Deployments & Trips

Ukraine Response: Crossing Oceans with the Love of God

by

ukraine-refugee-ministry

Ukraine refugees overwhelmed with the compassion of the Lord

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered massive upheaval and uncertainty. As the war in Ukraine rages on, 4 million have fled Ukraine. 6.5 million are displaced inside the country, and another 13 million are estimated to be stranded in affected areas or unable to leave. 

We are all confronted with the realities of a massive humanitarian crisis that is growing by the day; the largest since WWII. 

Millions need food, shelter, and lifesaving assistance inside the country and in the surrounding nations. Civilian neighborhoods are being shelled, and the losses are mounting on both sides. Thanks to our partners and friends, our ministry deployed volunteers to bring relief to the crisis since March 4 and have had 6 waves of responders since with people on the ground and many more waves of responders planned. 

Our focus is not on the politics, or who is to blame. Our focus is on bringing relief to the people who are suffering. 

Yet, in the midst of this crisis, we continue seeing God’s faithfulness, God’s open doors, and an opportunity to do ministry in Jesus’ name.

Ukraine/Poland Border Ministry 

The first thing that we did when we touched down at the border was set up a place of ministry, a safe place for refugees to come to rest, be ministered to, and encounter God in prayer and in worship with our teams, plus get supplies, food, and practical care.

In the midst of the worst situations, hearts are so often open to hearing the good news. Isaiah 61 gives us our mandate to bring comfort to those who are hurting, liberty to those that are oppressed, freedom for the captives, and spiritual liberty, that’s only found in Jesus Christ. 

As we minister to the hearts of Ukraine refugees and set them free from the bondage of sin, no matter what happens externally, we know they’re free and set for eternity.

Prayer and Worship 

Praying for the spiritual needs of those in this crisis is proven so effective and so powerful. Our teams have seen hearts changed and overwhelmed with the love of God. One of our team members related an encounter with a family that was just overwhelmed that we would cross oceans just to share the love of God and help people in need. Christian ministry presence in Ukraine is so important as it’s a witness that there is a God in heaven, there is a God who cares deeply about people so much so that he will send messengers, ministers of the Gospel across oceans to share the love of Jesus Christ with those who are hurting.

Food and Care for Ukraine Refugees

In addition to meeting spiritual needs, bringing aid to physical needs is so important. Thousands of people, hundreds of organizations, and churches have rallied to raise support, and send supplies, first aid kits, food, and blankets. We have brought in dozens and dozens of duffel bags full of goods and bought even more on the ground in neighboring nations like Poland. Thanks to partners and organizations in the U.S. we’ve been able to distribute audio Bibles in the Ukrainian language, solar phone chargers, and solar Bibles.

Orphan Ministry in Ukraine and Poland

As needs have changed and the situation unfolds, orphan ministry has become a top priority – ministering to the displaced and neglected children in Ukraine. It started with 12 orphans and expanded to dozens more that need our help. We’re also working with refugees teaching English as a second language in the mountains of Poland near the border and are establishing a place of refuge, a place of healing, a place of hope and help.

Ukraine Medical Ministry

The medical needs on the ground continue to escalate. Our responder waves 6 through 10 are filling up with responders who are trained with a priority for medical personnel to deploy with us to the front lines of this crisis. When there’s a need we want to fill that need and one of those needs right now is medical care and attention.

Christian ministry presence in Ukraine sends a message that God’s love meets real needs with practical ministry and connection to resources. People just like you can play a powerful role in the midst of a crisis and support ministry on the front lines. 

As Ukraine Crisis Escalates, Urgent Need for Trained Responders

by

Waves of Responders Are Bringing Hope to Ukraine

As the crisis in Ukraine escalates into one of the largest humanitarian crises in modern history, the Church must respond with hope, comfort, and good news to those suffering in this crisis. Today, millions are fleeing to surrounding nations, desperate, homeless, hungry, suffering, and traumatized. This is the Church’s opportunity and responsibility to meet the basic and urgent needs in this crisis and bring the gospel of God’s love and reconciliation through Jesus Christ into some of the darkest places on Earth. The harvest truly is plentiful but the laborers are few. 

