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Jul 19, 2022
Ukraine Relief

Editor’s Note: The images and report below were provided by an SGA-supported pastor in Ukraine.

What Satan and this world have meant for destruction during the Ukraine war, God intends for good that many will be saved. Pastor Oleg, a faithful SGA-supported pastor, shares two recent testimonies to that effect. May God be praised!

From Pastor Oleg . . .

Wartime ministry is difficult to characterize or analyze because of all the horrors our people are experiencing. However, despite all the stories of people we have heard from refugees, we can clearly see God’s hand in how He leads people through difficult times, having mercy and showing His grace.

The story of Iryna is one of such stories. Their village is small, located by a forest, a short distance from the Belarussian border. With the beginning of the war, a small group of neighbors (seven people), among whom was Ira, decided to make a small dugout in the woods.

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They dug a pit, the width, length and height of which could accommodate seven people. They brought their essentials: water, warm clothes, candles, a flashlight, some food. The pit was covered with bars of trees and moss and covered with earth. A few days later, when heavy military machinery passed near their dugout, they realized that they needed to make another one, but deeper into the woods.
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And so it happened, but after bombs and missiles were dropped on the county, they realized that they needed to flee. With God’s help, they managed to leave the village and get on the nearest bus. Having a difficult road, they came to us [a different Ukrainian region].  The oldest in their group are women aged 82 and 78. All the rest are middle-aged. For the first two days, this group of people spent the night in the House of Prayer. We turned the worship hall to the hostel, spread out the mattresses, prepared food for them and listened to their stories. Then the village council found temporary housing for them, but they constantly came to the House of Prayer either for food or for service. They often responded simply to the need to come to help in what was necessary. 
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Ira, along with two other women (Olya and Maya), began attending a women’s Bible study group regularly.  Each time she had many questions. She once said that God sent her here because she had lived more than half of her life and had never known God so closely, never understood that He loved her. Once in a group, we talked about salvation, which means repentance for everyone, and she began to cry. She said that she realized she was a sinner, but she knew that when she would return home, she will not be able to refrain from evil words, anger and hatred, because her house was damaged. She said that here she felt good because she was received, hugged, prayed for, and there at home she will not be able to live like that. We talked to her about these things, about God accepting her and loving her as she is. And if the conscience calls to pray and repent for her life, it must be done, because God himself calls her through such worries. Ira asked for a Bible, said she was praying, and said she would read God’s Word. Now she has returned to the village, is restoring the house, planting a garden to have food for the winter, but is constantly in touch with us. She writes, sends photos and is ready to communicate. Before leaving, she said the following: “God sent me here to you to open and show so much”.
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Here is another story of a woman named Oksana. She has been attending our women’s group for a long time, but did not dare to decide to follow God. When the war broke out, Oksana’s daughter, along with her husband and 1-year-old son, found themselves at the epicenter of the occupation in Bucha, Kyiv region. They spent three weeks in the basement, often out of touch, but God miraculously brought them out. At the same time, Oksana’s son served in the armed forces of Ukraine and was standing at the positions near Bucha. When the city was liberated, he was wounded and contused by a powerful explosion. The soldiers, which took him to the hospital, weren’t sure if he would survive.  But God made a miracle and Oksana’s son is alive, he recovered and is now back in front. Now he is in the East. 

These circumstances with the children were not easy, we prayed and cried a lot together. One day in the group, Oksana asked if she could repent and prayed a prayer of repentance. She testifies that God has shown huge mercy to her family and that she will continue to follow Him. Now Oksana is preparing for baptism. A week ago, she said she knew of the danger her son was in, prayed for his life, but believed that God himself controlled everything and if He wanted to save him, He would save him. She said that no matter how hard it was, she wanted to trust everything in God’s hands.

These people and many others are now part of the life of our church. And we thank God that He continues to work for His glory during the war. The war continues. But we hope in God’s mercy, we believe in the victory and miracle that He will show for our country.

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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-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 Scripture materials, food, medicine, warm clothing, and shoes.

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