The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Europe Area is participating actively in the relief effort as it responds to the refugee crisis caused by the current armed conflict in the continent. As mentioned in a previous official statement, from the earliest hours, the Church got immediately involved and is providing help directly through its members and with other relief organizations.
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A truck is loaded with relief items assembled by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Frankfurt, Germany. The supplies were delivered to refugees in Hungary and Romania© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Members of the Church are taught regularly to become self-reliant and be prepared to respond to crisis situations. They are also taught to follow the example of Jesus Christ. He invited all to go out of their way to help the poor and the needy. Elder Massimo De Feo, the ecclesiastical leader of the Church in Europe, confirms that by helping others, all can find added strength and purpose. “As people turn to serve their neighbor, they are on the Lord’s errand and will get to know the Savior better. By giving to others, we find personal renewal and strength.”
Another aspect that contributed to the rapid response is the fact that some of the members of the Church in Europe have a ‘refugee heritage’ themselves. Helping those in a similar situation is really close to their hearts. From day one, congregations of the Church across Europe got organized in emergency committees and started providing much-needed help. Men and women leaders of the Church in Europe – known as Area Seventies and Area Organization Advisers - respectively - began coordinating the local efforts to assure that the help that was going to be provided was adapted to the real needs on the ground. The Europe Area Presidency directs the work of coordination at the Area-wide level, and local leaders coordinate and counsel in their own respective countries. It is understood that this work of coordination to provide relief will continue for a long time.
Julia Wondra, who is from Austria and whose assignment as Area Organization Adviser leads her to minister in several eastern countries of Europe, commented about how Church members and others are willing to help. "The love and desire to help is overwhelming to see. People’s hearts are drawn towards each other. Children and families in the United Kingdom seek to send uplifting messages of hope via social media to families who are going through rough times. Sisters from the Relief Society (the organization of women in the Church) in Poland and in Romania are continuously busy bringing blankets, diapers, medicines, and other items to the people in need. They are truly a relief society".
One simple example of the immediate help that was provided by the Church, with existing means, took place in the city of Berlin, at the very beginning of the current crisis. Full-time young missionaries of the Church serving in that area, were assigned to train stations throughout the city, and with a large sign showing the languages they speak, started helping those arriving from the area of conflict to get orientation, find next transportation, understand what kind of help is available, among other things.
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Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints providing help and orientation to refugees arriving in Berlin, Germany.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.A few days later, two trucks loaded with supplies prepared by the Church, departed from Frankfurt am Main, Germany and headed to the countries of Hungary and Romania. Items sent include a thousand sleeping bags, five hundred cots (portable beds) and ten tents, will be distributed to refugees who arrived in those countries. The distribution is being coordinated by Latter-day Saint Charities. The items will be distributed through several non-governmental organizations who are already on the ground, namely the Order of Malta and the Red Cross in Hungary and the Jesuit Refugee Service in Romania.
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Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints providing help and orientation to refugees arriving by train in Berlin, Germany.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Christian Ottiker, who heads the Welfare and Self-Reliance efforts in Europe, explains that “Latter-day Saint Charities is currently actively involved in humanitarian efforts with partners and larger non-governmental organizations in Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary to assist in their efforts to bring rapid humanitarian assistance to those who are suffering”. He assures the Church is highly committed to assist those in need and that Latter-day Saint Charities is actively engaged in that effort. “Members throughout the world are invited as church and neighborhood communities to independently engage in activities that they feel would assist in this effort”, he concludes.
Throughout Germany, members of the Church in several stakes (similar to a dioceses) have organized up to 1,200 beds that are ready for those who have been displaced by the conflict, regardless of if they are members of the Church or not. These free beds are in homes of Church members and will remain available for short or long stays.
