Ukraine

2023 Christmas Project: Alleviating Hunger During Crisis

aheckman — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 21:20:21 +0000

2023 Christmas Project: Alleviating Hunger During Crisis aheckman Tue, 12/12/2023 - 21:20

2023 Christmas Project: Alleviating Hunger During Crisis

DECEMBER 12, 2023 ~ AMY HECKMAN

Across the world, food insecurity is an ongoing struggle that has been exacerbated in recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and large-scale weather events. Between 691 and 783 million people face hunger and food insecurity.

When families don’t have access to food, they are more susceptible to malnutrition and other illnesses that can lead to chronic health issues. Children who experience chronic hunger are less likely to attend school consistently, and adults are less likely to be able to work, which makes access to nutritious food more challenging.

This year’s NCM Christmas Project supports compassionate initiatives that provide food relief in emergency situations and training and mentoring programs to help farmers find success. Whether in Ukraine, Malawi, Burundi, Armenia, Benin, Zambia, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, or beyond—when you give, you will stand with people who are hungry.

Since February of 2022, the war in Ukraine has forced millions of Ukrainians from their homes to find safety. According to the United Nations, as of July 2023, more than 6.2 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded globally, and at least five million are displaced within Ukraine. This ongoing conflict has impacted daily life for residents across the country. Approximately one in five Ukrainian families are food insecure, and at least 17 million people live in need of some type of humanitarian assistance.

The Church of the Nazarene is active in Ukraine, and the pastors and volunteers from these congregations are engaged in countless acts of ministry and care. Initially, a compassionate response looked like distributing emergency supplies and providing assistance for people traveling away from danger. Many churches provided safe spaces for refugees or helped secure train tickets or car rides to the border. Other ministries sprang up in other countries to meet the needs of arriving families, like a coffee shop in Poland where mothers and children found community and assistance with resettling.

Recognizing that communities nearby were struggling with hunger, Odesa Church of the Nazarene has continued to provide a food ministry in the towns of Kherson and Izmayíl, bringing meals for 150 people each week. Odesa lies between these towns, and each are several hours away from the church. Nevertheless, two times a week, a steady group of members gather early in the morning to prepare meals and drive to these hard-hit communities to feed and minister to people who are hungry.

"I'm so thankful for the church in Odesa that comes and to help my family,” said Okcana, a resident of Kherson. “We have lost so much.”

Pastor Nabil Babbiesi is the pastor of the Odesa congregation. The church’s determination to alleviate food insecurity was forged through their own challenging experiences. In July of 2023, the church building was damaged by a series of missile strikes that killed six people and damaged dozens of historic buildings in the city. At the time, Pastor Babbiesi shared their perspective on continuing to be a missional presence in their area despite the damage to their facility.

“We’re strong when we’re not concentrating on the difficulties; when we are doing what God told us to do, then we are working in His will,” he said. “And God is helping us to serve these people and help them to know Jesus Christ.”

As of the middle of the summer, the Odesa church had baptized 67 people and opened new meeting locations in the towns of Kherson and Snihurívka. In spite of the danger they themselves faced, the congregation continued to look for ways to share the love of Christ.

“I can see God’s hand in everything we do,” Babbeisi shared at the end of July. “God is changing our focus from the war and anxiety that we have for what we’re going through, and He’s putting our focus into the things that are important for Him.”

Through this food ministry, the volunteers who are serving have often found themselves blessed as they give of their time.

"Being able to help others who are in need is a blessing to my soul,” said Iryna, a church volunteer. “It helps me remember that my situation is in God's hands and he is faithful, always!”

Funds given to the NCM Christmas Project this year will ensure that those who are hungry during times of crisis receive both physical and spiritual care like Okcana reports she’s received from the Odesa church volunteers.

“They bring not only food,” she explained. “They bring hope and love."

When you donate to the Christmas Project, you will support churches like the one in Odesa as they work to provide emergency food distributions for people in crisis. Learn more here: ncm.org/christmas

Christmas

Christmas Project

Food Security

Ukraine

Emergency Relief

Updates From Ukraine: Creating Opportunities to Respond in Love

aheckman — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 21:51:21 +0000

Updates From Ukraine: Creating Opportunities to Respond in Love aheckman Thu, 07/27/2023 - 21:51

Updates From Ukraine: Creating Opportunities to Respond in Love

JULY 27, 2023 – CRYSTAL GIBBONS

As medical volunteers from Global Care Force visited churches and villages across Ukraine over the fall and winter of 2022, they prayed that God would help them find at least one person in each location that would be the right fit for an inaugural trauma-care training.

