Moderator to see humanitarian support for Ukraine first-hand

The Right Reverend Dr John Kirkpatrick travelled to Hungary on Monday to see first-hand the ongoing work of the Reformed Church in Hungary, as it supports Ukrainian refugees in the country and Internally Displaced Persons in Transcarpathia, western Ukraine, as a result of Russia’s invasion nearly eight months ago.

Based in Budapest, Dr Kirkpatrick and his wife Joan will be guests of PCI’s partner church, the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH), who will host the five day official visit, which will also include time just over the border in Transcarpathia, 320 kilometres east of Budapest and 800 kilometres west of Kyiv.

Since the war began Irish Presbyterians have responded to the humanitarian emergency by giving £1.3 million to the relief effort. The amount raised from congregations form across Ireland has been distributed equally between the denomination’s relief and development partners, Christian Aid and Tearfund, and the RCH through its relief and development wing, Hungarian Reformed Church Aid, who have supported refugees who have fled to Hungary and Internally Displaced People in Ukraine fleeing the conflict in other parts of the country.

Dr Kirkpatrick thanked everyone who contributed to the Moderator’s Special Appeal for Ukraine. “The generosity of congregations, and others, up and down the land, has led to one of the largest amounts raised for a PCI appeal in living memory. It is a wonderful demonstration of the faithfulness and kindness of people, even in these uncertain economic times at home, and I am looking forward to seeing how it has blessed people both in Hungary and Transcarpathia.”