Ukraine Crisis Update 3/16/2022

God is Providing for His Church

Through the generosity of almost 700 individuals and churches, SIBI is providing funds for the churches in Ukraine.

Tim Burow asked Rob Hindman to coordinate SIBI's distribution efforts. Rob and his family were missionaries in Kharkiv before the first invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2014. Rob communicates between churches, contacts in Ukraine, and contacts in Eastern Europe providing for refugees. If you know of a church that needs aid to help provide for the refugees, please get them in touch with Rob, at rob@robhindman.com or 775-223-0223.

Refugees from the Ukrainian Bible Institute (UBI) received aid at the hands of the congregation in Sopot, Poland, to help them get settled. Brandon Price, director of UBI, and Molly Dawidow, an alumnus of Sunset and long-time missionary in Poland, have worked hard to meet the needs in Sopot. The church has transformed the basement of the church building to provide housing for almost 40 refugees and provide meals for 60 during the day.

Refugees praying before a meal in Sopot, Poland

SIBI is also helping those in Ukraine. The church in Nikopol on the Dnieper River continues to meet and recently had a baptism. They have received funds to help provide for the needs and to pay for gas and electricity as the building serves as a shelter for some. Slava Krishnevskiy is distributing those funds as needed. 

Baptism at the church in Nikopol

The congregation in Lviv has also received funds and is using them to provide for those moving from Eastern Ukraine to safer places in Eastern Europe. Stas Kuropyatnikov is communicating with Rob on ways we can further assist them as they serve so many.

Items purchased by the church in Lviv to provide for refugees.

Sasha Maliuga teaches at UBI; his wife Natasha is in Poland helping families settle. Sasha remains working with the Poznyaki congregation in Kyiv. Rob wrote in a recent update on Facebook:

Sasha Maliuga and others from the Church of Christ at Poznyaki are still in Kyiv continuing to man the fort. I contacted Sasha tonight to see if they have any needs we can send help to meet. His response was, "The only need we have in Poznyaki is to survive..." followed by a smiley face emoji - an indication of the emotional fortitude of these men.

Tim Burow is in contact with brethren in Mariupol. Sergei Vojcehovski, an alumnus of UBI whose family lives in Mariupol, heard members are staying in the church building there and that everything is quiet at the church building. It has not been struck by any rockets or bombs of any kind up until this point. He also reports that no damage has been done to the part of the apartment building where the preacher Sasha lives. Sasha was injured by a stray bullet a few weeks ago.

A meal provided by the church in Sopot

SIBI is making a long-term commitment to the brethren of Ukraine that will shape the church in all of Europe for years to come. Though the devastation is everywhere in Ukraine, God's promises and the faith of his people are shining in the darkness.

Thank you all for being a part of this effort with your prayers and your generosity. We encourage you to keep up with these emails and our reports from Rob on Facebook. You can also follow Brandon Price and Molly Dawidow to see how the money given to SIBI is working to provide for the needs in Poland.

Beds set up in the church in Lviv

How to Help

Pray: Continue to pray for an end to this conflict. Pray for the strength and faith of the Ukrainian Christians. Pray that God will be glorified through the unity of the church to provide for one another.

Connect: If you know of a congregation that needs funds in Ukraine or those who are providing for refugees like the congregation in Sopot, please put them in touch with Rob Hindman, at rob@robhindman.com or 775-223-0223.

Give: Consider helping to support this great humanitarian and gospel crisis. Donations can be given online at the link below or text “Ukraine” to 806-203-7424 or sent to SIBI at the address below with a designation for Global Relief Ministry.

Global Relief Ministry
Help the Ukrainian Christians

Share Share