As the war in Ukraine continues, SGA-supported pastors and churches remain on the front lines of ministry—serving hurting families, comforting the grieving, and pointing people to the hope found in Christ.

Through SGA-supported outreaches made possible thanks to the generosity of friends like you, local believers are providing food, hygiene supplies, prayer, and biblical encouragement to those facing unimaginable loss. Yet even amid missile attacks and destruction, the church continues to stand firm in faith.

Below is a firsthand account from SGA Storyteller Karolina in Ukraine following a recent missile attack on a church in her home city.

Loss is great grief. This is a pain that cannot be transmitted. This is exactly what we felt recently.

Yesterday, a great grief happened in our city. A missile struck a church, and the prayer house was damaged by [invaders’] aggression. When the explosion happened, we were just reading where it was. In an instant our hearts froze, and our spirits were shaken when we saw photos of the broken House of Prayer in our home city. We have been to this church many times—youth meetings, services, festivals . . . This place served people and showed God’s grace, but now it needs complete reconstruction. The church is not only walls, but there are also people. With faith and hope we can recover together.

I cannot express in words what I felt at that moment: pain, disappointment . . . But then our acquaintances began to share even more terrible news—that one person had died. At that moment, we did not want to believe it, especially when we realized that he was a very familiar person, a loving husband, and a father of two children. He came from another part of the city to complete repairs on the roof of the church, but unfortunately, when he went out into the yard, a missile struck only a few feet away. The impact was so close that rescuers did not even find his body, only parts.

Considering this situation, I do not know what to say. I do not know how his relatives feel. I do not know what words of support to say to them. There is only one question in my head: God, why? For what? But we will not receive answers to these questions yet . . . Now we feel deep pain, loss, and sadness for our brother in Christ, for his family, and for the destroyed church building.

We pray very much for his family, and we beg God to give them peace in their hearts and consolation. Sometimes it seems that everything in life is good, and sometimes life can end in an instant, and we will not be able to do anything about it.

Karolina

Please continue to pray for struggling families, grieving churches, and all those whose lives have been shattered by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Ask the Lord to strengthen and comfort hurting hearts—and to continue working through the outreach of SGA-supported pastors and churches as they faithfully meet urgent physical needs while sharing the enduring hope of the Gospel.