Latest / Community Spotlight / Sharing the Gospel in the Middle of War
Transcript
- 1 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:02.850 <v 0>The Light FM presents Community Spotlight,</v> 2 00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:06.810 a program designed to focus on what's important to you in your community. 3 00:00:07.230 --> 00:00:10.170 Now here's Braxton with today's community Spotlight. 4 00:00:11.100 --> 00:00:13.710 <v 1>Alright, thanks for joining us on Community Spotlight.</v> 5 00:00:13.710 --> 00:00:18.330 We've got Yaro na Tuko from restoring Ukraine with us. Say, man, 6 00:00:18.340 --> 00:00:19.410 appreciate you being here. Appreciate. 7 00:00:19.890 --> 00:00:20.910 <v 2>Thank you Brexton,</v> 8 00:00:20.910 --> 00:00:25.320 very much for having me share I think some of the 9 00:00:25.680 --> 00:00:28.320 very crucial stories for the next 10 minutes. 10 00:00:28.470 --> 00:00:29.280 <v 1>Yes, no,</v> 11 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:33.480 I'm excited that you're here and this war has been going on in Ukraine since 12 00:00:34.020 --> 00:00:38.970 February of 2022, so a little over two years now, right? 13 00:00:39.690 --> 00:00:40.523 Am I right on that? 14 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:40.950 <v 2>Yes.</v> 15 00:00:40.950 --> 00:00:45.750 We just celebrated the war started in February 24th and just 16 00:00:46.620 --> 00:00:50.640 two weeks ago we celebrated the anniversary of the war. 17 00:00:50.650 --> 00:00:55.470 So actually we have seen a great Ukrainian diaspora being 18 00:00:55.470 --> 00:00:57.810 very active across the United States, 19 00:00:57.870 --> 00:01:02.040 bringing that voice to different public, 20 00:01:02.040 --> 00:01:07.020 to news media in order to continue being the mediators 21 00:01:07.020 --> 00:01:09.060 in humanitarian projects in Ukraine. 22 00:01:09.330 --> 00:01:11.580 <v 1>Yeah, yeah. So give me an update.</v> 23 00:01:11.910 --> 00:01:16.410 What's happening right now with the war and what are you seeing God do 24 00:01:16.410 --> 00:01:18.150 through restore Ukraine? 25 00:01:20.310 --> 00:01:23.860 <v 2>The biggest highlight is that it's still a war.</v> 26 00:01:24.600 --> 00:01:26.640 It is a still full scale war, 27 00:01:26.790 --> 00:01:30.900 and there are many reasons that we don't get enough 28 00:01:31.230 --> 00:01:35.190 coverage from the life of events in Ukraine, 29 00:01:35.190 --> 00:01:37.320 especially the frontline regions. 30 00:01:37.950 --> 00:01:41.700 And that doesn't mean that the war is over, 31 00:01:41.700 --> 00:01:45.330 it doesn't mean that the war has reduced its scale. 32 00:01:45.360 --> 00:01:48.300 It's still a full scale war. So people, 33 00:01:48.420 --> 00:01:50.490 innocent people are being devastated, 34 00:01:51.060 --> 00:01:55.980 being consistently under the threat of life. 35 00:01:56.070 --> 00:01:59.760 So in two years people have learned how to live, how to function, 36 00:02:00.030 --> 00:02:04.740 how to operate in the current conditions of humanitarian crisis, 37 00:02:04.740 --> 00:02:08.610 current conditions of the economy such as unemployment, 38 00:02:08.610 --> 00:02:12.330 which is now a little under 20%, 39 00:02:12.360 --> 00:02:17.310 considering that the average salary is between three and $400. 40 00:02:17.320 --> 00:02:21.390 So that makes it quite difficult for sustainability of family, 41 00:02:21.480 --> 00:02:23.760 especially when you have little kids. 42 00:02:24.780 --> 00:02:29.370 So the life hasn't been very easy in Ukraine ever 43 00:02:29.370 --> 00:02:33.270 since. And now after two years of war, 44 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:37.650 I think people have come to a degree understanding that 45 00:02:38.700 --> 00:02:41.280 possibly that war has no resolution. 46 00:02:43.260 --> 00:02:45.300 Peaceful time is not coming anytime soon. 47 00:02:46.440 --> 00:02:51.300 And possibly humanitarian crisis is no longer be 48 00:02:51.300 --> 00:02:55.830 solved just because of the amount of devastation to the civilian 49 00:02:55.830 --> 00:02:56.820 infrastructure. 