Ukraine: Partnering in Refuge

From the beginning, Week of Compassion has been engaged with ecumenical partners to do the work of alleviating suffering. On behalf of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we serve together - individuals, congregations, denominational colleagues, and ecumenical partners - to not only envision but work for a world where God’s people transform suffering into hope. 

Week of Compassion is responding through partners to support Ukrainians all along their arduous journey - welcoming and hosting refugees as they flee, getting them safely to where they need to be, and preparing to provide trauma care as they rebuild their lives. 

---

As refugees flee to bordering countries, our partner International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is working in Eastern Europe, busy with evacuations, transporting people from border areas to safe accommodation, offering humanitarian distributions, and establishing online learning centers for refugee children to continue their education remotely. As of last week, nearly 4 million refugees have entered Poland and Romania.

With their significant expertise in the area, IOCC is preparing their first trainings for next month, ready to implement a spiritual and emotional counseling program, as one way to address the immense and often well-hidden wounds embedded in this cycle of conflict, escape, and resettlement. 

That escape is reaching further into Europe as well. As Greece receives thousands of refugees, Perichoresis, a ministry of the Evangelical Church of Greece, a partner through Global Ministries, is working to provide family apartments, including utilities and food supplies, plus medical care, language lessons, and job skills and vocational training. In addition, they are extending support for children and families with group meetings and individual case assessments, to be sure each family’s needs are known and cared for.

As the situation unfolds and many refugees are able to flee, many congregations across the country have reached out to Week of Compassion to prepare for receiving refugees in the near future.  You can contact Week of Compassion anytime to prepare your congregation and community to welcome refugees, and to care for those already awaiting assistance.

In every place and every way possible, countless partnerships are nurtured to offer hope and healing into the lives of the world’s most vulnerable, and Week of Compassion is grateful to serve, in the name of Jesus Christ, and on behalf of the whole church.

>   Since February 24 2022, more than 5 million people have fled Ukraine. 

>   More than 7 million are internally displaced (having fled their homes, but remain within the country). 

>   The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) has declared a ‘level 3’ emergency in Ukraine - the highest level they have - and level 2 in the surrounding nations that are rendering aid. 
​
>   The refugee and displacement crisis continues to affect predominantly women, children, and the elderly.