A heart-breaking story lies behind the eyes of every man, woman, and child impacted by the war in Ukraine. Pastor Vladimir, an SGA-supported pastor in Ukraine, has heard many of them as his church is offering emergency shelter to families in need. His family has also opened their own home to care for people who have fled their homes in search of safety . . . and are suffering.  

“Sometimes the stories break our hearts, and they bleed for those people,” Pastor Vladimir says.  And he shares one of these stories below. While it is hard to read, it also is reality for our brothers and sisters in Christ whose lives have been forever changed by violence, bloodshed, and destruction.  

We hope you will pray with us for Pastor Vladimir, his family, and every hurting soul who finds shelter in their home. May God use His servants to offer comfort, care, and a place of rest as they minister with their presence and share the hope of the Gospel with Ukrainian people in need. 

Pastor Vladimir shares about a family in his care . . . 

Another family has been living with us for the second week now. They are a husband and a wife and their two children. They also lived under fire in a village not far from [a Ukrainian city]. One morning they decided that it was the time to look for a quieter place. The husband’s mother and his sister are still in that house, where they lived together. They thought the war would bypass them and soldiers would not get to their village.  

When our friends left the home, a couple of hours later, their village got invaded and occupied. A column of tanks and combat vehicles drove by and shot everything on the way. Many people from the village were killed, ordinary people who had not expected to see the enemy there. Our friends had time to escape, but their relatives stayed at home. They are really worried about the mother and the sister and try to constantly be in touch with them.  

One morning the man’s sister called and said that guns had been set up near their house and she sent him a picture of that. Their house is located near the field. And the worst thing they had been afraid of happened to them. The invaders came to their house and climbed over the fence.  

The women realized that it was better to open the door themselves, as they had heard that those who did not open got shot immediately. Two soldiers with machine guns entered their house and told them that the women should not worry as they were not going to kill them. They searched the house, rummaged in their belongings, and found nothing. The militants left.  

After a while they returned with other intentions in mind, putting a machine gun to the mother’s head, the soldier told the girl, who was still unmarried, to satisfy him. It was very scary but the Lord was with them and is still with them. He gave the girl the right words to say and she miraculously dissuaded him from doing that and the soldiers left the house. Being frightened, they locked the house and ran to their grandmother’s house, and they still live there with no light or gas.  

In a time of great fear and uncertainty, God is bringing help, healing, and hope to the people of Ukraine through SGA-supported pastors, churches, a seminary, and SGA-sponsored 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 food, medicine, warm clothing, shoes, and Scripture materials.