Global Care Force, an organization founded by Dr. Gary Morsch that sends medical volunteers to crisis areas around the world, was partnering with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries to provide basic trauma training for people who are committed to helping those around them and training others in this valuable practice. The first group of 12 trainees gathered just across the border from Ukraine in Przemysl, Poland, in late January, eager to help the most vulnerable people in their communities or those coping with trauma within their own families. After a year of war, the attendees themselves were also dealing with sustained trauma. Through the training, Pastor Volodymyr Masyuk found that he was dealing with the same things as those he pastors.

"Some time ago, I started feeling not myself, I was thinking that something was wrong with me,” Masyuk shared. “I tend to think trauma is somewhere else, not in my life. But I am starting to see the complex trauma that I have experienced. This week was like an emotional MRI. The time here has given me some tools to start to deal with my trauma."

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 70 percent of the world's population has experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Trauma affects our emotional response, our mental health, and even our physical health. A series of traumatic events over a period of time, known as complex trauma, holds our brains hostage in the flight, flight, or freeze response mode without allowing our bodies to return to a relaxed state. In Ukraine, an entire nation has experienced complex trauma on many levels and will take decades—if not generations—to heal.

Valentina Berezniak joined the training from Kazatin, Ukraine. "I want to have more tools to help those around me understand that trauma can be healed,” she explained. “Having a place where you can show your pain can give you a feeling of hope. It will make our healing as a society better, because healing is contagious.”

At times, small acts of love can seem pointless in the face of war. But, although this nationwide trauma is vast and can be overwhelming, those who are trained will become like little pebbles thrown into the sea. Though they are small, the ripples will eventually touch every corner of Ukraine.

Taken from the latest issue of NCM Magazine. Read online here.

Threads of Hope: Conflict, Clothes, and Courage

aheckman — Wed, 24 May 2023 15:39:09 +0000

Threads of Hope: Conflict, Clothes, and Courage aheckman Wed, 05/24/2023 - 15:39

Threads of Hope: Conflict, Clothes, and Courage

MAY 24, 2023 · BY AMY HECKMAN

VAPNIARKA, UKRAINE

“We had no clue what was going on and what we will do.”

With that simple statement, Tolik Galagan sums up the deep feelings of Ukrainians who were stunned when war broke out in their nation. It was February 24, 2022, and in Vapniarka, where Galagan leads the local Church of the Nazarene, confusion soon turned to fear and grief.

“The church was very panicked,” said Galagan. “Everybody was sad that tragedy came to our country.”

Tolik Galagan preaching at the Church of the Nazarene in Vapniarka, Ukraine

LIMA, OHIO

At the same time, on the other side of the world in Lima, Ohio, members of Lima Community Church of the Nazarene began to pray for their friends and fellow believers in Ukraine while processing the same feelings. Clyde and Carolyn Lotridge, members of Lima Community and long-time supporters of missions, prayed with their unique connection to Ukraine in mind.

Clyde and Carolyn Lotridge of Lima, Ohio

Prayer was constant in Vapniarka, too. The members of the church prayed about how to react to these developments and to people in need—and this was not an unusual prayer for them. As a community, they were used to being a place of refuge. The church is home to an orphanage and child development center.

It was in that same orphanage years earlier where Galagan himself found a safe place to live and a refuge from homelessness. He also received mentorship from the pastor, tutoring to catch up on his schooling, and began his walk with Christ. After working in Kyiv once he graduated from university, Galagan was invited back to lead the church where he had grown up, and he returned there in November of 2021. Just three months after arriving to lead and serve with this congregation, war broke out.

Back in Ohio, as the stories about the first stages of the war made their way to the Lotridges’ home, the couple was already planning their next steps. Lima is home to the Lotridge Family Foundation, a ministry that Clyde and Carolyn founded in 2004 with proceeds from the sale of a business. Their initial mission was to support Nazarene churches and ministries in Ukraine, and then other countries, with needed clothing and medical supplies. Local thrift stores and a donation center on the campus of Lima Community Church provided clothing. Volunteers from the church and community joined the Lotridges to fold and pack donated clothes. Nazarene ministries like the Fawn Grove Compassion Center funneled donations to Lima for the foundation to pack and ship.

Over the years, the ministry grew. The Lotridges regularly sent large shipping containers full of clothing, crisis care kits, equipment, wheelchairs, and canes to Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and other countries overseas. Though the COVID-19 pandemic had paused large shipments to Ukraine, when the war started, Clyde and Carolyn prepared to get supplies in again. They were helped by their many contacts in logistics and across the global church.

