By Dennis W. Foust
Some of us want to do something in addition to our prayers for those who are suffering because of Russia’s evil invasion of Ukraine. The victims of this senseless act are refugees of war.
We can feel overwhelmed by the vast needs we perceive. Even if you do send a financial gift to alleviate some of the misery, how can you know that your gifts don’t just end up in a dark hole of wastefulness? After exploring each of the following options, I can verify these three channels are trustworthy. First, you should know Baptists are the second-largest Protestant group in Ukraine with more than 100,000 members and more than 2,100 churches. In addition, the European Baptist Federation has worked closely with Baptists in Ukraine for decades. Therefore, numerous Baptist churches, pastors, and institutions are directly involved in providing ministries of assistance.
- GIVE THROUGH THE BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE (BWA):
Several years ago, I asked our Mission Resource Team to include Baptist World Alliance as one of our Mission Partners. Today, BWA recognizes St. John’s to be a Global Impact Church. BWA links us directly with more than 51 million Baptists through more than 245 member bodies in 128 countries and territories around the world. For more than 100 years, BWA has helped Baptists around the globe collaborate in times of devastation. Today, BWA is directly providing essential supplies to those Baptist churches and institutions that have become humanitarian shelters and distribution centers for provisions. In addition, BWA is assisting Baptists in Poland and other European nations as they serve the refugees of war.
You may give to BWA by visiting their website at baptistworld.org and clicking on the message, ‘Praying for Peace in Eastern Europe.’ Enjoy the resources and scroll to the bottom of that section for giving options marked, ‘Help Us Respond Now.’ Or, you can mail your check (with Ukraine Ministries written on the memo line) to Baptist World Alliance, 405 N. Washington Street, Falls Church, VA 22046.
- GIVE THROUGH PARTNERS OF WINGATE UNIVERSITY:
With gratitude to Joe Patterson and Chuck Howard, two St. John’s members who are trustees of Wingate University, along with Vint Tilson, Vice President at Wingate, I have learned of Ukrainian students on campus. One student, Aliya Pyzh, is the daughter of Yaroslav Pyzh, who is President of the Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary in Lviv. This seminary usually instructs up to 1,200 students each year. It has become a humanitarian shelter only 40 miles from the Polish border. One option is to support their efforts directly.
You may give through the nonprofit partnership established to provide direct support of the efforts being extended by the seminary in Lviv (Ukrainian Partnership Foundation – EIN-27-4595107) by sending your check payable to Ukraine Partnership Foundation, 14027 Willow Breeze Court, Chesterfield, MO 63017.
- GIVE THROUGH NATIONAL COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP (CBF):
Another one of our mission partners is Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Their funds are currently being used to support the work of CBF field personnel Gennady and Mina Podgaisky and other ministry partners across eastern Europe to care for persons fleeing from war. They are also partnering with Baptist World Alliance to identify the most essential use of funds. You may give by sending your gifts to CBF (please reference Ukraine Relief Fund on the memo line) at P.O. Box 102972, Atlanta, GA 30368-2972.