On April 19, 20204 UETS faculty and staff formed a team that embarked on another trip to the warzone in the East of Ukraine.
On this occasion, they were accompanied by representatives of the Outreach Foundation led by its executive director Rev. Dr. Mark Mueller and associate director for missions Rev. Dr. Thomas Boone, and their partners from Poland and Lithuania. The delegates also had taken part in a retreat specifically organized for Ukrainian army chaplains and volunteers a week prior.
The objective of this trip was to distribute humanitarian aid in the vicinity of the frontline, provide foreign partners with a firsthand view of the extensive devastation in the area, and offer encouragement and support to local believers. On the way back, a quantity of first aid kits was delivered to Ukrainian military.
The team visited a local church in Izium, a town where mass graves were found after its liberation from the Russian occupation in 2022. Regrettably, due to the circumstances, the church consists mostly of women and elderly people.
According to feedback from our international friends and partners, taking a journey spanning approximately 1,200 kilometers in a single day “was worth doing” and resonated deeply. It was an opportunity to share the pain of those who endure consequences of the ongoing war on a daily basis. Moreover, these journeys serve as reminders to continue praying specifically for the people of Ukraine and support them.