Story by Pau A.
We arrive at the church in Rivne. The sun is going down, but just a little over thirty beds within the big worship hall are already occupied.
One of the pastors tells us the place will be full by midnight. People are still on the run. They usually arrive by 7pm or 8pm, and surely before the 10pm curfew. The next morning, all will be empty again, families will get back on track towards the border, and the church will get ready to host the next group.
Among the few guests who arrived earlier than usual is Artem and his grandparents. He is 19 years old. They were living in Hostomel, one of the towns in Kyiv’s outskirts that is being fought day after day by the Russian army, coveted especially because of its aerodrome.
“We left Hostomel two days ago,” Artem recounts. “Our country evacuated us because in Hostomel there is a lot of bombing and fire, so they evacuated us to Kyiv, and from Kyiv we came here with a bus.”
Artem was living with his grandparents because he was studying for a degree at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. “Now our study is stopped, we pray that we can continue to study.” Fortunately, he still managed to escape with his grandparents, but unfortunately not his parents and sister. They are living in Kherson. “This is where the war is hitting very bad,” he explains. “We want to evacuate them too.”
That will not be easy as Kherson is one of the cities hardest hit by the war from day one. “We speak with them by phone, messages, Viber, [and] Telegram. They cry because of us, because of our situation, but they feel better for us now [since we could be evacuated]. We pray that they will be good.”
The look in his eyes, as with most of the Ukrainians we met so far, spoke on his behalf before he even pronounced any words. “It’s hard to understand,” he paused. “My friends, my family… We are under big stress. We don’t feel good, but we stay positive.”
Tomorrow will be another long day for Artem. They plan to arrive in another city closer to the border, and from there maybe to Poland. But for now, probably the most urgent need for him is to stop thinking about tomorrow, at least for a little while. “We just need to sleep now, eat some food, have some fun because we have a lot of stress.”
As soon as Artem’s grandfather finds out we are here to help them, he leans in slightly – an honest sign of gratitude. I tell them this is the least we could do. After I pray for them, we wave goodbye and I wish them all the best, especially thinking of Artem’s parents and sister. We still have a long drive back to Poland ahead of us, but they have a much longer drive back to hope, joy, goals, dreams, and peace of heart.
“The missile hit. Everything was on fire. I heard gunshots. It had hit my neighbours. Blood everywhere. You won’t find an answer. There is no answer. There is nothing left.” – Igor* described what he witnessed.
UN aid agencies estimate that millions of people could be displaced following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. 6.5 million people have been displaced within the country, and over 3.6 million people who have left the country urgently fleeing to neighbouring countries as they seek safety.
The terrifying sound of air raid sirens blaring throughout Kyiv, and images of locals taking shelter in underground places like subway stations, only show a glimpse of the horrific reality that many families and individuals are currently experiencing.
Many who have already left the country – mostly women and children – have been forced to separate from their husbands, fathers and brothers, as men aged 18-60 have been restricted from leaving the country for possible conscription.
“There are no winners in war, but countless lives will be torn apart.”– Filippo Grandi, head of UN refugee agency UNHCR.
There is great fear and uncertainty for the Ukrainian people. Those who have left everything behind to flee to other countries for safety are in dire need of essentials.
Will you join us as we work to provide emergency relief Ukrainians who are displaced?
Global Aid Network (GAiN), through its offices in Germany and the Netherlands are packing and procuring essential items such as food, medicines, tents, sleeping bags and blankets to ship to their local frontline partners. These much-needed items will be provided to refugees arriving in Poland, Hungary, Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
Refugees are desperately in need of hope, peace, provision and protection. The need for aid is critical. As of April 1st, we have sent 82 shipments via truck. As the number of people affected continues to rapidly increase daily in this complex situation, we continue to help even more people during this critical time and are committed to supporting people in this time of desperation.
“The missile hit. Everything was on fire. I heard gunshots. It had hit my neighbours. Blood everywhere. You won’t find an answer. There is no answer. There is nothing left.” – Igor* described what he witnessed.
UN aid agencies estimate that millions of people could be displaced following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. 6.5 million people have been displaced within the country, and over 3.6 million people who have left the country urgently fleeing to neighbouring countries as they seek safety.
