Thank you so much for your support and help. It means so much to us to see that this assistance not only meets people’s physical needs, but also opens opportunities for them to draw closer to God spiritually.

We would like to share a few testimonies of how God is using this assistance to touch people’s hearts, bring them hope, and multiply His glory. For many people, the first step toward the church is practical help. A person comes because they need food, clothing, or other support, but through the process of communication, they find much more—care, acceptance, hope, and an opportunity to hear about God.

We are especially glad that over the past period, four people have been baptized in water, and two of them are internally displaced people who fled war-torn regions of Ukraine.

Svitlana—From receiving help to finding a new family in Christ

Svitlana came [here] with her husband from [a different] region. Because of the war, they were forced to leave their city with practically nothing—as she put it, they left wearing the clothes they had on.

She was experiencing deep despair and depression. One day, her daughter told her that there was a church nearby—our church—where people were being helped. That is how Svitlana first came to us. But what initially began as a search for material assistance gradually grew into a spiritual search.

For several years, Svitlana hardly ever missed a church service. She regularly attended Bible study groups, studied the Scriptures, memorized Bible verses, and gradually came to know God for herself. After several years, she made the decision to repent, was baptized, and became part of our church family.

For us, this is a special testimony that help can become the first door through which a person comes to church, and eventually to a personal relationship with God.

Nastya—A new path and a new spiritual family

Nastya is a very young girl who came [here] after her city in eastern Ukraine experienced heavy shelling. Her family lost practically everything. After arriving in a new city, she and her sister began coming to church. Through fellowship, support, and being introduced to God’s Word, they gradually began to open their hearts to God.

Nastya repented and was recently baptized, becoming part of the church family. Her story reminds us that even after losing everything familiar, God can still be found.

Marina—From receiving help to giving it

Marina also came to church during the war. She was looking for answers to important questions in life and needed support, as she is raising her son on her own. At church, she experienced care and acceptance. This helped her not only receive the assistance she needed, but also begin attending regularly, getting to know God’s Word, and discovering faith for herself.

Eventually, Marina repented and was also baptized. Today, she actively serves others herself and helps with the church’s outreach to families in need. She is especially grateful for the help she received, because now she has the opportunity to support others herself.

This is one of the best examples of how the help a person receives can become the help they begin to give to others.

A bag of groceries, and the beginning of a new church

Recently, a man called me who had found my phone number online on our church’s page. A long time ago, he used to go with his grandmother to the House of Prayer. He asked whether we could help him and his wife, because they had not eaten anything for three days and had been drinking only water—they simply had no food.

I asked where they lived. It turned out that they [lived not far from our city]. Sasha has a disability, and his wife is completely blind. I went to see them, brought them food, gave them a Bible, and prayed together with them. I also learned that there is no church in this community.

[Sasha’s city] is a fairly large town with a population of about 11,000 people, including the villages that are part of the community. There are two schools, a kindergarten, and many families who may also need spiritual and social support.

We offered Sasha and his wife to come to them for Bible study together. They agreed. And now we are praying that this first meeting will become the beginning of something much greater—the establishment of a new church [where they live].

Perhaps what began with a bag of groceries for a family who had nothing to eat for three days will become the beginning of a church that will be able to serve thousands of people for years to come.

When we provide people with food, clothing, or other necessary assistance, we understand that we are meeting their physical needs. But for us, this is never the ultimate goal.

Behind every need, we try to see the person—their pain, fears, questions, and spiritual needs.

Svitlana came for help, but found God. Nastya lost her home, but found a new spiritual family. Marina came for support, and today she serves others herself. Sasha and his wife needed food, but through this assistance, an opportunity to minister to an entire community has opened before us.

That is why we believe that your support has a much greater impact than can be seen simply in the number of food packages distributed or the amount of assistance provided.

It helps build relationships.
Relationships open hearts.
Open hearts seek God.
And people who find God themselves become part of His ministry.

We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of this ministry together with you. Please continue to pray for the people we serve, for those who have already come to church, for new believers, and especially for [Sasha’s city].

Pray that a new church will be established there—a church that will share the Gospel, help people in their needs, and show them God’s love.

We believe that God can use even the simplest act of help to open the door to something much greater.

Thank you sincerely for your participation in this ministry. Through your support, people receive not only the help they need today, but also the opportunity to find hope, new life, and a path to God.

The camp that took place under constant threat

Almost every day, we had to interrupt the planned program and move with the children to the shelter. There were times when an air-raid alert lasted for several hours. On one occasion, the children spent a significant part of the day in the shelter, and numerous explosions could be heard while they were there.

