A Month Into This War

It has been just over a month since Russia began its full-scale war against Ukraine. Territories are being occupied and thousands of our civilians are being murdered (including women, children, and even infants.) Others are being tortured or forcefully moved to Russia. More than 10 million Ukrainians have had to relocate, losing their possessions, health, and dreams. All in the past month.

Our lives will never be the same.

Yet our people are demonstrating unity, courage, determination, and a desire for freedom. We are extremely proud of our men and women who have stepped up to protect our land and our people. We are greatly impressed by the support we see from countries throughout the world – and are grateful for much needed military support.

But above all, we are grateful for the mighty prayers being lifted up for our country and our people. Please keep praying! God hears … and He answers!

We’d like to share with you what has been done by our team here at Mission to Ukraine during this month of war in the areas of our current focus:

Providing spiritual and practical help for the families we serve who have chosen to stay home in Zhytomyr.

1. Crisis Pregnancy: Our team has 2 staff members and 26 volunteers on the ground.

We are currently caring for 229 women who are staying in the Zhytomyr region. During the past 30 days we had 244 counseling sessions, shared the gospel with 80 people, and saw 10 women come to know Jesus as Savior. And during this horrific month, 14 brand new babies were born!

2. Special Needs: We have cared for approximately 350 families who have children with disabilities.

Our staff has been in close contact with them in order to learn about their needs in order to provide, to counsel, to support, to pray for, and to share the gospel. Lena continues to make two trips each week to the orphanage in Romanov and spend time with the 85 young men with significant disabilities living there. And because of your generous support, we have been able to ensure that they have food supplies for the next two months.

3. Provided Emotional and Mental Counseling to our clients.

Our clients have needed quite a bit of counseling as they deal with fear, panic, and trauma. Over 300 people have received medicine, food, and diapers during this month as well.

4. Helping and supporting MTU staff and clients with evacuation.

Mission to Ukraine has actively assisted our clients while they sought safety in Western Ukraine or abroad. We have been providing MTU vans (4 trips to the border for 32 people) and/or connecting our clients with available drivers, picking them up at the Polish border and helping with transfers to their final destination in Europe, and helping them find places to live in Poland, Germany, Holland, and Spain.

We helped them connect with local relief programs and medical care in Europe, find assistive devices, and adjust to “new life.” Overall, we have helped over 100 families so far.

5. Increasing help and support for MTU staff both in Zhytomyr and abroad.

At this most difficult time, our staff has experienced your love and care as never before. We are eternally grateful for your prayers, support, and care.

From day one we have encouraged the staff to follow God’s lead on whether to evacuate or stay. For those wanting to evacuate, MTU provided all needed help with drivers, lodging, pick-ups at the Polish border, etc.

15 of our staff are currently in Zhytomyr, 3 are in the villages, 1 is in Western Ukraine and 24 are abroad: 5 in Germany, 5 in Holland, 4 in Poland, 4 in Czech, 1 in Italy, 1 in Spain, 1 in Lithuania, 1 in Sweden, 1 in France, 1 in USA. All of our staff who have gotten out of Ukraine to safety have landed in good places, but are eager to get back home as soon as it is possible. They struggle emotionally being far away and feel “unroofed.”

6. MTU has helped each staff member financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Our pastors, Don Lawton and Steve Znachko, are faithfully meeting with all staff, blessing us with continuous support and prayers. Our friend and counselor, Dave Olges, has conducted several workshops for us – and is now planning on individual sessions with staff who desire trauma counseling. We thank you for your continuous prayers and encouragement.

Our Prayer and Praise List

1. During the second week of war our newest staff member, Viktoria Loginova, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and it was recommended she have urgent surgery. With the help of our partners, Jed Johnson and Humedica, we were able to transfer her to Germany where she had a successful 8-hour-long surgery yesterday. She is in the post-recovery unit right now. We are asking you all to pray for her recovery and for good biopsy results.

2. And, as you may have heard, we have a great praise report – Dima Bondarchuk, one of our physical therapists, came to know Christ just a few weeks ago. Praise God!

3. Organizing humanitarian aid for women, babies, and children with disabilities (and their families).

4. Our partners from the Netherlands and Poland have been providing baby food, diapers and medicines to help us as much as they can … but we still need so much more!

5. Our good friends in the United States have been busy at work finding suppliers, transportation, and/or logistics companies to bring food, medicines, diapers, and hygiene supplies for our clients as well as our partners. We are trying to stay ahead of this humanitarian crisis as best as we can. This is a big prayer need at the moment.

6. Helping and supporting the Zhytomyr community during the war.

7. Finally, Mission to Ukraine is partnering with others in the Zhytomyr region to provide for urgent needs of the community. We are supplying necessary protective equipment and medical supplies for our defenders. While they are saving our lives, we feel it is extremely important to help protect theirs.

Mission to Ukraine, thanks to your generosity, is committed to continue its support for the local military hospital, those who help defend our lives, and the community at large. We’re pleased to announce that over the next several months – again, thanks to you – that we will donate thousands of dollars to this effort – all in the name of Christ.

We praise God for protecting us and for allowing us to expand His Kingdom at a time like this. Thank you for taking great part in the work of Christ! And please continue to pray for an end to this terrible war that is upon us.

P.S. Sadly, the war continues. You’ve seen the horrific pictures on television and in the news, to be sure. And the very real needs of those to whom we minister will no doubt increase in the weeks and months to come. Having served in Zhytomyr for the past 25 years, we believe we’re in a solid position to know what the needs are – and how to meet those needs. But we can only do that with your help. Would you please consider a generous donation today? Click here to give. Whether a one-time gift or a monthly pledge, you can trust that we’ll steward your gift wisely – and do so for the benefit of those we serve. Thank you in advance for your help!