WARRENTON, MO — CEF has 69 national workers in Ukraine who were ministering to children on a daily basis, reaching 133,000 children in 2021. Only 12 workers have fled the country thus far. Of the remaining, half are sheltering in place and the other half have moved to western Ukraine. One reported that in the last few days, a city in western Ukraine was hit with 30 bombs but only 8 exploded. Some CEF workers cannot leave because they are conscription-age males and do not have 3+ children.

CEF has full-time workers in every neighboring country and they are coordinating with the Hope for Ukraine response. CEF workers who have fled Ukraine are connecting with workers in destination countries and continue ministry to refugee children. It is predicted that by next week, around half (3.4 million) of the country’s children (under 14) will be displaced and in need of ministry.

CEF International Headquarters in the USA and CEF of Europe are aiding its workers and refugee children in three ways:

1. Printing millions of the booklet, “Do You Wonder Why? Answers to Tough Questions” in both the Ukrainian language and the languages of every border country, including Russia. The children in those countries also are seeing this tragedy and have questions about why bad things happen. 310,000 copies have already been printed and distributed in 11 countries. A friend of a CEF worker spotted a mother reading it to her son on a train in Poland 300 km from the Ukrainian border.
2. Assembling 100,000 simple backpacks with the booklet above and other gospel resources. Church partners are adding a toy, candy and food.
3. Sending additional financial support to all 69 workers since prices have risen and emergency purchases are needed for necessities and caring for refugees from the eastern side of the country. Many refugees are sick due to staying days in cellar basements with no light, heat, food or water. CEF workers in the west are accommodating as many as three additional families in each of their homes while dealing with illness and other situations such as pregnancy. The CEF summer camp is overflowing with refugees.

For additional details, prayer requests, and donation opportunities, see cefonline.com/ukraine.

About Child Evangelism Fellowship

Child Evangelism Fellowship (www.cefonline.com) is an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that has taught the Bible to children since 1937. CEF has 400 offices in the USA and is organized in most nations of the world, with over 3,700 paid staff and hundreds of thousands of volunteers. In its last ministry year, CEF ministered to over 16 million children in its face-to-face teaching ministries.

CONTACT: Lydia Kaiser, 636-456-4321 ext. 1339, lydia.kaiser@cefonline.com

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