Ternopil, Ukraine
The story of the first days of the war and particularly the first night are told often by the dedicated staff here at the YWAM Center in Ternopil. An hour after the initial attack by the Russian Army, a call went out to the pastors of the churches of the city. Within minutes they gathered at YWAM together to discuss the happenings and what would be their response.
Within a few hours a call came form the mayor of the city. A train had departed from the Eastern part of Ukraine and would arrive in Ternopil around midnight with 1500 people, what can we do. The response was quick, we are ready let them come.
The YWAM Center became the staging area and a couple of the girls instantly created an app that would register each new refugee. The pastors had mobilized hundreds of their people to bring their cars and to take people into their homes .
Within days, vehicles were procured, busses rented and hundreds of Ukrainians were transported to the borders of Poland and Romania. The flow of refugees has subsided now but the dedication and creativity of the staff toward their needy guests continues. Feeding stations are situated around the city. A large warehouse takes in donations and shipments of food and supplies from all over Europe and YWAM and church vans come from all over to fill them, often to overflowing with the supplies that are taken out to the affected villages.
The Center here has settled into a rhythm of ministry to countless people coming through seeking help. There are doctors who are themselves refugees but are offering their services. There are cooks, a masseus and a trained councilor who give their time. Some have found God here and they and they have joined the volunteer staff to serve in many different ways.
The Staff here has decided to begin a Discipleship Training School here in a few weeks. Applications are still coming in and half of the school is made up of refugees who became volunteers and stayed on to work full time.
Life is different since the war started. Our priorities have changed, our ministries and outreach are different and we are learning to lean on the Lord in new ways every day. This has been the same response from all of our centers here in Ukraine.
Young leaders are rising up to the new challenges thrown at them daily and they are growing in confidence and leadership abilities. I just left a meeting where they discussed the picking up of a load of water filters to be distributed to the villages without water or electricity.
Pray for YWAM Ukraine! They will shrug off any compliments that you throw their way that they are some kind of heros. No, we are ordinary people serving an extraordinary God. You can’t help but love these wonderful ywammers who have chosen to serve God and others in these incredible times.
Picking up goods at the Ternopil warehouse to take to Vinitsa
Please continue your prayers for these volunteers and workers , pray for more to come. Pray for the Shelter program that is beginning soon Pray for an end to the war.
Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team