Mobilizing the Church 

Our teams are on the ground at the border of Ukraine and Poland. The need and situation is alarming and staggering. The needs are overwhelming, local churches in Poland are exhausted, there are not nearly enough relief workers helping and sadly, this may be just the beginning of a long season of suffering. Yet, we can’t back down now. We must mobilize, join forces across denominational lines, raise and send resources, personnel, and a strategic response to a situation that is going from bad to worse. 

In the midst of this darkness and pain, I have hope because I’ve seen God move in amazing ways when the church comes together in times and seasons like this. The opportunity is even now opening up for some of the most effective ministry today. I’ve seen the biggest harvest, the most receptive hearts, the most hearts open to the gospel, in the midst of a crisis for over 20 years now. Disaster and crisis indeed are where ministry happens – when people are in need, the heart is open to salvation in Jesus Christ. This is our mandate according to Isaiah 61 – to comfort those who mourn, provide for those who grieve, and bring good news to the poor and broken. Jesus himself said it was in the context of great crisis, that the gospel would be preached throughout the world even in the midst of deep darkness and great despair.

The heart of Jesus

Disaster relief ministry is truly the heart of Jesus who modeled for us how to leave behind comforts, putting the needs of others ahead of their own, and sharing the love of the Father with those who need it most. Jesus left the comforts of heaven to go on the greatest rescue mission the world has ever known and now we have that same calling. What a beautiful expression of God’s love. This is our opportunity, this is our responsibility. 

Over the past 15 years, CRI, the organization I have the privilege of leading has trained and mobilized ordinary, everyday believers to step out of their everyday routines, volunteer their time, talents, and treasure, and bring the gospel into hurricanes, tornadoes, war, and refugees displacements. We’ve trained over 12,000 disaster relief volunteers, but our work is far from over. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” 

Here I am send me

As I watch the unfolding crisis unfold in Ukraine and Russia, I believe this is a “here am I Lord, send me,” Isaiah 6 moment for believers across this nation. We have been blessed with so much, crisis presents an opportunity for us to give back, lay aside our agendas and serve those suffering. As needs escalate, the need for believers to pray, give, go, and share has never been greater. To put action to our faith and be present to bring hope as millions of refugees flee for their lives has never been greater. CRI has come alongside churches and their missions departments since we were founded shortly after the September 11 attacks on NYC. Providing training and resources for churches to mobilize their people into action has always been our heart. 

The gospel for everyone

As an organization that responds to nearly every major disaster and crisis, I am not as concerned with who is bad or good, the fact is people are hurting dying, starving, and traumatized – they need help. Wherever there is a need, we’re going in to meet them, this is where the kingdom of God is fulfilled and this is when the Great Commission will be accomplished. It doesn’t matter who’s right, who’s wrong, the gospel alone can change the heart, transform the mind, and save a nation. Everybody needs to hear the good news and know Jesus  – good and the bad, the righteous and the unrighteous. People are hurting dying, starving, and traumatized, that’s where the gospel must go. Will you join us?  

Boots on the ground 

Today our Wave 3 responders are on the ground now in Krakow, Poland and are receiving 100s of refugees into a church safehouse. Thankfully our trained responders are equipped with chaplaincy skills to comfort those in need and help with the trauma and grief process. We have a distribution hub, we have extra-large duffle bags moving resources to a site in NJ and then responders are arriving with bags of goods and supplies. We want to get as many supplies and relief to as many people as possible. We are working down near the border and are allocating resources. We are taking a lot of lighter weight items – hygiene products, solar lights, but we have to buy a lot of things on the ground – blankets, food, etc

Poland has welcomed everyone with wide-open arms – this could change. We have three more waves of responders lined up, but the harvest truly is plentiful. There is room for more responders to train, deploy, and impact nations for Christ. This is the church’s greatest hour, let’s rise up and meet the needs of this hour. 

This is our opportunity as the church to bring the gospel into crisis, let’s not miss the open door God is placed before us as the church and as a nation. 

ATS 2020 – Rebuilding in the Bahamas

by

 

I just returned after being there for a week, and I can tell you the Bahamas are on the verge of a great awakening.

