Dear GFC Community,

Over lunch recently with Yaro Hnatusko, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Restore Ukraine, I was struck by something he said. Since a big part of Restore Ukraine’s scope is reconstruction and the war is still happening, I asked Yaro if people ever question the value of rebuilding when there’s no guarantee their progress won’t be interrupted or destroyed…

“The cost of NOT re-building is higher than the cost of building and having it be torn down.”

He went on to explain that he was referring to the human cost…the physical, mental, and emotional toll of Ukrainians being displaced from their homes and local communities for an indefinite amount of time.

I was gripped by his words and reminded that it’s all about people. Sometimes we can get desensitized to that when we see headlines about world events that feel a million miles away. But represented in those stories and headlines are individuals who make up families who make up communities. And at the end of the day, every single person matters. It’s all about people.

That’s why what’s happening in Ukraine and in Israel right now is so devastating. As I write this, more than 1,000 Israelis have died since Hamas launched attacks on Saturday, along with hundreds of Palestinians….What do we do in the face of such unspeakable war and tragedy?

We mourn. We seek to provide tangible help as opportunities arise. We pray, asking God to intervene, protect those who are vulnerable, and in His mercy stop what is happening. And we echo the words of John in Revelation 22, “Come, Lord Jesus.” One day, war and violence will cease, and, “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) Amen.

In hopeful expectation for that day,

Matt

P.S. If you’d like to listen to my recent conversation with Yaro on the GFC podcast, click here.