Ukraine Crisis Response Report - May 2022

Ukraine Crisis Response Report

By: Coy Webb, Send Relief Crisis Response Director

Date: 5/10/2022

Current Crisis

The ongoing military offensive has caused 7,172 civilian casualties, including 3459 killed, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The actual figures are likely much higher as fierce clashes continue across the country.

As of May 10, 2022,  around 13.6 million people – approximately 32.8% of the Ukrainian population – have been forcibly displaced by the ongoing military offensive, including 7.7 million internally displaced and 5.9 million displaced across international borders (UNHCR).

According to the revised estimations, over 24 million people – more than half of Ukraine’s population – will need humanitarian assistance in the months ahead, about 8 million more than estimated less than two months ago. It includes 15.7 million inside Ukraine, whose access to vital necessities have been impacted due to massive destruction of civilian infrastructure, the consequent displacement, and dramatic loss of jobs and livelihoods.

Intense fighting and bombardments continued to affect multiple areas across Ukraine, mainly in eastern Ukraine – in Donetska, Kharkivska and Luhanska oblasts – but also in the south, while the overall security situation continues to deteriorate. Missile strikes continue across the country, hitting civilian infrastructure and leading to civilian losses and casualties.

As hostilities continue unabated, thousands of civilians remain trapped in areas of active hostilities with limited opportunities to relocate to safer areas. The situation in eastern and parts of southern Ukraine remains particularly challenging due to active fighting and difficulties with agreeing on safe passages for civilians with relevant parties. Despite immense challenges, the UN, in coordination with ICRC, supported the evacuation of civilians sheltering at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol and nearby areas.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that immediate steps are needed to prevent the potential of a measles outbreak due to the ongoing hostilities and low vaccination rates.

As of 5 May, the UN and humanitarian partners have reached over 5.4 million people across Ukraine.

Eighteen million people are being affected by this crisis and an estimated six million people need critical aid.

Current Resources Activated

Send Relief continues to be in contact with company and national partners on the ground and Send Relief’s response to this major crisis continues to rise. Send Relief began responding with food relief before the invasion and continues to collaborate with national partners to provide food, shelter, transportation, medical supplies, clothing, and trauma ministry to those displaced and impacted by the crisis.

Send Relief has continued to expand response to displaced people and is now assisting in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Italy. SBDR disaster response teams are deployed to Poland and Romania, and Emily continues to work with field leaders to deploy SBDR and other volunteer teams. SBDR state conventions currently active or in process of activating: North Carolina Baptists on Mission, Texas Baptist Men, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Southern Baptist Texas Convention, Georgia, Missouri, California, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Alabama.

Send Relief currently has 44 relief projects being implemented in fourteen countries with around half of these in the Ukraine.

Total expenditures committed to date: $2,118,496.10

People Assisted – 519,102

In addition, $700,000 has been committed to Ukrainian refugee support in U. S. This raises amount expended to $2,818,496.10.

Send Relief surpassed $10 million in donations today!  We celebrate the amazing generosity of Southern Baptists but believe expenditures in this response along with recovery in Ukraine will exceed donations to date. Needs in Ukraine continue to be great and currently the crisis ending is uncertain, and recovery needs will be astronomical when conflict ends.

Send Relief is deploying SBDR response teams in Poland and Romania.

SBDR response teams are currently deployed to Poland (Gdansk) and Romania. SBDR volunteer teams have reported 1367 volunteer days, 771 Gospel presentations, 3 professions of faith, 3092 ministry contacts, 126 Bibles distributed, 83 showers provided, 56 laundry loads completed, and 751 children cared for as of 5-2-22.

 To date: 24 volunteer teams and 166 volunteers have responded through Send Relief.

 Teams are serving with First Baptist Church in Gdansk to assist refugees with health screening and assisting at refugee shelters with cooking, cleaning, childcare, and resource distribution. This work may be ending as refugee numbers have dropped significantly at church.

 Teams are serving with company partners and Romanian Baptist Union churches at the Romania – Ukraine border at refugee center and in border support and ministry. Volunteer team response shifting from border to assist with longer term refugee needs.

 Potential for escalation to spill into Moldova is impacting ability to send volunteer teams to Moldova. Currently have IMB medical volunteer teams serving in Moldova with security protocols in place.

 Working on potential SBDR volunteer team to Latvia with Ohio SBDR.

 Send Relief is partnering with North Carolina Convention leadership in response in Ukraine through work with Baptist Union and Baptist Seminary in Lviv.

Send Relief leadership and AD Abraham Shepherd and AAD Chris Brown are partnering with Southern Baptist of Texas Convention in response to Ukraine.

Send Relief is partnering with Filter of Hope and providing 2000 water filters for Ukraine.

AD Abraham Shepherd and AAD Chris Brown continue to work with company partners with response projects in Ukraine and are working to finalize project grants that will provide increased support to Ukrainian Baptist Union and Ukraine Baptist Theological Seminary. It is anticipated that these two grants will push our expenditures in excess of $3.9 million. AD Abraham Shepherd and AAD Chris Brown are working with Ukraine Baptist Union leaders on funding and development of mobile response kitchens. If this need comes to pass, we anticipate needing SBDR strategic leaders in build and development of these mobile kitchens (QRU).

 Best current way for Southern Baptists to respond is by praying and giving.

 Prayer Requests

• • Pray for peace in Ukraine and Russia.
  • Pray for increasing numbers of people being displaced.
  • Pray for the rising numbers of refugees in Western Ukraine, many who do not want to leave their country.
  • Pray for those unable to leave war ravaged areas of Ukraine who are increasingly in need of basic life sustaining supplies.
  • Pray for God to change the hearts of those in power in Russia.
  • Pray for God's protection for believers serving and ministering on the front lines of this crisis.
  • Pray for those suffering in the areas of active conflict and for those who have lost loved ones.
  • Pray that God will open people to the hope of Christ through this difficult season in their lives.
  • Pray that the displaced can find a shelter and basic needs as they flee from the conflict.
  • Pray for minority groups being displaced, who are often forgotten and disenfranchised.
  • Pray for women and children displaced from home without husbands and fathers, who are often the primary providers in these families.
  • Pray that children will be protected from those who might seek to harm or exploit them during this crisis.
  • Pray that partners and the local church will have wisdom and strength during this time.
  • Pray for local churches and partners in Poland, Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Italy, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Germany as they seek to help those fleeing and traumatized by war.
  • Pray for the SBDR response teams and other volunteer teams as they serve in response.
  • Pray that as we serve together and offer compassionate ministry in these difficult circumstances that all we do would glorify our great Lord and Savior.