Knowing that faith is an action word, believers from the Kentucky Baptist Convention are aiding in the Ukrainian refugee crisis by offering prayers and giving of themselves to help those forcibly displaced to Poland.”The Bible reminds us to go into all of the world and this is one of those opportunities that we get out of our comfort zone and help other people who are in need,” said Ron Crow, director for Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief.The ministry has been mobilized on many global refugee missions, but Crow says this trip to Gdansk, Poland, to help some of the 10 million displaced Ukrainians will be different.”With the war that they’ve experienced, we have no idea really what they’re dealing with and what they’re going through,” he said. “They’ve lost homes and they have family members they don’t know if they’ll see again.”Yet, they’re prepared for the challenge of supporting those refugees, who are mainly women and children, through emotional and physical care.”The minute we hit the ground, we’ll go to work and serve the church and these people who are suffering,” Crow said. “And when our time is up, we’ll pull out and come home while the other team comes in.”Due to limited housing, only six volunteers will deploy for one week at a time for the next six months.The first group will go on Easter Sunday and serve where needed at the local Poland Baptist Church, which is operating as a shelter. The team will carry out a variety of duties including cooking, cleaning, helping with childcare, and ministering.”The church people have stepped up to help aid and care for these people, but they’re getting tired, so we’re going there to provide that respite and relief,” Crow said.Assisting those whose lives have been disrupted, is a blessing, but Crow knows the favor is always returned.”I often call it a double blessing,” he said. “We are there to bless them, but we too are taught and blessed by God ourselves and he shows us things within our own heart that makes us aware and grows us deeper in our own faith.”It’s that faith that Crow and the disaster relief team want the refugees to hold on to in uncertain times, because hope, help, and unity can make a difference.”We’re going there just to love on them, hear their stories, care for them, and pray for them,” he said.KBC is partnering with the international organization Send Relief, and other disaster relief personnel from Ohio, Louisiana, and Mississippi.More information about becoming a volunteer or aiding in Ukraine efforts in other ways, can be found here.
