, believers living within the reality of displacement face challenges as worshipers when forced to leave their homes and communities. For the District Superintendent of Ukraine, Volodymyr Masyuk, and his partner in life and ministry, Sylvia Cortez Masyuk, displacement in the midst of war presents obstacles for gathering with the community of faith and brings them to contemplate the hope of Christian worship: Resurrection.

In the early days of the conflict, displaced church members connected with one another through video calls from bomb shelters. “We collectively had this sense that we have to gather and pray together,” says Sylvia. They met daily until the moment when a significant number of members were forced to evacuate the city. Distance from their home, their country, and their church evoked feelings of exile. “This war threatens to separate us,” says Sylvia. “We believe that worship is a time to collectively seek the Lord and to be re-membered to God and to one another.”

“Worship—in terms of gathering regularly, singing, listening to a sermon—all of that has changed and in many ways isn’t happening [the way it once did],” says Volodymyr. “But the ways we are learning to connect and give and receive from one another is really a beautiful thing and a new way of being re-membered to one another that will forever change us.”

For Easter, the ministry couple returned to Kyiv where they met with Ukrainian believers for a sunrise service in a public park. The annual gathering marked a thirty-year tradition. This year, however, the couple noted how differently they experienced the service. Venturing into public space before daylight a mere hour after the lifting of the morning curfew felt like a courageous, if not defiant, act of faith in the face of imperialism. This year, the Ukrainian Superintendent preached resurrection from Luke 24, noting more poignantly than ever that the risen Christ bore the wounds of violence when he presented himself to the disciples.

A compelling reminder of the audacity Christian hope holds for the church came for Volodymyr in a news story featuring Ukrainian farmers who persisted in sowing seed in their fields during a season of war. They may not have a home to return to, he recounts, but they sow believing that the future holds promise for new creation. “It moved me to tears,” says Volodymyr as he confirms a central tenet of the gospel: “Death and destruction and war are not the end.”

“In many ways, …Christ is still revealing himself to us, especially so now,” affirms the couple. “Our prayer is that we will recognize him in the weight of this darkness, and find hope in the resurrected, wounded Christ.”

The United Nations Refugee Agency estimates that the number of forcibly displaced people around the world exceeds 84 million. To learn more about ways Nazarenes are responding to the crisis of displacement, visit ncm.org/refugeeimmigrantsupport. To learn more about compassionate ministry in response to the crisis in eastern Europe, visit ncm.org/Ukraine-Crisis.

This article originally printed in Holiness Today, and is shared with permission.

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Moldovan Church Sacrificing to Support People Displaced from Ukraine

aheckman — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:59:15 +0000

Moldovan Church Sacrificing to Support People Displaced from Ukraine aheckman Wed, 03/23/2022 - 16:59

Moldovan Church Sacrificing to Support People Displaced from Ukraine

MARCH 17, 2022 · GINA GRATE POTTENGER

Sergey and Irina Talalay, who first entered Moldova in 2008 as pioneer church planters, are leading the Moldovan church in self-sacrificial support for Ukrainians who have been flooding across the border since February 24.

In the first two days of the invasion of Ukraine, Nazarenes in Moldova hosted 36 people. By March 16, the small group of Nazarenes had assisted 700 people. And, although they’re working around the clock to help, and some church families have even given up entire apartments to displaced families, the church has no plans to stop giving anytime soon.

Hands of help across nationalities

Like other Ukraine-border nations, Moldova is a meeting point for cross-national relationships. Sergey is from Ukraine and Irina is from Russia. Their two sons are Moldovans, having been born there during their church planting mission.

“Since I myself am from Ukraine, I have a lot of friends, relatives, contacts and acquaintances from the Church of the Nazarene and other churches there,” Sergey said. “And, in this regard, on the first day of the beginning of this terrible war, I began to receive a lot of requests for help to which I, my family and our church responded instantly and did everything they could and even more.”

Helping around the clock

The sudden flood of refugees requires an immersive response.

“For the first 10 days from the beginning of the war, my wife and I slept for a maximum of two hours a day, doing various kinds of assistance to Ukrainians fleeing the war,” he said.

At all hours of the day and night, Sergey and two other church members have been driving to different points along the Ukraine-Moldova border to pick up refugees and transport them to Chisinau, then work to find them temporary housing.

“From the first day, our people opened their houses to refugees; some even completely gave away their apartments after moving out to live with relatives. In the first week of the war, we managed to help more than 300 refugees from Ukraine.”

Currently, the church members are continuing to meet people at the borders, where long lines have formed and many people wait two or three days to be allowed across the border. Then, the church helps them find temporary shelter across the city or in the church building.

They are also helping people find transport, including sometimes purchasing tickets, so that some can travel further into Europe.

Moldova pressed to meet all urgent needs

Food and hygiene support are among the most urgent needs, including diapers, baby wipes and baby food.

“Moldova is a very small and very poor country. Therefore, it cannot cope with the flow of refugees who come here from Ukraine,” Sergey said.

The Moldovan government has hastily organized shelters for refugees in sports arenas, exhibition complexes and other facilities, often cramming 300 to 500 people together.

