Ukrainians reading Gospel of Luke (Photo by Russian Ministries)
Ukraine (MNN) — As the uncertainty surrounding Russia and Ukraine continues, one thing is certain: the conflict is causing a refugee crisis. And interestingly, the international media isn’t reporting it.
President of Russian Ministries Sergey Rakhuba was born in Ukraine and still has family there. “It’s already confirmed that 5,000 Crimean Tatars left Crimea, but also Ukrainian Catholics, Ukrainian Orthodox Churches were threatened by the Russian Orthodox Church. So they estimate that there are about 20,000 refugees what have already left Crimea.”
Russian troops continue to be poised along the Russia/Ukraine border. Last week, Russian backed protesters took over administrative buildings in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv. Once in control, they began asking Russia to protect them because they were feeling threatened. Who’s threatening who?
Sergey Rakhuba handing out Gospel of Luke to Ukrainians. (photo by Russian Ministries)
If Russian troops cross the border into Ukraine, it will be bad for the country. “If this may happens, there would be a huge community of refugees streaming out of those regions to the mainland, western land of Ukraine.”
While uncertainty is real, Rakhuba says craving for the Gospel is, too. “I have not seen so much openness since the Soviet Union collapsed and we started distributing Scripture there. So the hunger and the openness to the Gospel is there.”
Russian Ministries works in Ukraine as well as 11 other countries of the former Soviet Union/Eurasia. In an effort to help meet the needs of Ukrainians and refugee families who have suffered as a result of the recent turmoil in Ukraine, Russian Ministries has started an Emergency Fund.It is designed to provide both physical support (food, clothing, temporary shelter, financial assistance for medical and other expenses) as well as spiritual support through the printing and distribution of 200,000 copies of the Gospel of Luke in Ukrainian.
Rakhuba says the money raised would be used for several things. “Temporary shelter, to help them to rent living facilities, an apartment or room somewhere, but also to help the church to reach out to these groups and buy food.”
Funding would also help purchase the Gospel of Luke. Rakhuba says, “That was designed specifically for the purpose of getting it distributed during the turmoil in the Ukraine.”
Hearts are open like never before. To help, click here and then choose “Emergency Fund for Ukraine” in the drop-down window.
