Feeding the Hungry in Ukraine: A Country Divided

The goal of the LifeRice organization is to provide food for starving people around the world. Each year, hundreds of thousands of meals are packaged, loaded onto boats, and sent to many different countries to provide relief for the food crisis that continues to plague our world every single day. However, such a huge undertaking would be impossible without the help of like-minded people who strive for the same goal. That’s why LifeRice works to get connected to and engaged with people who are passionate about the desperate need for food and other amenities in many countries around the world.

One such partner is Oxlip Evangelical Free Church in Minnesota. LifeRice has been working with the members of Oxlip since 2014, packing meals together for the hungry. However, Pastor Lee Schuemann of Oxlip has been working much longer than that on behalf of the people struggling in Ukraine. While LifeRice works to pack food for the hungry, Scheumann has been working tirelessly for over 20 years to send food, clothes, and other necessities to a country that has been divided for a long time.

The troubles in Ukraine stemmed from events almost three centuries ago. Due to the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, Crimea (a region in Ukraine) was traded to Russia as a part of the treaty provisions. It remained this way for around two and a half centuries. However, around 1990, there were votes taken by regions in Crimea for independence. A major reason this occurred was that because of their connection with Russia, part of Crimea began to adopt the Russian culture and language, while the other parts of Crimea remained Ukrainian and wanted to be connected to its roots in Ukraine. In Western Crimea, there were more people that were ethnically and linguistically Ukrainian, while Eastern Crimea was populated by more people that were ethnically and linguistically Russian.

In 1994, there was a transfer of the Crimean Peninsula from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, making Crimea once again a part of Ukraine. However, this was also not the end, as in 2014, The Russian Federation took over Crimea and a vote was held. The vote was to determine if Crimea should once again be a part of Russia, and after the vote went through, the Russian Federation annexed Crimea, turning it into the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. This back and forth caused many issues with the separation of families, the complications of politics, and troubles with the economy. The number of impoverished people began to increase, which continues to be a major issue in Ukraine to this day. That is why there is such a need for supplies there today.

Pastor Scheumann has been working to fill the needs of Ukraine in several ways over the years. He has worked with Hand in Hand Together to supply the people of Ukraine with cheap clothing options, he has worked with LifeRice to package food and deliver it to the hungry, and he has also worked to further the kingdom of God there as well. He started the Source of Life Church which currently has about 60-70 members, but he works to provide the funds necessary to plant even more churches throughout Ukraine. He has worked with construction teams on building projects, as well as with Bible school teams to continue spreading God’s Word. Because of this, more and more people are being fed each year, but more importantly, they are being fed the Gospel and coming to Christ. Scheumann explained that a group he works with goes into a local area each Tuesday and Saturday to bring food and provide a free lunch to those who need it, and while the people eat, they have the Gospel shared with them. Because of this, this group has gotten connected with individuals in dire need, whom they have been able to build some dorms for, and they are even helping drug addicts to overcome their addictions.

            There is so much great work being done to support the country of Ukraine and its people, but there is still a great need and still much work to be done. That is why LifeRice needs people like you. We are always looking to find people with a passion for our brothers and sisters that are struggling across the seas, and we have ways that you can make a difference. Consider donating to our organization. With the money you give, we can purchase more supplies to pack more meals to feed more and more people, combatting the hunger in our world. Or, if you want to get involved directly, consider joining in the fight against hunger and volunteer to pack food at one or more of the dozens of packing events we do every year. You can go to our contact page to get connected to us; we would love to answer any questions you have about what we do and how you can help.

Join the fight to end world hunger today!