War has not slowed down for the churches and families of Ukraine. Attacks continue to strike homes, hospitals, and communities across the country, leaving families displaced and grieving. Yet in the very places where the need is greatest, believers are gathering, sharing the Gospel, and watching God do the unexpected.

As one longtime ministry partner of SGA recently reflected, it is often at the lowest moments that God does His most amazing work—just as the empty tomb reminds us that hope can rise even from the deepest loss.

From Loss to a New Life with God

Liliana, from western Ukraine, knows this truth firsthand.

In June 2022, her husband and the father of her children was killed on the front line. She was left to raise her children alone, working at a school, pressing forward for their sake, but carrying a grief that no words could ease.

At the beginning of 2025, Liliana came across an announcement for a retreat designed to bring comfort to the wives of Ukraine’s fallen defenders. She hesitated—her students, her young son, the weight of responsibility—but with encouragement from her school’s principal, she decided to go.

Those five days became a turning point. Surrounded by other women who understood her pain, and immersed in prayer and worship, Liliana’s heart began to open. Standing among the mountains, she wept and asked God simply not to leave her alone.

He didn’t. Liliana returned home and kept seeking—reading Scripture, praying, drawing closer to God. She came to believe that He was not only comforting her but calling her into something new. She was soon selected for a role supporting other veterans, demobilized soldiers, and their families—turning her own sorrow into a wellspring of compassion for others walking the same road.

Together with her son, Liliana began attending church. There, she says, they found a spiritual family. Together, mother and son were baptized.

Today, she says that the pain has not disappeared. The loss of her husband remains a part of her life. But now she is learning to live with this wound together with God. Liliana now tells other widows of fallen defenders that even after the darkest night, it is possible to see the light.

New Believers, New Hope

Liliana’s story is not an isolated one. Churches across Ukraine continue to hold baptisms nearly every week, welcoming musicians, investigators, displaced mothers, and defenders into the family of God. Among them is Olena, a serviceman’s wife who found her way to a church support group after months of anxiety and despair. “I feel incredible joy and gratitude to the Lord for finally being here, in the church, with God,” she says. She was recently baptized alongside seven others.

The Church Beyond Ukraine’s Borders

More than 5.7 million Ukrainians remain displaced outside the country because of the war, and believers are turning that hardship into a Gospel opportunity. Ukrainian Evangelical Christians-Baptists have planted roughly 160 churches in European countries—double the number that existed before the full-scale invasion—with coordinators now active in 17 nations. In Germany, a young pastor named Ivan recently moved with his wife and five children to lead a growing congregation of Ukrainian young people. “We continue to serve Ukrainians abroad with all our strength, helping them find God and support,” he says. “Whenever possible, we also support and help Ukrainians in Ukraine.”

Investing in the Next Generation

This summer, hundreds of Ukrainian teenagers gathered at Christian camps designed to build faith alongside friendship. Retreats in several regions combined English lessons, recreation, and practical training in sharing the Gospel—reaching young people from military and veteran families, many of whom had never before set foot in a Christian environment. Leaders describe these camps as a training ground for the next generation of church leaders, where participants often move from first-time guests to baptized believers to camp leaders themselves.

Steadfast Amid Ongoing Attacks

Even as missile and drone attacks continue to strike cities and communities, churches remain a place of refuge and ministry. Several church buildings have suffered damage from nearby strikes this year, yet congregations continue caring for their neighbors—distributing aid, sharing the Gospel, and standing alongside families who have lost everything. Believers also continue the difficult, ongoing work of helping evacuate residents from dangerous areas, often at great personal risk, so that others might reach safety.

Pray with Us

As the war continues, the churches of Ukraine are asking for prayer:

• For the establishment of a lasting and just peace
• For comfort and healing for all who have lost loved ones
• For protection over those still serving on the front lines
• For continued spiritual revival across the nation
• For the families of pastors and ministry leaders carrying this work forward

Through it all, God continues to use His church to bring hope where it’s needed most. Thank you for standing with pastors and churches in Ukraine.