Serving Ukrainian Refugees

Prior to the war in Ukraine, our colleague Greg Swinamer, regularly worked in Russia developing and resourcing new church-planters there. Before that, Greg coordinated church-planting initiatives in Ukraine and Crimea for several years.

Since the war in Ukraine began in 2022, our ability to work in these locations has dramatically changed. Russia’s borders were closed to Westerners and millions of people fled westward from Ukraine to safe countries. In March of that year, Greg was prompted by the Lord to pivot ministry activities to assist Ukrainian refugees in Poland. One way in which Eleviva has responded to this crisis is by establishing LIFE Centres – local centres where Ukrainian refugees can receive practical help while experiencing God’s love and care in a warm, welcoming environment.

Experience the work of the LIFE Centres in this video. (Click this sentence)

An estimated 4.5 million Ukrainians have found temporary refuge in Poland with approximately 2 million remaining. Since the summer of 2022, members of our Eleviva team have been serving Ukrainian refugees in Poland through LIFE centres

LIFE Centres offer food and clothing distribution, Polish and English language classes, children’s clubs, youth activities, counselling, small groups, many special events, and even free haircuts. We especially have the wonderful opportunity to build friendships with our guests over coffee in the LIFE Café and to pray for them as they share stories of loss and heartache. It’s inspiring to see how open they are to God and to have seen many accepting Christ’s love in a wonderful way.

LIFE Centres will be needed for the foreseeable future. With the war in Ukraine raging on, we’re regularly receiving new guests from war-torn areas. Even if the war ended tomorrow, many refugees simply would not be able to return to Ukraine, as their cities are occupied or homes and communities destroyed.

We ask for your help to continue the operation of the existing LIFE Centres and to create new LIFE Centres in cities where the need is great and urgent. Our Ukrainian friends would be immensely grateful for your help.