Trucks arriving from Romania and Germany with Humanitarian aid for Ukraine

HART distribution center in Lviv

Over 2,700,000 refugees have fled Ukraine to date, with millions on the move right this minute!

Refugees are showing up at Ukrainian Churches day and night. The families who walk through their doors have experienced bombs exploding around them, dodging enemy bullets, and watching their apartment buildings or houses burn.

They are frightened, anxious, and need peace and calmness after the horrors they've witnessed. For this reason, all of HART's partner churches throughout central and western Ukraine have converted their churches into Refugee Centers.

They cleared out the pews and replaced them with mattresses, pillows, and sheets. These traumatized people need to be fed, clothed, given a good night's sleep, and most importantly, experience God's love through the local church volunteers.

In this moment, church staff and volunteers talk and pray with families as they try to make some sense of what has just happened in their lives and what their next steps will be.

The logistical work involved in Refugee Care is enormous. Every day a new batch of 50-100-150 people will come through the doors of a church seeking help, if only for a few hours before they flee toward the safety of Europe along Ukraine's western borders.

This kind of work takes dedication, time, and energy - and with your help, we will continue to supply all our partner churches with the resources they need to carry on this critical ministry during the war.

REFUGEE STORIES

PASTOR MISHA:

Every day our New Life Church welcomes 40 - 50 new refugees. We are thankful for our staff and volunteers, who, disregarding their own exhaustion, show a glimmer of light and hope to those who have encountered this disaster. Day and night, our church is serving, meeting refugees at the railroad or bus stations, preparing meals, doing laundry, changing bedding, and transporting them to the border. (Joshua 24:15...As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord")

PASTOR VASYL:

Today we received more refugees at our home, which we happily served with food and comfort, like hot water to wash clothes. We shared the Gospel with them, read Psalm 56, and then prayed. Because they were a family of non-believers, this may have been the first time they heard someone praying for our soldiers, for our country, for their family, and for them to have a safe trip.

When the father asked how much they should pay for lodging and food, he was surprised to hear that we received them in the name of Jesus Christ and that all glory belongs to God. He didn't know how to react to that answer, so he just said thank you. His young son asked him if they could stay at our place longer because he liked it here.

This was a text message we received from them once they were back on the road toward the borders of Europe, "A guardian angel is with us because he sent us people like you." This letter is also addressed to YOU, who support our work financially, and in prayer.

OLYA

It is difficult to get information from the war zones; however, our caseworker inquired with Olya's mother, who shared that Olya was still alive and cooking for soldiers at the front lines. Her mother and two daughters worry about her every day. Please keep Olya in your prayers.

CHURCHES - SAFE HAVENS

As you can see from the map below, the conflict is less severe in central and western Ukraine. The green zone is approximately where our network of churches cares for refugees fleeing West toward Moldova, Poland, Romania, Hungary & Slovakia.