Conflict in Ukraine
We continue to be saddened by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and concerned about the repercussions not just for those who live there, but also for those in other countries as they are drawn into the crisis.
ICMDA is resourcing Christian doctors and dentists throughout Ukraine through our member body the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine (CMA) to care for the wounded, displaced and homeless, serve in frontline health facilities and act as a portal to provide drugs, consumables and equipment to hospitals and health centres.
Ukraine Appeal
The proceeds of this appeal will go toward resourcing and supporting Christian doctors, dentists and other health professionals providing medical care and other aid to those affected by the war in Ukraine.
Please continue to pray with us for God's wisdom, protection and compassion.
| Date | Donations | Total Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| Feb-Apr 2022 | £344,399 | £344,399 |
| May-Aug 2022 | £66,824 | £411,223 |
| Sep-Dec 2022 | £47,796 | £456,657 |
| Jan-Apr 2023 | £261,680 | £718,337 |
| May-Aug 2023 | £50,718 | £769,055 |
| Sep-Dec 2023 | £34,037 | £803,092 |
| Jan-May 2024 | £63,266 | £866,358 |
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants made | £55,873 | £48,717 | £4,117 | £108,707 |
| Purchase of medical equipment & consumables | £242,921 | £140,841 | £383,762 | |
| Delivery of Medicines | £50,635 | £20,937 | £20,893 | £92,465 |
| Transportation Costs | £13,288 | £110,554 | £21,650 | £145,492 |
| Other expenses | £548 | £1,031 | £1,579 | |
| Total | £737,039 |
24 February
Christian doctors called to prayer as Russia invades Ukraine.
On the day that Russia invaded Ukraine over 50 Christian doctors other health professionals just follow the instructions gathered at 1800 hours GMT to hear updates from members of the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine and to pray for those affected by the crisis.
25 February
ICMDA launches Ukraine Appeal.
The day after the invasion began ICMDA assembled an action group to coordinate communication and prayer and to launch an appeal to resource and support Christian doctors and dentists providing medical care and other aid to those affected by the war.
26 February
Christian doctors hear updates and pray for crisis.
Over 130 doctors and dentists from over 50 countries gathered online at 1300 GMT to hear updates from Ukrainian Christian doctors, encouragement from the ICMDA senior team and to pray for those most affected by the crisis.
28 February
ICMDA makes first grant to Ukrainian Christian doctors.
Over £15,000 was given to the appeal in the first three days after its launch and the first grant of 10,000 euros was made to the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine for medical supplies to tend the wounded.
1 March
Hungarian doctors provide shelter for refugee students.
Thousands of international students who have been studying in universities in East Ukraine are fleeing across the border into neighbouring countries. ICMDA Hungarian member KOMT has been providing food, shelter and transport to Christian medical students who have reached Budapest.
2 March
Russian advance slower than expected.
Russian forces are making slower progress in their invasion of Ukraine than they expected. While access through the Black Sea is being closed off there are still open borders in both directions between Ukraine and its five western neighbours – Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova.
3 March
Supply routes open up.
We have contacted logistics centres in two Polish cities close to the border who can deliver medical supplies across the border to a distribution centre near L’viv. There is a window of opportunity enabling us to get drugs, consumables and equipment from Western Europe and Scandinavia into Ukraine.
4 March
ICMDA makes second grant to evacuate international students.
Civilians have been trapped in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy by encircling Russian forces. ICMDA made a grant to help three Christian medical students secure transport out, but the escape route closed before the money could get to them. This grant was later used to support refugee students in Budapest.
5 March
Doctors gather to pray.
On 4 March 38 ICMDA national leaders attended a meeting of to plan a support strategy for CMA Ukraine. The following morning 72 Christian doctors and ICMDA fieldworkers attended a prayer meeting to hear updates on the needs of Christian doctors in Ukraine. Chris Steyn of HCFI brought encouragement from God’s word, Peter Saunders brought an update on the Ukraine project and we prayed together for the needs.
6 March
Swedish consignment arrives in Ukraine.
This evening ICMDA member KLM’s first transport with medical supply and money reached L’viv. Their contact was able to hand a large cash gift directly to Ukrainian doctors plus a whole truckload of medical supplies. A second truckload is on the way. Do help us pray this will work all the way so that medicines really reach those who need them.
7 March
Poles respond to the need.
CMF Poland has now sent its first transport of medical supplies to Ukraine. The next one is already near completion. They also join in prayer for Ukraine every evening at 9 pm. Poland has also taken in over 1 million refugees fleeing Ukraine and almost all have been accommodated by Polish families.
8 March
ICMDA partners with Medical Aid International.
ICMDA is partnering with Medical Aid International to supply medical consumables and equipment to doctors in Ukraine. A team of doctors and pharmacists near L’viv is receiving, sorting and distributing supplies to hospital and health centres.
9 March
ICMDA makes two more grants.
We have made two more grants – one to KOMT to support refugees and one to a medical clinic attached to a large church in West Ukraine which is providing food and clothing to internally displaced people and transporting them to the border. We have heard that international students who have fled Sumy have arrived safely in Budapest.