The terrifying sound of air raid sirens blaring throughout Kyiv, and images of locals taking shelter in underground places like subway stations, only show a glimpse of the horrific reality that many families and individuals are currently experiencing.
Many who have already left the country – mostly women and children – have been forced to separate from their husbands, fathers and brothers, as men aged 18-60 have been restricted from leaving the country for possible conscription.
“There are no winners in war, but countless lives will be torn apart.”– Filippo Grandi, head of UN refugee agency UNHCR.
There is great fear and uncertainty for the Ukrainian people. Those who have left everything behind to flee to other countries for safety are in dire need of essentials.
Will you join us as we work to provide emergency relief to those who are displaced?
Global Aid Network (GAiN), through its offices in Germany and the Netherlands are packing and procuring essential items such as food, medicines, tents, sleeping bags and blankets to ship to their local frontline partners. These much-needed items will be provided to refugees arriving in Poland, Hungary, Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
Refugees are desperately in need of hope, peace, provision and protection. The need for aid is critical. As of April 1st, we have sent 82 shipments via truck. As the number of people affected continues to rapidly increase daily in this complex situation, we continue to help even more people during this critical time and are committed to supporting people in this time of desperation.
Kaiden* is a high school student. He lives with his family and regularly attends church meetings. His family is very poor and as the oldest son, he is working to help take care of them. Every summer, Kaiden works to help his family save money for the school year. His job is essential to him being able to continue his education.
The pressure and burden of having to help support the family is a lot for a high school student. When Kaiden heard that Global Aid Network (GAiN)’s partner, a local church in Damascus, provides Bags of Blessings (bags that contain food and non-food items for a family of five), he went to attend and ended up meeting Jesus. Today, Kaiden is growing steadily in his relationship with Christ.
GAiN has been involved in Syria since 2013, and has been working steadily with our local partner for eight years. Since then, tens of thousands of Bags of Blessings have been distributed and the gospel has been presented to 16,763 people – resulting in 5,992 people who have made the life-changing decision to follow Christ.
The Bags have helped to alleviate some of the burdens that Kaiden has had to carry for his family. With the provision of food and other items in the bag, Kaiden can put some more money toward his education and future.
Sahar* understands the daily struggle Kaiden lives with. She, too, had to overcome many obstacles in her life, including her father losing his job in 2016. Sahar has a brother with physical disabilities and has to work to provide food for the family. Currently, all of her salary goes toward rent for their apartment.
In 2018, Sahar’s father sadly passed away and they had no money for a funeral. When God provided the money from a church that had heard about her situation, Sahar then started to really think about Christ. When Sahar was invited to the church in 2020, she attended with caution. Brother Salih*, from the church, spoke with her and encouraged her to depend on God, who can provide for her needs. At the time, Sahar’s suffering had been so great over the years that she didn’t believe it would happen. Although she told Brother Salih that she believed and accepted what he was saying, in her heart, she didn’t feel it to be true.
After a few days, Salih and his wife visited Sahar. There, they had the chance to share the gospel with her, in which she accepted Christ as her saviour, through tears of joy. She also received a Bag of Blessing and was surprised that God knew exactly what her needs were. He had provided for her at the right time, considering she had nothing to eat that day.
Today, Sahar is a strong believer and shares the gospel with others, and attends a discipleship group.
Kaiden and Sahar are just two of the tens of thousands of people whose lives have been touched in some way since the start of the Bags of Blessings program, thereby revealing hope and restoring life to the people of Syria.
*Name has been changed for security purposes.
On November 17, the BC government declared a state of emergency due to widespread flooding across the province. Tens of thousands of people have had to evacuate, leaving behind their homes, businesses and entire livelihoods.
The effects of the flooding hit close to home as parts of the Lower Mainland region (Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Hope), where many of our staff and partners live, have been significantly impacted.
“The Fraser Valley flooding has impacted our immediate family, friends and the greater farming community. We have observed first-hand the tragic loss that many families have experienced. However, the strength and resilience in this community is like no other; selfless in their dedication to help each other.” Ben & Ashley VanDorp
Nathan and Shena Gorter share: “Our hearts are broken as we check in with our friends and church community, who are affected by rising waters in Sumas Prairie. There are tremendous heroic efforts taking place by farmers, first responders, volunteers, churches, and friends to save people and livestock and provide essentials for living. People are exhausted physically and emotionally and we continue to pray and turn our eyes towards Jesus to gain strength as efforts continue hour to hour.”
