Our mission is to love the people of Ukraine as Jesus loves us.
How did we get here?
From a small dream of unifying and encouraging the church on mission trips to over 30 years of serving the church in Ukraine, Rescue Ukraine exists to serve.
“I went to bless them…and I was the one most blessed. In seeking to save Ukraine, I saved myself.”
Our love story with the land and people of Ukraine began over 30 years ago.
In the early 1990s, Ukraine gained her independence from Soviet oppression, and it was our privilege to bring a newly freed nation of people—the gospel of Jesus, which brings true freedom.
In the last three decades, God has blessed us with the privilege of participating in the establishing and building up of numerous congregations, starting and supporting schools that use the Bible to teach English and values, organizing and promoting preacher training schools, and hosting annual spiritual retreats and seminars.
A main focus, for over 20 years, is an annual Bible camp known as “Camp Amerikraine.” This unity-building, faith-fortifying “family reunion” brings together Christians, future Christians, and families across Ukraine. This camp comprises the largest annual gathering of Christians on the European continent!
The people who form the backbone of Rescue Ukraine have been, for many years, engaged in orphan care, elderly care, medical care, and caring for eternal souls.
Our hearts break.
In 2014, when pro-Russian forces first began waging war against the good people of Eastern Ukraine, many of our dearest friends were horribly impacted. Our hearts were broken as Christians lost homes, church buildings, and life savings…some lost everything but their faith.
During these dark days, we were blessed by God to visit, encourage, and be encouraged by Christians in front-lines cities like Liman and Avdeevka and in the occupied territory of Donetsk. We saw firsthand uncommon courage and faith.
On February 24th, 2022, the full fury of Russian military might was unleashed across the nation of Ukraine. Many of our brethren were (and continue to be) in great peril. Our first priority was to help transport God’s people to safer places. Amid great chaos, buses were rented, which immediately transported 150 of our friends to the safety of Warsaw, Poland, and beyond. Since those early days of “full invasion,” we have partnered with big-hearted Christians around the world to provide places of shelter in West Ukraine, across Western Europe, and North America (the Tuscumbia Church of Christ, where I serve as minister, is honored to host 20 Ukrainians, and hopefully more are on the way…).
We continue working with “Good Samaritans” everywhere to provide transportation to safety, generators, food, water, warm clothing, medical supplies, Bibles, and other teaching materials to people under siege.
A current benevolence campaign involves sending 1000 dollars each to about 15 different preachers and/or other church servants who use these funds to purchase food and fuel for heat for hurting Christians, refugees, and neighbors who need help surviving this brutal winter.
The financial cost is high…but thus far, God has blessed us with the ability to purchase multiple vehicles (to deliver people to safer places and deliver life-saving and life-sustaining supplies to those in need). He has also given us the means to purchase and/or rent several places of worship and refugee relief. We also provide funds to those who have committed their lives to preaching Jesus.
Every heart needs hope.
We seek to be transparent in our activities and their costs. Rescue Ukraine is presently spending about 30,000 dollars each month to meet the various physical and spiritual needs of our Ukrainian friends. And soon, we’ll need to begin raising funds for two upcoming Camp Amerikraines…one in Poland and the other in Ukraine.
With the help of God, we need to do more...much more. We need to print and distribute more Bibles. We need to do more to address the emotional damage this war is causing. We need to develop plans with soul-loving Christians around the world to be ready on day one of peace to cover Ukraine with Christians sharing the saving message of Jesus. Many churches will need building. Many broken churches will need rebuilding.
