August 2022 Newsletter

8/25/2022

Message from the Missions Director

On May 23 a mission team left Atlanta for a survey trip to Ukraine. This is the first trip since covid prohibited our travels. Our last trip was in March of 2020 when we were forced to return early due to the pandemic around the world.

Hearing of all the destruction and devastation in Ukraine since the Russian invasion, which began in February of 2022, DMI felt we needed to see firsthand the needs of the people. We also wanted pastors and congregations in Ukraine to know that we fully supported them and were not going to abandon them as they went through this crisis. The team was composed of Dr. Geoffery Conner, Diane Simms, Dean Robbins and I.

Many people thought we were crazy to enter the country while the fighting was still taking place. However, our team all felt that this trip was necessary and our plan was to carry medical supplies and finances for the relief of those suffering in Ukraine. Our goal was to take one day at a time. We had to fly into Krakow, Poland and from there enter Ukraine. If the fighting became more intense and focused on western Ukraine we would stay in Krakow and have our supplies picked up by some of our contacts.

Our planned first stop was Rivna about 200 miles from the border. There we were met by our dear brother Sasha Malov. He had traveled from Kiev to meet us and take us on our most memorable journey. Conditions appeared safe, so we traveled to Cumin in central Ukraine, then on to Kiev where we spent a few days branching out to some of the villages and cities near Kiev.

The Lord blessed us to be able to travel to all of our planned sites. During this entire trip, not one of us felt that we were in any danger, and we trusted the Lord to bring us through. In all, our journey covered 13,655 miles. Following are reports from all of our team members. Each of us covers a different area of the trip.

HAPPY HOME

By: Diane Simms, BSN, RN DMI Medical Director

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

It's been almost 20 years since I felt God leading me to be a part of the DMI Medical Team. We've been to Ukraine many times, but none of them has affected me as this one did.

We've all seen footage of war torn Ukraine on TV, but to see it in person and meet many individuals who have been deeply and personally affected by it is a much different perspective. Devastation and destruction were all around us. It was very emotionally draining.

In the midst of all the horror, a bright spot! Happy Home is an orphanage for children with disabilities. It was a vision and creation of Oxana, a loving and selfless young woman who has taken in as many as 9 children at one time. These children were taken from state run orphanages where their basic needs were not even met. They
are left in cribs in poorly lighted orphanages with very little attention, affection, stimulation or love. They receive nominal amounts of food and are left in diapers far beyond the normal age. But some have been blessed by being selected to go with Oxana to Happy Home.

Oxana explained to us that it is "Happy Home," not "Happy House". She said a house is merely a place where people live, but a home is a place where you feel loved, cared for and nurtured.

Oxana and her twin sister, Leah, worked together not only to care for their basic needs, but also to provide them with love, acceptance, and security. Theyprovide many fun activities that help them develop mentally, spiritually, and physically. Many of these children were withdrawn and showed no affection, but through Oxana's work with them and love for them, they are amazingly outgoing and happy. They initiated hugs and hand holding with us, though we are total strangers to them! She's done such an amazing job with her innovative and effective methods that she has been approved by the government as a provider.

Happy Home was originally located in Kiev, where through much prayer, many donations and hard work, Oxana was able to purchase a larger home. This would allow her to accommodate more children. Unfortunately, when the war with Russia broke out, she felt it unsafe to stay in Kiev with the children. She took them to her parent's home in Novyi Korets', Ukraine. There was an abandoned building across the street that they have been allowed to use during the day, with plenty of room for the children to play. Nights are spent with their staying in her parents' home where love abounds for these children!

During our visit, Oxana stated that she was planning to return to Kiev with all the children the next Saturday. Thankfully, God had spared their new home from the bombings and shelling. Her sister, Leah, was to join her to help with the children. Unfortunately, the day after our visit, Oxana sent word that Leah had died during the night unexpectedly from a blood clot. A month earlier, Leah had fractured her femur and was confined to a month of bedrest. This treatment plan was likely the cause of death. Naturally, Leah, her parents and Leah's daughter were devastated and heartbroken. Their return to Kiev was postponed indefinitely, but her work continues!

