Report from Poland work with refugees

Because of you, STM has sent over $20,000 to our missionaries on the ground in Poland to be used for those who are affected by the war in neighboring Ukraine in the past month. We are so grateful to God to be allowed to have this partnership with them and to share in their sufferings in this way.

Here is a recent update from Lavern Hershberger in Poland.

“It’s high time for a brief report on distribution of funds that have been shared with us. We’ve been so amazed and encouraged by so many people sharing small or large amounts of their personal funds to help with the crisis in Ukraine, and secondarily in Poland. It truly is inspiring. We’re not doing this alone, all of you and many people here are helping tremendously! And your prayers have carried us in miraculous ways.

We’ve used thousands of dollars to buy mattresses, bedding, towels, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and food to prepare apartments for refugees to stay in.

We’ve used thousands of dollars to buy food and medical supplies for Ukraine, transported into Ukraine by people we trust.

We’re supporting literature and Bibles being published in Poland for Ukrainians.

We’ve paid for chartered buses to transport refugees to Italy and Switzerland where churches are hosting them.

We’re providing work for refugees. They are all eager to work!

We’re supporting the establishment of a Polish language school for refugees in our area.

We’re closely involved with hosting a Ukrainian children’s home that relocated to our area. We’re working with International Host Connection.

We’ve rented apartments, hotel rooms, and AirBnbs for refugees to stay in. We’re also hosting in our home.

We’ve rented a more reliable vehicle for a few months to help with all the transportation needs.

We deliver aid to the border for transportation into Ukraine and on the return trip bring refugees back to Warsaw so they can get to where they need to go.

We’ve shared funds with Pro Novis Foundation; New Perspective Foundation; the Baptist churches in Chełm and Mińsk Mazowiecki, Poland; Operation Mobilization; the Ukrainian church in Warsaw, and CEF Association. All of these funds are used directly in caring for refugees.

We’re also supporting Dmitry in Lviv, Ukraine. He and his wife are Ukrainian missionaries (with International Messengers) in Japan, but when they were home for a visit, this war broke out. He is working full-time to care for refugees in Ukraine. He takes aid east where it’s needed, and brings people out of the danger zones on the return trip. At this point, I think we’re his only means of support for what he’s doing. His wife is staying with us. You can follow them here:

https://www. facebook

com/ efimbird

https://www. instagram.com/ efimbird/

https://www. instagram.com/ iesuministry/

The price of fuel in Poland has almost doubled in the past month, so we’ve used significant funds for fuel for all the driving and transporting we’re doing. The price of fuel is $7-8 USD per gallon. We use public transport when possible!

One thing we are not doing is getting involved with any of this from a political perspective. Remember that time Jesus gave people the inside scoop on what was “really” going on with Rome occupying Israel? When he explained all the information that no one else knew about and gave the long-term prognosis for what would likely develop on the international geopolitical landscape?

Yeah. Me neither.

But I do remember that He said something about loving God, each other, and caring for the most helpless and undeserving.

Thank God for so many people who are doing just that. Jesus said in John 16:33: “Here on earth YOU WILL HAVE many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I HAVE OVERCOME the world.” We are seeing this happen before our eyes. May His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Borodyanka. Sister city of our city of Mińsk Mazowiecki.

We are hosting Valeri, Olga, and Oksana from this city.