50 00:02:57.090 --> 00:03:02.020 So people start to step back and understanding how could their 51 00:03:02.530 --> 00:03:05.920 dollar or a hundred dollars help if they see no solution. 52 00:03:05.920 --> 00:03:10.720 So me now as executive director of Restore Ukraine here in the 53 00:03:10.720 --> 00:03:11.140 us, 54 00:03:11.140 --> 00:03:16.120 I'm trying to give much more light on that perspective and actually 55 00:03:16.130 --> 00:03:20.980 make sense for the people why they should still be the 56 00:03:20.980 --> 00:03:23.710 bridge builders to that support to Ukraine. 57 00:03:23.980 --> 00:03:27.940 <v 1>Right. So tell me about your role with Restore Ukraine.</v> 58 00:03:27.940 --> 00:03:32.740 What all are you able to do here in the US and 59 00:03:32.950 --> 00:03:33.880 restore Ukraine? 60 00:03:33.890 --> 00:03:38.620 I guess what's the mission vision for what you guys are doing and about? 61 00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:44.770 <v 2>My role with Restore Ukraine has always been evolving because</v> 62 00:03:45.130 --> 00:03:46.090 when we started, 63 00:03:46.090 --> 00:03:50.710 we started our operations within the first week after the war broke out. 64 00:03:51.370 --> 00:03:55.090 So that's right after February 21st, 2022. 65 00:03:56.020 --> 00:04:00.970 And my immediate role was to contact my friends and family 66 00:04:00.970 --> 00:04:02.770 and relatives and friends of friends. 67 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.400 Immediately I looked at my contact book on my phone, 68 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:11.230 I worked through my LinkedIn network to ask people for money 69 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:13.870 so that at least we could send some 70 00:04:16.540 --> 00:04:18.430 immediate crisis relief to Ukraine. 71 00:04:18.490 --> 00:04:20.170 <v 1>And I'll say this, I want to know,</v> 72 00:04:20.230 --> 00:04:24.520 was Restore Ukraine developed and started after the war, 73 00:04:24.520 --> 00:04:26.710 or was it already in place before. 74 00:04:27.280 --> 00:04:29.260 <v 2>We started? Right after the war?</v> 75 00:04:29.440 --> 00:04:34.150 I think it was sort of forced day when we already had our operations on the 76 00:04:34.150 --> 00:04:34.660 ground. 77 00:04:34.660 --> 00:04:36.760 <v 1>Yeah, okay, keep going. I'm sorry.</v> 78 00:04:37.240 --> 00:04:41.890 <v 2>And with my evolving role of just raising money as a private</v> 79 00:04:41.900 --> 00:04:46.480 fundraiser now into a standalone nonprofit organization that's recognized by 80 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:51.340 law in Ukraine and in the US primarily 81 00:04:53.440 --> 00:04:58.210 my primary functioning responsibilities are targeted towards bringing 82 00:04:58.210 --> 00:05:02.800 more supplies to Ukraine so that we can help a lot more 83 00:05:03.220 --> 00:05:04.780 people. But overall, 84 00:05:04.810 --> 00:05:09.670 our impact has been that we have helped a little over 50,000 people 85 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:11.860 already in a little over two years, 86 00:05:12.670 --> 00:05:17.350 and we helped them buy distribution of 2.8 million pounds of 87 00:05:17.350 --> 00:05:21.760 supplies that included construction materials, hygiene products, 88 00:05:24.460 --> 00:05:28.780 food mill kits, then reconstruction of the shelters, 89 00:05:28.780 --> 00:05:32.290 households. But overall under our portfolio, 90 00:05:32.530 --> 00:05:37.300 we have spent a little over $2 million on all these humanitarian projects. 91 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:42.370 <v 1>Wow, that's incredible. I mean,</v> 92 00:05:43.180 --> 00:05:45.160 50,000 people in two years. 93 00:05:46.090 --> 00:05:50.770 That's a lot of opportunities to share your faith, 94 00:05:51.310 --> 00:05:55.180 to see what God's doing on the ground. 