Today is day 222 of the Russian war against Ukraine. During those days many tragic events have happened in the country. Thousands of Ukrainians have been slaughtered by Russian soldiers and buried in the mass graves of Bucha, Gostomel and Irpin in the Kyiv district. The city of Mariupol was severely damaged by shelling. Such cities as Kharkiv, Melitopol, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa were also bombarded. Communications between cities were disrupted and millions of Ukrainians were displaced within the country; others became refugees seeking safety in other countries of Europe. At this moment, Ukrainian forces are pushing the enemy towards the border and clearing the territory from Russian occupation. This is a short general description of the war in Ukraine.
In these circumstances, Covid-19 was forgotten as something comparatively insignificant. The danger of immediate death from a Russian missile attack has become familiar to the people. The day before yesterday, two short-range ballistic SS-26 missiles damaged an electric substation and several neighbouring buildings. This happened 15 km from the Mission House in Odesa. The missile strike shook the house, and the sound of the blast filled the air.
Despite the war situation, the mission work goes on. It is of God’s mercy that this is possible. The requests of people for Bibles and literature keep the work of distribution going. The war made many Ukrainians seek God because of the fear of death. Ukrainian officials of high rank, when they are speaking publicly, always say that everything is in God’s hands, acknowledging His power. At the same time, it is necessary to mention that all these officials are Eastern Orthodox.
We are grateful to the Lord that, in His mercy, He gave a desire to the people in the Church to plead before the throne of grace for the people in Ukraine and Odesa; we need this especially. We also acknowledge with deep gratitude the donations that come from different people and congregations toward the mission work in Ukraine; without them this work would not be possible. We also express our sincere thanks to the Trinitarian Bible Society for the grant of Ukrainian Bibles and calendars.
While we are a small minority in the country, we do not lose our hope that the Most High will raise more of those who will take up the banner of truth, and “a little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in His time” (Is 60:22).