Many of us have been shocked at the unfolding events in Ukraine following the invasion of Russian military forces. This has resulted in thousands of refugees fleeing for their lives to neighbouring countries, including Hungary.
APWM Associate missionary, and Presbyterian Church of Australia minister, The Rev Dr Granville Pillar and his wife Ibolya, live just 50km from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border. They have been providing assistance for refugees.
PresAID has sent a gift of $5,000 from its Emergency Relief Fund.
Our Moderator-General, has launched an appeal for donations. These will be sent to Granville Pillar who will then work with local Hungarian churches to provide assistance for refugees. As is its normal practice, APWM will require an accounting for the use of these funds.
The Appeal will be run over two Sundays — 6th and 13th of March and will then be closed.
The Moderator-General, the Rev Dr Peter Barnes writes:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Old Testament contains numerous calls from God for Israel to look after widows, orphans, and strangers. At times He singles out strangers and refugees: ‘When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God’ (Lev.19:33-34).
War is grievous anywhere at anytime, and it is grievous at the moment in Ukraine. Many thousands of refugees are fleeing into nearby Hungary where the Presbyterian Church of Australia is blessed to have a colleague who is known to many of us, Rev. Dr Granville Pillar. Over successive Sundays – 6th and 13th March – there will be an opportunity for us to aid local churches to provide practical help to some of those refugees. Please express your love for the stranger in a strange land, even if he or she be far from us.
With warm regards in Christ,
Peter Barnes (2 March 2022)
APWM asks you to do three things:
First, please pray in your gatherings this Sunday for those affected by these terrible events. Thank you to those who have been praying.
Second, please show this video, from the APWM Vimeo page, at your Sunday gatherings. It runs for three and half minutes and provides a first-hand perspective.
https://vimeo.com/683578943
Third, would you please make the following donation details available to your congregation? There may be some who would like to contribute to the appeal.
How to Donate
Direct Deposit
Bank: Westpac
Account Name: Australian Presbyterian World Mission
BSB: 032 260
Account Number: 151207
and mark your gift ‘Ukraine Appeal’.
Please email finance@apwm.org.au so that a receipt can be sent.
Cheque
Please send cheques to:
APWM National
1 Clarence St
Burwood NSW 2134
(Gifts are not tax deductible)
Please note, if more funds are received than needed, these will be deposited into the PresAID Emergency Relief Fund for future relief needs.
