A Testimony from a Ukrainian Missionary

The following is a testimony from Sergey, one of the eight missionaries who has remained in Ukraine to evacuate civilians and deliver supplies.

God has blessed us during this time by using Word of Life and ministries like it to inspire others to evacuate civilians from dangerous areas. The Kyiv “Almaz” Church has worked with us to organize ten evacuation vehicles, and during the past two weeks, we evacuated around 1200-1300 people.

A couple of days ago, I was tired to the point of exhaustion. Honestly, I was thinking of taking a day off. But, in the morning, I got up and said to our team, “Let’s go.” After we got to Chernihiv, loaded up the vehicles with people, and began the journey back to Kyiv, I started to talk with the people in my van. I said I was very tired and did not want to go today, but I did anyway. One woman, who had come with her children, said, “Last night, a shell hit my house. I gathered the children and all my things, came out, and got into your car. I don’t even know where to go next.” I was wondering how to tell her at that moment that God is near. I told her that God loves her–and He showed it even through those people, like me, who came to evacuate her and her children, despite being exhausted.

A few days before the war began, one boy went to visit his grandmother in Chernihiv. After the invasion, his parents remained in Kyiv, unable to go and get their son. When I brought this boy to the central railway station in Kyiv, his parents hugged their son, cried, and thanked us for allowing them to see their child again.

A group of evacuees from Chernihiv; Sergey is on the left
A group of evacuees from Chernihiv; Sergey is on the left

Over the past few weeks, we have split our team in two. Half of the team remains on our property, serving people, preparing food, and cleaning. The director of our Bible Institute, Alexander Bulay, is responsible for this group. The other half travels with me to Chernihiv in a vehicle column. There is always the danger of shelling, but God has protected us. A couple of days ago, when we were driving to Chernihiv, we saw explosions and fires from afar, but our road was safe. A couple of hours later, on our return trip, we saw traces of shelling–there were artillery shells stuck in the ground only 20 meters from the road. We understood that God had saved our lives.

A photo of shelling in the road, taken by Sergey
A photo of shelling in the road, taken by Sergey

We are already exhausted. Every day, early in the morning, we wake up, leave, and spend the whole day on the road. I receive about 150-200 evacuation calls daily. We are also looking for places to get food so we can donate it to the church in Chernihiv. Yesterday, a large line (200-300 people) gathered near the local church in order to get provisions. Most of them have enough money to buy the things they need, but there is not a single store open in Chernihiv. There is no bread in the city, no water, no light. Only a few houses have gas; the rest live on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. We’ve transported more than two tons of cargo to Chernihiv–things like food, water, hygiene products, napkins, paper, and more. We bring everything we can so that the local church can distribute it to the people.

Citizens lining up for supplies outside the church in Chernihiv
Citizens lining up for supplies outside the church in Chernihiv

I’m grateful that so far, God has kept us safe. He blessed us with a new-to-us van, which was brought directly to us in Kyiv. This is the miracle of God’s provision. We are also glad to see God’s work in people’s hearts. We share the reason why we serve them; we tell how Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came down to earth to save us from our sins. In the same way, we descend into this dangerous territory to save people and bring them out of harm’s way.

The interior of the new van, which has a larger seating capacity
The interior of the new van, which has a larger seating capacity

Thank you for your prayers and involvement! Thank you for making it possible for us to take these people out of danger. God bless you!

Please, Continue to Pray

  • Pray for safety and rest for Sergey and his team
  • Pray that evacuation routes from Chernihiv would continue to remain usable
  • Pray that those who remain in Chernihiv would be able to get the clothes, food, water, and other things they need
  • Pray for the churches in Kyiv and Chernihiv as they serve alongside our missionaries

1 thought on “A Testimony from a Ukrainian Missionary”

  1. Nós do Brasil estamos orando por vocês. Que o Senhor Deus seja engrandecido através de cada atitude que vocês tomarem mesmo em meio ao cansaço. Ele os recompensará e os fortalecerá. Ele sempre o faz a medida que fazemos Sua vontade! Deus os abençoe!

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