By: Brother Sasha

​The great war, not provoked by Ukraine, which began in February 2022, brought enormous pain, suffering and hatred to our land.

Here are some of the consequences of this great war:

• The US President speaks of 700 thousand victims in Ukraine
• 10+/- million people were forced to leave the territory of Ukraine, that is, every fourth person of pre-war population
• Destroyed cities and infrastructure

When war comes to your country, to your home, when you are attacked by an enemy who is more powerful than you, there is a small choice of actions for each person:

• Capitulate and go under the rulership of the occupiers
• Flee from the war
• Resist the enemy

Our society has all three categories of people. Some accepted the occupation, some ran away from the war, some resist in any way possible.

There is no rationality in Ukraine's resistance. The enemy is much bigger and stronger than us. A huge number of people and governments are persuading Ukraine to capitulate and accept the so-called realities and think realistically and rationally.

Almost three years after the start of the great war, I notice that new and dangerous patterns are starting to form in our society and especially among young people:

• There is no rule of law - there is only the rule of power. The stronger one determines his own rules over the weaker one.
• There is no justice in this world.
• You can’t rely on anyone and trust anyone.
• There is no point in long-term planning of your life.

This new pattern is penetrating society and people’s consciousness. War makes people cynical, having lost faith in justice, having lost hope in anything or anyone.

In such dark moments, I personally remember the words of the Apostle Paul: And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  (1st Corinthians 13:13)
I think that love is called the greatest, because love is the driving engine for faith and hope. When faith weakens and hope disappears, the surest way to regain faith and hope is through the experience of love. Ukrainian society is in a huge deficit of love.

People in our society are in desperate need of love – first and foremost, an understanding of the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.

People are also in desperate need of practical expressions of love from other people towards them.

What we are trying to do in Ukraine is to try to show to all kinds of people around us that they are loved and not abandoned. We hope that through a little practical expression of love, some of these people will come to know the love of Christ that surpasses all human understanding.
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Here are some stories of people to whom we are trying to show practical love:

Olga is 55 years old. Her life has never been simple and easy. The death of her son, addiction, a broken hip. The war left her with absolutely nothing. The city in eastern Ukraine where she lived was destroyed and is now occupied by the Russian army. Olga was evacuated to Kiev region.

Olga's greatest practical need is to restore the necessary documents to receive social benefits for disability and as a refugee. This is a rather complicated process that involves trips to various institutions and hospitals. Our assistance allows us to pay for transportation costs, expenses for receiving medical treatment. Olga's accommodation and food are paid for by the local church.

Lyuda's family fled the war several times. At first, they were forced to move to a place that seemed relatively safe to them, but when the front line began to approach this place, they were forced to evacuate to Kiev region. And it was the right decision, because soon after the evacuation, a Russian drone flew into their house, right into the chimney of the house, and destroyed the entire house.

​Now the village where they lived is under occupation by the Russian army. The conditions in which they live now are far from ideal, but Lyudmila and her husband are happy that they are safe. Children are children and find joy in the simplest things, such as riding on a simple swing in the yard.

The children did not go to school for 4 years, first because of the covid epidemic, then because of the war and moving around Ukraine. Education was only online, but this is not the same as being physically present at school. Our assistance to this family allows them to purchase everything the kids need for going to school. ​

Lydia and her two adult sons also fled the war. Their city was also destroyed and occupied by the Russian army. They did not want to stay in the territory occupied by Russia and decided to go into the unknown.
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They were helped with evacuation and found a simple rural house where they can live temporarily. One of Lidiya's sons suffers from cerebral palsy and needs care. Our help helped Lidiya buy firewood to heat her house.

These are just several stories from dozens of similar personal tragedies experienced by millions of Ukrainians. I look at the photos of these people again and admire them and share their grief.
They are different people - children, young people, old people. Millions of people in Ukraine are emotionally and mentally traumatized by the war and its consequences.

We help:

• Diapers for bedridden elderly people
• Buying medicines
• Buying firewood for heating
• Buying clothes
• Renting housing for displaced persons
• Buying food
• Buying school supplies for children

But in fact, this is a practical manifestation of love and through this faith and hope return to people as many of them have witnessed to us.

We are immensely grateful to you for your practical love, for your prayers! God is working through you!

This war has once again shown the miracle of the church. Someone took these people out of the war zone. Someone found them temporary housing. Someone donated money to help these people. Someone bought and delivered food, firewood and medicine.

