Humanitarian aid continues to flow into war-torn Ukraine, giving hope to the nation’s courageous heroes of all ages who refuse to surrender their homeland to the lawless Russian dictator, Putin. Putin’s insatiable appetite to conquer and covet a country that is not lawfully his is exacting a hefty price–more than 160,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, and many thousands more have been wounded. Putin is desperate–his life is on the line. He must at all costs continue his murderous, bloodthirsty campaign until he either steps-down from office or is assassinated by someone in his regime. Surrender for Putin is not an option.
It is in this extremely dangerous and vulnerable context that the Ukraine-Minska Convoy Mission Team has returned to Ukraine to conduct their sixth convoy mission—conveying and distributing essential aid to desperate and needy survivors in towns that have been almost obliterated by Russian missiles.
The convoy set-off from their church at Warsaw on March 20 in borrowed, white coloured, commercial vehicles, displaying large red crosses, loaded with 6.4 tons of food, medicine, and other essential needs. Pawel (Paul) is one of the convoy team-members. He has kept me informed via WhatsApp with supporting photos and short videos with his commentary. Tears flowed down my wife’s face as she viewed the first of four videos.
Paul wrote…
We are preparing to return home this Sunday morning (March 26).
This is our 6th convoy of humanitarian aid to people of war-torn Ukraine. The journey has been difficult and led us via roads and fields full of unexploded ordinances, mines and trenches, and devastated villages. Aid was distributed to both believers and non-believers, with thanks to the evangelical charity fund, Dobro Czynić, Polish Christian Fellowship South, Mińska.
Food, hygiene supplies, medicine, and clothing reached cities and small towns from west to east of Ukraine (Lviv, Kryvyi Roh, Vielika Aleksandrovka, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Pershotravensk, and Kherson Oblast). Many pastors chose to remain to serve their local communities and refugees from other regions.
Some of the locations we had previously visited with aid have been completely destroyed by the Russians who targeted not only military and critical infrastructure but also civilians. Atrocities such as looting, rape, torture, killing, and the deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia have been committed. Such stories break the hearts of healthy minded people. Many still live without electricity and running water in houses that are riddled with bullet holes, and kids play around the wrecks of vehicles and tanks near the remains of schools they once attended. Under those conditions, we delivered not only supplies but also hope and warm, comforting words. Together with food supplies, Ukrainian translation Bibles and the Gospel has been shared–people were also hungry for spiritual food. We witnessed with our lives, Christ the Redeemer–the Lord who does not forget and who comforts the needy, despite horrific circumstances.
Ukrainian churches partnered with us. Local pastors knew exactly where the support was most needed and directed us to where we should go. We were perceived by the recipients of our aid as being “authentic” when we shared the Good News of Christ as we fulfilled the Gospel message in practical ways.
We expressed love to people who continue to battle under distress as Jesus had once done. We cried and hugged those who survived terrible things due to bombings, alarms, imprisonment, humiliation, forced occupation by Russian oppressors.
We brought joy in the midst of sorrow. It is our role as Christians to be with the weak, to take care of vulnerable ones. It is our mission entrusted to us by God who expects us to represent Him well in our sin-affected world. After one week into our mission, although tired, we are most happy and satisfied.
We appeal to you for continued support as we have planned to return for our seventh convoy mission. Humanitarian needs in Ukraine are enormous and we are willing to do it again. Please partner with us to fulfill this mission of Christ.
Paul
If you have any problems viewing the videos in this article or through your email, please click on this link to our website and try again.
Early this morning as the mission-team prepared to return home to their families in Warsaw, Paul asked me to convey the team’s appreciation and gratitude to those who kindly supported them through prayer and financial gifts.
The DOW team also says, “Thank you, for partnering with us in supporting the Ukraine-Minska Convoy Mission. Through your generosity and kindness, many lives have been touched through practical expressions of God’s love.”
You can see a wonderful gallery of pictures from the latest convoy mission here.
Bill
Friends, as always prayer is where we lend immediate, vital support to the heroes of the “Ukraine-Minska Convoys Mission”. New sponsors wishing to support the next convoy mission to Ukraine can use the following bank details to convey your gift to Pastor Marek’s church: “Christian Fellowship South” (Społeczność Chrześcijańska Południe) via your bank or Western Union.
- Bank name: mBank S.A. (Formerly Bre Bank S.A. Retail Banking LODZ)
- Branch address: Skrytka pormerly cztowa 2108, 90-959 Łódź 2
- Account currency: USD
- Name on account / Receiver: Społeczność Chrześcijańska Południe
- Address of the receiver: ul. Mińska 65, 03-828 Warsaw, Poland
- SWIFT/BIC: BREXPLPWMBK
- IBAN: PL45 1140 2004 0000 3112 0618 3737
- SORT CODE/number rozliczeniowy: 11402004
- NOTE: Please designate your gift to “Humanitarian Convoy for Ukraine”
You can also visit
- their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/schpoludnie/
- their church website here: https://dobroczynic.pl/
Thank you
Bill
Dancing on Water 
Many thanks to Paul and his team for their courageous humanitarian efforts to reach out an provide life needs to the Ukrainians. May God continue to bless and protect you.