The war has brought great suffering in Ukraine. But as SGA-supported Pastor Ruslan acknowledges in his ministry report below, “we should not weaken our ministry, but rather burn brightly even more for the glory of the Lord.”

Like many of the pastors and churches we serve, Ruslan and his congregation are grateful for your generosity and prayers that God works through to provide much-needed food and other relief supplies. “We know about our mission here,” Ruslan adds. “And let the Lord do His work!” Be encouraged as you read from seven testimonies of Ukrainians who are receiving ministry from followers of Jesus Christ . . . and see the Lord at work.

Dear friends! Peace be with you!

The ministry and witnessing to the IDPs [internally displaced persons] continues, because we receive such wonderful food aid from you, so we should not weaken our ministry, but rather burn brightly even more for the glory of the Lord!  

In our small town, there are many IDPs from eastern Ukraine, and almost all of them are in very difficult moral and financial circumstances. Therefore, as Christians, we know about our mission here. And let the Lord do His work! We pray for every unsaved heart.

Thank you, dear sponsors and our friends of SGA for your help and love! From all those we visit and witness about the Lord, they all send their sincere gratitude!

Sincerely,
Ruslan
Pastor

Stories from the displaced families

Story #1: Yevheniia’s family

On March 20, 2022, a grandmother with six grandchildren moved from Nikopol, Dnipro region. They live in the house of a mutual friend. The children’s parents stayed in the occupied territory in Nikopol and did not take care of their children at all. Actually, parents abandoned their children. The grandmother takes care of all the parental duties. We told them about Christ, and they began to come to the Sunday morning services.  

Story #2 : Tatiana’s family

A wife and her husband. They are both retired, left their home in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, and moved [here] last year in an old house that was empty and had no facilities. They have equipped the place with their own resources. They live there and attend Sunday worship services. We pray that the Lord would touch their hearts.

Story #3: Lilia’s family

She is a pensioner/disabled, bedridden elderly woman who lives with her daughter Olga, who was born in 1980. The daughter is also disabled. They moved from Donetsk region.

Story #4: Hanna’s family 

She is a widow of a military serviceman, and lives with her six-year-old daughter. They moved to us from Dnipro. They also heard about the truth. We believe that the Lord is working with their hearts. 

Story #5: Neonila’s family

A woman was born in 1986. She is a single widow with three young children. She lives in a distant village in a private house of old construction that needs capital repairs. Her husband died several years ago. The woman does not receive social benefits from the state and has no income, as her bank account has been blocked for non-payment of debt. The family has no close relatives, as this lady is also an orphan and was raised in a boarding school. In addition, Neonila has permanent health problems. The family [lives] in difficult life circumstances.

Story #6: Nadiya’s family

Her husband died several years ago. She lives with her elderly mother and is raising two sons who have been disabled since childhood. The eldest son, Paul, was born in 2004 and has not developed since birth due to injuries sustained by his mother during pregnancy as a result of a car accident, which left her with a second-group disability. The other son, Serhii, was born in 2011 and has cerebral palsy, and is in a wheelchair. It is very difficult for the mother to take care of the children and maintain the household and garden alone, as the family lives in a rural area. The family is in difficult life circumstances also.

Story #7: The Andriyko’s family

We lived in the city of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region. While it was quiet, we endured the hostilities. Then the windows in the apartments were blown out, the ceilings and walls were smashed through, everything was burning—it was very scary, so we had to leave. The city council helped people to escape by providing buses for transportation. We arrived in Pokrovsk, then took a train to Ternopil. On November 25, 2022, we arrived [here] to a friend’s house. We have been living here for 11 months. During this time, we were provided with food packages. Also personal hygiene items, detergents and bedding. We bought firewood twice for the heating season. I got sick, was treated for high blood pressure, and my kidneys need to be checked. Halyna, because of her age, has many diseases and does not have enough money for treatment. Winter is coming soon, and my son has no warm clothes. Our house and property in Chasiv Yar burned down, and we have nowhere to go back to. We will be grateful for your help. And thank you so much for the products we’ve received from kind and generous people! 

In a time of great uncertainty, God is bringing help, healing, and hope to the people of Ukraine through SGA-supported pastors, churches, a seminary, and SGA-supported Compassion Ministry. Be a part of God’s incredible work with your generosity and prayer support.  

Your gift of compassion helps struggling people with emergency aid that generally includes Scripture materials, food, medicine, warm clothing, and shoes.