Our prayer for the people who are receiving help is in tune with the prayer of the Apostle Paul - Ephesians 3:19, that God would open their eyes, so that they would see the love of God in their lives: Praying for them “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Such different ages and status of our new church members encourages and calls us to serve different people, in different directions, in different areas and unites us around Christ. The Lord is always looking for faithful people who are ready to go and spread the Good News. Pray for us to be attentive to the call of God, to go and serve those people whom the Lord has already prepared for Himself. Pray for those who have been baptized, that they may be fully joined to our family, and that in this fellowship they may be able to be comforted in all their sorrows. Pray for those who are contemplating baptism, that their hearts would be open and willing to choose Christ as their Lord and Savior.

​The war continues. We pray for peace and victory, but now the Lord is leading our country even more so. More of our brothers are joining the military and going to defend us, our homes, our lives. Three people, Ilya (a member of our church), Vitaly and Igor (relatives of our church members) have been missing for a long time. We pray for any news about them, pray for their families and trust God in everything.

​More and more villages and towns continue to be captured by the enemy in eastern Ukraine. More and more people are fleeing the war and coming to us in Makarov and neighboring villages. Our brothers are actively involved in the evacuation of such families. Now we are preparing another house for the possibility of living for a family that will be able to come to us the next day. Before the new year we received a large family with 5 children, who have already been displaced twice since 2014 because of the war in Ukraine. The three older brothers and one of the sisters are already getting all the documents to transfer by study to the local school. The family needs everything for their studies from notebooks and pencils to briefcases and clothes. These children have spent the last 2 years just sitting at home and studying online to the sound of guns. We as a church desire to support this family in their needs as well as other families who are in need of wood to heat their homes, warm clothes, and food. Many, especially single displaced women live in Makarov in a modular town - in addition to our worship services, they always attend home groups and a doctrinal study. And one more such complex for older single immigrants is located in the village of Kolonshchina, which is 15 kilometers from Makarov. We have begun to invite those who wish to come to our Sunday meeting. We gladly take everyone and bring them back by car.

Under all these circumstances, we see how the Lord is leading us to a new, but very relevant ministry. ​And the most recent celebration of baptism shows that this is really important, both for the church and for Christ.
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Pray that the Lord will bless:

• The entire ministry of the church and the building of the House of Prayer
• The filling of houses of rehabilitation and the growth of new ministers
• Our country with peace and the end of war

The Price of Freedom – An Insider's View
By Olexander (Sasha) Malov
Ukraine Missions Director

I spent the past month in close contact with hundreds of men who, like me, who came to the Ukrainian Army mobilization center to fulfill the requirements of the mobilization law and determine our status in the matter of military service in this brutal war, the full-scale phase of which Russia viciously and cruelly launched against Ukraine in February 2022.

The men I spent this time with are ordinary people, mostly aged 45-59. Ordinary men – farmers, workers, office workers, not healthy, but who voluntarily came and who are ready to protect our homeland – Ukraine.

We talked a lot – all these men want to live, all are afraid of death, but each of those I met and talked to understand that the choice that faces us is freedom or death.
To be under Russia for me and these men means death, either physical or death of our dignity, and for the sake of freedom of Ukraine, for the sake of the lives of our wives, children, grandchildren, we are ready to go and protect our Motherland, despite our desire to live.

I remember life in the Soviet Union too well and all the grief and repression that the Soviet/Russian regime represented, in my case it was the repression of my family for believing in God as part of the evangelical community. Faith in God under the rule of the communist empire was illegal and cruelly punished by the KGB.

This war is a question of the inner values of every Ukrainian. Freedom for us has ceased to be an abstract and guaranteed concept, we have understood that freedom is a matter of personal choice for every Ukrainian. Freedom has a price that everyone is ready or not ready to pay.

Freedom is not free; you must pay a price for freedom - either yourself personally or someone else is now paying or has already paid their price. As a Christian, I understand that a huge price was paid for my eternal freedom. The price of my personal freedom from the curse of sin, death, eternal punishment, was the voluntary sacrifice of God, the price of the painful death of His Son. It was the highest price paid for freedom in the history of humanity.

Any nation consists of many people, so it is difficult for me to talk about Ukrainians as a nation united in its values.