95 00:05:55.300 --> 00:05:56.830 We know we've seen in scripture, 96 00:05:57.230 --> 00:06:01.850 God uses some really difficult seasons to show 97 00:06:01.850 --> 00:06:02.930 people himself. 98 00:06:03.170 --> 00:06:07.640 And so what kind of stories have you seen about where you've seen God do that? 99 00:06:10.820 --> 00:06:14.900 <v 2>Two of the stories that come to my mind, the first one,</v> 100 00:06:15.320 --> 00:06:16.670 it happened last summer, 101 00:06:16.670 --> 00:06:21.590 summer 2023 when we were working together with a 102 00:06:21.860 --> 00:06:26.690 number of great regional churches here where I'm located in East 103 00:06:26.690 --> 00:06:30.550 Tennessee. And we were collecting winter closings, 104 00:06:30.550 --> 00:06:35.450 so restore Ukraine and our local partners in churches organized 105 00:06:35.450 --> 00:06:40.430 community hubs for the people to come and drop pubs their winter closing so that 106 00:06:40.430 --> 00:06:45.050 we could send them to Ukraine on time for winter, 107 00:06:45.060 --> 00:06:49.700 especially for the families who are refugees and 108 00:06:50.090 --> 00:06:54.830 for families who are at the frontline communities so that it would be at least a 109 00:06:54.830 --> 00:06:57.410 piece of comfort and warmth for them. 110 00:06:58.550 --> 00:07:00.560 And one lady 111 00:07:02.390 --> 00:07:07.370 came to drop off a few boxes to a volunteer, a volunteer, 112 00:07:07.380 --> 00:07:10.160 thank her for all the help she provided, 113 00:07:10.880 --> 00:07:15.080 and then she walked away and she opened the door of her car. 114 00:07:15.440 --> 00:07:18.500 She sat down, she was driving away, she turned around, 115 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:22.190 came back to volunteer again, and she was wearing a coat, 116 00:07:22.220 --> 00:07:26.990 a big winter warm coat. She took it off and gave it to volunteer and then she 117 00:07:27.320 --> 00:07:28.153 left. 118 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:33.920 It struck me and left me very speechless for some time 119 00:07:35.750 --> 00:07:40.040 because what was going through her head is that whatever she gave was still not 120 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:40.490 enough. 121 00:07:40.490 --> 00:07:45.230 And I think she was thinking much more about how a Ukrainian woman like her 122 00:07:45.230 --> 00:07:50.180 right now is in a very cold and wet basement in Ukraine who doesn't have a 123 00:07:50.180 --> 00:07:54.260 code like she does. And a lot of stories like that, 124 00:07:54.770 --> 00:07:59.210 especially in a very difficult time because even if we raised over 125 00:07:59.210 --> 00:08:04.160 $2 million in two years, which is quite promising, 126 00:08:04.250 --> 00:08:06.470 I don't think a lot of nonprofits can do that. 127 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:11.480 And of course I admit there are a lot of nonprofits who have done much 128 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:14.120 bigger and promising works than we have. 129 00:08:15.980 --> 00:08:20.840 It is still very difficult work. You take a very heavy burden. 130 00:08:21.170 --> 00:08:25.760 Sometimes you hear the stories that you don't wish anybody to experience, 131 00:08:26.060 --> 00:08:30.110 and then you always have to filter those stories. You have to sleep on them, 132 00:08:30.140 --> 00:08:31.400 you have to digest them. 133 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:37.340 And quite difficult time when we operate on the ground and people come and 134 00:08:37.350 --> 00:08:40.790 say, Yaro, I need to feed my children. 