There were times when the children had just gathered for camp when an air-raid alert was announced due to a missile threat. In other cases, we had just gone outside to the playground when, a few minutes later, we had to return to the shelter. One time, approximately three minutes after the alert was announced, there was a loud explosion.

One particular incident was especially memorable, when there was a threat of a ballistic missile strike. One of the mothers, very frightened for her child, ran to the camp site and loudly warned everyone: “Missiles are coming, get to the shelter quickly!” Her fear was so intense that the situation emotionally affected even the adults.

All of this showed how present the war is in the daily lives of children and their parents. Children do not simply hear about the war—they hear explosions, see their parents’ fear, and are forced to live in a reality where an ordinary game on the playground can be interrupted by a siren at any moment.

That is why our task was not only to carry out the planned program, but also to create a safe space for the children where they could experience care, support, and acceptance, and for at least a short time return to a normal childhood.

The camp theme: The story of the Prodigal Son

The theme of our camp took on special significance under these circumstances—the biblical story of the Prodigal Son.

We talked with the children about a son who turned away from his father, made mistakes, experienced their consequences, but eventually returned home. The central message of the story was not only that a person can make mistakes, but that the Father continues to love, wait, accept, and forgive.

For children living during wartime, this theme resonated especially deeply. We talked about God as our Heavenly Father, to whom we can turn with our fears, mistakes, struggles, and questions.

It is important to note that all the children who participated in the camp come from non-believing families. Therefore, for many of them, this was their first opportunity to hear a biblical story, talk about God, and pray together with other children.

Children began asking spiritual questions

One of the most striking moments was a conversation with a girl of about nine years old. She said: “I will probably go to hell because I don’t listen to my parents.”

These words deeply affected us. Behind this simple statement from a child was a serious spiritual question: she was already trying to understand her actions through the categories of good and evil, guilt, punishment, and eternity.

For us, this was an important reminder of how much children need a space where they can ask difficult questions and receive not only information, but also love, support, and a wise response.

That is why the story of the Prodigal Son was so important. We wanted the children to understand that God does not reject a person because of their mistakes, but calls them to return to Him.

Prayers in the bomb shelter

One of the most powerful moments of the camp was its conclusion. Because of an air-raid alert, we had to finish the program in the bomb shelter.

Despite the danger around them, the children began to pray sincerely. Their prayers were simple, but very personal.

One girl prayed:

“Thank you, Heavenly Father, that we had a wonderful day. There were not many air-raid alerts, but now we are back in the bomb shelter. Please help us.”

Another child prayed:

“Forgive me for all the sins I have committed. Please forgive me for everything I have done.”

Another child asked:

“God, protect our parents and help us so that there will be no more war.”

For us, these prayers became one of the most precious moments of the camp. Children from non-believing families were not simply listening to biblical stories—they began to turn to God themselves with their fears, struggles, feelings of guilt, and prayers for their families.

Parents’ response

Despite all the difficulties and fear, the parents were very grateful for the opportunity for their children to participate in the camp.

One of the mothers especially expressed her gratitude that her child had the opportunity to take an emotional break, at least for a while, from the constant air-raid alerts. It was important to her that her child could, even for a short time, forget about the sirens and explosions, play, interact with others, smile, and simply be a child.

This once again showed us that in times of war, children need more than just physical safety. They need a space where they can emotionally recover, interact with others, receive support, and feel part of a community.

A result that continues beyond the camp

What inspires us most is that the ministry did not end when the camp ended.

After the camp, around 18 to 25 children continue to come to the church every Saturday to spend time together. These are children who got to know one another during the camp and are now continuing to meet, spend time together, and support one another.

For us, this is a very important result. The camp became not a one-time event, but the beginning of a new children’s community.

Children from non-believing families continue to come to church, where they are welcomed, listened to, and supported, and where they have the opportunity to gradually learn about the Christian faith.

Conclusion

This camp became for us much more than simply a week-long children’s program. It became a place of safety, community, spiritual support, and hope in the midst of war.

Even when the bomb shelter became the physically safest place, we tried to create an atmosphere where the children could feel that they were not alone, that there were adults around them who cared for them, and that God remains their Heavenly Father.

The story of the Prodigal Son became especially symbolic for us. It reminds us that no matter how difficult the circumstances may be, there is a Father to whom we can return, who waits, accepts, and forgives.

We are grateful to everyone who made this camp possible. Thanks to your support, 60 to 70 children had the opportunity, even if only for a few days, to experience the joy of childhood, make new friends, hear about God’s love, and receive emotional and spiritual support in the midst of war.