News & Stories

C&MA Church Partner Comforts War Refugees

October 8, 2008

Victor, a church planter with the Evangelical and Christian Missionary Union (ECMU), The Alliance’s primary partner in Russia, initiated an outreach to the people of South Ossetia, an area between Russia and Georgia that was at the forefront of a recent violent conflict. Alliance worker Steve Lovell had worked with Victor to help establish the ECMU ministry in Anapa, Russia, near Krasnodar where Lovell serves. “One of the ways I helped him,” said Lovell, “was to hold an English club once a month.”  
 
The outreach to South Ossetia was the brainchild of Victor and his congregation in Anapa, where some of the refugees had fled from the conflict after their homes were damaged or destroyed. “Many of them ended up in Anapa because there are many resorts there with room to house them,” said Lovell. “Victor and the members of his church met some of the physical needs and provided encouragement and counseling when appropriate. They had many opportunities to share the gospel.” 
 
Wanting to impact more people with the love of Christ, Victor traveled more than 600 miles into South Ossetia with his wife, as well as a pastor and an evangelist with the ECMU. The group brought school supplies to the families of the refugees that they had met in Anapa and invited them to an independent church; the ECMU is exploring the possibility of partnering with this existing church to plant other churches. “Many of them came,” Lovell said. “Victor also explored the possibility of helping the young church with further church plants.”