Ukraine crisis: 5 ways to pray for refugees

(Send Relief)

Anya was tearfully stacking the burned bricks from her house when a team of volunteers arrived in Ukraine.

As a result of ongoing attacks from Russian forces, Anya’s house had little left in it except for a few metal knick-knacks that had survived the flames.

Upon hearing that the volunteers came from a local church, Anya invited them in and broke bread with them while sharing her heartbreaking story. Through a lengthy conversation, Anya committed herself to Christ, and nearly 20 of her neighbors in similar situations began attending services at a partner church.

As the invasion continues, Anya and her neighbors will most likely have to abandon what is left of their community to flee the country. Surrounding nations currently receiving Ukrainian refugees include Poland, Romania, Moldova, Germany and Hungary.

Offering transport

In anticipation of this, Send Relief, the compassion ministry of the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board, funded multiple bus rentals to transport hundreds of refugee families across the border to local churches that wait with open arms.

Here are ways to pray:

• Pray for a successful registration process and quick resettlement in their new host countries. Many families live months without financial support, work permits, medical attention or proper schooling for their children.
• Pray for adequate housing for families.
• Pray for families to acclimate well to the new language and culture. It’s difficult for Ukrainian refugees to navigate settling into their new nations without a timeline for return or any assurance of seeing their homeland again.
• Pray for the Ukrainian men. Many brothers, husbands and fathers remain behind to fight. The people see a nationwide spike in depression and other mental health crises because families now have to live separated indefinitely.
• Pray for the pastors ministering during the war to see the hand of God at work as they serve.

Check with your church, association or state Baptist convention to find out how they are contributing to ongoing relief work in Ukraine.