This deployment has marked me in an entirely different way than any other deployment in the past. The teams have seen many miracles of healing and several people being delivered from torment/fear and survivor’s guilt and oppression.

Talk about growing in confidence in this area of ministry! God is pouring out His Spirit and moving powerfully!!!

There is still so much to be done. God is calling forth and sending out a new breed of mercy missionaries to bring great demonstrations of His love and power in the midst of crisis.

YOU can do this! All you need is a passport, and God’s love to go. The Bahamas still needs our help!
We urgently need Responders for Wave 7.

~ Colleen // CRI Responder // N.C.

 

Deploy To The Bahamas

 

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

 

Faith Requires a First Step

 

We live in a day when disasters are more frequent, crisis is intensifying, and hostility is growing towards righteousness.

Yet, the nations groan for God…

Whether we face oppressive governments, calamity, or war, we have a job to do. The stakes have never been so high, and it is time for our great light to shine.

God promised we’d do great exploits in His name. We must go forth with love and power and let the gospel explode into every ethos, tribe, and nation.

…This mission is possible!

View This Event

5 Ways to Respond to the Nebraska Flood

by

nebraska_flood_rapid_responseThe damage caused by Nebraska flooding has surpassed $1.4 billion dollars! Highways, farms, livestock, and homes are destroyed.

People are asking why? They need answers. They’re searching for the motivation and hope to rebuild their lives again.

Those affected by the flooding need to know there is a God who loves them deeply, and cares about every detail of their life. They also need to not just hear it, but see the gospel demonstrated.

That’s where you come in. You have a part to play – everyone can be a part of this mission.

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:17

We’re deploying full teams of trained responders inviting responders to deploy with us to this disaster zone, starting April 2.

Join us in prayer, giving, and going.

5 Ways to Respond to the Nebraska Flood

  1. If you’re a trained responder, register now to go. You’re equipped for this very purpose and you can fundraise through our website for needed funds. It’s time to step out in faith.
  2. Fundraise. We need your help spreading the word and engaging your network for new donors. It takes dedicated, committed partners to bring the gospel to crisis situations. Sign up to fundraise.
  3. If you’re not trained and would like to go, register for our basic training here. No more putting this off, it’s time! Let’s do this.
  4. If you can’t go or haven’t trained, you can send others. We need financial partners urgently to stand in faith with us and see the harvest come in.
  5. Please pray for protection, breakthrough, salvations, emotional and physical healing and open doors of ministry.

Unprecedented 2018 Disasters Prompt Mercy Missionary Trainings & Deployments

by

As disasters increase, missionaries & responders are rising to the occasion

Wilmington, NC – 2018 was a year of unprecedented disasters in the United States. Hurricane Michael and Florence, as well as the fires in Paradise, California, were all the “worst ever” of their kind. Meanwhile, around the globe, famine, war, genocide, human trafficking, and hunger are at epic proportions.

The Economist reports, “Since 1970, the number of disasters worldwide has more than quadrupled to around 400 a year.” The UN’s disaster-monitoring system ranks America, India, and China as leaders in terms of nations with the most natural disasters between 1995 and 2015. According to the report, natural disasters are those that result in at least ten deaths, affect more than 100 people or prompt the declaration of a national emergency including earthquakes, storms, floods and heatwaves.

“The world needs more than band-aids,” says Sean Malone Founder and Director of Crisis Response International (CRI), a Christian disaster response ministry focused on training and sending missionaries into areas of the world devastated by crises. “An apostolic response is required to this crisis so that a great harvest of souls comes in and cities and nations are transformed,” Malone continued.

CRI has trained and mobilized 10,000 responders since 2007 and has pioneered this unique space in the missions world.  “There is something about crisis situations, whether one time events like a fire or hurricane or ongoing issues like poverty and human trafficking, where people realize their need for Christ and are typically more open to hearing about his love for them,” continued Malone.

Impact in the Nations

Teams of CRI responders and missionaries have seen tremendous impact deploying teams of trained volunteers all over the world including Iraq, Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, Dominica, South Carolina, and most recently to Paradise, CA to aid in the relief of thousands without homes and a death toll that reached over 80.

“Food, clothing, and shelter are considered stage one in the deployment effort. We first meet basic practical needs. We then minister to individuals spiritually, whether healing or trauma or deep grief and loss,” explained Malone.