135 00:08:40.820 --> 00:08:45.050 Is there any supplies that you can help me with the most difficult time when we 136 00:08:45.050 --> 00:08:46.790 say, sorry, we have nothing left. 137 00:08:48.560 --> 00:08:53.540 So those stories like that truly inspire to do a lot 138 00:08:53.540 --> 00:08:58.410 more work because even we have distributed almost 3 million plants of supplies, 139 00:08:59.370 --> 00:09:02.370 there is still so much more work left. And 140 00:09:03.990 --> 00:09:08.040 one great story just happened less than two weeks ago, 141 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:14.580 we shipped another container with medical supplies 142 00:09:15.900 --> 00:09:20.280 to I assist a network of hospitals and 143 00:09:20.280 --> 00:09:24.330 paramedics on the ground. So those would not be consumables, 144 00:09:24.330 --> 00:09:28.920 but would be the professional inventories that would be used by surgeons 145 00:09:31.710 --> 00:09:32.543 and 146 00:09:34.380 --> 00:09:37.770 came back wounded from the frontline, a soldier, 147 00:09:38.460 --> 00:09:43.200 and lost the ability to walk and was looking for a specialist 148 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:44.970 wheelchair for his needs. 149 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:48.720 And with our network of volunteers, 150 00:09:48.730 --> 00:09:52.020 we found somebody who needed the help and that was atman. 151 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:56.250 And once volunteer delivered the wheelchair to him, 152 00:09:57.390 --> 00:10:01.890 that was ever the happiest smiles that I have seen in very long time. 153 00:10:02.160 --> 00:10:03.930 But what is very importantly, and I think 154 00:10:05.550 --> 00:10:10.290 the great work that we do that is also guided by I got 155 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:14.820 is that he didn't think restore Ukraine. 156 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:20.550 He didn't sink me. He didn't sink volunteers. 157 00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:23.640 His only response was, I thank God. 158 00:10:25.780 --> 00:10:30.450 And that is a very incredible work because I think that no matter how much aid 159 00:10:30.510 --> 00:10:31.440 we distribute, 160 00:10:31.700 --> 00:10:36.570 it is still a temporary relief no matter 161 00:10:36.570 --> 00:10:38.310 how lifesaving it is, 162 00:10:38.490 --> 00:10:43.050 whether people are in very extreme conditions, 163 00:10:43.050 --> 00:10:47.670 extreme poverty, extremely hungry, under large threat of life, 164 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:53.010 and we deliver them a sense of refuge. 165 00:10:53.850 --> 00:10:57.660 Our goal is for them to receive the 166 00:10:58.140 --> 00:11:02.550 everlasting gifts that can guide them. Right? And that's faith and that's hope. 167 00:11:02.550 --> 00:11:04.770 Because by the time we leave, 168 00:11:04.770 --> 00:11:08.490 we don't know if we will ever come back to their communities. 169 00:11:08.880 --> 00:11:13.710 But we know that once we leave that we'll be a large fire 170 00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:16.650 in their hearts that will keep guiding them. 171 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:22.800 <v 1>So you're based in East Tennessee there near Johnson City.</v> 172 00:11:23.220 --> 00:11:26.970 Tell me, what can someone do that's based here in the us? 173 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:31.410 How can they link arms with you if they're listening now and feel like God might 174 00:11:31.410 --> 00:11:33.180 want them to do something to, 175 00:11:33.750 --> 00:11:38.580 what can they do with restore Ukraine to make an impact there in Ukraine? 176 00:11:39.660 --> 00:11:44.010 <v 2>I think Braxton, what is very unique to my community,</v> 177 00:11:44.010 --> 00:11:47.100 in your community is that Restore Ukraine is very local. 178 00:11:47.580 --> 00:11:52.230 It's extremely unique opportunity for somebody local to get to know 179 00:11:52.440 --> 00:11:56.860 the organization that actually has the boots on a ground in 180 00:11:56.860 --> 00:11:57.693 Ukraine. 181 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:02.980 And by unique I mean that they can always see the 182 00:12:03.010 --> 00:12:07.750 tangible result of their help to the people in 183 00:12:07.750 --> 00:12:08.300 Ukraine. 