By Jeff Huett

DALLAS—Even as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and it partners continue to help meet the needs of Ukrainians both in their country and beyond, CBF is ending active promotion of its Ukraine Relief Fund.

During the Thursday morning plenary session at the 2022 CBF General Assembly, CBF Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley thanked individuals, churches and partners for the generous outpouring of support through prayer and giving that has helped meet the needs of Ukrainians in their own country and for the more than 5 million Ukrainian refugees across Europe.

Baxley reported that as of June 24, $1,120,018.91 had been given by more than 154 churches, 1,081 individuals and 18 organizations within four months.

He referenced a presentation by Gennady and Mina Podgaisky, who provided an update on their work and led a prayer for Ukraine during the worship service Wednesday night. The Podgaiskys mentioned a ministry they are involved in called Village of Hope, which was destroyed by the Russian military.

“As you heard in the powerful testimony last night by the Podgaiskys,” Baxley said. “We are at a point where we are still in the initial relief stage of spending these funds. The long-term recovery has not begun. The war and the injustice continues. Returning to Kyiv or rebuilding The Village of Hope is months and months, if not years, away.

“In speaking with the field personnel serving refugees and meeting needs in the surrounding countries,” Baxley said, “they encouraged us to hold back a significant portion of these funds so that when it is time, we will be able to fund long-term recovery.”

Baxley said churches and partners will be updated about ways to help support the long-term recovery.

“For now, don’t stop praying,” Baxley said. “Don’t stop standing in solidarity with brothers and sisters in Ukraine experiencing injustice.”

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CBF is a Christian network that helps people put their faith to practice through ministry eff­orts, global missions and a broad community of support. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.