Over the past few years, with your support, ITMI's Andrew Gosrki has been able to connect churches in Poland so that believers have the resources they need to share Jesus and disciple others.

Now, this network, called Evangelical Poland, is able and ready to help locate resources and connect refugees to them, as well as equip the body of Christ for the opportunity to care for Ukrainian refugees.

Andrew writes, "It might seem overwhelming, but most of the people involved in helping know there is no other way than to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Please pray that the resources needed will last just as they did in the story of Elisha and the widow."

Here are 7 ways Andrew has been able to help Ukrainian refugees because of your support.

1. Keeping a Family Together

Andrew's sister, Agnieszka, writes,

At the beginning of the war, a family of 6 from Kharkiv, who stayed with us in Poznan, Poland for only one night, ended up in Strasburg (France).

Yesterday I reached out to one of them, just randomly asking how life had been for them in Strasburg.

It turned out that they had major problems with accommodation there and were just about to board the train to go 380 km south.

Half of the family would need to stay in Strasburg, and half had to go nearly 240 miles away.

Because just before the call I talked with a local American missionary, who had over 150 places for refugees in Christian homes, I asked them not to board the train and connected them with the missionary and we were able to keep the family together!

That is the power of Kingdom Connections!

– Agnieszka Górska-Tomaszewska

This is a good example of why it is valuable for the God's Kingdom for believers to be staying with Christians and churches.  I'm sure Agnieszka is busy - new refugees are coming through and there's much to be done.

But she viewed that family's one night in her home as the beginning of a relationship - one that might become redemptive with some intentionality on her part.

She took time to follow up and build that relationship, even though the family had moved on to France.

This is the kind of thing you are enabling with the help you're sending to Andrew and our partners -  believers getting the opportunity to obediently lay the groundwork for redemptive relationships.

Many of the items on the rest of this list are aimed at making these kinds of relationships possible!

The family at the train station, about to leave Poznan, Poland for France.

2. Helping Local Churches Serve Refugees

Andrew writes:

Thanks to your generosity and trust, funds were sent to 30 churches that are serving refugees in Poland and sending help directly to Ukraine.

As of now the money reached churches in Kielce, Rzeszów, Koło, Lublin, Warsaw, Radość, Opole, Poznań, Zambrów, Łódź, Białystok, Mrągowo, Radzyń Podlaski just to name a few.

In these difficult times, the needs are rising, not diminishing.

One pastor of a church in a small town in northern Poland writes:

“We are afraid that soon it may be difficult for us to feed these people when all the initial enthusiastic help cools down and they will be dependent only on our (tiny) congregation. Our town is a rather poor community, so resources may run out and these people need to be fed.” 

Andrew is also using the Evangelical Poland network of churches and pastors to offer workshops for pastors and leaders on pastoral care for Ukrainian refugees.

The workshops will be held in different towns in Poland and will be led by people from the Baptist Seminary in L'viv, Ukraine.

3. Transporting Refugees to Christian Families

Andrew has been involved with transporting refugees to Christian churches and families.

Starting Sunday, April 3 regular transport will go from Wroclaw, Poland to Germany. The first transport will take 42 refugees safely to Christian families from local German churches.

Andrew is working to get two more locations with networks of sending churches up and running, with an additional bus leaving for France.

Refugees you've helped Andrew transport from Poland to waiting Christian homes and churches. 

4. Direct Aid to Ukraine

A Ukrainian missional church operating in Poland is doing the dangerous work of going to and from Ukraine to save as many lives as possible.

Two days ago another 25 women and children were rescued from Mariupol thanks to a network of Ukrainian Churches.

They are regularly sending humanitarian aid and bringing people to safety, although it is extremely dangerous and some have already been harmed in the process.

5. Christian Call Center

To help connect refugees to Christians with resources, Andrew has set up a Christian hotline, staffed by Ukrainians (which provides them with jobs).

This will help Christians reach more refugees with Christ and His love, as well as protect refugees from falling into the hands of human traffickers or others who may be preying on the refugees' vulnerability.

The Christian call center is in testing mode and will be ready to begin operating in a few days!

The law in Poland regarding refugees is changing nearly daily, so those working the call center need a lot of knowledge and training.

6. Evangelistic and Discipleship Materials in Ukrainian

The publisher of Josh McDowell's book More than a Carpenter has made the book available in Ukrainian for free for refugees.

Andrew and Evangelical Poland have been involved with getting copies of that book into the hands of Ukrainian refugees, that they might come to know Jesus better.

7. Helping Refugees Earn Income

Andrew writes,

"My son, Piotr, has been very busy with his new Ukrainian “brothers” who stay in our house, helping them make some money through car cleaning.

Last time we checked the Facebook post, it had nearly 400 shares! It also seems that they are so busy that it is difficult to find a free slot. 😉

Well done, boys!"

Andrew's son, Piotr, (middle) with his Ukrainian "brothers" who are staying with the Gorskis.