Inside Ukraine we have different people - someone says, I do not care what flag to live under and let the war end soon and it does not matter who wins.There are traitors who work for Russia inside Ukraine.

Some of the men fled Ukraine illegally because they were afraid of being drafted into the Ukrainian army. Someone ended up in the territory occupied by Russia and is now happy about low prices for motor fuel, good social benefits and the citizenship of Russia received.

There are different people with different values, and this is the sad reality of life. We are not a perfect society at all, with our own internal problems, but this is our internal life and our problems that we are solving and that we must still solve in the future.
At the same time, based on my personal experience of communicating with people and simply observing what is happening, I see a huge thirst for freedom and independence within Ukraine, among those who remained in Ukraine and did not betray their internal values.

A real nation consists of people with inner divine and moral values and who are ready to pay their price for these values.

Yes, we are tired of war - morally and physically. In my village, nearly every week, we bury men who gave their lives for the freedom of Ukraine. Our Christian friends bury their sons, husbands, and fathers.

Almost every day and night we do not sleep because of Russian air attacks. Combat drones, missiles and bombs fly over our houses in the literal sense of the word. Two nights ago, fragments of a combat drone landed very close to my house. There was a big fire.

At this moment, as I am writing this article, near to my house there were twelve loud explosions. A few days ago, an enemy missile killed a mother and three beautiful daughters in Lviv, leaving her husband and father in their inconsolable grief, and this happens every day and night in dozens and hundreds of cases through the destruction of churches, cities, the lives of adults and children.

The Russians are destroying our energy systems, which is why we are without electricity most of the day, and a cold winter awaits us ahead.

My friends buried their father and grandfather a few days ago in Kyiv, because during his operation, a missile attack damaged the power lines and due to the lack of electricity in the operating room, he died.

Millions of Ukrainians were forced to flee the country to save their lives. The country is catastrophically short of labor power. These examples are not an attempt to evoke pity or emotion, but simply a description of the daily realities of our lives.

This is our price that we pay for our freedom!

The evil that the devilish regime of Russia brings cannot be justified by anything. Any attempt to justify Russia's evil (the attack on Ukraine) by political necessity, geopolitics, or anything else is an attempt to justify Satanic evil.

The Russians are carrying Satanic evil, which has nothing to do with Christian or with simply moral values, although the Russians hide behind traditional conservative Christian values.

I deliberately use such words as "Satanic" and "devilish" regime of Russia. In the Bible Satan is called - a murderer, the father of lies, a thief and this is exactly what the Russian regime does - lies, kills, steals.

I agree with the great President Reagan, who at one time defined Soviet Russia as an empire of evil. Since the time of President Reagan, nothing has changed.

This evil must be punished, otherwise there is nothing fair and honest in this world!
The imperial evil of Putin's regime has taken the lives of many thousands of Ukrainians, civilians, and soldiers, and as a Christian and a citizen of Ukraine I curse Russia and the citizens of Russia for this evil.

It is a mistake to consider the war against Ukraine as Putin's war against Ukraine. No, it is a war of Russian citizens against Ukraine.

The majority of Russian citizens support Putin in his aggressive war against Ukraine, including my relatives and former friends who live in Russia.

In addition, Putin threw an enormous number of his citizens into the furnace of death, whom he sent to an unjust war against Ukraine. Putin's regime kills not only Ukrainians, but also Russians.

This is my view from inside Ukraine. My wife and I made a firm decision for ourselves in February 2022 - we will stay in Ukraine, no matter how hard it may be for us. Our decision to stay in Ukraine and serve the people around us was and is based on our inner values - the values of freedom.

We have never regretted the decision we made then, although it can be difficult, especially for my beloved wife. You must pay a price for freedom, and this price comes at a high price.

What has changed in minds of Ukrainians over these 2.5 years?

In conversations with men awaiting mobilization, we talked a lot about what we feel.
Many of us have changed our attitude towards some Western institutions and some Western governments.

We see the uselessness of the UN. We see the impotence of the International Red Cross in protecting the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and many other examples can be given regarding other international institutions.

We see the weakness and dependence of some Western and other governments on Russia's resources.

Many of us believe that some Western political forces allowed Putin to attack Ukraine and that there was a secret conspiracy, the price of which was the existence of Ukraine. We do not know for sure; these are thoughts at the level of feelings without any facts.

