The war in Ukraine grinds on. Missile attacks on cities, shelling of neighborhoods, the constant threat of danger—these are the daily realities facing millions of Ukrainians. Millions of children, families, and elderly have been displaced from their homes, and millions have fled the country entirely. And for those still living in the places that remain, life is marked by grief, uncertainty, and hardship.

And yet, the Gospel goes forth. As Matthew 19:26 tells us . . . with people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

In the middle of this darkness, SGA-supported churches across Ukraine are not standing still. Missionary pastors and church workers are distributing food, welcoming orphans and foster children, gathering grieving mothers, and pointing everyone they meet to the hope that is found only in Jesus Christ. Hearts are open like no other time, and the generosity of friends like you is helping make that ministry possible.

What follows is a firsthand report from Valentin, an SGA-supported missionary pastor. Valentin leads a church in one of the most embattled regions and oversees 12 sister churches in the surrounding area. His account gives a window into what ministry looks like on the ground—raw, faithful, and full of the grace of God.

From Valentin . . .

I want once again to say THANK YOU as we APPRECIATE SO MUCH your support .

First of all our greatest prayer is for this war to finally come to an end. We place our hope and trust in God regarding this situation. As we witness the pain and suffering that so many people in our country continue to endure, we pray and believe that God will bring this war to an end soon.

For over a year, we have been ministering to parents and wives of fallen soldiers who are grieving the loss of their loved ones. There are over 300 families in our small town who lost their dear ones in the frontline. Our goal is to help them navigate their grief and find hope in Jesus Christ and the promise of the resurrection. Recently we held another gathering for mothers and wives of fallen soldiers. It was a special time of fellowship, encouragement, and spiritual healing.

Juliana lost her stepfather on the frontline, so she personally understands the deep pain of grief and loss. As a psychologist, she led an art therapy session during our meeting, helping women find healing for their souls through creativity and art. She also shared a poem that she wrote for her stepfather after learning about his death. It was a very touching and emotional moment.

Iryna and Olena were special guests who came from [another church]. Both of them recently came to Jesus after experiencing great loss in their lives. Iryna lost her only son on the front line, and Olena lost her husband, [a military member]. They shared powerful testimonies about how God helped them move forward after their tragedies and gave them strength, hope, and purpose again.

For the last week our town has been attacked four times by approximately 20 drones. The central bus station and a number of civilian homes were destroyed. The maternity hospital has been damaged.

Despite the night attacks, the children were not afraid to come to church the next day. Every day, between 15 and 30 children—orphans and kids from crisis families—come to our church. Here they receive support, rich meals, care, and spiritual mentorship. Our desire is to provide them with a safe place where they can experience God’s love, find encouragement, and build meaningful relationships.

Among these children are two girls whose story I would like to share with you. Nicole and Ilona are two girls who are often seen around our neighborhood selling handmade bead crafts or fresh flowers to earn at least a little money.

Nicole is 11 years old. Her father tragically died when she was very young, and her mother struggles with drug addiction and is largely absent from her life. Because of the difficult environment at home, Nicole spent most of her time on the streets, returning home only late at night. Social services tried many times to help, but because of the war, the evacuation of rehabilitation centers, and the closure of children’s homes, her situation remained unchanged for the past four years. Recently, life at home became completely unbearable for Nicole, and she ran away. One of the sisters from our church, Svetlana, took her into her home and, through social services, officially received permission to place Nicole with her family.

Ilona, Nicole’s friend, has a similar story. She does not remember her father, and although her mother is present, she works several jobs just to survive and has little time or energy left for her daughter. Ilona also rarely attends school and spends most of her time on the streets with Nicole, trying to make money through their small child-run business.

Today, both girls attend our daytime children’s center. They are bright, respectful, and full of life. We help them with socialization, teach them about God, and support their families with food and hygiene supplies.

The school break in Ukraine has already begun, and for many children from low-income families, school provided free meals from the government. Now, with the break, these children no longer have that access, and some of them could suffer from a lack of food. In response, we decided to organize a food distribution specifically for children. We opened public registration, and in just two days, over 1,000 children signed up. Last Saturday, we handed out 200 food bags to 200 people, supporting these families—big families, families in need, and refugees from eastern Ukraine.

Tanya is a devoted mother who, along with her husband, struggles to make ends meet. Her husband works as much as he can, even with the war making things harder, but their income just isn’t enough. Meanwhile, their son Andriy faces a serious challenge—he can only see 20 percent, making him 80 percent blind. They’ve spent a lot on medical care, but the doctors say there might be a chance, an expensive surgery that could help him, but it’s far beyond what they can afford. Still, Andriy is extraordinary. He attends a regular school since there is no specialized school, and even with his limited vision, he works far harder than others. He is an A student because he never gives up. Tanya is incredibly proud of him. They are deeply grateful to their church, because without the food support, they would have nothing.

Another man, also named Andriy,came with his three children, though he actually has four. His family is also going through a hard time. With the children in school, there are many expenses, but because of the war, good jobs are almost impossible to find. He tries his best, but in their town, the only work he can find pays just $20 a day. For a family of six, that’s simply not enough. He told us that these food bags are a real blessing right now. With these meals, he can feed his large family at home, and for that, he is truly grateful.

The war had a deep impact on orphanages. As danger increased, the children had to be moved for their safety. Now, social services step in, taking kids from destructive homes and trying to place them with families. In our church, several families see this as a ministry—they serve God by opening their homes to foster these children. We provide food to all of these foster families, helping them through this difficult time.

Antonina, a kind woman from our church, opened her heart and home to these children. In the picture, you can see the smallest one, Vanya. He came from a truly disastrous situation—his family was marked by violence, and he was taken away for his own safety. Vanya is deeply traumatized. You can see it in his eyes—he’s afraid of people, always on the verge of tears, and he only feels safe when he’s in Antonina’s arms. She took him, along with the little girl beside him, and she cares for them with all her strength. Every week, they come to our church services. Nastya, the older girl, has already given her life to Jesus, and she is now preparing for baptism. This is Antonina’s family, and we stand with her and support them during this time.

Katya has six children, and she took them all in as a foster mother. They live in the children’s house by the church, which is part of the church’s ministry. The church supports her by providing utilities and food bags, allowing her to care for the children full-time. She is fully devoted to them. The girls are named Solomiya, Maria, Nikka, and Vika. Each one is loved and cared for, and Katya watches over them closely. They come to church regularly, and we continue to support them in this journey.

Alla, a woman from our church, opened her doors to four children. One is her biological daughter, who is not in the picture, and the other three are in her foster care. She takes care of them daily, and the church supports Alla by providing food bags during this time, so she can keep caring for them.

This is the family of Serhii and Svitlana. They raised their own three children, and now they see it as their ministry to take in kids from the foster system. In the picture, you can see their son, and they currently care for two foster children as well. The church provides them with food bags, enough to support their family for a time, so they can keep caring for these children.

Another exciting piece of news: we recently ordained a godly man to serve as pastor of our church in [a different village]. As a pastor overseeing 12 sister churches, I am grateful to see our team continue to grow. We now have more than 30 ministers serving in the churches we support and oversee.

We are praying for God’s directions in this ministry and hope to provide every child in need with food in the following month.

Our team is also working on the Summer Bible Camps, and it’s going to be really big and great. Our plan is to have 300 kids and to do two weeks camps with games, attractions, free meals and Bible study. We pray that God will provide safety, resources, and wisdom for this project.

May God bless you.

Valentin