Please join us in prayer for:
- Safety and peace for families, individuals that have evacuated and vulnerable populations
- Safety for first responders and those working hard to clear the roads and manage the community water systems
- That the damage to homes and properties would be minimal and that livestock would be able to be moved to a safe location
- The infrastructure that it would continue to hold, and there would be no more challenges introduced into the already complex situation
We are partnering with Samaritan’s Purse, which is in charge of the evacuee shelter in Abbotsford. Together we will provide aid and support to evacuees who have been impacted by the floods. Will you join us* in demonstrating God’s love through compassionate action to those who are suffering?
Out of the visits came meaningful interactions and conversations with hundreds of people. Hasnaa and her husband were one of those meaningful conversations. They shared their need with our partners, telling them how this pandemic has been hard on them as a family. The team prayed for them and shared the gospel message with them. Hasnaa and her husband expressed interest when they were invited by the team to go to church. “Hopefully, one day, after the lockdown is over, we will join.”
Our partners also had the opportunity to spend time with a lovely lady named Fadia, who lives with her son, daughter, and grandchildren. She shared that after the explosion her grandson started experiencing recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, requiring special medicines to help him cope. With the current state of the country’s economy, Fadia’s family was unable to afford to go to the doctor and buy the medicine from the pharmacy.
“You have no idea how much you’ve helped us by bringing us this food pack,” Fadia commented. “You’ve taken off some of our burden, really, thank you.”
Another meaningful conversation we had was with Salwa. It started off when the team received a frantic call from her, asking if they could urgently help her. She was so anxious while she waited, that she got very excited when she saw them heading toward her on the street., “You actually came! Other organizations would say they are coming but never show up, I’m just so happy you guys came to see my situation.”
Salwa explained that it had been months since she could afford to buy food. “You have no idea how much I needed this and how I appreciate this food you brought,” she said through tears.
While some of the team was talking to Salwa, another team member noticed a boy staring at him from inside, so he went to him. The boy was Salwa’s son. A team member sat with him and talked about basketball. The conversation moved to Jesus, how much Jesus loved him and that God has a great plan for him.
Salwa told the team that she was happy that they had a spiritual conversation with her and her son. She shared, “I want my son to grow up and be like you. [To grow up to] love God the way you all do and to help others.”
After prayerfully considering the situation in Lebanon and the people we are serving, our desire is to continue to provide until December 2021. We’ll continue to provide food packs for 400 families (an additional 100 families due to the worsening situation), medicine and medical treatment for those in need, along with minor house repairs, basic home needs like beds, mattresses, blankets, and appliances.
This past week has been heavy with grief as we are witnessing multiple global humanitarian crises in the news. Images of Haitians being surrounded by debris and rubble, following an earthquake that is reminiscent of the quake that devastated the country in 2010; and video footage of Afghans risking their lives to escape their country, after the takeover of the government by the Taliban; are just two examples of the harrowing realities that families and individuals are facing right now.
No matter the geographic location or type of disaster, the suffering of the people and the need for hope is evident. Global Aid Network (GAiN)’s mission is to reveal hope by sharing God’s unconditional love, and restore life by demonstrating the gospel through compassionate action to those who are living in poverty, injustice and crisis.
Haiti has had to endure back-to-back natural disasters, leaving people displaced, without food, water or shelter. The 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck on August 14, and Tropical Storm Grace swept the area just two days after, adding to the hardships of those already displaced. More than 2,000 have been reported dead, about 12,000 are injured and entire villages have been completely destroyed. These disasters came at a time when the country was already experiencing political instability and an increase in gang violence.
Meanwhile, the people of Afghanistan are facing great uncertainty and fear. On August 16, following mounting tension and conflict, the Taliban (radical Islamist movement) took power as the government collapsed. Civilian deaths were already on the rise before the latest incident. Now there is concern, particularly for women and children, who are most vulnerable and at risk of having their basic rights and freedoms taken away; and for Christians in the country that have their safety and lives threatened under Taliban rule.
