There are always mixed emotions when visiting the country. I spent a few days in Kyiv last week; everything was calm except for a few occasional air raid sirens. The day after I left, the city was attacked by rockets.

Kyiv is a beautiful city, especially the older parts. During a morning walk, I came to a square near a majestic Orthodox church building. The square was filled with photos and memorials of fallen soldiers—hundreds of them! Sadly, this is a common sight in many cities across Ukraine.

We are there to provide support and bring hope through practical help and our presence. One way Word of Life is investing in this is by supporting the planting of new churches, one location at a time. The churches in our network have, since the very first day of the war, been hubs for humanitarian aid—some even in the border areas near the front lines. Alongside this, the gospel has also been shared, and people are coming to faith.
I also believe that the churches will be incredibly important (and need to prepare) in the years ahead when it comes to helping people with severe trauma. As believers, we are called to bring hope and light in the darkest of times—and that hope is found in Jesus! But this must also be combined with professional training for those serving on the ground.

Now it’s time again for a new church planting in one of Ukraine’s larger cities, Dnipro. A team from the Word of Life congregation in Poltava is currently moving there, led by a young pastoral couple. This week, they secured premises, and meetings will begin soon. We will support this project financially for at least the next three years.

I mentioned at the beginning that this is a war of attrition, and this is also evident in the reduced support from many sides — but let us stand firm in prayer and commitment for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters and for an end to the war — a war in which many Russian families are also suffering!