Having been able to witness firsthand the senseless death, devastation and destruction of innocent civilians' lives, I now understand fully that while the images on the news are heartbreaking, one will never understand the true sorrow of this evil without having seen it in person. To see a large, multi-story apartment complex bombed, destroying an entire section of the building and killing 79 people was horrible. Finding a shoe here, a hat there, shattered walls decimated, with a stove and kitchen table way over there and a washing machine demolished over here makes it far too real. Imagine innocent people just living there, going through their normal daily routines, then BOOM and they're gone. Our thoughts turned immediately to the seemingly insurmountable task of rebuilding and returning to some type of "normalcy". This probably won't happen during my lifetime, but I pray that it can and will happen in God's time.

Through all of this, a bright spot of hope - Happy Home! Happy Home is supported financially by DMI. It is a blessing for these mentally and/or physically challenged children. Please consider helping them by donating to DMI and earmark your donation forHappy Home. It will mean so much to them and I know it will be a blessing to you.

Diane Simms, BSN RN
DMI Medical Director

Annual Delegates Meeting October 1, 2022
Statesboro Primitive Baptist Church

The annual delegates meeting of DMI will be held on Saturday October 1 at Statesboro Primitive Baptist Church. Further information will be sent out shortly along with all forms needed for the meeting. We will begin at 10:30 a.m. Zoom meeting will also be available. If you wish to join with us by Zoom please notify me and an invitation will be sent to you. Send your name and email address to: pm4dmi@outlook.com

Mission Trip To Ukraine:
October 31 - November 10

Ukraine & A Broken World

By: Doctor Geoff Conner
DMI board member (Vidalia, GA.)

God knows there has been human suffering throughout history. We clearly live in a broken world. And although there is plenty of brokenness close to home, I recently had a chance to witness it up close at a much greater level in war-torn Ukraine.

A mostly rural farm based country about the size of Texas with a GDP about half that of Mexico, they have very little compared to the US or other western based countries. As a primary care physician I have had a long connection with the people of Ukraine going back over 15 years through multiple medical mission trips facilitated by the Christian ministry DMI.

Originally we worked medical clinics in the Donbas region being based in Donetsk. Our model was church-based, free clinics with pastors praying and ministering with patients as they waited for medical care. I can tell you first hand the people of Ukraine are generally poor and meek. In all the years and all the hundreds if not thousands of patients I have treated or with whom I have had prayer, never have I seen anything but kindness and appreciation.

Ukraine is a country that has been occupied many times throughout history. Only in recent years with the Orange Revolution in 2011 have the Ukrainians begun to develop since of real national pride, and out of that, attempted to reform their government in hopes of a more prosperous Ukraine. But even before the Orange Revolution beginning with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine has been moving toward the west trying to develop its economy out of a desire to integrate into western society, a society based on recognizing the value of human life and human rights. In short, in spite of government corruption, the Ukrainian people have been trying to develop a freedom based western style country with a good deal of success. That success seems to be the real reason for their current predicament.

Its old political partner, Russia, is unhappy with the success Ukraine has had moving westward and without provocation has felt empowered to attack. Like an abusive ex-spouse Russia wants its partner back before it can be completely married to the west. But Ukraine has already moved on from Russia and has no desire to return. It is true there are small older segments of the population in the east that have not adjusted well to capitalism and want to return to what they knew in their youth. The vast majority of Ukrainians however now have a burning hatred for Russia and that is understandable after seeing firsthand what Russia is doing to their country.

I have talked personally to people that have lost everything from random bombings and others that had their homes looted by Russians. I have heard from 72 year old Catarina and her son who had to strip for the Russian soldiers so they could look for Nazi related tattoos. I saw firsthand the bombed maternity hospital and rehab house north of Kyiv. I saw the ruins of bombed apartment buildings in Bucha and Irpin. Never has it been more clear to me the difference in our Judeo-Christian based society that values human life and a government that does not. We may as a society be drifting away from realizing it, but we value human life and don't treat each other like animals because at some level we know we are God's special creation. Our souls have his image. Many other societies don't recognize human life that way. We wrongly assume other governments care about human life as we do and that is why this attack is so shocking to us. It is also why we need to provide help.

God loves us. That may be hard for some to believe, but I am certain he does, and when anyone you love is hurt that hurts you. I know God is in control of all things and is allowing wars and countless other evils to continue for the moment, and his holy purpose we can not always understand, but that should not stop us from helping someone or some people in need. The Bible is full of examples of God showing us how important it is to love our neighbor. And like the well known example of the good Samaritan, when we don't help we go against God. In other words, hurting others is sinful and likewise not helping others that are being hurt is sinful. Of course that is a big challenge. Where do you draw the line. Do I give my life to help a stranger or all my money, or maybe a prayer is the best way to help. Also there are so many people being hurt in some way or another, and how do we know who needs help. It can be overwhelming, but in my opinion, if you let him, God will direct you how best to help, and he will put those in need in front of you. That may be the reason you are reading this now.