With so much suffering, injustice and trauma, we are working to do what we can, through our local partners, to respond to these disasters.
In Haiti, we are working with a local church partner to provide immediate relief to families in need, through relief packages. This includes water, food, medicine, and temporary shelter materials.
At the same time, we are connecting with like-minded groups to support the body of Christ in Afghanistan, both during this immediate and uncertain time, and for those who escape from the country.
The people of Haiti and Afghanistan are desperate and in great need of the hope and protection that Jesus can provide.
Will you join us in demonstrating God’s love through prayer and compassionate action to the people of Haiti and Afghanistan?
March 2021 marks the 10 year anniversary of the Syrian war. Since the civil war started in 2011, more than half of Syria’s population has been displaced, according to a statement by Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development.
“Over half of Syria’s pre-civil war population is now displaced, and more than 13 million people inside the country need urgent help,” the statement said. “The conflict has resulted in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.”
This past decade has caused so much pain and suffering for individuals and families in Syria. According to UNICEF, many families have had to flee from violence multiple times (up to seven times).
The economic impact of the war has meant that many families are struggling to afford or even get access to basic food items for their households. Many have lost their jobs and 90 per cent of people in the country are living in poverty, according to the BBC. Due to a lack of access to food, over half a million children under five years old suffer from stunting.
GAiN has been involved in Syria since 2013, partnering with a local church in Damascus to help provide basic food and non-food items through Bags of Blessings. Each bag provides for a family of five for one month. For those who have received bags in the past eight years, not only has the aid helped alleviate the financial burden, but displaced families were also connected to the local church where they were introduced to the love of Jesus.
While the war seems to be slowing down and has stopped in the majority of the country, Syrians are still facing the economic consequences.
Lynn Maksoud, a member of the church who is involved in the high school ministry, shared how the struggle to find basic food items has made life difficult but the Bags of Blessings are helping them get by.
“I have been attending the church for over five months. [I am] grateful for the Bags of Blessings they offer to us because it meets our needs. All of us know that the economic situation is very difficult during this period. Unfortunately, the war left destruction but it is then concluded. But now, it seems there is no end for the need. The prices are very high and we can’t buy many things like before. People’s situation is getting worse. So, the Bags of Blessings are very helpful for us, they even include many things we can’t buy right now. So, it is very important, more than any time before. Thank you for your help.”
For many church members, they initially came to the church to receive Bags of Blessings. While they were able to receive aid, many people came to know Jesus through an invitation to attend church meetings. Nadim, a husband and father of three school-aged children, is one of those people.
“I came to the church asking for the Bag of Blessing because we are, as a family, in need. My wife and I are working but that’s not enough for living expenses. I put all my salary to buy my monthly medicine. I came to the church asking for help and started to attend the meetings. I [came to know] Christ as saviour, then I got baptized, and now I am attending all the meetings in the church. I am so happy, although the situation is critical and harsh. I thank the Lord for the church because it is still with us, giving the Bags of Blessings. That bag really helps a lot with the expenses. The need was big during the war and now it is very huge.”
Earlier this year, Syria entered its 10th year of civil war, just as COVID-19 became a global pandemic.
Since 2013, we have worked with local partners to provide aid and the hope of Jesus to displaced individuals and families whose lives have been forever changed since the war, including 13.1 million in need and 6.6 million internally displaced (UNHCR). Our Bags of Blessings program (distributing bags with a month’s worth of food and non-food items) has helped alleviate some of the financial burdens since inflation and unemployment has made it hard for families to put food on the table.
When COVID hit and restrictions meant that churches were unable to gather in large groups, our faithful partners continued to dedicate their time to visiting families door-to-door. They delivered over 955 Bags of Blessings and 100 Clean Bags (containing basic cleaning and disinfecting supplies) to help raise awareness and prevent the spread of the virus.
Dina A., is a wife and mother of three adult children. She is a member of the local church and started attending when she received Bags of Blessings through the program.
Life before COVID was already hard, but the added impact of the pandemic is causing more stress on her family’s situation.
