Ukraine (MNN) — As Russian military drones wage war against Ukrainian civilians at night, the Gospel brings comfort amidst the chaos.
On the night of 4th of July, Kyiv endured one of the most terrifying nights of the war. More than five hundred Shahed drones, each over 11 feet long, filled the sky, along with missiles. The previous month alone, Russia launched over five thousand of them. The purpose of these attacks is to wear down civilians into surrender.
Eric Mock from Slavic Gospel Association says, “The one thing you do not know is where that missile is going to hit, where the intercepted wreckage is going to hit, and there’s a sense in which you face your own mortality.”
Photo courtesy of Алесь Усцінаў via Pexels
Russian drones target hospitals, shopping centers, apartment buildings, and civilians. Recently, an explosion hit a school in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, raising new fears for parents concerned about their children’s safety outside.
“It’s at a whole different level of fear,” says Mock, “The fear is when you lay your head down to sleep, you may not wake up.”
The unpredictability of the attacks is taking a serious mental toll. Civilians are overwhelmed with anxiety and stress. For children, the impact is even more severe.
While speaking with children in Odesa, a young mother approached Mock: “She said her difficulty is every time the siren goes off, her child immediately wets his pants. He is fearful and shakes.”
Despite the destruction, SGA-supported summer camps are still running. Almost every camp reports success — even amid air raid sirens and ongoing threats. These camps have continued throughout the past three years of full-scale war, providing children with a sense of hope.
This is where the Church steps in — helping people experience the love of Saviour and meaning in their suffering.
“These churches now that we serve are an oasis in the storm that people who can’t sleep at night, people who seem bereft of hope, are finding hope in Jesus Christ,” says Mock.
Eric Mock met a pastor and his family who spent the night in a metro station that serves as a bomb shelter. Despite his exhaustion, the pastor’s desire to be with his people on Sunday morning deeply moved Eric:
“They dragged their pillows. The kids brought stuffed animals, and that was where they slept. He arrived a little disheveled and challenged, but ready to preach to the people who came on Sunday!”
Pray that as Ukrainian churches remain centers of hope for those around them, they will not grow weary. Visit Slavic Gospel Association to learn more about how you can help!
Header photo: Ukraine, Kyiv (photo courtesy of Алесь Усцінаў via Pexels).
