Far Reaching Ministries & Several CCA Churches Unite in Ukrainian Relief Effort

Far Reaching Ministries (FRM) and several churches in the Calvary Chapel Association (CCA) are working together to save as many lives as possible during the war in Ukraine—actively working to aid, rescue, and relocate the Christian community there during this escalating crisis.

“We will be attacking the war on several fronts. One way is that we want to have teams from Calvary Chapels and other churches go to bordering countries like Poland to bring aid to and minister to these Ukrainians, whose lives have been shattered,” explained Wes Bentley, a Calvary Chapel pastor and founder of FRM. “The second way is to send in men with the skills needed to get families out of Ukraine. Many Ukrainian pastors have chosen to stay, but the problem they are facing is that there is no food or medical supplies.”

Many have asked for help, Wes said. “When I awoke Tuesday, the 8th of March, I had received 57 texts, messages, phone calls, and Signal notices during the night asking for help in Ukraine getting family, friends, and members of the body of Christ to safety. FRM already has boots on the ground with former special forces and believers that have worked within the intelligence community.” 

A group of people fleeing Ukraine stand in a line after arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, on Monday, March 14. Russia's military forces kept up their punishing campaign to capture Ukraine's capital with fighting and artillery fire in Kyiv's suburbs Monday after an airstrike on a military base near the Polish border brought the war dangerously close to NATO's doorstep. Far Reaching Ministries (FRM) is working with several Calvary Chapel Association churches to actively aid, rescue, and relocate the Christian community in Ukraine during this escalating crisis. AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

FRM is working in nine of the ten most dangerous Islamic countries in the world and has a vast network of pastors serving in the underground Church. One of the countries they work in is Ukraine, which is not a closed country but is under siege by Russian forces.

An Urgent Need
“We have over 40 pastors and missionaries serving in Ukraine. From the first day of the Russian invasion, calls started coming into our office. Now it is becoming a tidal wave of requests for help in getting women, children, and orphans out of Ukraine,” Wes related. “One pastor planned to leave with his family when seven orphans were abandoned at his doorstep. He sent his wife on with their children, but there was not enough room for the seven orphans, so the pastor stayed behind to care for them.”

On a Zoom call to Wes, this pastor opened the door to show the seven orphans playing; then he shut the door and opened the outside door to show artillery shells exploding all around. Wes reported, “The very next day we were called and told that 30 babies were abandoned in another orphanage. We immediately went to work on getting a team in to extract and get these children to safety. This will be a very difficult—and maybe an impossible—operation at this time.” The city has been taken by the Russian army, but FRM will deploy its trained volunteers to rescue these orphans as quickly as possible, Wes assured.

                  

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“Because of our work in Afghanistan, we have become well versed in extracting people out of dangerous situations. We have a vast network of believers with the skill type required for this operation. We have had former FBI, CIA, and intelligence agents that have sought us out to volunteer their services to us,” Wes noted.

Wise Counsel
Wes’ relationship with the CCA is essential. “I called and spoke with Pastor Joe Focht (of CC Philadelphia, PA) and Pastor Don McClure (of the Calvary Way teaching ministry) about what was happening in Ukraine, and the need to move quickly to save lives. Don and his wife, Jean, have become dear friends to Vicky and me and have been a tremendous help to FRM. Joe has been a pastor to both my wife Vicky and myself. Both men have been great counselors to me, and I have needed to talk to them about difficult issues and choices that we face almost on a weekly basis, including those of working in a war zone.”

In this photo, Wes Bentley, a Calvary Chapel pastor and founder of FRM, speaks to his military chaplains in South Sudan. FRM serves in many countries. There are more than 40 FRM pastors and missionaries serving in Ukraine. “From the first day of the Russian invasion, calls started coming into our office. Now it is becoming a tidal wave of requests for help in getting women, children, and orphans out of Ukraine,” Wes related.

Wes appreciates their advice. “When you are constantly having to figure out how to keep a good witness under such extreme circumstances, the Bible says that there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. And, I value the years they have had seeking the Lord.”

Financial & Prayer Support
Wes urged, “We are asking our faithful body of believers to prayerfully give so that we can save and repair, through Christ, as many lives as possible. Even if the war ends in the next few weeks, it will be years before families are able to rebuild the homes and lives that were shattered. For some families, they will have to relocate and find a place to live. Sadly, some will have lost husbands and fathers. The spiritual needs will be great. We will have to take lives that have been destroyed, and with Christ’s love, try to help them find peace and hope again.”

Wes exclaimed, “Pray that we can save as many lives as possible!”

To give a one-time or recurring donation, go to the Far Reaching Ministries website or call the U.S. office at (951) 677-4474. All donations will be used solely for this mission.

You can also give through Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia at app.securegive.com

                  

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All verses above are quoted from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

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