In Ukraine, people began moving. When millions of residents, especially women and children, began leaving their homes for safety, most members of the Vapniarka church decided to stay. They were convinced they had to do something to help and prayed for the opportunity. They knew that the children living in their orphanage needed to be protected and that people in need would soon come to their door.

Vapniarka is situated in the southeast region of the country, only 80 kilometers from the Moldova border. The town boasts a large train station and is an important part of the Ukrainian railroad system. People who decided to flee often passed through Vapniarka on their way to Poland, Moldova, and other places. Because the church building is situated near the station, church members began reaching out to these refugees, offering food and providing shelter in the church building.

The Nazarene church in Vapniarka

The efforts ramped up quickly as more and more people were traveling through the area. A van donated by Nazarenes in the Netherlands was put into service delivering food and supplies to people in the area.

While putting this van to work, Galagan met an elderly woman on the side of the road. He and other volunteers asked what she needed, and she began to cry, explaining she had been underground for 21 days, hiding with her family. “She couldn’t believe that someone she never knew or saw was willing to give her food,” he said.

At the same time, efforts were ramping up in Lima, too. Pastor Brad Taylor, Executive Pastor of Lima Community Church, shared that their congregation partnered with the Lotridges to donate coats for shipment to Ukraine. "This was probably the third coat drive [for Ukraine] that the church has hosted,” he explained. “That year, particularly because of the war, I think our people’s hearts were just moved because they knew what was happening there.”

In Vapniarka, Galagan continued to struggle with the ongoing crisis, even as his people began to find more ways to serve.

”It was a very tough time ... I had a lot of different feelings,” shared Galagan. “That pushed me to spend time in my room with the Lord. He said, ‘I am with you, I will never leave you and never forsake you, just stay with me.’” This comfort from God has made all the difference for Galagan throughout the war. “When it’s hard and tough, I am holding [on to] that ... strength and encouragement comes.”

Galagan leading prayer with teens from the Vapniarka church

By June, thousands of refugees had streamed through the Vapniarka train station. Many had taken only what they could carry, so material needs were high. Local families were struggling to afford supplies and food as costs rose. While this unfolded, Nazarene leaders on the Eurasia Region realized they needed a leader to receive and distribute regular donations that were now being sent to Ukraine from the Lotriges and Lima Community Church, along with other foundations. The Regional leaders picked the Vapniarka church due to its central location and asked Galagan to supervise the shipments of large amounts of donated clothing, crisis care kits, and food.

When he was told that shipping containers would start arriving, “It was evidence of what the Lord was speaking to me,” said Galagan. “It was an answer from the Lord that he will take care of us and take care of people.”

The day the first container was delivered, missiles started to fly over the community. While the adult leaders were nervous about being outside while unloading the container, the youth group members simply continued to work. Galagan said the peace felt by the teens calmed him and gave him courage as they worked. “We continued to unload the container, [and now the presence of missiles] almost normal life for us.”

Pallets of donated crisis care kits and clothing

Most refugees had fled quickly with only what they could carry, leading many to wonder where they’d obtain all they needed for the coming winter. Every jacket, pair of shoes, crisis care kit, and bag of food supplied had an immediate impact. “People were crying that someone is sending and blessing them with what they needed,” shared Galagan.

So far, the efforts of the Lima Community congregation and the Lotriges have filled seven full shipping containers for transportation into Ukraine. With each container sent, another thread of hope is woven between the two cities and churches. Clyde Lotridge expressed that they could never have accomplished this level of support without people from their church.

”To make this happen a lot of people join hands,” Clyde said. “We all have a job to do, and everyone came out to do it. If you put the word out, the people respond!”

A conflict like this war presents both great need and a great opportunity for local churches to meet those needs. As both church leaders explained, it also provides a chance for those doing the serving to grow in their own faith as they extend hope and help.

Pastor Taylor shared that his teenage sons are among those who have been impacted by their church’s commitment to Ukraine, and how meaningful it has been.

“For us to be able to say to them that there’s a really practical way we can help during such a time as this ... [that] really did change their perspective on the world and on how they can use their resources for good. I know that’s not particular to my family—that’s happened all over our church,” said Pastor Taylor.

Galagan reflected on the lessons he is learning in this season as he coordinates relief efforts around the country.

“God is teaching me first of all to be very strong, and to be so close in relationship with the Lord to keep my sanity. To be in my hiding place, constantly to seek the Lord, to be so close with him, to hear his voice, to know that he is all the time with me,” said Galagan.