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Supplies for refugees are prepared to be loaded in a truck heading to Hungary and Romania. Latter-day Saint Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchases and stores some of the items and coordinates the delivery with other humanitarian organizations providing help on the ground.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.In Poland, around two hundred members of five branches (smaller congregations) of the Church reached out to each other and also with non-members and neighbors and together were able to offer 140 beds for people in need. Eighty-six of those are in the city of Kraków alone. One of the occupants of those beds is a woman that is not a member of the Church and that is 8-months pregnant. Her husband, a member of the Church, is still in his country of origin.
Poland is understood to be the country in Europe that will see the larger influx of refugees. David Chandler, President of the Poland Warsaw Mission of the Church said that “perhaps more than any other nation on earth, the people of Poland understand the tragedy that is taking place. Their inconquerable spirit and unwavering devotion in helping each other during times of conflict and trials has positioned and prepared them to assist their Ukrainian brothers and sisters who have sought refuge in Poland. With unparalleled empathy they have answered the call to bring emotional, physical, and spiritual relief to those seeking refuge. Their joint efforts have fostered a deep feeling of unity which is both palpable and inspiring as they follow the Savior's example who 'went about doing good...for God was with Him' (Acts 10:38)."
Many Church congregations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland are getting ready to directly support congregations of the Church in Poland that are closer to the eastern border, so they can be as prepared as possible for the expected spike in the number of refugees arriving at those areas.
Peter Huber, from the Pratteln Ward (larger congregation) of the Bern Switzerland stake, is a member of the Emergency Response Council that was organized in the Europe Area. This council, who is composed by different local committees, helps coordinate Church relief efforts in the Area. Members of the Church in several countries voluntarily participate in these committees. Huber is one of those volunteers. He reflects on the help members of the Church in each congregation and location can provide. “The Church does not have to nor can solve all the issues we are facing. But there are still many gaps where local members can provide quick help. Therefore, it is crucial to engage and coordinate the efforts with local charities, help neighbors collect items and supplies that can be later sent, and then we must identify other possible areas to provide help”.
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Members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints from several countries of the Europe Area meet via technology in a daily meeting of the Emergency Response Committee.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.In Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, both staff and students of the Cumorah Academy, a non-profit foundation who has been designated as a Community Outreach Center of the Church, also decided to host several refugees, and give them a temporary place to live. So far, about fifteen places have been used and it is expected another twenty will be used in the next four days. The Academy is also providing financial means – who come from its sponsors - for many other refugees that are arriving at the country. As most of the teachers are professionals in their own fields of expertise, they are offering their time and knowledge to connect refugees with other international organizations that can provide a long-term solution for their needs. They are also offering mental health support, organizing volunteers who live in the USA and that are planning to come to Europe to help in this refugee crisis.
Because of the missionary program of the Church, many former missionaries who’ve served in the eastern European countries are once again reconnecting with their missionary colleagues and together they are finding ways to relocate refugees in Germany and in other countries in Europe. As they are fluent in the languages spoken in the most-affected countries, this is a very helpful skill to identify the most pressing needs and emergencies.
In Ukraine, members of the Kiyv Stake presidency are supporting Church members who live in the boundaries of the stake. Communication between leaders and members is well organized there. Those in stake presidency drive around all day to deliver much needed supplies to individuals and families. Like in many other initiatives, cooperation of Church members across borders in Europe is making the difference. In this specific case, support to the Kiyv Stake comes directly from the Austria Vienna stake. The collection and organization of goods and supplies is being coordinated by members of that stake, and those items are then sent to the leaders of the Church in Kiyv to then be broadly distributed to members there.
As the situation keeps evolving by the hour, members of the Church in the Europe are invited to donate and work with the organizations in their own countries, and to avoid, as much as possible, going directly to the areas that are closer to the conflict. Members of the Church in Europe are also invited to pray and fast for an entire day on Sunday, 6 March 2022. Other members around the world who desire to help are invited to do so through their respective congregations or donate to the Church’s Humanitarian Aid Fund, which will be used to address this and other crises.