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Burckle: Take Politics Out of Support for Innocent Ukrainians

russia ukraine war

Borodyanka, Ukraine. April 6, 2022. War in Ukraine. Chaos and devastation on the streets of Borodyanka as a result of the attack of Russian invaders. (Palinchak/Dreamstime.com)

By    |   Thursday, 18 January 2024 04:10 PM EST

OPINION

Given the fair amount of political controversy surrounding stewardship of the U.S. financial support for Ukraine’s defense, we may have lost sight of the harsh reality of life for average Ukrainians.

They did not ask for this conflict but are severely impacted by the war.

Imagine, if you can, this winter living in uncertainty about food, water, electricity, heat, shelter, transportation, medicine and the possibility of injury or death.

Yet, with concerns about U.S. funding potentially going to Ukrainian oligarchs, it's difficult for many Americans to fathom or justify continuing any support including humanitarian aid. In fact, a CNN poll reported that a majority of Republicans felt that too much money had already gone to the international conflict.

But if we can focus on the people instead of the politics, we'll see that there is much we can still do to support beleaguered innocent Ukrainians citizens.

In fact, the United Nations estimates that more than 14.6 million people, or 40% of the population in Ukraine, will need humanitarian assistance this year, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Jan. 9, 2024.

Beyond our votes and written concerns to our elected representatives and other government officials, the reality is that there is very little we can personally do when it comes to the decisions of our government leaders.

Therefore, we must take control of the things that we can — and that includes our sense of compassion and willingness to help the impoverished and oppressed. In all of this, we can directly help the Ukrainian people who are merely trying to hold on and survive.

The ongoing bombings of Ukrainian infrastructure have left millions of innocent Ukrainians — good people with families, including many children and the elderly — simply struggling to stay alive amid an ever-worsening war, unceasing attacks, the brutality of winter, hunger and displacement.

With no end in sight, these uninterrupted catastrophes have left countless blameless Ukrainians in heartbreaking conditions — conditions that we, here in the West, can scarcely imagine, especially as it’s no longer receiving regular coverage on the national news.

The politics of the situation shouldn't change the truth that we have always been a compassionate nation. We need to return to that.

Let us not become unfairly embittered towards the general population of innocent people simply because we are skeptical of potential governmental evils or mismanagement.

Rather, let us love these innocent Ukrainians in Christ-like, responsible and tangible ways. Consider how we might feel or what needs we might have if we were in their places.

What Can I Do?

While we can hate the politics behind the situation, we can love the people impacted by this in ways that make a real difference. We need to become informed about the reality of their situation and be willing to share that knowledge with others.

From this perspective of compassion, we can also pray for Ukrainians, recognizing they are dealing with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual issues all tangled together.

What if this was our own family, terrified and at risk of starving, freezing to death and being bombed at any moment? Would we not constantly and desperately uplift them in prayer with a heart of sincerest love?

Giving financial humanitarian aid to organizations that directly help these people is also important — and incredibly profound for the Ukrainians impacted.

I recommend supporting known nonprofits and ministries that give 100% of their campaign funds towards the Ukrainian people — specifically through the provision of coats, blankets, food, medicine and other essential physical needs amid this worsening crisis.

Finally, be sure to check on a humanitarian aid organization’s history, transparency, integrity, and trust through independent financial standards organizations such as ECFA, Candid, and others.

It is important to trust that your gifts and donations are being stewarded well.

Trust is difficult to gain and easy to lose.

Finding a trusted ministry is important to connect your generosity to help those in dire need.

Through these organizations, we can bypass the political agendas and maintain focus on the individuals whose lives are at stake — the seemingly forgotten central piece in this entire war.

Bob Burckle is the President of EEM, which has been delivering God’s Word to the people of Eastern Europe since 1961, now reaching 32 countries in 25 languages. It launched a humanitarian fund for Ukraine in 2022, now in its third year, with 100% of donations going directly to the people of Ukraine. Learn more at www.eem.org.

© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


Politics
We may have lost sight of the harsh reality of life for average Ukrainians. They did not ask for this conflict but are severely impacted. Imagine this winter living in uncertainty about food, water, electricity, heat, shelter, transportation, medicine and the possibility of death.
oligarchs
746
2024-10-18
Thursday, 18 January 2024 04:10 PM
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