Sue Thomas Ministries

Category: Sue Thomas Ministries

As a witness of God’s grace on the journey of life…

  • Report from Poland work with refugees

    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.

    photos courtesy of: Костянтин Сова

    Викладач фотографії at Київська Школа Фотографії

  • Then Sings My Soul

    Don’t forget to register for the STM women’s retreat “Then Sings My Soul” being held on April 23rd! Doors open at 8:30 so you have time to pick up your Welcome Bag and enjoy a light continental breakfast. At 9:30 am the first session starts. After the spring luncheon, there will be a sing-along and one final session closing the event at 2:30.

    There will be ASL interpreters for the day so if you know deaf or hard of hearing ladies, please invite them!

    Sue will be speaking for all three sessions so prayers are appreciated for her strength and clarity of thought. Besides speaking, she is doing what else she does best…getting gift baskets donated for door prizes, organizing food (She is a real foodie) and planning the music program. Remember, she loves a good party!

    If you are traveling from out of town, we have some local hotels. The Dutch Haus Best Western (Columbiana) 3 minutes from the event, and Holiday Inn Express (North Lima) 12 minutes from the event. There are also many hotels in Boardman just a little further down the road.

    Fabulous homemade cheesecakes for dessert! Here’s a chocolate sample our baker, Kary Martin, created specifically for this event!

  • A Word From Poland

    Meet the Hershbergers who live in Poland and who are helping those who have crossed the border from Ukraine. You can hear a few stories, and their heartfelt thanks for your support! This is an ongoing crisis, with opportunities every day to touch the lives of those who’ve been devastated by the war. Please keep them in your prayers and that their love for Jesus will shine and bring peace to broken lives.

    In the last 5 days We have received over $7,000 which we have been able to send to them immediately. This allows them to continue meeting people at the train station, helping them to purchase ticket, and finding lodging, food, clothing and medicine. Lavern has also been able to send some of the funds on to friends who are still in Ukraine and who are helping displaced people on that side of the border.

    As God lays it on your heart, please pray for them and that Jesus will touch lives through them.

    If you want to touch the lives of these refugees fleeing Ukraine you can GIVE HERE.

  • Moment By Moment, Step By Step

    Answered prayer! From Lolita.

    “An update. My husband called a taxi to take the blankets and supplies to the border. Our daughter brought a taxi to where I was and we were able to spend about an hour together. We talked, cried, and prayed together. She is seeing so many heart wrenching situations at the border. I know God is loving people through her. Now I’m riding in the wrecker, heading home to my family. We’ll take the van to a mechanic right away and see what the problem is. My husband said he’s not surprised this happened with how hard we’ve been working the van recently. He was in Warsaw by 4 this morning, providing transportation and lodging for refugees who have just arrived. One of them was a sweet 77 year old lady who has been traveling four days, from Donetsk. She is a retired English teacher and she told my husband that his English was very good! 😅 He said that was the highlight of his day.
    So moment by moment, step by step, we walk in faith and trust in a God Who is forever faithful!
    Thank you so very much for your prayers and support.”

  • STALLED: Van loaded blankets

    STALLED: Van loaded blankets

    From Lolita this morning after I shared that the Lord was providing overnight while we were asleep.

    “Dear, dear friends! We are so grateful and overwhelmed! I’ll write more later. At the moment I’m sitting on the side of the road. I was fifteen minutes from the place where I needed to deliver my van load of blankets and supplies and my van died. I am 3 hours from home. Please pray that I’ll know what to do!”

    Thanks to all of you you are helping to lift up their hands during this time! Please continue to pray that they will have strength for each moment, and that they will be provided a reliable van to do this mission that they are called to do at this time.