Mission Blog

April 17-24, 2022

For some reason this has been a very hard trip to process. On one hand you have the emotional side and on the other you have to hold that in check so you can be strong for the refugees we are assisting and ministering to. Words cannot even remotely describe the empty eyes as the oppressed pile out of vans at the information center that you have helped open.

Here in Isai at the Sculeni border we are able to provide SIM cards for their phones, a hot meal, a warm place to chill for a while and a shoulder to cry or lean on. If they choose to go into the city, they are able to secure train or bus vouchers to help them move on. Most of the refugees I encountered were from Odessa. They immediately want to show you videos and pics of the horrific atrocities as if to validate them. Tears mixed with smiles come from them as they accept our hand in friendship and solidarity.

I also spent time over in Moldova where we were able help deliver food and supplies to refugees that are staying in apartments supplied by a local church. They are able to stay long term if needed and will be close to their own border. Through funds that were donated to GMSM we also were able to buy $2000.00 worth of emergency medical supplies for the wounded in the south. This situation is not going away anytime soon. I’m not even home yet and I’m already planning another return trip. We will need more support as we continue to work with the Crossroads Community Church. Please continue to pray for the Ukrainian people and all aid workers as we do what we can to bring a small amount of hope.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Kenny

These two videos show two of the reasons I am going back to serve in Romania.

This first one is of Pastor Adi’s and his church’s setup at the border to assist refugees . It is his vision that was implemented at a speed that only could have been done by the Hand of God.

This next video is from our Ukrainian friend, Valeriy Bykov, of his brother’s neighborhood. This is why we must help him get his brother and his family out. His brother is not qualified to stay and fight like Valeriy, and it is very expensive at this point to get out of Ukraine.

Most of the wealthy and middle class citizens made their way out pretty quickly, now it’s the lower-income families that are left behind because they do not have the resources required to get to the border. “Mules” have taken advantage of the opportunity, as they do in most embattled countries, and charge up to $700 per person to help them escape the country.

This mission is to assist in both of these efforts, and we thank you for your continued support. Your contributions this month are going directly to these efforts, I will be sending as many updates as possible from the field.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow,
Kenny

I am heading back to Romania this Saturday, and will be celebrating Easter with Pastor Adi (right photo) and serving the continuous flow of Ukrainians fleeing their homes.
We thank all our supporters who supported last month’s trip, and ask you to prayerfully consider helping with this trip as well. The situation at the border is still critical, and our support is greatly needed.

We have been staying in touch with the Ukrainian merchant marine we met last month, Valeriy Bykov (left photo), and his brother’s family is in a town near Odessa that is in the midst of Russian attacks. One of our goals on this trip is to get this family across the border to safety, and we ask for your prayers that this will happen.

We will continue to support Pastor Adi’s church and their service on the border.
We will be posting our progress on this mission next week, and ask that you share our mission with everyone you know who would like to support the Ukrainian refugees.
Thank you again for all your support for Give Me Shelter Ministries… together we are serving the Lord and loving those in most need from Ukraine to Haiti.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Kenny

We give all glory to God for a successful mission! To our supporters, thank you for your contributions to our current missions in Romania/Ukraine and our ongoing projects in Haiti. We reached our recent goal and supported both missions. The latrine in Haiti will be completed soon!

Seeing the thousands of Ukrainians flee for safety was both heartbreaking in that they were leaving their homes due to this senseless war by Putin, but also hopeful in seeing all the support they are receiving from their neighboring countries and from around the world.

It was surprising – and inspiring – to see many crossing BACK into Ukraine to defend their country, leaving their families safely back in Romania.

Meeting Pastor Adi was a true blessing. He quickly turned his vision into a reality with these multiple cubicles that provide different services to the refugees arriving in Romania. We – all of us who support Give Me Shelter Ministries – provided $2000 to help fund this church’s border setup. Watch this video to see your contributions in action:

Pastor Adi said something very important that we as members of the Church should hear. Listen to his answer when asked by a journalist “Do you have time as a pastor to prepare for preaching when you’re doing all this work getting all of the refugee centers together?”

We plan to return in a few weeks to help Pastor Adi and his church continue to support the Ukrainian refugees. I will post an update soon with details and needs.

Please pray for three things: the refugees and those back in Ukraine defending their country, Romania and its people who are helping 24 hours a day, and that Putin may confess, repent, and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Kenny

Today we arrived in Suceava and visited a large compound that serves as a church, school and distribution center. The church is helping refugees in multiple ways. Surprisingly, food, water, and clothing are plentiful (for the most part) due to international organizations providing these necessities.

Mostly, the church members and volunteers are helping refugees get to where they are going. they are providing valuable information to the travelers so they reach their destinations. They are assisting in getting people rides via cars and other transportation options as well.

Some of these small families are crossing the border with their belongings in plastic bags. Give Me Shelter Ministries donated $500 worth of used suitcases to give to these women for their possessions.

Many are heading to Austria and other Western European destinations. It is remarkable how all of the surrounding countries are supporting the Ukrainians.

The church is providing essentials such as sleeping bags, baby formula, and baby wipes to refugees on both sides of the border. It is a tremendous effort, and Give Me Shelter Ministry supporters (YOU!) gave $2000 today to serve refugees through the church.

Most of the refugee families are women and children only, as many left husbands and sons behind to defend their country. We met one woman who is 32 weeks pregnant whose husband was already killed in battle. It is heartbreaking.

We greatly appreciate your support for this mission trip. It is so beneficial to support these churches on the front lines, making a huge difference in the lives of these Ukrainians. Please give all you can to this mission, and more importantly, please keep the Ukrainians, all the servants helping them, and us in your prayers. It is remarkable to serve in the name of Jesus Christ, and undoubtedly many refugees will find the ultimate refuge in Christ alone. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Kenny

Kenny is leaving Sunday to Romania to assist with refugees fleeing Ukraine. We have an urgent need to support Kenny and Give Me Shelter Ministries. Kenny has contacts in other organizations and will be working directly on the border assisting refugees to receive food, water, and shelter.

This is happening at the same time we have another urgent need in Haiti, completing the projects we started earlier this month. We need to complete the boys and girls latrine for the school and provide two large fishing nets to the small bush village of Grandou. These nets are essential to the villages food source, as their previous nets were lost in the recent hurricane.

We ask that you prayerfully consider giving to Give Me Shelter Ministries at this time. These two immediate projects will cost $12,000, and we ask you to donate as well as share our mission with others.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

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