EBF CommunicationsBaptist Ukraine Response | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Updated: 16 March 2022
What is the current situation in Ukraine?
Due to the invasion of the Russian force on the 24th of February, 2022, Ukraine is at war. We see people suffering from the act of violence. In one day their homeland turned into a war zone. Many say that they would never have imagined themselves being a refugee. Read up to date reports in our Situation Reports.
How are Baptists responding to the situation?
According to the All-Ukrainian Union of Associations of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, more than 600 Baptist churches in Ukraine have been set up as a shelter to house internally displaced persons (IDP). Additionally, Baptists in neighbouring countries — Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Moldova — have received hundreds of thousands of refugees and are actively addressing their needs. Many churches have been converted to temporary shelters to house refugees.
Read up to date reports in our Situation Reports and subscribe to email updates here. You can also follow us on social media to get constant updates about the Baptist response from Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ebf.org
Instagram: www.instagram.com/europeanbaptist
Are there many Baptists in Ukraine?
Ukraine has more than 2,300 Baptist churches with more than 125,000 members. Baptists form the largest Protestant denomination in Ukraine.
How can I give?
You can find information about ways to give at our website: www.ebf.org/ukraine. You can make a donation by bank transfer.
We encourage you to give through your local church or Baptist Union in your country. Find your union at www.ebf.org/member.
If you are giving from the United Kingdom, you may find an easier way to make a donation at www.bmsworldmission.org/appeal/ukraine-2022
If you want to give from the United States, you can make a donation at www.baptistworld.org/prayforpeace.
Is it possible to make a donation that gives a tax return?
EBF encourages individuals to give through their local Baptist church or union which will have their own tax deductible statuses, depending on the country. Donations directly to EBF are not tax deductible. See "How can I give?" above for more information on giving outside of Europe.
What does the money go toward?
Your donations will help to purchase food, hygiene items, medicine, generators, gasoline, blankets, pillows, and necessary items for the internally displaced people (IDPs) as well as for those fleeing the country. There are shelters being set up in many Baptist churches in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, and your donations are essential for the local people to run these centres.
To run a shelter in eastern Europe for one day costs over €11,000
To heat a centre for one month during the cold winter, costs €2,700 / €90 a day
Providing a bedding kit (mattress, pillow and blanket) costs approximately €120
To provide shelter, food and support for a night for one person will cost approximately €36
To provide a hygiene supplies for one person will cost approximately €14
Providing three meals a day for one person costs approximately €13
These costs and provisions are based on initial estimates and are likely to change as the situation develops and will vary from location to location. See more details at our Funding Appeal page.
How can we pray?
You can find ways to pray at our website: www.ebf.org/ukraine and during the month of March, the EBF invites everyone to join us for an international prayer gathering on Zoom every Wednesday. Together, we will pray for the situation in Ukraine.
You can register to join us at the Zoom meeting every Wednesday in March at 19:00 Central European Time (18:00 UK Time). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you have already registered, you do not need to register again to attend the next Wednesday prayer gathering.
Can I volunteer in the field?
We appreciate those who are willing to help the refugees on site, however, EBF is not directly coordinating volunteers for the situation. For volunteer opportunities you should contact your local Union or aid agency to see what is needed. EBF is in touch with many of the Unions and related aid agencies and is providing information where possible. Please keep in mind that volunteering in this context needs a significant amount of experience and there is a priority on those who can speak the local languages. For more information, please view our volunteer guidelines.
I/my church is in Europe and wants to host Ukrainian refugees. What should I do?
EBF is not able to directly link churches with refugees who are fleeing. We recommend you reach out to your local Baptist Union and other local charities to see how they are responding. We recommend Baptist Unions to take the following actions:
Contact churches to see how much capacity they have to receive refugees. Have churches that are interested appoint a church coordinator for refugees.
Appoint someone from the Union to act as lead contact point for the response.
Connect with local charities and governments to learn how the broader community is planning on taking in refugees. Consider joining an already established resettlement organisation to receive refugees.
Prepare an overview of your country and how the government is legally intending to take in refugees.
Enact safeguarding procedures for those who are planning on hosting refugees.
Prepare churches to receive refugees. Consider following this organisation in the United Kingdom’s model for welcoming refugees.
Once you have gathered this information, EBF can forward the name of your local coordinator onto leaders in Ukraine and the neighbouring countries to reach out for resettlement opportunities.
Note: Many refugees are hoping to stay closer to the border in hopes that conflict will end. Further, larger family units may desire to stay together.
I want to share a video from EBF to our church service, where can I get the video?
You are welcome to download our videos from the link below and present it to the congregation to share about the situation for the purpose of intercession/prayer and to give.
I am a journalist, can I get in touch with Baptist leaders from Ukraine?
You may contact Igor Bandura (pastorbandura@gmail.com / +380674872187), Baptist Union of Ukraine Vice President Baptist Union of Ukraine (office@ecbua.info). Please note that it may take time for them to respond as they are occupied with a number of tasks.