Due to the war, millions of Ukrainians, mostly women and children, have fled to neighboring countries. My latest assignment took me to Romania and Moldova to cover how Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams, Send Relief and International Mission Board missionaries are partnering with local Baptists to serve refugees pouring into the two countries.
At a key border crossing in Romania, the Romanian Baptists were one of the very first ones to respond and are now partnering with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams. They have a station set up with water, snacks and a cell phone charging table to help refugees crossing into Romania. Romanian Baptists from different churches partner to house refugees in churches or in individuals’ homes.
Christians are responding with love to provide, shelter, food and transportation, and they are also praying for and sharing God’s Word to comfort refugees both physically and spiritually.
I try to photograph as many interesting local sights as I can when I visit new places. Both Romania and Moldova are known for beautiful and centuries-old Orthodox churches. As I photographed both types of churches, Baptist and Orthodox, the contrast in how their facilities were used during this refugee crisis was apparent.
Growing up in church, I was taught the four important functions of the church. First and foremost, it’s a house of worship and prayer. The Word of God must be preached and taught; it is a fellowship of a body of believers and serves and witnesses to those outside of church.
The beauty of the church is not in how well it’s decorated or how it follows the traditions, but in how it carries out the purpose of its existence.
Pray that the churches in Romania and Moldova will continue to show love and minister to those in need. Pray that the Christians around the world will unite in this effort and join in serving and witnessing to the refugees.
EDITOR’S NOTE – Luke In is a photographer for the IMB and wrote this article that was originally published by the International Mission Board.
