Brutalized refugees find a new home and eternal life

Myhailo M.
SGA-Supported Missionary Pastor in Ukraine

Peter is 85 years old. He and his daughter Svitlana are from Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, which has suffered heavily during the war with Russia. In fact, their native village is only a few miles from the Russian border.

Peter went through an extremely difficult period during the six-month occupation. When invading troops came, he was beaten and abused. One day, a soldier hit him on the back of the head with a rifle, after which Peter fell down and the other soldiers thought he was dead. However, by a miracle of God, Peter survived. He recalls how his body was bruised blue for six months after the beating he received. Food was also a major problem—he had only crumbs of bread and raw potatoes to eat for survival.

Under fire, Peter and Svitlana managed to escape. And God was leading them from an old life to a new, eternal one. In the town of Tatarbunary, they were warmly welcomed by the pastor and the church, which provided support during this difficult time.

Today, Peter and Svitlana are surviving despite very hard conditions, and spiritually they are growing! They were forced to look for new temporary housing, as they had to move out of the place where they had been staying. Yet despite all these difficulties, Peter and Svitlana continue to find comfort in their faith. They regularly attend church services, with Peter participating in men’s fellowships and Svitlana with the women’s fellowships.

They are being discipled and are getting to know God more and more every day. Despite their hard circumstances, they express their sincere gratitude to SGA partners and to all those who did not leave them in their troubles. Said Peter, “We are very grateful to God for all the people who care about us. Your help is a real blessing. Without it, we would not have been able to survive these difficult times.”