It’s difficult enough to try and maneuver through life with all of the normal ups and downs. But when you are trying to maneuver through life when it has been greatly and tragically affected by war, it is most difficult. Grief and sadness can easily become overwhelming. Thankfully though, friends like you have given to SGA’s Ukraine Relieffund to serve faithful believers from local churches. Through this generosity, they are equipped to bring hope to the many people who have lost not only loved ones, but also their entire home and past livelihood.

With lives being uprooted and people being forced to relocate, these SGA-supported churches have become a safe place to calm the frantic hearts, and the Gospel has become the lifesaving faith that their hearts so desperately need. Many lives are being saved in the midst of this continuing war. Today, let us pray and thank God for His saving grace in these most difficult days. Also, pray for Olena and her family as they continue to grow in their faith. Here is her testimony that she shared . . .

I am from the Donetsk region. I grew up in a wonderful family: my mother was a newspaper editor, and my father worked as a chief power engineer at an enterprise. My childhood and student years were very happy and easy. I was very fond of physics and math. I studied to become a pharmacist.

At the beginning of the war, we decided not to rush to leave, because for many years the war had been going on very close to us. But massive shelling began, and our little daughter was very scared. We were hiding in the cold basement during the shelling. The sounds were so scary that even the adults were very frightened. In addition, my husband was very worried about me, so we decided to leave everything behind. At the end of March 2022, my dad received a call-order because he had the required experience, and he was immediately sent to the war zone. Two days after he was sent, we left our hometown. My mother, my husband, his sister, our daughter (she was four and a half years old at the time), and myself who was seven months pregnant, left. We decided to go to [this region] because my mother’s friend lived there and she allowed us to stay in her relatives’ apartment, which was empty at the time. During this time, the maternity hospital in our city had already closed, and it was soon time to deliver, so we couldn’t postpone our leaving. We drove for a very long time, and in the evening, in the middle of a field on the way [here], our car broke down. We stood there for about two hours, and the car would not start. At the same time, my mother received a call from the military office and was informed that my father had been killed. This happened only three days after he went to the front. We came to Poltava with such grief. It took my mom several days to get back to bury my father. Unfortunately, her heart could not take it, and she died a few months later.

Now we live in a rented apartment. My husband found a job last fall. Our youngest son is now one year and 10 months old. And my older daughter went to the second grade. My husband’s mother later came to us and got a job in her specialty, as a kindergarten teacher. We can say that our life goes on, but our hearts have not yet healed. There is nowhere to go home: the whole street has been shelled, and the water supply is destroyed. There have been several arrivals in our yard, and the house is completely destroyed.

We came to church, like most of the displaced people. They helped us a lot with baby clothes and food. And in January 2023, we started attending meetings for IDPs [internally displaced persons]. We like it here very much: no matter how many times I had previously started reading the Bible, I did not understand anything, but here everything is explained in a very accessible way. I really appreciate that they pray for us, for our cities, and for Ukraine in general.. After the service, we always have delicious coffee and treats. But what I like most is that we can always talk at this tea meeting; talk about our experiences and other difficulties, laugh or cry together. My husband and I repented in this church. We started attending a small Bible study group. Unfortunately, we can’t attend every week because my husband works until 10 p.m., and I’m with the kids. We don’t have a car. But we asked my husband’s mother for help, so that sometimes she would let me go. The Lord has changed our lives a lot, and I am very grateful to Him for that! Our family is also very grateful to everyone who supports us in such difficult times with food! This help is very valuable and important to us! May the Lord bless you!

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, and hygiene supplies.