KEN WARD of Rome, Georgia has spent two decades building churches and growing Christian communities throughout Ukraine. In recent months he has joined forces with Helping Ukraine, a humanitarian relief organization that came together last June.
Along with the Odessa People’s Church, Ken Ward and Emory Morsberger, founder of Helping Ukraine, have been working together to provide aid to the people of Ukraine through the harsh winter.
This week, a solemn and difficult year will have passed since Russia attacked Ukraine and escalated the conflict between countries to levels of destruction, havoc, and displacement not seen in Europe since World War II. | How to pray for Ukraine |
“The intrusion on Ukrainian peace is painfully clear on the faces of kids I have just seen in shelters; in the elderly, whose eyes light up when they see our teammates arrive with blankets, insulation materials and wood-burning stoves; in the camaraderie our team feels when we step into the rooms being lit up by generators we have provided and as we share coffee and bread with everyday folks trying to make sense of their new normal. It’s hard to believe only a year has passed since the violence against Ukrainian freedom began,” says Morsberger in a statement issued by an agency. | Vladimir Putin’s spiritual destiny |
He first went to Ukraine last June to drop off medical supplies. He joined their front line team leader, Ken Ward, in Ukraine on February 4th. Ken and his son, Matt Ward, began the second mission just a few days before Morsberger’s arrival, regrouping with the teams of church members, Rotarians and regular citizens that Ken has deployed and oversees in providing aid across Ukraine.
Their mission has grown in complexity and scope, a necessity as the gears of war keep turning, causing further destruction. What began to help the people of Ukraine by delivering medical supplies has expanded into a broad and efficient production line to supply citizens on and near the front lines with materials to simply help them survive: blankets, wood-burning stoves, generators and food. Donations have helped them mobilize more than 120 volunteers and front line team members who work daily. | Is Ezekiel 38 being played out? |
“Our humanitarian work, now more than ever, is supporting people’s changing priorities and requests. Because of Ken’s inspiring enthusiasm to help, our partnerships on the ground have strengthened, making it a possibility for us to provide help throughout Ukraine,” Morsberger added.
The Odessa People’s Church effectively serves as the grassroots vein into the heart of front line cities and rural communities. The team is currently exploring a working relationship with the Ukrainian government to streamline these outreach efforts. They have so far distributed 3000+ blankets, installed 300 wood-burning stoves, set up 50 generators and supplied almost 100,000 ready-to-eat meals.
