Serving and Supporting the Kingdom of God in Ukraine
Fyodor Raychynets is a Ukrainian pastor and theology professor at the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary in Kyiv. Some days he serves the Lord’s Supper to Ukraine’s military. Many days he serves bread to the elderly who are hiding in bomb shelters. He says, “I have to remind myself on a daily basis that we are humans. It is so crucial in the midst of this hell, not to lose our humanity, but to preserve it, and to show it, and to demonstrate it. Because that’s what the people need the most at this moment.” When the Russian invasion began, Raychynets formed a group of volunteers who would serve the people that suffered the most from the war: the elderly. “They are in the basements. They have no idea what’s going on outside the world. They’re just there. Blocked. They are scared to death. They are there hungry, without electricity, without water. So we provide for them.” To read more about Pastor Raychynets’s difficult but truly inspiring work, click here.
The Ukrainian city of Mariupol has been heavily bombed by Russian forces. A Baptist leader there said, “The city is simply wiped off the face of the earth. It is completely destroyed. There is no electricity, all the wires are on the ground. There is no gas, as the gas pipeline is blown up. We have a well in the church, but there is salty water in it, so we drink salty water. There are lots of people in the streets, and they are hungry.” For more reports from Baptist churches in Ukraine and the surrounding countries, read the European Baptist Federation’s Ukraine update by clicking here.
Two weeks ago, a missionary with the Assemblies of God World Mission (AGWM) who lives in Kyiv was asked, “What do you want to say to churches in America?” He said there are huge physical needs due to all the Russian bombing, and because of the despair there are deep spiritual needs too. To watch his 3 minute response, click here.
The Baptists missionaries in Ukraine that we have supported over the years, Mina and Gennady Podgaisky, pleaded for our church to “pray, pray and pray some more, especially during the night in Ukraine. They are 7 hours ahead. In the night is when the bombing, rockets, and plane attacks intensify.” The greatest needs right now are food and water. To give money directly to the Podgaiskys, who will immediately pass it on to their church leaders in Kyiv, click HERE.