Relief grant to Georgia

20/08/2008

BMS World Mission has given £19,500 to a Christian agency in Georgia to help with relief efforts following hostilities in South Ossetia.

With homes destroyed and some 70,000 civilians displaced, food, medicine and clothing are badly needed. A BMS grant of 25,000 euros (£19,500) has been made to the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia (EBCG).

We spoke this morning with Archbishop Malkhaz Songulashvili of EBCG, who has returned to Georgia from his studies in the UK.

He told us: “The scale of fear is shocking and, at the moment, people cannot see a future. Hearts and minds are captured by fear – please pray that this would not be the case, but there might be peace and reconciliation.”

On Tuesday, Archbishop Malkhaz was able to visit, pray with and encourage the ministers of three churches. He met too with the regional minister who “had been spending seven days hiding in his garden, utterly confused and frightened”. They were able to share and celebrate the Eucharist together, “entrusting their safety to the Lord”.

Archbishop Malkhaz prays with an elderly lady in Georgia Credit: Alliance of Baptists

Archbishop Malkhaz said that the relief work is urgent and vital. “Currently, we’re concentrating on helping thousands of internally displaced – people who have no shelter, no food or water and no community.

Children in the village of Eredvi
Credit: Antonis Shen

“If other funds are made available, we will then move to help people in the villages. Our relief work is not only about giving goods, but also listening to people’s pain.”

Tonight, the Archbishop is helping to train 40 Christians in how to reach out and counsel those in greatest need.

He finished by thanking UK Christians for their gifts and prayers, saying, “We’re immensely grateful for your generosity and for the way in which you empower us to help others”.

David McLellan, BMS World Mission Manager for Mission Partnerships, added that: “BMS is pleased to be involved in the speedy Christian response of European Baptists to the suffering of ordinary people who have been caught up in the violence in South Ossetia.”

To give to BMS relief appeal, and help people in places like Georgia, click here.

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