For over seven months, God's Design Church in L'viv has, without ceasing, served the needs of Ukrainians who have lost everything at the hands of this needless war. When Ukraine was first invaded in February, this church quickly mobilised teams to ready themselves for the anticipated arrival of hundreds of people fleeing the conflict raging in the east of the country. Little did they know how many people would pass through their doors over the coming months.
In response to the continued onslaught from Russia, the team adapted their approach to serving the people coming through their doors and created two shelters, with different purposes.
The first shelter is a temporary place which continues to house around 25 people for two to three weeks, where their immediate needs are met and they are helped to find more permanent accommodation.
The second shelter provides a more permanent place of refuge for families who have struggled to find other accommodation and who, after months of displacement need a break from communal living and some time to be 'family' together. In recognising this need, the second shelter provides beds rather than mattresses for families and enables them to stay put for a couple of months.
As the church volunteers have got to know those living in the shelters, relationships have been established and the team have had the opportunity to lead bible studies with those who are interested and help them work through the big questions the war has provoked, conversations about justice, faith, war.
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
