Kevin Reilly on behalf of Edik and Liana – Ukraine

Each month, the Lighthouse Community sends $10k to Edik and Liana in order to support them in their ministry. We are able to do this because people like yourselves are stirred in your heart to contribute financially to this work. Edik and Liana are long-standing and trusted friends and through our fellowship together, we make a difference – every day – to the lives of ordinary Ukrainians.

To those who choose to live within their nation as refugees, we make a difference. To those whose livelihoods have been wrecked by the war, we make a difference. To those who open up their homes and show hospitality to refugees, we make difference. To churches local to Edik, with whom we have no relationship (but Edik does), we make a difference. And even locally – albeit in a small way – the financial support that we send finds its way into the bank accounts of local shop-keepers and businesses and so here too, we make a difference.

This work through the Lighthouse Community is made possible because brothers and sisters continue to remember the poor (Gal 2:10). The war drags on and economically, the situation is terrible and will get worse for ordinary people living in Ukraine, and more so as winter draws near:

The proportion of Ukrainians living below the country’s national poverty line could reach 70% this year (2022), up from 18% in 2021….People have lost access to food, water, electricity, heating, and gas. By April 11 (2022), nearly $30 billion worth of residential buildings, almost 600 educational institutions, and 205 medical institutions had been damaged, destroyed, or seized, as per the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE). (extract from report by The World Bank)

But the church is making a difference. Ordinary people are finding themselves remembered and blessed. Rents are being paid and people are able to buy groceries. Refugees are finding hospitality and hope and some are finding Christ too (see below). It is a blessing and a privilege to fellowship as the body of Christ and in so doing, to be able to make a difference, every month, every week, every day!

Hope for a short war is hard to find right now and so if you continue to be stirred in your heart for this ministry then please consider giving financially. Together we are making a difference in the lives of ordinary people, every day.

For more information about how to give, see here.

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Edik Writes: It is a great joy for us that Adam (our Son) was baptised a week and a half ago. It was his conscious decision and we are immensely happy about it! Also, our baptism celebration was the largest one ever in the Uzhgorod church! We baptised nine people and there was a big holiday in our church!

We thank God very much for you! During August – with the money that you send – we were able to:

• pay the living expenses of 15 people living in the rooms of two hotels at an average of $150 per person, per month;
• provide financial assistance of $100 to 5 people from our church who have accepted refugees into their homes;
• provide additional financial assistance of $100 to 35 refugees and members of our church – this money was transferred in small amounts each week over the course of the month, into the accounts of these people;
• pay for the rent of the church hall at $500 and for additional rent for the apartment at $400;
• provided assistance to 3 churches at an average of $500 each during the month to support them in their work;
• begin the process of replacing the amplifier in our church – we bought it with us when we moved to Uzhgorod from the Donbas in 2014; it has served us for more than 20 years or so now;

Thank you very much for everything that you do for us.