When I went to Ukraine, I did not just want to go, I felt I had to go. Something deep said this evil has to be answered with something that helps those being hurt. Fortunately, I was in a position to be able to go there in person with a wonderful team and show our support, but there are many ways to help.

Trauma bags given to Dr. Conner and delivered to Kharkiev.

Praying should always be a place to start. Letting our representatives in government know what is needed is another. Donations can be helpful. Being active on social media can help show support. The ministry I have worked with is DMI.

It is Georgia based and puts 100% of its donations directly into the hands of the Ukrainian people and churches that support Ukrainians regardless of faith.

I am convinced this is one of those turning points in history where those who value human life must take a stand against those who don't. I believe the only reason Russia has not used more aggressive weapons to kill massive numbers of innocent Ukrainians is because it is not in their strategic best interest, and I believe that there is no moral best interest in their calculations at all.

I know the final victory over evil is already won, but how much we love God is reflected by how much we love his special creation. Please consider providing some form of help for a nation trying to fight a battle against evil, and pray for the
people of Russia that they may see this evil also and take a stand against it.

Good In The Midst Of Evil

By: Pastor Pat McCoy,
Mission Director (Culloden, GA)

We have seen some of the devastation in Ukraine on television during the past 6 months. However, to see it in person and to talk to the people who have had to flee from their homes puts this war into a very different perspective.

It is one thing to see all the refugees as they cross the border into Poland or German. It is another thing to sit with some of these refugees who have moved to other parts of Ukraine to hopefully restart their lives.

Pastor Eugene, for example, is now a refugee for the second time. He lived in Makeyevka until the war in 2014. He fled the occupied area of Donbass and moved into a city in Ukrainian Donbass Region. He started a church in one of the poorest towns in the region. DMI began supporting his ministry and is still supporting him.

When this war started in February he had to flee once again. There were six churches and pastors DMI was supporting in this region. Four of those pastors fled for their own safety. They abandoned their congregations almost overnight. No warning at all. However, Eugene and another pastor, Igor, gathered all of the people in the six congregations and fled to Uman, in central Ukraine.

They are staying in a summer camp, and with God's help, they will find jobs and a permanent place to live. This is difficult since there are around 10,000 refugees in and around the city of Uman.

In the city of Uman, one church is giving aid to over 500 refugees at a time two days a week. The UN humanitarian aid service has joined in with support of food and other supplies. The church prepares food bags for 500 families at a time. The food is enough to last them 3 weeks. Medical assistance is also offered each week. A pharmacy is set up to give medicines to those with prescriptions. What a ministry is taking place here. DMI is supporting this effort by assisting the pastor of the church. In a village south of Kiev, which was occupied by Russian troops for the month of February, one church, "House of Bread," is providing meals daily to homeless refugees. Some people fled the city of Bucha, north of Kiev, when the Russians' attack moved towards Kiev. They were looking for safety and then still were occupied by Russian forces.

God is working in so many lives and using His church to help those in dire need. God bless them all and keep them safe.

Bags being prepared to feed nearly 500 families.

Report from DMI Chairman

It has been a little over 2 months since a group of us went to Ukraine to deliver humanitarian aid. There we were able to deliver medications and financial support. Because of the generosity of so many people, we were able to help lessen the tremendous burden that many there are experiencing due to the war. On behalf of the Board of DMI, thank you so much for your prayers and for answering the call for financial help. Lord willing, another trip is being planned for November. This will be a medical mission trip. We hope to address the physical needs of refugees who have had to leave their homes. We also hope to carry with us funds to help the pastors and ministries that we are supporting. You will see a report in this newsletter of where this help is going. Please continue to support our effort to help the church in Ukraine.

On our recent trip, Elder Pat McCoy and I met with one of many pastors. His name is Igor. We have known this dear brother for many years. We first met him before all of this conflict, when our ministry was centered in the Eastern Part of the Ukraine. He left that area in 2014 as a result of the Russian invasion. He settled in an area north of
Kiev, in a village where DMI helped to build a church building.