While people are with them in Chisinau, the church is helping fill the gaps by providing food, medicine and personal hygiene products directly to individuals, since many fled home with few belongings.

Real people, real stories

The church members have taken time to hear people’s stories as they journey alongside them for a short time.

Aleksey is a 17-year-old who has been staying with the Talalays for more than two weeks.

Aleksey talked about how he had been studying and serving in the church worship team in Vinnitsa before the invasion. His relatives live in Mariupol, in the south, which remains under siege. For two weeks he has had no information about his family, including his mother, sister and her baby.

And then there is 35-year-old Oksana, a single mother of two children aged 5 and 7. She had been renting an apartment in Kyiv until the invasion.

“When I returned from work, I saw a lock on the doors of the rented apartment and a note from the owner that read, ‘We left, the apartment is no longer for rent,’” she told them.

With few options, Oksana fled to Moldova with her children but without any belongings or legal documents.

The church has also been assisting a seven-member family from Chernihiv, including elderly grandparents, and a mother with three young children. Their home was destroyed by rocket fire.

“But they are happy because none of them were at home at that the time, and no one was hurt,” Sergey said. “I am very grateful to our local church; although it is small, it has a very big heart.”

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Learn more and give to support this compassionate work: ncm.org/ukraine-crisis

Reprinted with permission from Church of the Nazarene Eurasia.

Photos: Pastor Sergey Talalay

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A Journey to Safety: From Ukraine to Poland

aheckman — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 18:04:24 +0000

A Journey to Safety: From Ukraine to Poland aheckman Thu, 03/17/2022 - 18:04

A Journey to Safety: From Ukraine to Poland

MARCH 17, 2021 · AMY HECKMAN

When conflict erupted in Ukraine, the most vulnerable were forced to consider fleeing for safety. Many of the three million who have sought shelter outside of the country so far are mothers with children. Some of those mothers had plans for where to go—family they could visit or friends with space to share—but others are relying on the kindness of strangers across borders. In fleeing war, these millions have become refugees.

A group of seven Ukrainians, all Nazarene church members, found such kindness in the city of Poznań, Poland. Through the care of pastors and missionaries who helped coordinate a path across the border, this group of seven found their way to safety. Ultimately, they connected with workers at a ministry called Sweet Surrender. Originally designed as a Nazarene-run coffee shop in Poznań, the space was quickly converted into a refugee resource center.

Traveling together, three women and four children sought a safe passage to Poland. Nataliya* traveled with her sons, ages 12 and 4. Olena traveled with her daughter, age 9, and son, age 8. Accompanying them was Sofiy, a young adult. All seven traveled from Kozyatyn, a town about two hours west of Kyiv. Both mothers had to leave behind their husbands, and Sofiy had to leave behind her elderly mother who was unable to travel.

For this seven, leaving Ukraine meant trusting that a network of Nazarenes would carefully guide their way. Their pastor first drove them to the Ukrainian city of Lviv to catch a train to Poland. Once across the border and safe in Przemyśl, the group met Nazarene missionaries Jay and Teanna Sunberg, who fed them and coordinated the next leg of their trip.

When their train pulled into Poznań, Nazarene missionaries Hayley and Andrew Tarrant met the group, holding signs that said “Nazarene” in Ukrainian. A final 10-minute trip brought the seven to temporary lodging at a partner organization, Fundacja Pomocy Wzajemnej Barka (Barka). There they found showers, food, and soft beds. Since their arrival, more Ukrainians have found similar shelter at Barka.

In a recent post, Hayley Tarrant shared a bit of what goes through the minds of refugees like those in this first group. “Can you imagine fleeing your country/your home, leaving behind your husband, your pets, your career, your possessions,” she asks. “Then crossing a border into a country that you’ve never been to, where you don’t speak the language, where you get a stamp in your passport that labels you a refugee of war, where you then take two long train journeys with your kids on your lap, arriving in a station you have never been to or heard of, waiting for strangers to pick you up, getting into their cars, arriving at a big building in the middle of the night, having no idea where you are going next or how you will earn money, or where you will find a doctor to treat your [child], or knowing when you will finally live safely in your own apartment in this new city?”

Even while facing these many uncertainties, Ukrainians who have fled are settling in and preparing to live as displaced refugees. Four of the original seven have found free lodging with a kind neighbor in Poznań, giving the adults time to find work that will allow them to rent their own flat. Staff at Sweet Surrender have downloaded children’s books in the Ukrainian language so the kids can continue to practice reading. They have also transformed a space inside the former coffee shop into a safe room for children to meet together, learn, grow, and process the trauma they are experiencing.

Because of the generous donations of Nazarenes around the world and the work of the volunteers at NCM Poznań, the words of Jesus in Matthew 25 are being lived out on a daily basis: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in ....”

*Names are changed for protection.

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Learn more about how countries near Ukraine are responding to the needs of refugees in their communities, and donate to help: ncm.org/ukraine-crisis

Photos: Nazarene Compassionate Ministries - Ukrainian Help in Poznań, Poland

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