We see the sacred fear of some Western institutions and governments before the power of Russia and the primacy of economic interests over the values of freedom.
People of values in Ukraine feel that the Western world, represented by weak institutions and governments, is losing to Russia and to the countries that support him, which could become a fatal catastrophe for the entire Western world.

We see that power in this world is more important than values and justice.

The power of Russia in terms of population, territory, resources and nuclear weapons is more important than the very existence of small Ukraine, which gave up its nuclear weapons in 1994 under security guarantees from Russia, the USA, Great Britain, guarantees which in the end turned out to be no guarantees at all.

We are grateful that Ukraine's Western partners are helping us, but we understand that the size and limitations of this aid only give Ukraine the opportunity not to die immediately, but do not give us an opportunity to defeat the satanic evil of Russia.
Within Ukraine, we realize that if Western aid with weapons stops, all of Ukraine will be captured by Russia.

The fact that Ukraine is still alive is a miracle. We are still alive, and this is truly a great miracle.

Look at the size of Ukraine and Russia and compare these sizes on a world map. This is a David and Goliath situation.

We do not demand pity; we do not think that we are due anything. We find the strength to laugh and enjoy simple things. To enjoy each new day, to especially appreciate our family and friends, understanding that each day may be our last day and therefore we must appreciate every moment of life spent with our loved ones.

So, what or how does this relate to the United States?

Someone may tell me - "yes, what is happening in Ukraine is a great tragedy, but what does this have to do with me, a US citizen?"

Over the past year, I have heard this question from many American friends. I am told that people in the United States are tired of the war in Ukraine.

I am told that the United States has enough internal problems, both economic and political, in connection with the upcoming presidential elections in your great country, and Americans should not care about Ukraine at all.

A certain number of Americans directly or indirectly support Putin's aggression against Ukraine.

This is also a fact.

How can I respond to these arguments?

Firstly, for US citizens, the interests of America should come first, just as for me, the fate of Ukraine comes first for me. This is not even up for discussion.

But the issue is much deeper than it seems at first glance. Russian state media constantly emphasize the theme that the main enemy for Russia is not Ukraine, but the United States.

According to them, the United States is fighting Russia with the hands of Ukrainians. In their view, Ukraine is the prodigal son, and the main source of problems and threats for Russia is the United States.

Therefore, US citizens must accept as a fact that for today's Russia, the enemy number one is the United States, and in my opinion, if Ukraine loses this war, it will be not only a defeat for Ukraine, but also for the United States as a global leader. In my opinion, if Ukraine loses, Russia will go further and where it will stop is a big question.
Secondly, my article is not so much about Ukraine as it is a call to look inside yourself and honestly evaluate your personal values. Is freedom my personal value and am I ready to pay the price for it, no matter how high this price may be?

I will tell you honestly, I am sick of the well-fed, smug faces of some American politicians, talking heads from among media stars and other leaders of public opinion, with multi-million fortunes, who do not even come close to knowing the life of ordinary people and suffering and who cynically argue that Ukraine must capitulate to Russia and agree to the loss of its territories and with huge human deaths.

These are people who bow to the power of Putin, people who call the devilish monster Putin a "good guy". These people do not know and do not practice the value of freedom. These are people for whom their wealth and comfort are their gods and who have no moral right to give advice to a bleeding Ukraine.

For me, the USA is not the government or politicians, not talking heads, but ordinary people who share the same values of freedom.

I am grateful to God for hundreds and thousands of my friends in the USA, the most ordinary and the most incredible in their strength of spirit people.

These are people who pray, understand, sympathize, do not give unnecessary and inappropriate advice, who know how to love and empathize.
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People who live by values and declare them not in words, but by the example of their lives. This is the real America, strong and great, and for me as for a Ukrainian it is a great honor to know you and to be a bearer of the same values. God bless America! God save Ukraine!

The war in Ukraine is getting worse and we continue to go to the bomb shelter with our children. But at the same time, we live, serve and never stop dreaming. God helps us every day and every second. Our children adapt, change and grow. It fills our hearts with hope and joy. We believe, we are under God's protection and this faith enables us to move on.

We admire successes of our children in rehabilitation. Bogdanka is getting stronger and can move better on her own with the help of a walker.

