It’s been about a week now since the world has watched Russia invade Ukraine and a war rage in a country far away from us. However, it is important to remember that there are believers in Ukraine and the Lord’s church is strong there. The seminary that I attended has a pastor’s training center in downtown Kyiv staffed with a few American missionaries.
When the invasion happened the missionaries had to make a decision. Do they evacuate as American citizens? This isn’t their fight, this isn’t their homeland. They could easily get on a plane and go to safety. Or, do they stay and minister to the church and to the unbelievers there in Kyiv. Well, they decided to take a courageous step of faith and stay to minister to the people of Ukraine. As one missionary said, “We are here to love the Lord with all our hearts and joyously give everything we’ve got toward the fame of the Almighty.” As an alumni of the seminary I get regular email updates about the situation there asking for prayer and I’d like to share with you a small picture of what life is like right now for one particular church in downtown Kyiv and how they are ministering to their community.
When the invasion first started people from the church went door to door in their apartment building to tell everyone that answered that their church building has an underground parking garage that anyone could use as a refuge or shelter. They gave every person a paper with the church address on it so they could find it, as well as important gospel verses on the back. With this act, the church was praying for God to save as many people as He could in this time of war.
A couple of days later, as the invasion continued and people were hearing explosions and sirens in Kyiv, about 50 people from the church and a number of unbelievers were gathering in the church building for refuge and then sleeping on mats in the underground parking garage at night. This includes children as well as numerous babies. The underground parking garage has no heat and electricity cuts in and out at any time.
In the midst of this situation, the church gathers three times every day for prayer and to hear a short message from God’s Word. They use this time also to share the gospel with the individuals who are just there just to seek shelter.
There is a tremendous need for prayer for these people. We can pray for safety for the people, as well as, the spiritual salvation for as many people as possible. God uses all things for His glory, including war.
But I am also encouraged by the courageous faith displayed by these people. We know that the Lord calls us to live by faith and the Lord calls us to trust Him but I wonder if I would be able to take a step of faith like that. Would you? Maybe the Holy Spirit would divinely intervene and give us a measure of courageous faith like that. The fact that the missionaries decided to stay had a profound impact on the believers there. They saw that these believers really loved and cared for the church and that gave them a boost in their faith as well.
I am also convicted about the way the church in Ukraine is serving their community. Giving their church building for people to use is a way to minister to people. I wonder how we can better minister to our community. How can we better serve the people around us? How can we display the love of Christ to people that don’t know Him? How can we be the light that Jesus told us we are? I hope that it doesn’t take a war to find out.
I am inspired to live by faith in a new way. To courageously walk with the Lord wherever He may take me, even if I cannot see the path. He promises to lead me, guide me, and never forsake me; that is enough for me to try and live by faith. Is it enough for you?