As Ukraine continues to face an ongoing and ever-growing humanitarian crisis, we cannot turn a blind eye to human suffering. Especially knowing many of our Jewish brothers and sisters are currently there, enduring the terrors of war.
Apostle Paul said wherever he went, he had to go to the Jews first, those were his brethren, which is why he went to synagogues first, and he ministered to everyone else along the way.
That is at the core of our mission, to reach our Jewish brothers and sisters, to bring them help and encouragement. Letting them know we have not forgotten about them!
A large part of Ukraine lies in darkness, due to critical damage to civilian infrastructure, with most cities cut out from electricity, water and heat in the middle of freezing winter temperatures.
We cannot overlook the immense suffering caused by the raging humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, with so many families, including Jewish ones, who were unable to evacuate and are currently trying to survive under severe war conditions.
Our hearts must open and expand in view of human suffering. There is so much we can do to help, and with all the logistics in place, all we really need is the funds to provide crucial solutions to those trying to survive currently.
With an official invitation extended to us by Ukrainian authorities, we are working alongside local Jewish communities, a sizeable messianic congregation, and local churches.
Currently, the urgent need is to raise $56,000 that will support our emergency relief project led by our team of 8 people. Due to the complexity of travelling to and in Ukraine, our team will be accompanied by military personnel that will ensure our team’s safety and swift passage through check posts and borders (some take up to 8 hours to cross due to the large influx of refugees).
The idea is to deliver and install much-needed generators to provide electricity and heat in destroyed cities, as well as put up two ultra-secure building-like tents in two cities, where people can come to receive aid, warm up, get hot tea, free wifi, etc. These large-scale relief tents are to be set up in the most affected cities, where people currently have no access to electricity, water or heat.
Our goal with these tents, in addition to the aid they will provide, is to connect local churches and have believers minister in those tents 24/7 to people that come searching for help.
Aside from generators and tents, we will be assembling a large delivery of food supplies, blankets, comforters, bandages, as well as other crucial medical and winter supplies.
This Emergency Relief Project will also extend to a local Jewish synagogue, as well as children from the Kyiv Messianic Congregation, along with local orphanages that we feel very strongly about, all of whom will receive much-needed supplies.
A local pastor said: “The biggest help that truly touches people, especially Jewish people here right now having teams from Israel coming to visit them, knowing they are not forgotten, and encouraging them as they endure terrible hardships.”
Our team will also visit 180 families currently finding refuge in a local synagogue in Kharkiv, hiding from ongoing daily bombings.
We hope to successfully arrange meetings with some key Ukrainian officials, such as the mayor of Kiev, and mayor of Kharkiv — with the goal to see how better we can serve those who suffer and need God’s loving kindness shown through us, now more than ever.
There’s so much need, pain and despair that we can help with. The only thing needed is resources, in this project’s case: $56,000 that will go such a long way right now for so many people, especially Jewish people in Ukraine.
We cannot overemphasize the importance of acting now! Helping at a time like this! We must act while there’s still time and it can make a difference for so many in this terrible and dark time.
Beit Hallel is a Messianic Jewish congregation in Ashdod, led by pastor Israel Pochtar, serving holocaust survivors and the poor and needy locally and throughout the nation of Israel, while building up the body of Messiah in the promised land of Israel.