Helping the refugees

ByAndy Ziesemer

In moments like this, it’s hard to even know where to start.

Reports as of the time I’m writing this estimate between five to ten million refugees will flee from Ukraine into neighboring Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. A Jesus Mission not only has missionaries serving in those regions already, but has many on route or preparing to go serve those refugees alongside the local church.

As we’ve been raising support, we’ve also been gaining knowledge of how best to begin providing aid. Every day brings new information, as well as shifts in our approach. We will post here and in this Facebook group as we adjust for those changes.

If you’ve given in the past week, this is where your money will be put to work:

  • Eastern Romania – we are funding the assembly of 100 beds, sleeping mats, and provisions (like towels, toiletries, blankets, pillows, food, water, diapers, baby food, etc) in a refugee center inside of a local church in Dorohoi, Romania. That project is under way currently and we will have updates shortly. We expect to begin housing people as early as Wednesday.
  • Western Romania – We are partnering to build out more beds and basic needs alongside a local ministry. The details on this one will be more finalized in the coming hours, and we will provide updates. In Oradea, Romania, it appears most refugees are trying to only stay for a couple nights before they move inland. This is a bigger city with buses and transit options that will keep people moving. We are going help provide basic aid, food, water, etc. Details will follow in the Facebook group as we dial in how to best serve here.
  • Budapest, Hungary – We have many AJM missionaries in this city and a number of local churches we are serving alongside. We will be sending people there to aid in the response. As of yesterday morning, my information told me there had already been over 165,000 Ukrainian refugees which had arrived. We will be sending aid to the missionaries themselves, who have been working relentlessly to help people as they get off trains and buses.

It is expected that millions more will cross in the coming weeks and months, even if the war ended today. Your financial support is helping us to respond quickly, to provide for basic needs and shelter for those who’ve lost everything, and will be bringing aid to the missionaries who are working eighteen hours a day to serve.

Please do not stop sending your support. We will put it to immediate affect.

Andy Ziesemer
President of A Jesus Mission