UKRAINE — “Seeing the pain, seeing the need of people, you cannot stand by and do nothing. As Christians, we are always touched by that.” explains Stefan, Crisis Manager for Operation Mobilisation (OM) in Ukraine. In this video Stefan and others with OM in Ukraine share the power of the unity among the Christian community there to serve those impacted by the war.

Oleg – Police Chaplain, OM in Ukraine:

In the beginning of 2014 when the war started in Ukraine and the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces were attacked the churches in this region needed help. There were very few churches. And churches were small.

As the suffering continued, something began to change inside the church.

Vasili – OM in Ukraine:

We are unable to breakaway from the contingent of people suffering from the war. They are in need of help and we believe the church is that body that is able to help with the issue.

Stefan – Crisis Manager OM in Ukraine:

You know that seeing the need seeing the pain of people you cannot stand by and do nothing. As Christians were are always touched by that.

Hensie – OM in Ukraine:

The response of the church in Ukraine to the horror of war has been amazing.

Oleg:

I want to say there was not one church that stayed indifferent. Everyone started to get involved in helping the internally displaced, the refugees, the army. The church profoundly mobilized.

Vasili:

There are single elderly folk and also young people who are in need but for the most part it is families, where there are children. We have ministry programs specifically to serve these families.

Hensie:

OM has been able to come alongside many local churches in order to support them as they serve people fleeing the war.

Oleg:

There were hundreds of people volunteers who together with OM and with the city leadership blessed people, handed out food, hygiene products, also sleeping bags, medicines, bedding. With everything we had we blessed and handed out to meet needs. It is truly an inspired time.

Hensie:

We have been able to support the church with humanitarian aid. We have been able to help the church in feeding people, in finding places where people can stay over.

Hensie:

And today we give not only the IDPs (internally displaced people), we give help to everyone who comes to us.

Stefan:

God gave us a love for people. And that love for people drives us to serve people even if we do not know them. God created all people on this earth. He loves people. He shared His love with us. He gave His life for us. And it’s that willingness to serve and to give our lives for other people the same way God gave His life for us. It’s something like that I think mobilizes churches in Ukraine.

Oleg:

God has given us the opportunity to build relationships that we never had in the past. It is such a wonderful time of unity.

Hensie:

In these ways we are meeting people’s physical needs and also their spiritual and emotional needs.

Stefan:

And as being people who carry the hope of Christ within us during this difficult time of Ukraine we often act as agents of hope. And for us it’s a privilege to be with them in their time of need. We know that the body of Christ isn’t going to run away. It’s going to serve each other and we will continue to do so.

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About Operation Mobilisation (OM)

Operation Mobilisation started in the summer of 1957 when George Verwer and two friends sold their possessions to raise money for a trip to distribute Christian literature in Mexico. From this first trip, the small team began to share their vision to mobilize Christians from around the world to reach the nations. As hundreds of Christians responded, the Operation Mobilisation movement was born.

Today, over 3,300 OM workers, representing over 100 nationalities, are bringing God’s love and truth to millions every year.

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Read more news on Humanitarian Services, the Refugee Crisis, Ukraine, and Russia.

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