When the present conflict started in February, this man risked his life by driving into places where fighting was taking place. He did so to help bring people to safety. When his village was threatened, many of the people there lost their jobs. He told us at one point, they were unable to even buy food for a period of about a month. Though the threat from Russian soldiers overrunning the city has dissipated, yet many still are unable to work. Many are still struggling to survive.

I asked him what was the message that he gave to the people in the church? He simply and meekly said --- "Hope." That despite the present hardships, their hope rested in the redemptive ministry of Jesus. There is hope in the life that is to come. And that hope can never be taken away from them. Brother Pat and I were extremely humbled by this man's words.

We may not be facing armed conflict like these brothers and sisters are. We do not have to worry about our communities being threatened by an invading army. But we each face our own enemies, our own trials, and afflictions. The answer to how we deal with such afflictions is the same as what Igor answered; it is hope! It is hope in Christ. It is the sure hope that whatever we must face in this life, the life that is to come will make it all worth it.

Thank you Brother Igor for reminding me of this great truth!

Thank you again for supporting this ministry. There is more work to be done. Please join us as we seek to help lift the burden of war that our Ukrainian brothers and sisters are laboring under.

God Bless you all!
Elder Dean Robbins, Chairman of DMI

Daily Ministry Of Some Pastors To The Donbass Region

By: Andrey Malov

Staying in the cities of Donetsk region is already a bold step, although I think children and women would be better off leaving. And to continue working is already a feat. We are fortunate to meet the heroic people who bake the social bread. It is either distributed or sold at 12 UAH per loaf. These people work three shifts. We could help them with flour and other ingredients. See for yourselves.

All of this is exhausting. So many cities and villages that are being destroyed. The ripe fields are burned. Talking to locals - they are scared and confused. The scale of the trouble you see on the other side is exhausting. Fresh graves are being dug out in the yards. Nevertheless, we have our ministry to do. This is what we're doing. Bread, water, generator and gasoline for them, candles, nails, medicines and even cat food. All of this is for the most part only holding up those in such need.

Update from Sasha Malov

DMI Board/ Ukraine Mission Director

I want to give you the current situation in Ukraine and focus of LOR/ DMI ministry in
Ukraine. First of all, thousands of refugees have fled the Donbass Region and continue to leave daily. There is a mandatory evacuation taking place now in this region. A train leaves once or twice a day from Pokrovsko to central Ukraine and the city of Umam. LOR provides food, medical aid for these refugees. Our focus is on refugees who are Ukrainian.

We are trying to help refugees by giving to families who are recommended by contacts working with refugees daily. We give them monthly support for rent, food, bills, etc.

It is hard on refugees to stay together in camps. Many families are staying in one large room such as auditoriums, so we are helping individual families to be independent. Samaritan Purse has sent aid. We received a large (40 foot) container. Pastor Maxime and his church are responsible for distribution of the food stuff to needy families in villages around Kiev. Also, UN food distribution is giving aid. 17 kl of most needed groceries, such as flower, oil, can of meat, etc. My concern is knowing we have a limit of funds. How to get assistance to Christians and give them funds to meet basic needs. DMI aid is sent to those serving on front like.

At this point in time our stress is that there are 10's of thousands of brothers and sisters scattered around Ukraine with no means of help and no future. The amount given to families depends on size of families and where they are, city or village. We give $200 to $500 per month. The commitment is for 3 months to families based on reports from Eugine, Vadim, Surgey and others. That is $20,000 per month at present. This average amount aids 17 families per week.

Those refugees with Eugene at the summer camp will need to move during September. There are 90 people, 40 families, who need to be moved before winter. The amount of request and needs will grow to $7000 to $8000 per week.

There is much tension in the air. The people are up and down with their feelings. People are getting down very much due to length of war. People are concerned that other areas will fall.

Our priority for the present changes weekly and sometimes daily. Zaparosia seems to be on list to fall under Russia. Their population is 500,000 . People from Mariople are there also. If they are attacked, another wave of refugees. Helping people get out. We may have to get back to paying cost for evacuation.

We are praying for the collapse of Russia. Praying God will perform a miracle and Putin taken out. Elijah's servant was wondering about the enemy and the Lord opened his eyes to see the real balance between powers.

I myself and others in Ukraine never take for granted DMI's support and prayers. And we appreciate and are thankful to the Lord that He has bound us together as body of Christ.

In Christ
Brother Sasha

Comments

Ministry Reports