10 March
Encouraging international students.
Jim Peipon of Ukraine Medical Outreach (UMO) and Peter Saunders, CEO of ICMDA, met via zoom with about 40 Christian international student refugees in Budapest, Hungary, to offer encouragement from the Scriptures and update them on what ICMDA is doing. Most were Nigerians studying in Kharkiv and Sumy who have been evacuated safely over the last week.
11 March
Fruitful partnership with Australia.
ICMDA signed an MOU today with CMDFA and HealthServe in Australia to work together in resourcing and equipping doctors in Ukraine and Eastern Europe to treat casualties and support refugees. Thus far the Australian appeal has raised over 40,000 AUD (£22,400) toward the appeal. A further grant will be made today to a Christian transport company in East Poland who can ferry aid across the border.
12 March
Fieldworkers meet together.
Over 50 ICMDA fieldworkers and board from over 35 countries met today for our global summit, the fifth since covid lockdown. Alex Bolek opened the Scriptures to us on the theme of ‘encouragement in times of war’ and we heard reports from other team members on the Ukraine project, ICMDA’s training track programme and new national movements forming in Moldova, Dominican Republic and Ivory Coast.
13 March
Russia moves westward.
Today Russia attacked a Ukrainian military training base near Yarovir near the Polish border killing at least 35 people. The infrastructure of Ivano-Frankivsk airport has also been almost destroyed as a result of enemy shelling. These attacks in West Ukraine mean we may have only a very small window of opportunity to deliver medical supplies before the border closes. We need to act quickly and decisively.
14 March
The Lord opens doors.
Today ICMDA secured a warehouse near Derby, UK, with packing facilities and an associated freight forwarding operation courtesy of a Christian logistics expert. We are now able to gather donations of medicines, consumables and medical equipment from all over the UK and ship them to Ukraine via Poland. An army of volunteers is needed. God is raising up his people to help.
15 March
More grants given.
We have so far raised over £75,000 in the appeal and made over £35,000 of grants and purchases. Today we approved a grant to a Christian clinic in Moldova which is caring for refugees. We are now ready to recruit volunteers in the UK to source, sort and deliver supplies to our depot in Derby prior to being transported through Poland to Ukraine.
16 March
Steering Group formed.
A steering group has come together to coordinate ICMDA’s response to the emergency situation in Ukraine. Up until now ICMDA CEO Peter Saunders and his assistant Josh Mills have been managing the appeal; now they are joined by Vicky Lavy, former CMF Head of International Ministries, David Sawday, former COO of Keswick Ministries, John Greenall, CMF Associate CEO and Volunteer Coordinator and Noel Aruparayil, ICMDA Eurasia Regional Secretary. Please pray for wisdom as they plan ICMDA’s response.
17 March
Generous giving.
CMDA USA report that less than 48 hours into their Ukraine special appeal they have received more than $88,000. They are hoping that even double that will come in over the next week.
19 March
Supplies are on the move.
Four crates of supplies are packed and ready to go to Lublin in Poland and then on to Lviv in Ukraine. They were purchased from our partner Medical Aid International. Contents include emergency packs, splints, dressings, oximeters, oxygen concentrators and more besides.
20 March
Connection with UMA-UK.
We’ve connected with the Ukrainian Medical Association of UK – Ukrainian doctors living and working in the UK. They are sending supplies to their contacts in Ukraine who are delivering it to hospitals all over the country. Big convoys of aid through the UN are not getting through yet but the Ukrainians with their local knowledge can take smaller amounts in cars and vans via back routes and are reaching the hotspots.
21 March
The ICMDA family in action.
A large consignment of supplies sent by our sister organisation in Sweden, KLM, has arrived by truck in Lviv. There our brothers and sisters in the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine are busy unpacking it and will soon be sending it on to hospitals around the country. It is wonderful to see the ICMDA family working together to serve the people of Ukraine during this crisis.
22 March
The collection begins.
CMF’s operation to collect supplies has begun! Yesterday we visited the warehouse in Derby where supplies collected by CMF members will be sorted, packed and sent out to Ukraine. We unpacked the first donation from a theatre sister who collects unused items that will be incredibly useful. We hope that similar donations will soon be flooding in. Out of date items are acceptable if they are undamaged and in their original packaging.
25 March
Message from Ukraine.
Rudi Migovich, President of Christian Medical Association of Ukraine (CMAU) explains why help is so urgently needed. It’s now very difficult to source supplies in Ukraine – logistics are challenging and most pharmacies are empty. CMAU is receiving supplies from partners in ICMDA and sending them on hospitals around the country. They are focussing on two areas of need: drugs for use in primary healthcare and supplies for hospitals. The money so generously given to our appeal will help us to get them out to Ukraine where they are so badly needed. See Rudi’s message here .
1 April
Supplies arrive in Lviv.
At last the first consignment of medical supplies from ICMDA have made their way across Europe and arrived at the CMAU warehouse in Lviv. See a video of Rudi Myhovych, President of CMAU, unpacking the crates here. The supplies include emergency packs for the front line, dressings, bandages, splints, pulse oximeters and more.