“My husband is a retired policeman and he isn’t earning much,” Dina explained. “My eldest daughter is 32 years old and is dealing with chronic health issues that require her to be on medication and go to the hospital for regular examinations. My youngest son is 20 and currently in university. My other son is 31 years old but has not completed his education in order to earn more and help us with household expenses.”
Due to inflation, whatever they earn isn’t enough. While life remains difficult for Dina and her family, the Bags of Blessings help make a difference and continue to serve as a reminder of God’s faithfulness.
“I serve God at the church and help package and distribute Bags of Blessings. The Bags touch my heart and fill it with gratitude to the Lord, because He is a good and faithful shepherd. The Bags definitely attract new members to the church and are given according to the need, so that it will be a reason for blessing everyone who takes it with knowledge of how the Lord is good.”
Faddaa S., is another member of the church who first heard about it through the Bags of Blessings program.
“The economic situation at home, because of the general situation and the deteriorating conditions, is below the middle line because of the high cost of living. We live on my salary, which does not exceed $25 dollars (per day),” Fadaa, 46 years old, shared.
“When we heard that the baptist church distributed Bags of Blessings, I began attending. This was the reason we came at the beginning. But then, I became attached to the Word of the Lord and I began to think of the benefits (Bags) as gifts from the Lord Jesus. The Bags have helped lift a large part of our expenses that we used to spend on purchasing food. Now we use that money on other household expenses.”
Families with younger children are finding it difficult to get by. Rana K. is 38 and part of a family of four.
“We can no longer provide for the needs of our children in a healthy and ideal way for their ages,” Rana lamented. “They are in the stage of development.”
Despite the hardships, Rana still has faith.
“The love of the Lord Jesus is beyond our imagination. We find Him with us in every moment of our lives, with joy and pain. We find that the Lord will provide us with our needs at the right time when we are most in need of help. Personally, I do not fear any need because I have an inner peace that my master never leaves me in need. As for the Bag of Blessings, due to the current situation in our country, some people come to the church for the purpose of aid, but when they hear the word of the Lord and enter the minutes of the Lord, you will find them adhere to the word of the Lord and apply it in their lives.”
Just like many other countries, Syria enacted lockdown measures when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Restrictions on gatherings made things difficult for our local partners, who usually host large church gatherings and need to meet with people in order to distribute Bags of Blessings (bags with essential food and non-food items).
Still, they adapted to make it work, including holding bible studies over Zoom and meeting in small groups to share God’s word, as well as distributing Bags of Blessings and cleaning supplies to families door-to-door.
Bags of Blessings have been much-needed since the country’s economic crisis has left many families impoverished. With inflation, the cost of even the most basic food items have become unaffordable for many families. To make sure that people are still getting these essential food and non-food items during the pandemic, our partners made personal door-to-door visits to families, providing them with Bags. This act of kindness, along with intentional love and care, has helped many families make a decision to follow Jesus, and many are now in discipleship groups.
Our partners also distributed Bags of Blessings and Clean Bags (with cleaning products), as well as blankets and bed sheets for the winter, at a local church, taking advantage of the church’s big parking space to ensure proper distancing.
The pastor of the church thanked our partners, saying, “I am very thankful for the help you are granting to our church. These [Bags] are becoming a very good support for their needs, knowing that all the materials (food, detergent, clothes) are very expensive due to the sanction over Syria, and the inflation of the currency (our Lira). For that reason, there is a strong need for our people in Syria in general to be supported and to grant them to and thanks to God for the generous relief program you are doing. This ‘love in action’ is the core of Christianity and the message of real love, which is translated to caring [for] and helping [each other]. And I see through this holy program a strong and good testimony for our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Nadia, who received a Bag at the distribution, wrote a thank you letter, sharing her appreciation: “Thank you and we appreciated so much because you were next [to] us during all these crises and you didn’t leave us at all. You were good support for us by sending food, detergent, blankets, etc. Thank you. Because of you, I understand what it means by Christian family and the church… We learned from you to search in deep in bible and love others from our heart and [care for] and help people like us.”
In the last three months, our partners have been able to reach 300 families, helping 123 make a life-changing decision to become a follower of Jesus, and leading 13 follow up groups.