To understand the grain dispute, we have to look back to early in the war when Russia began attacking Ukraine’s food supply and grain facilities.

Since then, Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) says, “Ukraine is looking for different ways to move their wheat, which includes moving their wheat and their grain into eastern Europe, which is diluting their own markets [in eastern Europe] and so their farmers are upset. So I think what we’re seeing is a little bit of the typical negotiations between the grain issues between each of the countries, especially Poland dealing with that issue and their own farmers.”

The European Union previously had a ban on Ukrainian grain imports that didn’t renew after September 15. Then last week, Poland decided to extend its own Ukrainian grain ban, raising diplomatic tensions with its war-torn neighbor.

Aid distribution in Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of SGA)

The stakes are high for Poland to protect national interests with a general election coming up on October 15.

However, more grain export bans and fewer weapons put Ukraine in a tough spot as the war drags on for its people. “It has meant that many young men are losing their lives – estimates [report] between 800 and 1,000 men a day,” says Mock.

Although Poland and Ukraine’s relationship is currently strained, Mock says Christians in Poland are still partnering with SGA to send Ukrainians aid.

Mock says, “We have several Polish Baptist churches who are working with — 110 of them — and several have faithfully been purchasing aid [for Ukrainians] with support from many donors through SGA.

“Thousands of them are helping us to purchase that aid. They purchase it, package it, put it on pallets, and then pastors and truck drivers come from Ukraine to Poland to pick up that aid.

“SGA has now…helped churches provide 19 million meals since the war began. The result of that is reaching over 600,000 people with the Gospel.”

Aid to children and families in Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of SGA)

It’s an amazing demonstration of how God is meeting suffering Ukrainian’s needs, even when political powers fail.

“That’s only possible working through churches, and it’s only possible through churches helping churches,” says Mock. “So by God’s design, it’s an amazing time but the job isn’t over. So I encourage your listeners to continue to hold fast with the people in Ukraine.”

Pray for Church unity across Ukraine and Poland, and for Ukrainians’ spiritual encouragement with these food and aid deliveries from churches.

Click here to support aid to Ukraine through SGA!

Header photo of aid distribution in Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of SGA)

To make things more difficult, Israel controls the airspace overhead and the waters offshore. Yousef AlKhouri of Bethlehem Bible College, who grew up in the Gaza Strip, explains. “There are many goods that are not allowed to enter Gaza, or, like vegetables and flowers, to be exported out of Gaza. These are the main exports from Gaza. Gaza is also on the Mediterranean Sea, so its economy relies heavily on fishing. However, Israel controls the water and doesn’t allow fishermen to go past six miles, sometimes only three miles.”

“According to many international organizations, for good fishing to happen, it has to be over 12 miles into the sea or ocean.”

AlKhouri’s family only gets four hours of electricity daily, and drinkable water is in short supply. He says, “I have two nephews and one niece. The oldest is nine years old. And the youngest is four years old. Neither has experienced in their lifetime 24 hours of electricity or clean tap water. In fact, the statistics say that 50 percent of Gaza children wish not to live.”

Pray for the healing and hope of Jesus in Gaza.

(Header photo courtesy of Marius Arnesen, CC BY-SA 3.0 NO <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/no/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons)