Update From Ukraine
Our partners are encouraging disheartened Ukrainian soldiers.
Photo Credit: Love On Ukraine
And being found in human form, [Christ] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:8-11
Ukraine
It has been over 600 days since Russia fully invaded Ukraine. This February the country will mark its second year of desperate fighting, with winter setting in once again. As Ukrainian men and women fight on, our partners tell us of increasing discouragement and a sense of hopelessness as people wonder when the war will end. Despite chaos and destruction, we know one thing is certain - our God who loves us is not willing to let us suffer alone. Jesus was also wounded, humiliated, and suffered even to death. God does not watch from afar but enters such pain so that we may have true life, hope, healing, and redemption in Him.
Christ’s presence is the message of hope shared to the Ukrainian people by our partners. Our partners tell us that instead of the war hardening hearts to the Gospel, the conflict has actually opened many hearts up to a hope larger than themselves. Chaplains are taking this message of hope to the Ukrainians fighting on the frontlines and to the wounded in hospitals, and pastors are bringing hope as they take relief supplies to remote villages and share audio Bibles with children who’ve suffered trauma.
One couple, from Singapore, is distributing toy stuffed lambs containing audio Bibles to children in villages near the front lines. One day, a 7 year old girl approached them and asked for a lamb. She was excited to learn the couple was from Singapore as her father had often taken business trips there, and had shared stories of the city’s beauty. Her father had promised to take her there one day, but had recently died on the front lines of the conflict. The girl explained how her dream to visit Singapore would never come true, however God provided a way for Singapore to visit her. She considered the couple as if they were her father’s friends from his travels, and the lamb audio Bible as her last gift from her father.
Another partner, "Pastor Y," takes regular trips to villages near the fighting to deliver supplies, and as a trained chaplain he is also invited to serve among the Ukrainians fighting on the front lines. Many of these soldiers are untrained and feel quite disheartened. Recently a platoon took leave after the majority of its members were killed. Facing deep discouragement, their commander requested Pastor Y to come. Pastor Y spent a few days with them listening, meeting their physical needs, and encouraging them with music and Scripture. At the end of his time there, the Ukrainians were touched by the hopeful Gospel message, and a number of them came to faith. Before Pastor Y left, they asked him to return to help start a church among them.
In another region of the country, a struggling village lost their only cow. With many women, children, and infants living there, they needed access to milk. Pastor Y was able to purchase a cow with funding from ARDF, bringing a supply of nutritious milk back to the village. Imagine their amazement at God’s goodness when they realized the cow was pregnant! Now there are two cows, and eventually they will have enough milk to share with the neighboring village as well.
Pastor Y also saw the need for a medical device which massages muscles, rehabilitating and restoring them. He was able to use ARDF funding to buy these medical devices. Many wounded soldiers are now using them to restore limbs that they thought they would no longer be able to use properly - and in some cases it has even helped people to walk again!
Sometimes it seems like we don’t have answers for why things happen, but our partners remind us that God’s answer to a broken world was his physical presence among us through his incarnation, death, and resurrection. Our partners are doing what they can to share Christ’s presence with the discouraged Ukrainian people through their own presence as they minister to their physical needs. You can minister to them also by being present with them in prayer. Please pray for peace, both physical and political but also spiritual and emotional. Pray against discouragement and that Christ’s presence would be unmistakable in the midst of His people.
Donations to our General Relief Fund go to where they are needed most - enabling our partners to bring Christ's hope to dark and difficult situations all over the world, again and again. Thank you for your prayers and support which bring the hope and healing of Christ.
While ARDF is no longer specifically collecting funding for Ukraine Relief, we continue to support our partners in the Ukraine because of previous generous donations received and designated specifically for Ukraine Relief. These donations have been dispersed as our partners have needed funding.
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