PCCR News and Updates

We’re at the halfway point of the First Response Training! During the first week, we did a lot of classroom-style training on emotional and spiritual equipping, as well as topics like conflict resolution and communication. We finished out today with team-building exercises and next week will be filled with practical training on navigation, medical, radio ops and much more. This group of students have been a lot of fun to take through the training, it’s always a highlight to get to know them and spend the twelve days together.

Haiti 🇭🇹 In the last 2 weeks, I was in Haiti for nine days. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience for me, a key point that really stood out to me. We had the opportunity to walk through the halls of one of the prisons where we feed the inmates and the conditions of the prison were shocking. Around 750 prisoners were packed into seventeen cells. No electricity, no running water, and no air conditioning in the prison cells. The temperature was in the mid 90s and humid. And I could feel the lack of oxygen because of the heat, humidity, and the amount of people that were crowded in. The youngest prisoner I remember seeing was 11 years old. We feed that prison once a week, and we have a church service there once a week. And the people expressed a lot of gratitude for the one meal a week, and for the church service that we offer in the prison. For a lot of them, that one meal a week is their main meal for the week. They may get a little bit of other food here and there but not a lot. One of the problems that plays into it is that the judicial system is largely collapsed. These prisoners have no idea when or if they will ever get out of prison, no matter what the crime was. The court is not taking on trials to judge the prisoners, which means that the prisoners get locked up and just have to stay there with no end in sight. With the opportunity to bring food into the prisons, countless opportunities opened up to bring the gospel into the prisons. And countless lives were touched and changed because of it. As far as we know, this opportunity to bring the gospel into the prisons has not happened in Haiti before. And it only opened up after we started bringing in the food into the prisons. Through this experience, I experienced a level of thankfulness for what we have here in America more than I ever had before, and a bigger willingness to serve and share where God calls us to. #Haiti #CrisisResponse #InternationalCrisisResponse #HumanitarianAid #hope #PCCR

Ukraine 🇺🇦 Direct distributions, which we usually hold in frontline towns and villages, continue to be our main outreach to the Ukrainian people. Going into these places with products they need, gives us an opportunity to preach the Gospel and minister to the locals. We try to stay sensitive to what the main needs are and provide them with that. On the eastern front, most people are now well supplied with food, but struggle to get access to hygiene/sanitary products and medicine. Fresh bread is always hugely appreciated and continues to be a favorite for distributions. While working in the Kherson region after the Nova Khahovka Dam crisis, we quickly shifted to water distributions to meet that need, while the larger NGOs worked on getting systems installed and wells dug. Going to some of the villages along a river inlet that had been flooded were some of my favorites. They were farther back from the frontline than what we'd usually visit, so allowed us to take more time with the people. Not having to worry about incoming artillery and drones spotting us, we sat down together in a circle beside the road. As we waited for more to gather, they started to tell stories of life under occupation and the terrible atrocities they witnessed. Then chaplain Leonid shared the Gospel message with them, and how to find true freedom in Christ. Seeing the joy on his face as he gets to share with them excites me, and I'm so thankful we have these opportunities to sow seeds in the hearts of these people. #Ukraine #UkraineWar #InternationalCrisisResponse #HumanitarianAid #HumanitarianCrisis #Hope #PCCR

Merv King is the CEO of Plain Compassion Crisis Response and does an amazing job of leading out and creating the culture we have in the organization. He cares deeply about each of the staff and works hard to create a healthy team atmosphere for everyone to operate out of their gifts, feel valued and heard. As a result, the team seems more like family, trust is high and everyone loves the work they do. He’s quick to acknowledge outstanding work and makes a point of showing appreciation, which makes everyone want to do better all the time. To sum it up, Merv leads with integrity, character and a vision and passion to develop the organization to be all God intends it to be; and it’s a privilege being a part of it.

Ukraine 🇺🇦 On the very first boat trip in Kherson, a few of our team evacuated an elderly woman who had recently suffered from a stroke, along with having other medical needs. The team brought her to shore, where an ambulance met them and transported her to the hospital. I had the privilege of accompanying her to the hospital so she wouldn't be alone. I held her hands as tears filled her eyes and she was taken to an unfamiliar place, away from her home and daughter. Even though this babushka and I didn't speak the same language, I felt the pain and sadness in her eyes. Language is a barrier, but it can't stop you from showing people that you care about what they are going through. Fast forward two weeks: When we were back in Kherson again for a few days, we were handed the opportunity to transport this same babushka from the hospital back to her home. When we got to the hospital, her daughter wondered if someone could help her get her mother dressed and ready to go home. I walked into her room, her eyes lit up and I was greeted with a big smile. She remembered my name from the first time we met, and kept repeating it, all the while squeezing and patting my hand. As we drove back to her home, she was crying happy tears. When we arrived at the apartment, the guys carried her up on a stretcher, to her home on the 9th floor. ~by one of our volunteers #Ukraine #UkraineWar #InternationalCrisisResponse #HumanitarianAid #HumanitarianCrisis #Hope #PCCR

