March 22, 2022
By Clint and Missy | Poland
Europe
Field Story
Poland
Ukraine
Relief
Taking Refuge Amidst the Storm
As the Russian invasion in Ukraine come up on one month, we continue to see new refugees in Gdansk. Our family has been hosting a Ukrainian woman named Irina for over a week. Her husband, Artur, is back in Ukraine and they are both believers.
Irina decided to leave Ukraine once the shelling got closer and closer, but she is not looking to relocate permanently. She is waiting for the war to end soon so she can go back to her husband and her life back in Ukraine. She hopes that she will not be in Poland for very long, but at the same time she doesn’t know when she will get to go home. She continues to work remotely for a graphic design company located in Ukraine, and she monitors the news closely.
Her church back in Ukraine has become more like a refugee camp, with people coming there for shelter or escaping from other Ukrainian cities. Her sister and parents have decided to stay in Ukraine for now, but the situation is very fluid.
Irina speaks English fluently and enjoys biking. Someone from our church lent her a bike so over the weekend she explored the local area, although she said it would have been much sweeter if her husband could have seen it with her.
And she has been a blessing to our family. She helped our family a lot by preparing meals, doing laundry, playing chess with our son and doing our daughter’s hair before preschool. We didn’t ask or expect her to do any of those things, but she really blessed our family during a tough week for us.
Sometimes when we think about refugees fleeing a dangerous situation, we can imagine them wanting to resettle in a new land and start over. Certainly, there are some people leaving Ukraine today who are in that boat. But there are also refugees who are simply waiting for things to calm down so that they can go back home, and try to restart the life they once knew, like Irina. In the meantime, people from Ukraine are simply looking for some refuge. A place to stay until things blow over.
It’s been a joy to host Irina, and it’s been amazing to watch others from the church here host refugees. And when there is no one to host, thanks to your giving we have been able to pay for temporary places for them to sleep. We have been able to buy food and clothing for those in need, and mattresses for people to sleep on.
In the end, the Lord is our refuge and strength. He is our shelter and hiding place. He welcomed us into His family, and He lavishly blesses us with the riches of His grace. He is our hope in a sinful and broken world. And He is the light in the darkness.
Irina decided to leave Ukraine once the shelling got closer and closer, but she is not looking to relocate permanently. She is waiting for the war to end soon so she can go back to her husband and her life back in Ukraine. She hopes that she will not be in Poland for very long, but at the same time she doesn’t know when she will get to go home. She continues to work remotely for a graphic design company located in Ukraine, and she monitors the news closely.
Her church back in Ukraine has become more like a refugee camp, with people coming there for shelter or escaping from other Ukrainian cities. Her sister and parents have decided to stay in Ukraine for now, but the situation is very fluid.
Irina speaks English fluently and enjoys biking. Someone from our church lent her a bike so over the weekend she explored the local area, although she said it would have been much sweeter if her husband could have seen it with her.
And she has been a blessing to our family. She helped our family a lot by preparing meals, doing laundry, playing chess with our son and doing our daughter’s hair before preschool. We didn’t ask or expect her to do any of those things, but she really blessed our family during a tough week for us.
Sometimes when we think about refugees fleeing a dangerous situation, we can imagine them wanting to resettle in a new land and start over. Certainly, there are some people leaving Ukraine today who are in that boat. But there are also refugees who are simply waiting for things to calm down so that they can go back home, and try to restart the life they once knew, like Irina. In the meantime, people from Ukraine are simply looking for some refuge. A place to stay until things blow over.
It’s been a joy to host Irina, and it’s been amazing to watch others from the church here host refugees. And when there is no one to host, thanks to your giving we have been able to pay for temporary places for them to sleep. We have been able to buy food and clothing for those in need, and mattresses for people to sleep on.
In the end, the Lord is our refuge and strength. He is our shelter and hiding place. He welcomed us into His family, and He lavishly blesses us with the riches of His grace. He is our hope in a sinful and broken world. And He is the light in the darkness.
Related Projects:
Arabic Ministries at MMC produce Arabic media with the goal of seeing thriving communities of believers in hard to reach areas.
Counseling, workshops and conferences help hurting people heal and discover hope in Jesus Christ.
Support for a national worker who will help coordinate Comunicando Vida's events and trainings, and assist with counseling.
Caring physically and spiritually for those affected by the war in Ukraine.
Purchasing and renovating a facility for Evangelical Poland so churches can work in partnership for greater impact among the unreached.
Creating a movement of cooperation among evangelical Christians to strengthen the Church in Poland and plant churches where there is no church.
Church planting summit will provide a focused time of training and planning for Avant's missionaries in Europe.
Planting seeds of the gospel across Romania through sweet corn.
Equipping believers with quality biblical materials in order to deepen their faith and build His Church in Greece.
Mobilizing a pastor to lead a growing fellowship of refugees in Spain.
Creating a documentary to help Spaniards examine the gospel apart from cultural religion.
Streamlining media production and distribution systems by building three media editing suites so the gospel can continue to reach Arabic speakers.
Serving refugees in Spain and sharing the love of Christ with them.
Related Opportunities:
Use your gift of language to help reach the unreached through media.
An Arabic-speaking person is needed to write the scripts for biblical material at our media center in Spain.
An Arabic-speaking person is needed to present the gospel for video materials.
A camera operator is needed in Spain to help produce Arabic biblical materials.
A talented graphic artist is needed at our media center in Spain, to help create media to reach the unreached.
Avant Ministries is seeking a video director to work in our media center in Spain.
A Facilities Manager and Hospitality Coordinator is needed at our Media Center in Spain.
An Administrative Assistant to the Director is needed to coordinate planning, scheduling, and communications of the Director's Office.
As an IT/Web/ App technician you will enable the media team in Spain to create important biblical media.
Croatia needs the hope and healing of the gospel. Will you join a church planting team to reach this nation?
Only 1.0% of the population in Spain are Christians. A church planting team is being developed to go to this unreached country to share the Good News.
Less than 1 percent of the Czech people are evangelical Christians. Will you join a church planting team to the Czech Republic?
Ireland needs the hope and healing of the gospel. Will you join a church planting team to reach this nation?
Church Planting
Church Support
East Timor
Greece
Mexico
Slovenia
Spain
Europe
Latin America
Mid Term
Opportunities for 6 months-2 years!
Join an existing church planting team in Slovenia to share the hope of the gospel in this nation.
Professors are needed to teach a variety of courses at two seminaries in Spain.
Portugal needs the hope and healing of the gospel. Will you join a Church Planting team to reach this nation?
Be a part of helping us grow the evangelistic influence of Fusion Athletics, leading to the establishment of new churches in Sicily through sports.
As a Social Media Marketer you will join our media team in Spain to help create important biblical media.
As a Marketing Assistant you will help the media team in Spain to create important biblical media.
France needs the hope and healing of the gospel. Will you join a Church Planting team to reach this nation?
Belgium needs the hope and healing of the gospel. Will you join a Church Planting team to reach this nation?
Italy needs the hope and healing of the gospel. Will you join a Church Planting team to reach this nation?
Join an existing church planting team in Poland to share the hope of the gospel in this nation.
Join an existing team to be a part of sharing the hope of the gospel in Romania.
Africa
Asia
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Camp
Church Planting
Greece
Guatemala
Spain
Internship
Short Term
Check our short-term opportunities for 2025!