Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February stirred Baptists’ hearts, minds and action in numerous ways. There was a financial response: in the immediate aftermath of the invasion we encouraged donations to the BMS Ukraine appeal, a co-ordinated Baptist response that saw all funds channelled to the European Baptist Federation and subsequently to Baptists both in Ukraine and those serving refugees in neighbouring countries. The appeal raised £1.6 million. A year later the EBF stated:
‘It is remarkable what has happened in the past year. The global Baptist family has responded with overwhelming generosity to the largest displacement of people in Europe since World War II, making this the largest Baptist aid response perhaps in our history as a Christian group.
‘Conservatively, at least 612,445 people have received aid, hospitality, and care in and around Ukraine. The EBF staff can only offer our deepest gratitude both to our Baptist family around the world and to the God who was able to do immeasurably more than we could ever imagine.’
Many Baptists in the UK opened their homes and churches to the increasing number of Ukrainian refugees here. When the Government announced its ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, we offered an online meeting via Zoom in April for those offering accommodation, and provided legal guidance for churches with available residential properties. We highlighted new and existing hosting schemes for churches to consider, such as the Sanctuary Foundation led by Krish Kandiah, as well as partnering with Citizens UK to offer a matching process for Baptist churches. Through this and other networks, we are aware of dozens of Baptists opening their homes to Ukrainian refugees.
Baptist churches also became community hubs for the newly arrived Ukrainians: Pershore Baptist in Worcestershire teamed up with others in the community to set up a free clothing bank; it also offered the use of its building free of charge each Thursday to enable Ukrainian refugees to develop community together and be a support network for host families.
Esther and Charles are members of Battle Baptist Church in East Sussex. In December 2022 they became hosts to Anya, a 31-year-old woman from Ukraine.
They are one example of a number of Baptist hosts who have opened up their homes to Ukrainian refugees through the government’s ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme and the Baptist Union’s Partnership with CitizensUK.
Esther says: “In many ways the experience has been easier than we thought it would be. Anya has been a delight, she is respectful, kind and has fitted in to our family with ease. There have been challenges. Trying to communicate with someone who speaks very little English has been interesting but I feel that all of us have faced these challenges with good humour. Overall, the experience has enriched our lives.
“I see hosting as a privilege and an opportunity. Yes, there is sacrifice, but the benefits and the learning experience far out-weigh any difficulties. If I am finding something about hosting hard, I try to remember that compared to what Anya is facing, my difficulties pale into insignificance.”