The way our life is organized, there are enemies in it. These enemies are always of two kinds - external and internal. For example, Ukraine is fighting an external aggressor. But there is an internal enemy - for example, corruption. The fight is brutal: You always have to fight on two fronts. Which enemy is more dangerous? The church has external enemies, but there are also internal enemies. Schisms, divisions, heresies. Which enemy is more dangerous? It is the same with man - in addition to external enemies, there are also internal ones - sin, pride, and self-love. No matter how dangerous the external enemy is, the internal enemy is more dangerous. God, give us the ability to resist the enemy that is within and protect us from external evil!
"But He, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself shall be desolate, and every house divided against itself shall fall" (Luke 11:17)
Maxim Mamakin, рastor of Makarov Christian Church

​Rehabilitation
You have already seen our photos of the rebuilding of the house we were preparing for rehabilitation for men in place of the house in Andreevka that was utterly destroyed by the Russian army.

And now, this house has come to life. For a month now, we have been accepting men for free rehabilitation and a new house in Makarov. We thank God that He led us through all the rebuilding phases, stages of construction, and repairs of the new men's center.

Now that the Word of God is being preached and taught here, new people are looking for a way out of all the difficulties in their lives. We know that the successful way out is only in Christ. The opportunity to show this true way to more people lost in their sins is an absolute joy for our ministry.
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We pray that the Lord will use this house to change the hearts of those seeking a way out of their addictions and that through the rehabilitation ministry, they will come to know Christ and choose a new way in God alone.

​Ministry
Recently, in the city of Bucha, our brothers, graduates of rehabilitation, started Coffee House meetings for fellowship with addicts and those seeking God. The Lord led this ministry, and facilities, faithful ministers, and new people came weekly for fellowship.

Even before the new year, based on such meetings, in complete trust in God, we began the ministry of a new church. A few months passed, and one of our pastors, Bogdan Maisuradze, and his wife, Victoria, moved from Makarov to Bucha. Being on the ground for local church planting is very important. Please join us in praying for this family and their ministry and that the Lord will multiply the church in Bucha, through which our Lord's name will be even more glorified in Ukraine.

​Church
In our fast life, daily routines, and all the excitement of the war, the Lord gave us a fantastic opportunity for fellowship and recreation by the ministers of our churches from Makarov and Kyiv. It was only one day when we could go to the base prepared for such fellowship, but there were a lot of memories. It was a time for study, critical reflections, walks in the woods, a delicious picnic, visits to the museum, fun games, opportunities to serve each other, and to relax.
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For many of us, this church weekend was a much-needed and welcome gift from the Lord to spend quality fellowship and get to know each other better, even though we have been doing a lot of ministry together for a long time and know each other well already.

Prayer needs of the MHC that the Lord will bless:
- the entire ministry of the church and the building of the House of Prayer;
- the filling of houses of rehabilitation and the growth of new ministers;
- our country with peace and the end of war.

Peace and grace! Thank you for your letter, Brother Pat. Thank you for your prayers for me and for our ministry that God has given us to do with DMI for over 25 years. God bless . The Donetsk ministry that you started in the Donetsk region moved to Kharkov in 2014 due to the war and seems to be moving even further to the West of Ukraine.

I returned home safely after the surgery and recovery in America. I arrived in Kharkov on April 5, because on the way home I was still in Zhitomir, where my Svetlana is now. She stayed in Zhitomir when I departed  to the USA. The fact is that she is again in a difficult situation, there is a threat of another stroke. Therefore, all my illnesses in America also affected her health in Ukraine. Now the doctors have continued the course of treatment, and until the end of May she should be in Zhitomir undergoing treatment.
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Therefore, I also need this time to be in Zhitomir and Kharkiv. My health is more stable after the surgeries and I can continue to do the same ministry work as before. Serving with a team for military families and wounded and fallen heroes. And also serve our soldiers. To do this, I stay in Kharkiv for two weeks, then go to Zhitomir for a week. This will continue, I hope, until the end of May, after which we are going to return to Kharkiv, God willing, to continue our ministry there.

Today the situation has worsened significantly due to a new wave of missile attacks on the energy system of Ukraine and in particular Kharkiv. Our district and city are simply being demolished by missiles and drones that arrive every day and night. A lot was destroyed, but even since the beginning of the war we rarely had problems with electricity and water in Kharkiv. Due to constant missile attacks on the city's infrastructure, people lost their jobs, and many began to need food again.Now all the stations have been destroyed, and we simply haven't had electric power for several weeks now; they are providing it for a couple of hours from the reserves of other regions of Ukraine. Therefore, because of this problem, there is very poor communication, no Internet, no water supply. 1’m glad that it's warm now, so we're not freezing.

