5 minute read
Living LivingGoodOutNews GoodOutNews
by Lifewords
When Russia declared war on Ukraine on 24 February 2022, cities, houses, and lives embarked on a new reality, shaped by the conflict. While many people fled to other countries, others have stayed, fighting and surviving in dire circumstances. In the midst of the turmoil, one Lifewords partner is on the ground bringing practical and spiritual support to many.
When war broke out Hope Lebedyn’s mission to serve those in severe need became even more vital. For over 20 years, this churchled charity has been sharing the love of Jesus and living out good news to the people of the Ukrainian town with which it shares its name. Lebedyn is situated in the oblast of
Sumy in the east of Ukraine, about 100 kilometres from the Russian border. Before the war started, 85% of those eligible to work were unemployed and the town was experiencing extreme poverty and high levels of crime. The conflict with Russia has made the situation deteriorate further.
At the start of the war many from the town fled the area to go to other countries, and the church where the charity is based was left with around 20 people. Over a year later, through evangelistic and faithful work, there are between 250–350 people meeting each week.
Many are new converts, some still seeking, while others were part of other churches before they were displaced. And the gospel work of serving those in need has continued. The Hope Lebedyn centre and church is being used for all kinds of aid distribution, and nothing is given out without also including a Bible or a Lifewords resource: Finding Hope, An Invitation, The Way to Life, Words for the Journey, all in Ukrainian. “When anybody wants something – some clothes or food – they get a Bible resource or a Gospel too, something that shows them about Christian faith,” says Peter Martin, founding director of Hope Lebedyn. “The Lifewords Ukrainian resources have been such a help to the work and ministry.”
A Community Of Believers
Serving The Vulnerable
The work of Hope Lebedyn reaches into all corners of society, serving the poor, displaced, vulnerable, and bringing the light of Jesus to those living through the darkest of times. The aid they give is largely out of the activities they run at the church where they hold services for the displaced and new arrivals in the town. “The work has become a catalyst for providing help, community regeneration, aid provision, and spreading the gospel. The hunger for seeking God is greater than could ever be imagined,” says Peter. “Everything we do is done with the gospel. We want people to know that spiritual wellbeing, and having a faith and hope in God, is as important as their physical wellbeing.”
At the beginning of the war, Hope Lebedyn sourced food from nearby cities which was distributed to families and individuals in need within the area. They have delivered huge amounts of aid across the region despite the road infrastructure being destroyed and fuel being scarce. They have also partnered with Mission Eurasia to provide 1,500 food boxes – each feeding a family of four for a week. These boxes also include Bible resources and a New Testament. When power supplies allow, Hope Lebedyn bake over 100 loaves of bread a day for the needy.
Once, they found an abandoned care home for the elderly. The workers had fled leaving 26 elderly residents unable to care for themselves. They had not eaten for days, so the church and centre created a team who cooked meals, cared and ministered to these elderly people. Families from the church lived-in to help until the government found new workers.
The centre has links with a local orphanage, where they provide food, Christmas presents, run a summer camp, and regularly put on a puppet show. When the bombing around Sumy became more intense, Larisa, who runs the orphanage, told the children that they could take just one thing with them to the bunker. When they were all settled, she asked them what they brought with them. They all pulled out the same thing: a new Bible that Hope Lebedyn had given them for Christmas. They started to read the Bible, and then one by one all 55 children went on their knees to pray. “Larisa could not believe what she was witnessing as she is not a Christian,” says Peter. “The children prayed for a long time. They remembered all that had been taught through the puppet ministry and it has stayed in their hearts. We all wept when we heard this.”
Impacting Lives
In the midst of the enormity of war, small experiences and one-to-one meetings are lifelines for people who have no one else to support them. Natasha is one of these people. “We have known Natasha for some time,” says Peter. “As a teenager she was involved in a motor accident which severely damaged her spinal cord. She is bedridden and has to lie down constantly. There is no help other than her mother. There is little, if any, government aid and life is bleak.” This has been a terrible time for people like Natasha. She could not get medical supplies or food, but thanks to the team she is being helped.
Pray
Praise God for Hope Lebedyn, for their commitment, tenacity, and compassion for people in need.
Give thanks that alongside practical support, Hope Lebedyn are able to serve people’s spiritual needs. Pray that the conflict in Ukraine would end, and God would bring healing and restoration to those who have lost so much.
“A single donor has bought them a house near the church so we can help more easily,” says Peter. “This might seem quite a small thing, but Natasha’s story is replicated in many places throughout Ukraine. The ill, disabled, and the vulnerable are unable to flee, so who will look after them?”
The hope and love that Hope Lebedyn offers isn’t just for people they call friends. When Russian soldiers were captured, Hope Lebedyn’s mission director, Bohdan, visited them taking Lifewords resources and Gospels. One 16-year-old boy had been to a cadet camp for three days to see if he wanted to join the Russian army after his education, but the army took him and sent him to the front line. His mother didn’t know where he was. The boy was in tears and Bohdan lent him his phone so he could speak to his mother.
Lasting Change
For everyone Hope Lebedyn helps, they are showing them another way to live, reflecting the love and welcome of Jesus. “We have one family, a husband and wife,” says Peter, “he had his leg amputated from the knee after he was blown up by a landmine in the south, and they also lost their house. They were involved in crime; they were pretty desperate. They came to the centre and loved what we were doing. They have become Christians and want to get involved with our work. The change in their lives has just been incredible.”
