Jarod Richardson & Sean Malone talk about CRI’s response to the earthquake in Türkiye.
CRI has sent 7 teams of trained responders to bring hope, help, and the gospel of Jesus to those impacted by the earthquake that killed 40,000+ people.
deployment
CRI Deployment: Hurricane Ian relief
Trained responders are invited to join our deployment team and get ready to deploy into Hurricane Ian.
We only deploy trained responders. If you’re not trained, start here.
Online disaster relief training here.
Join us in prayer for our teams.
Hurricane Ian has reached a category 4 storm. Our teams are preparing to respond to the potentially devastating impact of this storm across Florida.
- 130 – 156 MPH winds
- Ian made landfall in southwest Florida just after noon today and is expected to bring significant damage to Central Florida
- It’s been 101 years since a Hurricane hit eastern Florida
- The majority of the west coast of the Florida peninsula is also included in a Storm Surge Warning
- The strongest winds, the highest storm surge, and the spin in the atmosphere is an extremely dangerous combination.
TOPSHOT – Boat are partially submerged at a marina in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, on September 29, 2022. – Hurricane Ian left much of coastal southwest Florida in darkness early on Thursday, bringing “catastrophic” flooding that left officials readying a huge emergency response to a storm of rare intensity. The National Hurricane Center said the eye of the “extremely dangerous” hurricane made landfall just after 3:00 pm (1900 GMT) on the barrier island of Cayo Costa, west of the city of Fort Myers. (Photo by Giorgio VIERA / AFP) (Photo by GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 28: Debris litters a street in a neighborhood of St. Pete Beach as the winds from Hurricane Ian arrive on September 28, 2022 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Ian is hitting the area as a Category 4 hurricane. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)
SARASOTA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 28: Brent Shaynore runs to a sheltered spot through the wind and rain from Hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022 in Sarasota, Florida. Ian made landfall this afternoon, packing 150-mile-per-hour winds and a 12-foot storm surge and knocking out power to nearly 1.5 million customers, according to published reports. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
SARASOTA, FL – SEPTEMBER 28: Wind gusts blow across Sarasota Bay as Hurricane Ian churns to the south on September 28, 2022 in Sarasota, Florida. The storm made a U.S. landfall at Cayo Costa, Florida this afternoon as a Category 4 hurricane with wind speeds over 140 miles per hour in some areas. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
TOPSHOT – Waves hit the Malecon in Havana, on September 28, 2022, after the passage of hurricane Ian. – Cuba exceeded 12 hours this Wednesday in total blackout with “zero electricity generation” due to failures in the links of the national electrical system (sen), after the passage of powerful Hurricane Ian. (Photo by YAMIL LAGE / AFP) (Photo by YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine Response: Crossing Oceans with the Love of God
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.
Urgent Deployment: 23 Dead as Tornado Rips through the South
Multiple tornadoes ripped through the Southern United States leaving major damage in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia killing at least 23 people in their wake. Countless people are still not accounted for according to local news reports and it’s being called the deadliest U.S. tornado outbreak in 6 years. 10,000 people are still without power.
Teams of Crisis Response International responders are deploying with basic needs and chaplaincy services to those experiencing loss, trauma, and grief as a result of the destructive tornadoes. The Alabama Deployment doesn’t change the current Take The Land Deployment or any of the upcoming training.
Based on the urgent needs in Alabama and the surrounding areas, CRI leadership made the decision to help those affected by this crisis. The deployment for CRI comes on the heels of taking over a new 85 acre missions base and has teams of responders currently assisting in the renovations of the base as the ministry prepares for a number of upcoming spring responder and mercy missions trainings.
“In the midst of closing on our new missions base, hosting dozens of volunteers, and taking care of our own needs as a ministry, our hearts are breaking for those in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia experiencing this devastating loss,” stated Malone. “Assessing the situation in the aftermath of the tornado, with 23 dead, 10,000 without power, and countless people unaccounted for, we made the decision that we have to be there to assist,” Malone continued.
The Alabama Deployment will likely be a couple of days to a week. CRI will be providing urgent services including food service, personal belonging recovery, chaplaincy, distribution of resources to those in need. In addition to meeting practical needs, the ministry focuses on bringing the love of God into crisis and disasters around the world. Since 2007, they’ve trained nearly 10,000 responders and last year alone shared the gospel with 8,000 individuals.
“In the midst of the need and loss, we believe God wants to reveal his power, love and help people and cities rebuild their lives on the kingdom of God. We believe something good can come out of even this type of crisis, so we want to share this hope with Alabama.”
To donate food, supplies, and help responders meet those hurting with the love of God, please donate here.
If you’re interested in becoming a trained responder for future deployments, please consider an upcoming disaster relief training.
Trained responders certified by CRI can apply to deploy here.