The situation at the front is also difficult, due to our lack of ammunition and equipment, many guys are dying and getting injured. Putin plans to destroy all of Ukraine as a state, and simply raze our eastern parts and the northern borders with Russia to the ground. His dream is to restore the USSR again. Therefore, they have already begun to talk to us about a possible attack on Kharkiv. Of course, we trust God, we continue to pray and serve people by helping those who have lost everything and helping the soldiers. Our ministry always involves preaching the Gospel to them.

​In the church now, our main ministry is the families of those who serve in the army and the families of those who have lost loved ones. We continue to support these families with food packages once a month. But more importantly, we continue to build relationships with them through communication both on a personal level, and we continue to serve through groups of psychological and spiritual help both online. But also live. These women and older people come to our groups, but we also visit them in their homes once a month. These are very difficult people with broken lives and often deep trauma and depression. But God also works in these people. Although many considered themselves Orthodox (Ukrainian), now many of them do not want to hear about the church and God. Many simply stopped believing. We continue to work with children in the Stary Saltov hub. Also in our church premises in Kharkiv, we work with teenagers and young people from military families. We don't know how many opportunities we will have to serve in the future, but today we are trying to use every opportunity. I also want to say that we perform all the listed opportunities and services thanks to your participation with the finances. First of all, these are food and essentials for these families. Today we have 640 families. also holding groups and serving children in the area. We are grateful to you for your help, and we ask, if God allows us to still serve here, to continue to support these ministries.

Once again we express our gratitude for your active participation in our joint ministry in Ukraine. And we thank God for everyone who prays, shares our pain and serves as finance for the Ukrainian people and the Church of Christ in Ukraine.

Peace and grace to all who read these lines!
It has been more than two years since the beginning of the big war in Ukraine, although it is essential to remember that the war, though of lesser intensity, has been going on for ten years.

The current situation in Ukraine is not easy. The regions bordering Russia (Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv) are under regular shelling by artillery, missiles, bombs, rockets, and drones). Settlements near the border are challenged, and residents of these places are gradually evacuating deep into Ukraine.

These days, residents of Kharkiv, where Pastor Sergei lives and ministers, and the region are especially suffering - daily shelling from all kinds of weapons. Every day, there are civilian casualties. Quite a large number of people are forced to evacuate.
Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions located on the front line have daily shelling. Civilian casualties are high. Civilians are gradually evacuated to safer regions in the interior of the country.

All over the country - daily drone attacks, frequent rocket attacks. Especially Odessa and the region suffer from drone attacks.

The enemy has been trying to altogether disable Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro are particularly affected these days. The enemy's goal is most likely to make more of Ukraine unfit for normal life.  A large proportion are moving on to the Western regions of Ukraine, and many women and children are leaving for Europe and beyond. Evacuation seems like the best, albeit painful, solution for tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of civilians. Displaced people remaining in Ukraine receive financial assistance from the state, although not in a significant amount.
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The economic situation remains difficult. Many large businesses are either destroyed or not operating. However, due to mass immigration, there is a shortage of specialists in some sectors of the economy. Skilled professionals can find work, although it may be necessary to move to another region of the country.
Pensioners and people receiving social benefits receive all payments on time, although their size often only allows them to make ends meet. This problem is partly solved by humanitarian aid from foreign organizations, donors, and mutual assistance within the country, including through churches and organizations such as DMI.

The spirit of volunteerism and mutual aid remains high, although not as high as it was in the first months after the start of the war. This is due to the reduction of domestic financial resources and the accumulated war fatigue. We are tired - we have not slept at night for more than two years, and we cry, but despite everything:
There is no panic inside Ukraine. We continue to live and fight, each in our own place, to pray and do good deeds whenever possible, helping those most in need in our midst and our brave warriors.

- Brother Sasha Malov

On May 23 a mission team left Atlanta for a survey trip to Ukraine. This is the first trip since covid prohibited our travels. Our last trip was in March of 2020 when we were forced to return early due to the pandemic around the world.

Hearing of all the destruction and devastation in Ukraine since the Russian invasion, which began in February of 2022, DMI felt we needed to see firsthand the needs of the people. We also wanted pastors and congregations in Ukraine to know that we fully supported them and were not going to abandon them as they went through this crisis. The team was composed of Dr. Geoffery Conner, Diane Simms, Dean Robbins and I.

