黑料吃瓜

A 黑料吃瓜 staffer has secured the assistance of local Baptist associations and churches in East Tennessee to aid his native country in war-torn Ukraine.

The needs in Ukraine are many, said Vova Gorbenko, who fled to the United States and eventually ended up in Jefferson City where he is now the university鈥檚 associate director of campus ministries. He also is a guest professor, teaching New Testament in the School of Biblical and Theological Studies.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 happening there right now is that the Russians have attacked the infrastructure. They are destroying electric plants, electric equipment and heating plants 鈥� along with other buildings. That is their goal. Since they cannot win the war militarily, they want to stir up social unrest. 

鈥淧eople are without electricity or heat in their apartments. Right now in Zaporizhzhia, the electricity is turned off twice a day for six hours. Right now, it鈥檚 cold. Last week was minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). It will still be cold through March and at the beginning of April,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t has always been my desire to help somehow 鈥� not just in Ukraine, but especially the southeastern part of the country. That鈥檚 where we are from,鈥� he said.

Gorbenko spoke in September of last year at a combined meeting of Jefferson County and East Tennessee Baptist Associations, said John Pinkston, director of missions for Jefferson County Association.

鈥淚 was impressed with his message as he shared about the Ukraine,鈥� Pinkston recalled.

He noted that Gorbenko contacted him later and shared the needs in the Ukraine, especially in the winter months. Pinkston shared the needs with the association and 鈥渙ur churches have embraced the opportunity,鈥� the DOM said.

鈥淚 can just imagine the despair of the Ukrainians,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had 15 minutes during the recent cold snap in December when our power was off. I thought about how scary it would have been (if) the electricity had not come back on. 

鈥淭hat sent me to my knees in prayer. I just wish we could do more to help the Ukrainians,鈥� he said.

True Life Church in Jefferson City, and a member of Nolachucky Baptist Association, joined the effort and began collecting items and donations as well.

鈥淚t has been a blessing to meet Vova and his family,鈥� Inman said. He is a godly man who has a heart for his people.  When he approached us about helping with this project, our thought was that we have prayed for Ukraine and wanted to do something to assist but didn鈥檛 know what to do so we were thrilled to have the opportunity.

鈥淚f you have prayed for Ukraine and wanted to help but didn鈥檛 know what to do, we encourage you to give to this project and be a part of showing the love of Jesus in tangible ways,鈥� Inman continued. 

鈥淚t seems that God has providentially aligned Dr. Gorbenko, some local churches and associations and amazing ministries like God鈥檚 Warehouse and Harvest For Israel to partner together to collect and deliver support to these hurting people,鈥� he added.

In the meantime, Gorbenko contacted Don Owen of God鈥檚 Warehouse, a ministry of Nolachucky Baptist Association, who agreed to ship a container of supplies to the Ukraine. 

Last year, God鈥檚 Warehouse shipped four containers with humanitarian aid to Moldova and Poland to support Ukraininan war refugees.

Because nothing flies into Ukraine, Gorbenko developed a plan of how distribution would be possible through contacts in that region who could help navigate customs. Once items were there, they would go to Baptist churches to be distributed to those in need.

鈥淎nd, once I had these dots connected in my mind, I approached Don Owen and asked him if we can do it. And he was very gracious. He鈥檚 a wonderful person. He basically said, 鈥榣et鈥檚 do it!鈥� 鈥�

Owen, in an e-mail, wrote that God鈥檚 Warehouse has been 鈥渂lessed to provide aid to many people locally, nationally and around the world. 鈥淲e, however, have never been called upon to give aid to hurting people in a protracted time of war such as is raging now in the Ukraine,鈥� he said.

Working with Owen, they developed a flier of information and began contacting pastors and organizations and sharing about the planned effort. 

鈥淚 want this to be not just 鈥榁ova鈥檚 project,鈥� Gorbenko stressed. 鈥淚 want this to be the local churches鈥� project so that local churches here, especially Baptist churches, can organize together and establish a link with Baptists in the Zaporizhzhia area.

鈥淭he churches that will collect this will send it to the churches in Ukraine, and the churches in Ukraine will use these items as a tool to reach out to people who are unable to leave the country. 

鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to be the link between the churches here and churches in the Zaporizhzhia area,鈥� he said.

As of Jan. 18, the churches and associations have enough items to fill one container and have started on another, Owen said. 鈥淭he needs are so great that we could send a container every day and still not meet the needs.鈥�

The first container will be shipped Feb. 14, he said. They are still collecting donations to ship the containers. It costs approximately $10,000 to ship each container, Owen noted. 鈥淲e know God will provide through His people,鈥� he said.

The container will contain blankets, flashlights and batteries, power banks (especially solar), warm shoes, candles, canned food, medicines for colds, congestion, sores, rashes, towels and bedding and more.

Gorbenko noted the project has been a challenge, but not impossible. 鈥淚 know it takes a miracle to send something like this, but we know someone who does miracles,鈥� he said with a smile. 

鈥淭his is something anybody can get involved with. I know exactly where it鈥檚 going and the people it is going to. I鈥檓 excited.鈥�

Gifts can be given online through . Select “Ukraine Relief” from the drop down menu.

Financial donations can also be sent to Jefferson County Baptist Association, marked for Ukraine Relief, P.O. Box 388, Jefferson City, TN 37760 or to True Life Church, marked for Ukraine Relief, P.O. Box 908, Talbott, TN 37877.