184 00:12:08.300 --> 00:12:13.270 So the most direct way that people can contribute and step in 185 00:12:13.330 --> 00:12:16.300 is to go on our website, 186 00:12:16.390 --> 00:12:19.120 restore ukraine.org. 187 00:12:19.870 --> 00:12:21.430 And once on the donate page, 188 00:12:21.430 --> 00:12:26.140 we have a very good breakdown of how exactly each 189 00:12:26.140 --> 00:12:30.700 contribution varying from small to large, can I say, the people. And of course, 190 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:34.090 we're quite active in our community, 191 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:37.270 and there are always events that we organize. 192 00:12:37.280 --> 00:12:39.880 There are always fundraising campaigns where 193 00:12:41.430 --> 00:12:45.910 a large portion of our East Tennessee community unites and put the 194 00:12:45.910 --> 00:12:46.990 resources together. 195 00:12:46.990 --> 00:12:51.730 So our next project that we're launching soon will be to collect 196 00:12:51.730 --> 00:12:56.710 $100,000 to purchase construction materials. 197 00:12:57.250 --> 00:12:59.110 And when people will receive them, 198 00:12:59.110 --> 00:13:03.310 they will come to a construction store and claim a voucher with up to 199 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:08.200 $1,000 for free so that they can start in their own households. 200 00:13:08.410 --> 00:13:11.560 I don't think remaining nonprofits that can do that, 201 00:13:11.560 --> 00:13:16.030 especially in the context of our community. So this is, 202 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:17.680 I think they're very tangible. 203 00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:21.880 <v 1>Yaro. Can we pray for Ukraine and the work you guys are doing right now?</v> 204 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:23.410 <v 2>Yes. Let's do.</v> 205 00:13:23.410 --> 00:13:25.630 <v 1>It. Actually, why don't you say a prayer? Yeah.</v> 206 00:13:27.250 --> 00:13:31.600 <v 2>This is a prayer that I say every night. It's quite short,</v> 207 00:13:31.610 --> 00:13:36.280 but it comes from my heart. Dear God, 208 00:13:36.430 --> 00:13:41.050 please bring people home today and 209 00:13:41.050 --> 00:13:45.520 tonight because it's almost midnight in Ukraine 210 00:13:46.030 --> 00:13:50.380 for the people to be home, for the people to be safe for them, 211 00:13:50.530 --> 00:13:55.300 despite how it is difficult under the bombshells for them to fund 212 00:13:55.300 --> 00:13:59.350 refuge, God, please bring the families together. 213 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:01.060 Please give them the light. 214 00:14:01.150 --> 00:14:04.930 Please give them the love as they need, 215 00:14:05.560 --> 00:14:09.910 and gives them the stamina to keep caring for each other, 216 00:14:09.910 --> 00:14:13.540 to love each other, and to lifting each other. 217 00:14:14.350 --> 00:14:16.270 In your name I pray, amen. 218 00:14:18.130 --> 00:14:22.990 <v 1>That's Yaro Naco with Restoring or Crane Yaro. Thank you for sharing today.</v> 219 00:14:23.890 --> 00:14:24.940 <v 2>Thank you Brexton very much.</v> 220 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:28.510 <v 1>You can listen to previous episodes of Community Spotlight right now,</v> 221 00:14:28.520 --> 00:14:31.510 if you'd like on the Light FM app. Also, 222 00:14:31.520 --> 00:14:34.660 special thanks to Turner Business Appraisers in Matthews, 223 00:14:34.660 --> 00:14:38.440 North Carolina for making this episode of Community Spotlight Possible. 224 00:14:39.370 --> 00:14:41.500 <v 0>We hope you enjoyed today's community spotlight,</v> 225 00:14:41.500 --> 00:14:44.440 covering issues that matter to you in your community. 226 00:14:44.830 --> 00:14:47.320 If you have a suggestion for a future program, 227 00:14:47.320 --> 00:14:51.280 just call 803 3 0 96 48. 228 00:14:51.430 --> 00:14:55.360 That's 803 3 0 9 6 4 8. 229 00:14:55.780 --> 00:14:59.890 Be sure to join us next week for another community spotlight with Braxton on the 230 00:14:59.900 --> 00:15:00.730 Light fm.