Dear Friend,
Lena and her sister collapsed just inside the door of the Katowice Refugee Center in Poland, breathing a sigh of relief for the first time in three days… they were finally safe.
Lena’s eyes welled with tears as our team member gave them a tour of their temporary home—a simple room, hot shower, and the promise of sleep without the sound of missiles and explosions ringing in their ears. The two women found themselves surrounded by others who had no homes to return to… and families
with stories just like theirs.
They escaped the treacherous war zone in eastern Ukraine with a small convoy of cars from their village. Russian soldiers had begun pillaging homes in their neighborhood, forcing civilians to run or suffer horrific abuse and certain death.
They sought help from Ukrainian military and finally found refuge at our center.
Our team has been ministering to refugees in several small centers since the war escalated. In March, our missionaries worked directly with crowds at the border as people fled their homeland. They saw a great need for transitional housing as families waited to start a new life.
This August in 2022, we opened the Katowice Refugee Center to focus our ministry efforts in one central location. The new facility is a three-story former office building set on several acres in the middle of the industrial area of Katowice, Poland.
“After meeting people on the worst day of their lives, we wanted to walk alongside them for a longer period of time as they began to process the trauma they experienced. This larger resident shelter enables us to host families for weeks or months, as they wait for visas and paperwork to travel to a more permanent home.”
– Jane Dollar, missionary team leader
Since our team purchased the building, it has undergone extensive renovation to create a functional, welcoming space for refugees fleeing the destruction in Ukraine. The second floor has space to house 14 more families… but we need your help to finish it. Just $10,000 will complete this phase of the project and establish a home between worlds for those in need of hope.
The refugees’ hearts are broken, and their spirits are shattered. But we know, only Jesus can repair what this war has destroyed.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
At 10 a.m. each day, the residents gather for worship and Bible study at the refugee center. This hour of the day has become transformational for so many. On Lena’s first morning, she walked hesitantly into the room filled with sweet, peaceful melodies and her guarded heart immediately softened. She was like a dry sponge, soaking in each truth and embracing it fully as she read from the Bible for the first time.
As the group studied Matthew 18 discussing forgiveness, she recognized the hate that filled her and asked, “How can I have a new heart?” What a challenge to explain scriptures about forgiveness and judgment to those who have endured such tragedy! But God’s Word is living, active, and transforming hearts today.
Lena prayed to receive a transformed heart and now talks about the life-changing forgiveness she found in Christ with anyone who will listen. She is one of hundreds who have passed through the refugee center… and we expect hundreds more!
We can meet their physical needs: safety, shelter, food, and transportation for
$10 per person each day. But more importantly, at the Katowice Refugee Center,
we now have the time to build relationships and share the remarkable love of Jesus. The One who offers the peace and comfort they desperately crave.
I wrote to you in March of this year when the frightening crisis between Russia
and Ukraine expanded across the entire country. Our teams needed Bibles and
gospel resources to shine the light of Jesus in the midst of those darkest days.
You responded overwhelmingly — sending 1,500 Bibles to Ukraine!
Those are the exact Bibles that are carrying the hope of Jesus and changing
eternity for residents at the Katowice Refugee Center! This is evidence of life change… all because YOU gave.
There are many costs involved with the operation of this new center. To continue offering a place of refuge, there are extensive renovations that still need to be completed. One more floor awaits improvement to house even more families. The price tag for the next phase is more than $80,000. Your gift will ensure that we can continue sharing the truth of God’s Word with the refugees, like Lena, who will pass through our doors.
Because of your partnership this year, thousands of souls have been won for
Christ across Eurasia. Hearts are open and God is moving! Please send what you can so Ukrainian refugees can find hope and healing through Jesus at the Katowice Refugee Center. However you are led to give, please do it today. December 31 is the last day your gift can apply to this year’s taxes.
Would you help us meet this incredible need? Your giving will ensure that refugees, who narrowly escape the horrors of war, will experience the life-changing love of our faithful God.
P.S. The refugees at the Center recently spent hours packing and praying over the Christmas boxes for children still living in war-torn Ukraine. They are thrilled that you are sending gifts with the New Testament to those enduring the conflict in their homeland. Thank you for your generosity!