Ukrainian Refugee Report 6-25-22

 One Million

How much is one million? It’s a one with six zeros behind it. I have seen crowds that numbered in the thousands, but I have never seen one million people or one million dollars at one time.

Could one million people fit in your city Square? What would one million beds look like? What would it take to supply one million people with a bottle of water and a hamburger just once?

How many clothes would it take to give each a change of clothing? How about showers and bathroom facilities for one million people?

An estimated fourteen million people have fled their homes in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. According to estimates, six million of these have left the country and eight million are displaced within the country. When I think of reaching out to this amount of people I feel a little like the disciples must have felt when Jesus told them to feed the multitude. In John 6:9 Andrew said, “There is a lad here which has five barley loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many?”

AURA has been focusing our resources to help the needs inside the country. Thank God there is still lots of food in Ukraine, and there is lots of food and aid coming into Ukraine from Europe and other countries.

However, logistics of getting the food to those in need has been a huge challenge. With much of the infrastructure damaged in Ukraine fuel shortages have become a real crisis. Many stations are completely out of fuel and are closed. The ones that are open have very long lines, customers wait for hours just to get their ration of 15-20 liters. Long lines form up to the gas stations hours before they even open.

Sometimes volunteers will spend days going from station to station just to collect enough fuel to make a trip. At times, delivery vans stay parked for days waiting for fuel so they can go to their destination and back.

Diesel at the pump is around $8.00 per gallon and as high as $12.00 in some places. Some missions have been able to have fuel delivered to their bulk tanks. Many people are bringing fuel in smaller containers across the border from Romania. 

Aura has been buying food items such as apples, rice flour, pasta, and grain for cereal in large quantities which helps your dollar go further. Lots of aid is being brought into western Ukraine from Europe and other countries but it must be delivered to the east. Our contacts gladly deliver it in their own personal vehicles if we will fund their fuel. We end up paying less for the food, but more for the high priced fuel. 

Another big blessing from your dollar is that the Good News is preached. People who before this had no time and no need for God, who never sought for answers outside of themselves, are asking questions. 

For example, the Bethany church in Western Ukraine is using the opportunity to preach the gospel to refugees coming to the church for food. This is repeated by churches in many places. 

We would like to pass on the many heartfelt ‘Thank yous’ from recipients. May God return it to you one hundred fold. 

Mtt 25:34-37 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom… for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 

-Jesse Troyer