Irina and Duane Bierwagon
With the war in Ukraine passing the one month mark and millions of citizens fleeing the Russian invading force, Big Sandy Church of God had begun discussing how to support those in need. The effort took on additional urgency in response to impassioned pleas from Irina Gulenko. Irina immigrated from Ukraine to Big Sandy last year to marry Duane Bierwagon. As news of the invasion and destruction of her homeland began, Irina has watched from afar with horror. "I can't sleep I can't think about anything else. 24 hours a day, I check on the news from Ukraine... It's awful. I don't know what I will find after the war ends in Ukraine." The pair have been in contact with friends and family in the region, as well as following the Ukrainian news services closely. The grim picture they've encountered of the devastation taking place at the hands of the Russian military is on the scale of World War 2. Stories they're hearing tell of the total leveling of cities, leaving no standing structures. These are not military targets. Duane explained that "They're aiming at water. They're aiming at electricity. They're aiming at transportation. They're bombing virtually everything. I mean, they are targeting apartment blocks. I've been in some of these cities, and there are areas where it's just block after block of apartment buildings and nothing else and they're targeting those areas..." Duane and Irina went on to share stories of hospitals being shelled with the official Russian story being that they were housing military units. "They're indiscriminately hitting stuff and unless they're really bad shots, they're aiming at civilians." Estimates for the rebuilding of Ukraine are currently running in the trillions of dollars as cities, towns, and villages are completely decimated. After the fighting has ended, many of the refugees will have no homes to return to. The total suffering and loss of civilian life over the past month is incalculable.
With a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions taking place, Duane explained that the difficulties involved with helping friends or families still in Ukraine are multiplied by the war itself. "One of my friends has a girlfriend in Luhansk. He wants to get her money, but there's no physical way to actually get money to somebody in Luhansk because it's controlled by the Russians. The Ukrainian banks and the Russian banks have no commerce with each other, and all these sanctions shut everything down. But they don't decide who's worthy and who's not worthy (of sanctions). Basically, everybody's unworthy when you do them. And so the needs throughout the country are staggering." The intense fighting has also made it nearly impossible to bring in medicine or supplies for civilians in Russian-occupied areas. "You look at Mariupol. They've been cut off now. I think they have a humanitarian corridor where they're letting them get out of there. But that city's been surrounded for two or three weeks, and they bombed it extensively. There's not much standing there." Irina interjected that there was "not one building standing." This included a theater that housed citizens of the city en masse because there was no other shelter available. Duane relayed the story of the building being covered with signs indicating that it housed children. Despite the labeling, the building was bombed anyway, killing everyone inside. Officials have no idea how many died in the attack.
While discussing the relief needs of refugees entering Poland and Western Ukraine, Irina described images of mothers with small children who have found themselves in the streets of Poland with no money, shelter, or even basic clothing supplies like underwear. They need aid to get on their feet after losing their homes.
It is important that we, as a community, pray for our suffering neighbors in Ukraine. But prayer is a beginning point. We can help in tangible ways by giving to relief efforts. Big Sandy Church of God's efforts have thus far been focused on fundraising, though plans are in the works for clothing and food drives in the future. There is every indication that the need will likely go several years into the future as the country and the lives of Ukrainians are rebuilt. The mission committee at the church has identified Provision International as the best route for donations, based on their experience and contacts in the region and the fact that 100% of donations reach refugees. Because the need is so great, they have chosen to invite the community to give as well. Those interested in giving can either donate through the church or on the Provision International Website. To give online go to http://www.provisioninternational.org. Click the Orange "Donate" button in the top right hand corner of the website. On the page that comes up there will be a drop down menu labeled "Fund." The first option provided is "Ukranian Relief." If you prefer not to give online, you can do so through our local church by mailing checks with "Ukrainian Relief Fund" written on the memo line to:
Big Sandy Church of God
Box 505
Big Sandy, MT 59520
You can also contact the church office to make arrangements at 406-378-3533 or Pastor Erik's cell at 406-399-3803.
