On February 6, an earthquake in Turkey and Syria measuring 7.8 magnitude was followed later that same day by an aftershock of 7.5.
The numbers are staggering:
the area of destruction is equal to the size of the state of Texas
the death toll in Turkey and Syria has reached 46,000
5.3 million have lost their homes
12.4 million people in Syria are now food insecure
The mobilization of the Church in Syria was swift.
Read More“When this war started all we had was ourselves, our bodies, our hands. But we had nothing to give. Because of you, we have been able to give food, warmth, shelter, God’s Word, and be the face of Jesus when everyone wondered ‘Where is God?’ Thank you.” Dr. Ivan Rusyn, president of Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) in Kyiv
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation has noted the courage of several Christian servants over the course of the war in Ukraine. Today we share the story of Lludmyla (Luda) Rusyn. Luda joined her husband, Ivan, president of the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary (UTES) in Kyiv, on their recent visit to the U.S. She comes from the eastern part of Ukraine, and her family has been refugees twice. The first time was when they fled Donetsk in 2014 and the second time occurred when they fled Bucha, north of Kyiv, in 2022.
Read MoreIn November, The Outreach Foundation paid a visit to our partners in Ukraine who are living and serving so many people on the front lines of this war. The video captures key moments from that visit and we want to share this with you as a thank you. You made this visit possible and the gifts we brought to them were truly appreciated.
Read MoreIn November 2022, The Outreach Foundation fielded a team of six to meet Dr. Ivan Rusyn, President of the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (Kyiv), and Father Oleh Kindii, a priest with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Lviv). The team brought a few hundred pounds of relief supplies and shuttled them from Warsaw, Poland to the Medyka border with Ukraine.
Read MoreIn early November, a team from The Outreach Foundation met with dear friend Father Oleh Kindii of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at the border between Ukraine and Poland. We handed over supplies designated specifically for the medical divisions working with the Ukrainian military. The picture here is from the 63 Separate Mechanized Brigade. The precise identity and location are hidden.
Read More“Above all, we pray for every family and child who walks through these doors that they will leave here healthy and knowing they are loved by God.”
Aneta Montano, CTSS
Children are suffering terribly from the war and CTSS is responding in a healthy manner. The Outreach Foundation has been privileged to play a role in the development of this center
Read MoreIn a nation with a population of over 80 million in need of salvation, together with you, we have a lot of work to do. We dream to deliver the Light of the world to one million Iranians at any cost.
IBSD cordially invites you to join us in person at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX, or via Zoom on Friday, October 28, 2022, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Read MoreAs Kyiv continues to get daily bombardments, our friends from the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) are spending more days in shelters. Outreach Associate Director Tom Boone just received these photos from Kyiv. The first one is of the UETS team in their bomb shelter.
Read MoreAs you know, Haiti has been deeply struggling over the past year with sociopolitical unrest, violence, and hyperinflation. Sadly, the situation has deteriorated even further over the past several weeks. The Varreux Terminal, which is the main entry point for fuel in Haiti has been blocked by gangs for more than 20 days, and the lack of access to fuel has paralyzed daily life and activities. Our Haitian colleagues report that the cost of living is currently four times more than it was a month ago, and many products, including food items, are not available. The fuel shortage has led to other crises, including a critical lack of access to clean drinking water and a potential cholera outbreak.
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation is following the relief efforts of PAK Mission Society closely and we are pleased to report that they have signed a Memo of Understanding with Rev. Reuben Qamar and Rev. Obaid Khokhar, Moderators of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan. This brings Christians together to provide a holistic, Christian-based response to rural communities in Pakistan and places where there are many refugees from Afghanistan.
PAK Mission Society is present in 80 villages, providing 1,791 food packages, and over 3,700 hot meals.
Read MoreThe media has highlighted recent protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini. She was a 22-year-old Kurdish girl visiting Tehran with her family. Her hair was not fully covered. Read the full story here. Clashes between Iranians and police have erupted in many cities and towns across Iran. Additionally, the Iranian government has attempted to shut down the internet, social media, and mobile networks. Such blackouts are making it difficult to get reliable information from Iran. To date, at least 51 people have been killed and over 1,700 arrested.
Read MoreThe Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) stands as a beacon of God’s love in the midst of the devastating war in Ukraine. Kyiv, which is the capital of Ukraine, has experienced an escalation in military conflict since Ukrainian Independence Day, August 24. Yet rather than retreat, UETS leadership, staff, faculty, and students carry on with its ministry.
Read MorePakistan is experiencing a monsoon flood disaster. Since mid-August heavy rains, nearly three times higher than the national 30-year average, have created a humanitarian disaster in Pakistan. The most impacted areas are near Afghanistan and south of Lahore. Travel out of the affected regions is not possible, even for those who own vehicles.
Hundreds of thousands of families have lost their means of income due to the destruction of livestock and crops. Many of the people who are affected by these floods are refugees from Afghanistan and Iran who cannot leave Pakistan. The Pakistani government does not recognize these refugees and will not support them.
Read MoreWednesday, August 24, marked the sixth month of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. Though to ask any person on the streets in Lviv, Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Buccha, or Rivne, it is war, a campaign of pure evil, and a daily torment against their spirits, minds, and bodies. For much of the summer, people had been lured into a false sense of relative safety as Russia focused its efforts on the east and south along the Black Sea. However, on August 24, Independence Day, Russia reminded everyone in Ukraine that it still desires to crush them. Here is a snapshot of the day:
· A civilian passenger train east of Kyiv was bombed, killing 33 people.
Read MoreThe Outreach Foundation has been supporting the Counseling Center of the College of Theology and Social Sciences (CTSS) in Warsaw. This center was birthed during our visit in June and since then they have seen over 500 psychology professionals, social workers, and pastors take part in their training program. The following story comes from Rev. Dr. Larry Michael, Pastor for Adult Ministries at South Highland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, who is an expert in grief, has written two books on the subject, and led seminars in England, India, and Ukraine. He has joined the counseling training team of CTSS and will be part of this process through the end.
Read MoreIn the past four decades, millions of Iranian people have heard the Message or have seen visions and dreams of Jesus. As a result, hearts and lives are being transformed! The leadership of the Iranian Bible Society in Diaspora, an Outreach partner, has made a four-year commitment to deliver one million Farsi Bibles to give away for free inside Iran!
Read MoreEarlier today, we received an urgent appeal from the hospital our partners in Lviv are working with to provide medical assistance to victims of the war.
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