Clothing distribution at Kyiv Church of the Nazarene

A family receiving donations in Vapniarka

As war continues and the need for people on the move to find help and hospitality remains high, the Spirit creates moments for believers to courageously put their faith into action. As Galagan puts it, “This is the season where God is teaching me to step out from my comfort zone, to go beyond and above what I will usually do.”

A service at the Vapniarka church

Since the war began, more than 14 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine. This war has caused the fastest forced population movement since World War II. Nazarene churches in Ukraine are standing in solidarity with their neighbors. You can support their efforts by giving at ncm.org/ukraine.

Photos from Vapniarka provided by Genadiy Naumov.

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.

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Refugee and Immigrant Support

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

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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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Prayers for Peace in Ukraine

aheckman — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 18:38:36 +0000

Prayers for Peace in Ukraine aheckman Thu, 06/09/2022 - 18:38

Prayers for Peace in Ukraine

As conflict continues in Ukraine, Nazarenes around the world are sending financial support to fund holistic care for Ukrainians. These generous offerings go to assist people living as refugees, feed people remaining in Ukraine, and create paths to safety for those fleeing dangerous areas. None of these activities would be possible without the undercurrent of prayer flowing from churches and individuals. Keep scrolling to read some of the prayers churches have submitted through our website to encourage Ukrainians.

Want to share your own prayer for peace? Send it here.

Life Church of the Nazarene, Watertown, New York

Blessings to you from Northern New York. Our prayers are with you as you serve the people of Ukraine.

First Church of the Nazarene, Coffeyville, Kansas

To brothers and sisters in Ukraine: Our hearts are broken for you and your families, especially in having to be separated from each other. We're praying you will truly experience Jesus' promise, "I AM with you always." May He supply strength, all sufficient grace, wisdom, deep comfort and hope. May He protect your faith and the faith of your spouses, children, and other family members. We are proud of you in choosing to trust your Lord and to be witnesses to those around you who desperately need hope. May God bring millions into His kingdom as each individual comes to understand that only as we "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness" that "all these things will be added to us." Matt. 6:30. We love you and are praying for you.

First Church of the Nazarene, Long Beach, California

Praying to our Father God for the safety and care of the most vulnerable in this war, the children, older people, disabled. Praying for those who are aiding in transportation away from Ukraine, aiding in all needs of the people in transition seeking safety, praying for courage for those fighting for their country to remain independent. Praying for our Nazarene pastors and workers who remain in Ukraine to offer support. Praying for those who have lost loved ones that they may find grace and peace through Christian ministries, not only in the Ukraine, but in surrounding countries. Praise for those who are physically there being the hands and feet of Jesus. Give strength and perseverance, Lord, beyond measure to continue. Your will be done. Praying for peace in Ukraine. In Christ, Amen

Troy First Church of the Nazarene, Troy, Ohio

I am praying for all the people in Ukraine as well as all the refugees. My heart goes out to them all. May God's will be done and may He help to give people peace and keep them safe.

Church of the Nazarene, Mt. Sterling, Illinois

God, I pray you will watch over and protect all the women and children who are relocating to various places because of the war. Give them wisdom and guidance in finding new places to live. I pray for the men left behind, that You would help keep them safe. May God watch over those who couldn't leave because of disabilities or various other reasons to be able to get the resources they need to survive. Father, may this war end soon. I thank you for all who are reaching out to help those in need and I praise you for the way so many countries are working together to help. May You show love to all who need you more than anything now and hold them close. I pray for people [from other countries] to know you love and care for them, too. Please, Lord, may this all be over soon and we can know a world that can live in peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Coast Community Church of the Nazarene, Santa Barbara, California

Praying for those who are in Ukraine. Thank you for the work You are doing to help those suffering and struggling. Trusting that God is in control, that He is good, and that He will work and bless and help and be glorified in the midst of this war, loss, and chaos.

New Hope Community Church of the Nazarene

My heartfelt prayers for the Ukraine and its people that God will comfort their hearts, souls, and minds with His healing peace and strength. My heart grieves for all the people and their suffering. Prayers and blessings to all that are helping in any way. Prayers that the Lord will soften lost and sinful hearts and that many will come to receive the free gift of eternal life through the blood of Jesus. We will be praying for all that are injured, have lost loved ones, wondering about their missing relatives and friends and for all the challenges that the people of the Ukraine and other countries are facing daily. We send our love from the United States and we want the people to know that their pain is our pain also. We stand together to pray daily in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Goodlettsville Church of the Nazarene, Goodlettsville, Tennessee

Dear friends and coworkers for the Lord,

It's hard for us to imagine what you are going through there but please know you are in our prayers here! We are lifting you up for the Lord's protection, wisdom, and encouragement. You are NOT forgotten and you are loved!

