Let us not grow weary in praying for faithful servants in Ukraine. With chaos all around, these men and women of God are standing strong in Him. They are weak in their own strength, but doing the work of God by His strength — knowing that the best is yet to come.
God is at work even in the midst of the horror to move hearts of despair to hearts of praise. As you read Pastor Vitaly’s most recent ministry letter below, please lift him up and ask the Lord to help him and all SGA-supported pastors and their churches impacted by the Ukraine War to press on . . .
Dear Friends,
We are entering the seventh month of war. There is no end in sight. Daily missile strikes on civilians, countless young women and men dying in combat, internally displaced families without homes or jobs, refugees in foreign countries, landmines, limbless children, families separated, homelessness, children being orphaned daily, rape, murder, filtration camps, drinking water shortages, fuel shortages, food uncertainty, funerals. The level of daily tragedy and loss is unbelievable. Please don’t grow tired of praying for Ukraine. Please.
And thank you to all of you who have helped us make a dent in alleviating some suffering. Thankfully with this support we are able to keep serving God, our families and unbelievers who now (in large numbers) started coming to our churches! Pray for their salvation! There is a lot more work to do. Now and in the future.
I’ve been really stressed, exhausted and amazed at the same time! I lead biblical groups for unbelieving, displaced people. I preached on Sunday morning on Daniel, chapter 1. I highlighted how important it is for all of us to follow Christian principles! Two people repented. Thirteen young people will be baptized next Sunday.
My wife Nadia spoke at the women’s camp for displaced women in [a Ukrainian city]. There were 56 women from Kharkiv, Kherson, Nikolaev, Dnipro . . . Probably it’s strange to see beautiful places and smiling faces amidst the war situation in the country. The stories these ladies are sharing about their life in occupation, fleeing under the shelling, are horrifying! But at least at this place they were enjoying the oasis of joy in the Lord.
Even though it’s a mourning day in Kharkiv today, we trust the Lord in all this situation. Of course, it’s really hard physically and mentally to go through it all. We get both angry and scared of bad news every day and night, deaths in Kharkiv and other cities, but most of all in Kharkiv… the threat of the explosion on the Zaporozhe nuclear station, etc. but then we realize that God’s in control.
Whatever happens, we are in His hands. We’re happy that we are His children. For unbelievers it’s a really bad situation. But seems like now more and more people started coming to church and not only to receive the humanitarian aid. They are hungry for God’s Word. Some of new people in our church were crying while our praise group was singing “Who can love so much as we are loved by Jesus?”
With prayers
Pastor Vitaly