Haiti 🇭🇹 Haitians definitely don't have it easy. It can be discouraging to think that even though we helped a few hundred people, there are still thousands that we couldn't help. However, I do believe that even though it may seem like a small impact, sometimes the smaller, more personal interactions make the biggest difference. Getting to work alongside Haitians while helping other Haitians definitely seemed to make a more meaningful impact than if we would’ve done all the work with only Americans. By paying our local workers, we gave them a sense of purpose and an opportunity to give to their own community. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to visit Haiti, and I look forward to visiting again sometime in the future. -Kilmer- #Haiti #CrisisResponse #InternationalCrisisResponse #HumanitarianAid #hope #PCCR

#Haiti #CrisisResponse #InternationalCrisisResponse #HumanitarianAid #hope #PCCR

Meet Dorcas Kauffman, our Marketing Director! When she joined our team back in August of 2022, she had volunteered as a photographer in Ukraine for several months before accepting the part-time role of Social Media Manager. Just a few weeks ago, she stepped up to take on the Marketing Director role, which fits her to a tee! She’s comfortable in brainstorming meetings and working solo, sees potential in everything and brings a world of fresh perspective, new ideas, and a passion for quality and accuracy into the organization. We love her can-do attitude, always looking for ways to improve, develop new areas and keep things fresh. With her photography skills, keen interest in all things social media and dedication to professionalism, she’s a wonderful team member to have in the organization. “When it comes to humanitarian aid, there’s a fine line that needs to be walked on how to take photos and when… being quite unskilled in photography myself, I deeply admire her ability to step into a situation and tell the stories that happen on the field through her photos.” ~Thea

Ukraine 🇺🇦 Part 2 Within an hour or so, God provided us with two boats through an unexpected encounter with my cousin, who was also volunteering in the city. Along with the boats, a seasoned boat pilot from a church in Kyiv joined our ranks. We swiftly made our way to the water's edge and began maneuvering toward the island. There were countless risks: hidden mines swept in by the water, treacherous currents that made maneuvering obstacles much more difficult, submerged hazards that could tear open our rigid inflatable boat... not to mention the constant looming threat of drones and shelling. We knew that our journey would test our limits, but we clung to the belief that with God by our side, no obstacle was insurmountable. We trusted in His protection and pressed on with confidence. We evacuated an elderly babushka, who had recently suffered a stroke and was in deteriorating health due to lack of medical care. We carried her down from the 9th floor and into the boat. The journey back was not easy, but I was moved by how the chaplain shared the hope of the gospel with her throughout the trip. Upon arriving at the shore, an ambulance took her to the hospital. We completed more evacuation trips, as well as delivered water and medical aid by boat. God kept us through it all. All glory and thanks to Him. #Ukraine #UkraineWar #InternationalCrisisResponse #HumanitarianAid #HumanitarianCrisis #Hope #PCCR

As the latest addition to our team, Emma Yoder joined us when we badly needed help with data entry. After the work in Ukraine began, we had a number of extraordinarily busy months and started looking for someone to help with the data entry and some bookkeeping. She has been in the office for several days a week since then, handling all sorts of tasks, ranging from data entry, to bookkeeping and mail runs, and willingly takes on the most boring and repetitious tasks without complaint, which frees the rest of us up to handle other things. Currently, she’s training in photography and has a vision to deploy to the field to assist on the ground with accounting, social media and other tasks. Most comfortable behind the scenes and out of the spotlight, she’s been an awesome help to have around. Though usually quiet, she can be the life of the party and we have a lot of fun working together.

Ukraine 🇺🇦 Part 1 It all unfolded in a blur of urgency and compassion. As our team arrived in the flooded city of Kherson, the water levels were rising rapidly to their all-time high. The streets turned into murky rivers, homes were swallowed, livelihoods destroyed... We heard that people on the island part of the city were completely isolated, lacking bare essentials such as drinking water, sustenance, and critical medication. The rising floodwaters had become a prison, confining residents within the four walls of their living premises. Our hearts grew heavy as we witnessed the critical needs firsthand. We felt God clearly calling us to go to the island. "But how?" I said to the chaplain. "We didn't have a boat, and we didn't prepare for anything like this or plan it." "I received a word last night," he said and quoted Matthew 22:4, 'Tell those who are invited, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready... Come.' "Have faith, brother. God has everything planned and prepared for us. He will make a way." Stay tuned for the rest of the story... #Ukraine #UkraineWar #InternationalCrisisResponse #HumanitarianAid #HumanitarianCrisis #Hope #PCCR

Training with PCCR was an amazing opportunity! It challenged me both spiritually and mentally. I learned a lot of new tools to use when responding to natural disasters. I really enjoyed putting those skills to practice by running through different scenarios. I learned a lot about leadership and what it takes to be a good leader. The best part of it, was coming away with new brothers and sisters in Christ that I know will always have my back, no matter what. I would highly recommend this training to anyone interested in first response where you will work as a team to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in time of crisis! - A trainee There is still time to signup! Signup here https://form.jotform.com/213517548196160 #Haiti #Ukraine #CrisisResponse #InternationalCrisisResponse #USDisasterResponse #HumanitarianAid #hope #PCCR