Churches Respond to the War in Ukraine

August 30, 2022

As the world watched Ukrainians flee from their homes, a group of believers gathered together to share their churches were responding to the needs of refugees. Greater Europe Mission organised a gathering in Poland, where GEM global worker Kevin Flierl filmed and captured stories during the Christian Ukraine Collaboration.

An evangelist and filmmaker, Kevin recorded testimonies about God’s amazing power and provision at this special gathering in Krakow, Poland.

There he encountered the sharp contrast of the light of the kingdom of God with the dark history of nearby Auschwitz-Birkenau.  

A Stark, Dark Reminder

To remember part of World War II history, Kevin participated in a tour of the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. For more than three hours, he walked the camp and learned about the details of this place of torture. 

It was here in Birkenau, Poland that Hitler’s secret service created four “bathhouses” that served as gas chambers. Up to 3,000 people at a time were corralled and exposed to poisonous gas, killing them in under 10 minutes. After this, fellow Jewish prisoners were forced to pull gold fillings and transfer the bodies to cremation ovens. Nearby rivers flowed dark and murky with the ashes of thousands of Jews. 

Poland offers tours of death camps as a critical reminder of what happens when the powers of darkness exert their reign in this broken world.  

Churches Respond to the War in Ukraine

Offering Compassion and Hope

Upon returning from the heavy, heartbreaking tour, Kevin noticed the stark difference between history and the present day gathering of Christ followers in Poland.

Instead of planning death, believers from various backgrounds came together to lay out a compassionate response to the war in Ukraine. They shared about what they needed to continue their work: people, money, and prayer.

The rooms of the Christian Ukraine Collaboration were filled with hope and optimism as people from across the world shared ways that the Kingdom of God is growing, defeating the kingdom of darkness.  

Churches Respond to the War in Ukraine

We serve a God who is victorious, and we know that in the end, our God completely crushes Satan. We rejoice that God’s people on earth are gathering together to collaborate and share hope with those fleeing darkness. 

To watch a story about the Christian Ukraine Collaboration, click here

Churches Respond to the War in Ukraine

About the author and photographer: Emily Nichols and her family serve in Manchester, England. Kevin Flierl serves in Germany and Switzerland.