2 April
Update from CMAU.
Leaders of some of ICMDA’s national movements met on Zoom and heard updates from Ukraine and the surrounding countries. CMAU has sent supplies to over 100 hospitals, churches and organisations in the East of Ukraine where the fighting has been heaviest. Despite the terrible situation in their beloved nation, they are encouraged that they have been able to achieve so much and are grateful for our support.
3 April
Poland and Romania send supplies.
The national CMF movements in Poland and Romania, neighbours of Ukraine, have been sending supplies from across their borders to Lviv. It is so encouraging to see the ICMDA family working together.
7 April
More supplies on their way.
Another big consignment of supplies is on its way to Ukraine; external fixators, airways, cannulae, dressings, gowns, gloves, suction machines, oxygen concentrators… and more. It filled a lot of boxes!
12 April
First drugs sent out.
As well as the trauma needs on the front line, there is a big need for drugs to treat the ordinary chronic diseases of the civilian population such as hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, asthma and all the other primary care conditions. Regulations do not allow us to send drugs from the UK so it has been difficult to find a way of helping with this urgent need but we have partnered with International Dispensary Association in the Netherlands and the first consignment of drugs left for Ukraine, purchased with money from the appeal.
19 April
Supplies for dentists.
British charity Dentaid started in 1996 after a UK dentist heard about an urgent need for help for inmates of a Ukrainian prison. They now supply donated dental equipment to many resource-poor countries around the world and run oral health education projects. They were pleased to send a large donation of supplies once again to Ukraine. We were able to send this along with supplies we purchased with money from the appeal.
23 April
The grand sorting day.
Some CMF members have been gathering donated supplies and others have been heroically driving them to the warehouse in Foston. Steve Sturman and a team of volunteers spent a Saturday sorting over a 100 boxes of donations and packing it into eight pallets of valuable equipment: cannulae and catheters, dressings and drains, sutures and scalpels… and much more besides. Thanks to all the volunteers.
30 April
Amazing grace.
We have been amazed by some huge donations of supplies that have been given unexpectedly. We were contacted by the company Clinisupplies, who wanted to give 99 pallets of dressings, swabs and sutures. This was two whole lorry loads! Then NHS trusts in Gateshead and Leeds had gifts of equipment that filled two more lorries. ICMDA members have given generously and enabled us to buy drugs and supplies, and God has multiplied that into hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of equipment from different sources.
8 May
Transport aid.
As well as generous donations of money and supplies, we have been helped enormously by free transport for almost every single load that we have sent. Several individuals have set up charities specifically for transporting donated goods and we have been working with Ukraine Sunflower Aid and Humanitarian Aid Now. The commercial transport company Dawsongroup has set up a charitable fund - Dawsongroup Open Hands - and is giving us £80,000 to cover transport costs when needed, and the van manufacturer MAN has lent a van for free!
In Poland, several churches in Lublin came together in February to help their neighbours in Ukraine. Christians for Ukraine has created a transport ‘pipeline’ across the border to Ukraine. We send all our donations to them and they drive them to Lviv, where Rudi and the team from CMAU receive them. They are even driving to The Netherlands to collect the drugs we are buying from IDA.
It is wonderful to see so many people working together to help in this crisis – a real outpouring of love for the suffering people of Ukraine.
16 May
Update from CMAU.
It’s now nearly three months since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. Over that time, CMAU’s operation has grown and grown. They have now sent supplies to more than 220 hospitals, churches, organisations and military units. They have members all over the country, so CMAU is able to use those trusted contacts to work out what supplies are needed and deliver them into safe hands. They have sent out an amazing 50 tons of drugs in addition to all the equipment and consumable supplies.
23 May
Transport Aid.
As well as generous donations of money and supplies, we have been helped enormously by free transport for almost every single load that we have sent to Ukraine. Several charities have been set up specifically for transporting donated goods. We are working with Ukraine Sunflower Aid and Humanitarian Aid Now who have worked tirelessly to organise lorries and transport goods for us. The commercial company Dawsongroup has also donated money to cover transport costs when needed, through their charity Dawsongroup Open Hands, and a volunteer group in Swindon used vans loaned from the manufacturer MAN to take suppliers out to Poland for us.
In Poland, several churches in Lublin came together in February to help their neighbours in Ukraine and formed a charity, Christians for Ukraine. They have created a transport ‘pipeline’ across the border to Ukraine. We send most of our donations to them and they drive them to Lviv, where Rudi and the team from CMAU receive them. They are even driving to The Netherlands to collect the drugs we are buying from IDA and then taking them direct to Rudi in Lviv.
It is wonderful to see so many people working together, in partnership, to help in this crisis – a real outpouring of love for the suffering people of Ukraine.
- Wisdom and courage for international leaders
- Protection of civilians
- Restraint by armed forces
- Resources, protection and strength for healthcare professionals responding
- Care for the injured and support for refugees
- Generosity and compassion from God’s people
- Courage for God’s people to advocate and speak up for justice for those with no voice
- That God will grant his protection, presence and peace to his people
- That God will build his church through this crisis
