Aktuella böneämnen (på engelska)
Ukraine:
- Please pray for us this week, as our car is having some difficulties. The damaged roads are taking their toll on the car. Pray that I can find some parts (many of the stores are not operating right now), that I can fix it soon, so we can continue doing trips to bring people out of cities.
- We are also looking to buy a van, so that we can transport more people West, and fill it with humanitarian aid on the way back. Pray that God brings a reliable van to us.
- Pray for the thousands of people who have lost their homes to bombs and explosions – and who travel westward to safety.
- Continue to pray for the people of Ukraine as more places are attacked and more people flee. Pray for peace for them. Pray they will receive the help they need.
Moldova:
- Pray for guidance about direct involvement in Ukraine: We already made a first journey to Ukraine with aid and are looking into how to continue supporting refugee ministries there as well. Pray for wisdom to know how to help best, and for good partnerships with OM in Ukraine and other fields that are getting involved, as well as Ukrainian churches that respond to the needs caused by the war in their own country.
- We have started providing packages with food and hygiene items to local churches that have taken in refugees and also help to cover other expenses like electricity or heating. Pray for these churches to have continuous strength and love to serve these refugees and opportunities to share about their faith. Pray for the logistics of providing this support and for the necessary finances to continue coming in.
- Pray for the occasional events we organise for refugees housed at our OM buildings, offering activities and messages that aim at helping them to deal with the experience of the past weeks and get started on a healing process, while also sharing our hope in God. Pray for those who prepare and lead these activities to know what and how to share, allowing God’s Spirit to speak and act through them. Pray that these activities bring healing and comfort to the refugees and cause them to seek God.
- Pray for the refugees who keep coming to the border. The number has grown smaller, but they are now generally more traumatized and often have no idea where they are heading and no place to return to. Continue praying for our workers who meet these refugees at our tent at the border, offering practical help as well as a listening ear and prayer.
Czech/Slovakia
- Through their contacts and volunteers in Western Ukraine, the Slovak Baptist Union was able to send a lorry with almost 16 tons of humanitarian aid to two areas. The aid was then also shipped further east and distributed. Give thanks for all the churches and individuals who donated to this effort, and for all the volunteers who worked at both ends of the delivery. Pray for the ongoing provision of funds and resources for future aid shipments.
- Please pray for the provision of longer-term housing for refugees.
- Please pray for churches as they seek the Lord for the best ways that they can meet the needs in their local contexts.
Poland
From ministry at border crossing:
- More and more people are arriving at the border crossings again, including many who are poorer and less prepared. Praise God for the warmer weather. Even though the trailer is still needed by mums for peace and privacy, more people are able to be outside engaging with various activities.
- Pray for good health amongst children as there has been a stomach bug circulating amongst them at some of the reception centres. Please pray for our team members to remain healthy as we serve on location.
- This week we were able to send several tons of nutritious food, warm blankets, basic medicines, and other essentials to our team in Ukraine. Please pray for resources so that we may be able to assist them more regularly.
- Pray for more team leaders with the ability to speak Polish to join our team (language is essential as leaders need to communicate with the border guards and local authorities). This will enable the leaders of the border teams to take turns and have regular breaks. Pray also for the volunteers that are joining us each Saturday (open to international volunteers from April 2). It’s a blessing to see how God uses this ministry platform to impact so many lives.
- We now have another team house closer to one of the border points. Join us in thanksgiving for this facility offered to us by local council, as it is a great blessing to our team, and pray we’ll be able to use it long term.
From the work in Kutno – OM church plant with refugees:
- Please pray for almost 200 refugees who have slowly settled into this new environment, their basic needs are met but there is a great need for psychological counselling and spiritual support as well. Please pray for personnel to lead support groups for the refugees and for God’s restoring touch in their lives.
- We need to move our resource centre out from the church building so that we can create a comfortable common area for the refugees to rest and talk. Please pray that God will provide a place and the required finances to create a resource centre (we are thinking about getting two containers for this purpose).
From the coordination and aid-teams:
- We continue to link refugees with accommodation, especially large families with foster children or orphanages. Pray they may receive comfort and support in this challenging situation. Pray for one of our partners – foster house mum Marina and her family. Marina is a Russian-born believer who is very passionate about providing safety to children in distress and was already fostering some kids before the war; in current situation they’ve rented 3 houses and expanded their team to accommodate more children in a family environment.
- 3 buses filled with brand new, high quality clothing arrived this week via OM Germany. Please pray they will be a great help to refugees staying in our partner churches and in private homes, as every person leaving Ukraine on a bus is allowed only one small bag.
