Serving Amidst the War in Ukraine: Stories of Hope and Resilience

Greetings, friends! We continue to share updates on our ministry in Ukraine. Sadly, the war is far from over, and we continue to lose loved ones. Recently, our church suffered another loss—a hero, Oleksandr Rohovyi, nephew of Slavik and Lyudmyla Rohovi and son of Petro Rohovyi, gave his life defending our nation. Despite the sorrow, we are committed to our mission of sharing the Gospel and supporting those in need.

Supporting Those on the Frontline

Our soldiers on the front continue to receive care packages from us. As the cold weather sets in, the women in our church are knitting warm socks, which we send along with other essential items. The children in Sunday school include drawings in each package to encourage the soldiers, and the men delight in these small gestures, expressing their gratitude with joy. Additionally, we provide aid to families of military personnel and families with young children who find themselves in difficult situations. Our help addresses not only physical needs but also spiritual ones.

Emotional Support and Trauma Recovery for Children

We also run workshops to help children cope with anxiety, teaching them how to manage their emotions and giving them hope. Many of these children carry deep trauma from the war. Here are just a few stories that reflect the experiences of those we serve.

Meet Kira, a 9-year-old from Kharkiv who suffers from severe anxiety, especially during air raid alarms. At seven, she survived a bombing that destroyed her home, where she, her sister, and mother managed to escape, but her grandmother tragically died. Kira saw rescuers pull her grandmother from the rubble—a memory that haunts her.

Then there is Oleksandr, 13, from Mariupol. He and his mother escaped, but his father stayed behind and was later declared dead. The last thing Oleksandr heard was that his father’s body was encased in concrete; he does not know whether his father was shot or if he passed away in another way. Oleksandr dreams of finding his father and giving him a proper burial.

Finally, there’s Alina, who was only five when the war began. During their escape from occupied Kherson, they endured intense shelling. To protect Alina from the sound of explosions, her parents put headphones on her and played loud music. Today, Alina struggles with silence; she can only sleep with music on and becomes anxious in quiet or empty spaces.

These are only a few of the countless stories of children scarred by the war. Our foundation, in collaboration with the city council of Oleksandriia, organizes therapeutic workshops to help these children and share the hope of God with them.

Creating Spaces for Youth to Know God

In parallel, our church hosts the Happy Time Youth Space, a place for teens from non-believing families to encounter God. We also held a youth meeting recently, inviting young people who are not yet believers, offering them an introduction to faith.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who supports this ministry. Your prayers and financial contributions allow us to spread the Gospel and help those in need. May God bless you abundantly!