GEORGIA / SOUTH OSSETIA (ANS) -- News sources now estimate that 1,500-2,000 people have been killed, and 40,000-50,000 of the 70,000 residents of South Ossetia may have fled their homes to North Ossetia and other parts of Georgia in conflict that began late last week, escalating over the weekend.

Tanks in Ossetia. Photo from BBC website.

Both Russian and Georgian troops are said to have set fire to the violence that lies smoldering in the tinderbox region of the Northern Caucasus, specifically in South Ossetia.

On Sunday, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili backed the European Union-proposed ceasefire that was rejected by the Kremlin.

As Georgian troops retreated from South Ossetia, conflict erupted in Abkhazia, a breakaway republic by the Black Sea.

Sergey Rakhuba, senior vice-president of Russian Ministries, explained that these ethnic areas of North and South Ossetia and other regions of the Caucasus have been trapped in territorial disputes for years, which flared again in the early 1990s. However, they had enjoyed comparatively peaceful times until a couple of years ago.

“It’s a hard issue to resolve,” said Rakhuba.

Sergey Rakhuba’s main concern is for the well-being of the refugees, many of them families and childrenm, who were promised safe passage away from the fighting.

“I am worried that international aid might not be allowed to get to the region because of politics,” said Rakhuba.

“I also am praying that the authorities can come to a peaceful, diplomatic solution to this fighting, for the sake of the thousands of people who have already been killed and injured, and for those who will be if this
war continues.”

Rakhuba fears that the turmoil could drag on for a long time, especially with families wanting revenge for the civilians who were killed in the fighting.

He also received a report that three evangelical churches, with which Russian Ministries has worked, were damaged over the weekend in Zhinvali, South Ossetia.

Meanwhile, Gennady Terkun, Russian Ministries’ ministry director for the Northern Caucasus ministry center in Vladikavkaz, reports that young Next Generation Christian leaders are standing by to provide comfort and counsel to the grieving and displaced.

Terkun and his team are located in Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia,where refugees are pouring in. Many families in South Ossetia have lost what little they had to begin with.

In addition to its ongoing humanitarian assistance to this region, the Vladikavkaz ministry team is already planning additional aid, including medical assistance, food and crisis counseling.

Also, in Beslan -- a city well-acquainted with violence and death -- Russian Ministries’ center is prepared to welcome and assist at least 30-35 refugee families.

“I want to encourage believers to pray,” said Sergey Rakhuba. “Pray for the families and children trapped in the fighting. Also pray for Mikhail Saakashvili, president of Georgia, and for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Pray that God will give them wisdom to resolve this conflict.”

Russian Ministries has been serving in the Northern Caucasus region for over ten years, including the regions of South Ossetia and Chechnya—another region that has been marked by violence and conflict.

With Russian Ministries’ strategic base in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, young Next Generation Christians are promoting Christian reconciliation and teaching Christian values that can help bring stability to families and communities in this shaken region.

Raul Dzhoiyev perhaps best understands the plight of the refugees who are fleeing the region. Almost two years ago, he moved from South Ossetia to Vladikavkaz as a refugee and became involved with the ministry of missionary Gennady Terkun’s church.

Raul is planning to move back to South Ossetia for ministry outreach through the evangelical church in the village of Kvays, helping the church reach out to non-believing families in the community. Pray that the violence and conflict do not hinder his plans for ministry in South Ossetia.

South Ossetia is not forgotten by young Next Generation Christians throughout the year. They distribute humanitarian assistance to needy families, present special Christmas programs and distribute Christmas presents, hold evangelistic summer camps as well as sports camps. They are conducting training seminars for youth, pastors, children’s
ministry leaders, and aiding existing churches and helping newchurches to begin and grow.

Russian Ministries’ staff members are available for news interviews. For more information, contact Jean at 630-462-1739 or jean@russian-ministries.org . Website: www.russian-ministries.org

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. Michael's involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- Michael Ireland Media Missionary (MIMM) -- of ACT International at: Artists in Christian Testimony (ACT) International.