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Ukraine is a beautiful country in Eastern Europe which was sadly brought to the world’s attention by the full scale invasion by Russia, in February 2022. Known as the bread basket of Europe, Ukraine has large areas of stunning countryside, with mountains, lakes, sunflowers and wheat fields, it is steeped in history.
Our work in Ukraine began in 1991, when Rev. Bernard Cocker, our founder and CEO visited and saw the horrendous conditions in orphanages, hospitals and ordinary homes following the fall of the Soviet Union. Since then our Ukrainian staff, volunteers and churches have worked to bring the practical and spiritual gospel to hundreds of thousands of people in need, in many different ways; distribution of essential aid, prison ministry, hospital ministry, including support for AIDS and TB sufferers, care for elderly people, children and young people’s foster homes, rehabilitation centres and skills training, and Christian holiday camps for children.
Pastor Pasha Ozeruga, pictured with his wife Iryna (below left) is our Ukraine Director and has been part of International Aid Trust for over thirty years. Pasha leads a team of dedicated staff and volunteers, working very closely with the Evangelic-Pentecostal Union of Ukraine churches. Our base at Motovylivka in Ukraine houses our distribution centre, church (pictured above), children’s home, the ‘Father’s Hands’ home for elderly people and currently temporary accommodation for people displaced by the war.
When the war in Ukraine began, we had all the infrastructure in place to get extra funding and practical aid to our team, who began working tirelessly to support people whose lives have been devastated by the war. The photo above right shows aid distribution in Kharkiv in April 2022, the teams distributing aid always include evangelists and chaplains, who share hope in Christ with the people they are helping. Since the start of the war, over 1,300 tonnes of aid, with a financial value of over £23 million, generously donated by our UK supporters, has been sent and distributed. We are very grateful to God for all the people and resources he had prepared “…for such a time as this” (Esther 4 v 14).
As the need became clear, we began to source and send vehicles, including fully functioning ambulances and 4×4 pickups, to Ukraine too. Pastor Ruslan who leads our work in the south of Ukraine, including prison ministry and hospital ministry, is pictured receiving an ambulance, delivered by long term volunteer Jon. Ruslan says, “God has amazing ways. This vehicle and the other vehicles International Aid Trust supply are to ensure the evacuation of wounded people from the battlefield and from places where terrible bombings are taking place today. You know, such vehicles save people’s lives. And I am very happy that we now have the opportunity to help these people.”
As the war sadly continues, so the ministry continues, in large scale aid distribution visits to frontline areas, hospitals and refugee camps. At the same time our teams and churches know their own communities well and are ministering to those in need, reaching out with the good news of the Gospel, providing practical and pastoral support, holding children’s clubs and camps, delivering aid.
Our Fastov Region administrator Pastor Igor, is pictured above, far right, with our Founder and CEO, Rev. Bernard Cocker, third right, delivering shoebox gifts to a family in the village of Klekhivka. The church in Klekhivka is led by Pastor Igor and was planted over ten years ago, from outreach that started when the church family from Motovylivka took shoeboxes to the community there. More churches have now been planted from Klekhivka in other nearby villages.
We praise God for how he has worked through our ministry in Ukraine over the past thirty five years. We thank God our Ukraine teams, for their love and service, which is seeing people coming to faith in these difficult times. We pray for their continued protection whilst travelling, for energy and encouragement and for them to know God’s loving presence and help in every situation.
Aid Transport & Distribution Ambulances & Support Vehicles Shoebox Distribution Children’s Holiday Camps Hospital & Rehab Ministry