The ministry, based out of Wilmington, NC partners with churches, individuals, and corporations to meet the practical and spiritual needs of those in crisis. Churches will often host teams of volunteers, individuals and corporations volunteer and donate goods to help meet the immense needs.

“People are at a loss as to how to process the devastation that occurs in crisis,” said Karen Wyatt, board member of CRI and staff fundraiser. “What people have spent years working for and building can be wiped out in a matter of hours. Helping people grasp the love of God for them individually and his eternal plan of a life without end and joy without limits gives people a hope that something good can come out of the seemingly hopeless circumstances.”

Called to Disaster Relief at Ground Zero

This work is something Malone started after working on the lighting crew during the aftermath of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. Working in the movie business, Malone used his lighting equipment to assist first responders in their recovery efforts.

“It was then that I knew God was calling me to this work. I began thinking, What if we could raise up an army of Christians to bring the kingdom of God into crisis?” asked Malone.

What does it mean for the kingdom of God to come into crisis situations? It means peace and joy despite the loss. It means prayer, healing, and help both spiritually and practically. It means rebuilding homes and lives with patience as we look for the city of God that will never end or be destroyed.

“When Jesus taught us to pray for the kingdom of God to come on earth as it is in heaven, why can’t we experience that now?” asks Malone. We are not content to just bring aid, we want to see demonstrations of God’s mercy and goodness revealing himself in the midst of these crises.”

A New Base

Coming off the epic crises of 2018 including Hurricane Michael and the Malibu and Paradise, CA fires, the vision for CRI is poised to reach new heights as the ministry has secured a new property in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. An 84 acres campus, includes room for staff housing, dormitories for students, space for a dedicated prayer room, strategy sessions, and space to build community and debrief after what can be incredibly stressful deployments.

The base is assessed at $2.4 million but it’s being purchased for just over $600,000 with an estimated $400,000 needed in repairs bringing the budget to $1 million needed to launch the ministry into this new season. The ministry has already raised over $230,000 towards the property and is set to move in mid-February, but more support is needed as the ministry steps into this new season.

“We’re so thankful for those who have partnered with us this far. We have more to raise to position us for maximum impact this spring, but we are confident and expectant of God’s provision,” said Wyatt. “I believe it was Hudson Taylor who said, ‘God’s will done in God’s way will never lack God’s provision.’ We have been believing God for a base for 10 years and now it’s happening. We’re looking forward to seeing and reporting back on all God is going to do in the years ahead.”

Mobilizing the Church

“This base is a key step forward as we ready ourselves to train another 10,000 believers with practical skills and tangible solutions,” Malone explained.

CRI is sounding the alarm for a company of prophetic mercy missionaries to answer the call to what they are calling mercy missions, people with a heart to serve those suffering with the compassion of Jesus.

“Our responders are some of the most generous, selfless people on earth. What they are giving up to serve in crisis situations is huge. Having a base to process, pray, and debrief at as well as train and develop practical skills in the midst of a  supportive sending going community is essential,” explained Malone. The base will position CRI to serve and help so many more people in the next season ahead as they serve one-time crisis events as well as bringing Christ-centered solutions to ongoing issues like clean water, homeless refugees, human trafficking and more.

The vision of CRI is to train and mobilize an army of end-time prophetic, mercy missionaries to the theatre of crisis, mobilized in the spirit of night and day prayer, releasing great demonstrations of power and rebuilding cities on the Kingdom of God.

For CRI this promised land is allowing them the opportunity to host long term in-depth training right on their base. This includes the upcoming ARC school, a 2 and a half month training focused on giving students in-depth skills to respond to national and global crisis situations so responders can become a full-time, hope-filled Mercy Missionary.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Additional spring semester disaster relief and mercy missions trainings include Basic Training, April 2-6, Chaplaincy Intensive, April 9-13, Preparing Places of Refuge, April 30 – May 4, and Week in the Wild, May 14-18.

“We must understand the hour we live and know what to do,” added Malone. “It’s time for those who have felt the call but had no platform or support to walk it out, to come forth and answer the call of God to impact nations in crisis.”