Bel Air Church of the Nazarene, Bel Air, Maryland

I’ve been praying for everyone affected by the conflict/war in the Ukraine since we first heard the threat was coming. My children are 1/4 Ukrainian so we know there are extended family still there. May God protect and comfort all peoples and restore peace. Knowing He Can, Believing He Will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene, Wells, Maine

I just wanted to let you know that I am praying for God's strength, peace, and wisdom for you all. The Holy Spirit is at work in the midst of the madness—may you be deeply aware of God's presence with you.

Southside Church of the Nazarene, Chesterfield, Virginia

We are praying for the people of Ukraine. God be with you, protect you. God surround you with His protection and comfort.

St. Paul's Church of the Nazarene, Kansas City, Missouri

I just want you to know that I am praying daily for you and the people of Ukraine. May God keep you and the people you are helping safe. I pray for God's abundance in every form for you all. Blessings.

Richardson Church of the Nazarene, Richardson, Texas

Oh, Father, our hearts are so broken over the war taking place in Ukraine at this time. I take comfort in that You are not surprised by anything that is going on. I know that You are working in the midst of it all. I pray especially for the Ukrainian people who are still in Ukraine at this time. I thank you for your children who are staying to care for others. I pray Your presence will be very palpable everywhere they are. I pray that as they witness to others about Christ, that many will believe and come to know Him as their Savior. I pray for supernatural protection over all. I also pray for those who have left or are in the process of leaving the country. May they be blessed with Your love and protection. May they find safe refuge. Thank You for all who are helping them. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Cross Community Church of the Nazarene, Portage, Michigan

Please know that we brothers and sisters in the U.S. feel the strife and pain for you and your nation. I pray for your world often in my day. We do what we can, being so far apart from you. We might be far apart, but never do you leave our hearts and prayers.

Iglesia del Nazareno Baleu, Guatemala

Padre te pido por la paz para con todos los que están en crisis, Dios se tú el propicio a tu pueblo y a las personas que están sufriendo, Padre te pido que toca los corazones de los dos gobernantes a que ya no más guerras, Dios ten compasión Señor Dios Todopoderoso, nos toca los corazones de lo que esta pasando en los dos países, protege a tu iglesia Dios.

(Father, I ask you for peace for all those who are in crisis, God be favorable to your people and the people who are suffering, Father, I ask you to touch the hearts of the two rulers so that there are no more wars, God have compassion Lord God Almighty, touch our hearts for what is happening in both countries, protect your church God.)

Lenoir City First Church of the Nazarene, Lenoir City, Tennessee

Our Sunday School class is sending messages of support to the children.

"I hope you're ok. I love you."

"I am praying for you"

"I am so sorry for you all. I am praying for you."

Learn more about the response in Ukraine and how you can help.

Some prayers have been lightly edited for clarity.

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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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Serving Ukrainian Refugees in Bucharest

aheckman — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 23:12:03 +0000

Serving Ukrainian Refugees in Bucharest aheckman Thu, 03/10/2022 - 23:12

Serving Ukrainian Refugees in Bucharest

MARCH 10, 2021 · CASEY BLOOM

Since February 27, leaders and volunteers from Blessings Church of the Nazarene in Bucharest, Romania, have been working tirelessly to welcome and accommodate Ukrainian refugees fleeing from war. In the church building and at a second property, there has been a constant flow of people both coming and going. Some stay for a night or two, while others have been with us for a whole week.

Aside from offering accommodations, the church has been able to provide rides to and from the train/bus station and airport, warm meals, phone cards, medical supplies, hugs, and spiritual and emotional support. We’ve been incredibly blessed by donations from individuals, nongovernment organizations, and businesses like IKEA: beds and mattresses, food, dishes, water, refrigerators, bedding, clothes, toiletries, cleaning supplies, toys, and more. You name it, God has provided it. It’s been humbling to see how so many people have come together to make sure that our Ukrainian neighbors, and now friends, are taken care of during this difficult time.

Church leaders have connected individuals with people who work at various embassies. Train and plane tickets have been purchased for people moving on to other countries. One couple has decided to stay in Romania and they already have an interview scheduled for the visa process.

God is good. He provides. Thank you for all of the ways that so many of you have supported this work through prayer, financial support, and material donations. Your constant support is giving us the resources we need, and also the stamina to continue serving our Ukrainian friends traveling to and through Romania.

Report from Casey Bloom, living and serving in Bucharest, Romania.

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