Many people thought we were crazy to enter the country while the fighting was still taking place. However, our team all felt that this trip was necessary and our plan was to carry medical supplies and finances for the relief of those suffering in Ukraine. Our goal was to take one day at a time. We had to fly into Krakow, Poland and from there enter Ukraine. If the fighting became more intense and focused on western Ukraine we would stay in Krakow and have our supplies picked up by some of our contacts.

Our planned first stop was Rivna about 200 miles from the border. There we were met by our dear brother Sasha Malov. He had traveled from Kiev to meet us and take us on our most memorable journey. Conditions appeared safe, so we traveled to Cumin in central Ukraine, then on to Kiev where we spent a few days branching out to some of the villages and cities near Kiev.

The Lord blessed us to be able to travel to all of our planned sites. During this entire trip, not one of us felt that we were in any danger, and we trusted the Lord to bring us through. In all, our journey covered 13,655 miles. Following are reports from all of our team members. Each of us covers a different area of the trip.

By: Diane Simms, BSN, RN DMI Medical Director

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

It's been almost 20 years since I felt God leading me to be a part of the DMI Medical Team. We've been to Ukraine many times, but none of them has affected me as this one did.

We've all seen footage of war torn Ukraine on TV, but to see it in person and meet many individuals who have been deeply and personally affected by it is a much different perspective. Devastation and destruction were all around us. It was very emotionally draining.

In the midst of all the horror, a bright spot! Happy Home is an orphanage for children with disabilities. It was a vision and creation of Oxana, a loving and selfless young woman who has taken in as many as 9 children at one time. These children were taken from state run orphanages where their basic needs were not even met. They
are left in cribs in poorly lighted orphanages with very little attention, affection, stimulation or love. They receive nominal amounts of food and are left in diapers far beyond the normal age. But some have been blessed by being selected to go with Oxana to Happy Home.

Oxana explained to us that it is "Happy Home," not "Happy House". She said a house is merely a place where people live, but a home is a place where you feel loved, cared for and nurtured.

Oxana and her twin sister, Leah, worked together not only to care for their basic needs, but also to provide them with love, acceptance, and security. Theyprovide many fun activities that help them develop mentally, spiritually, and physically. Many of these children were withdrawn and showed no affection, but through Oxana's work with them and love for them, they are amazingly outgoing and happy. They initiated hugs and hand holding with us, though we are total strangers to them! She's done such an amazing job with her innovative and effective methods that she has been approved by the government as a provider.

Happy Home was originally located in Kiev, where through much prayer, many donations and hard work, Oxana was able to purchase a larger home. This would allow her to accommodate more children. Unfortunately, when the war with Russia broke out, she felt it unsafe to stay in Kiev with the children. She took them to her parent's home in Novyi Korets', Ukraine. There was an ​ abandoned building across the street that they have been allowed to use during the day, with plenty of room for the children to play. Nights are spent with their staying in her parents' home where love abounds for these children!

During our visit, Oxana stated that she was planning to return to Kiev with all the children the next Saturday. Thankfully, God had spared their new home from the bombings and shelling. Her sister, Leah, was to join her to help with the children. Unfortunately, the day after our visit, Oxana sent word that Leah had died during the night unexpectedly from a blood clot. A month earlier, Leah had fractured her femur and was confined to a month of bedrest. This treatment plan was likely the cause of death. Naturally, Leah, her parents and Leah's daughter were devastated and heartbroken. Their return to Kiev was postponed indefinitely, but her work continues!

Having been able to witness firsthand the senseless death, devastation and destruction of innocent civilians' lives, I now understand fully that while the images on the news are heartbreaking, one will never understand the true sorrow of this evil without having seen it in person. To see a large, multi-story apartment complex bombed, destroying an entire section of the building and killing 79 people was horrible. Finding a shoe here, a hat there, shattered walls decimated, with a stove and kitchen table way over there and a washing machine demolished over here makes it far too real. Imagine innocent people just living there, going through their normal daily routines, then BOOM and they're gone. Our thoughts turned immediately to the seemingly insurmountable task of rebuilding and returning to some type of "normalcy". This probably won't happen during my lifetime, but I pray that it can and will happen in God's time.

Through all of this, a bright spot of hope - Happy Home! Happy Home is supported financially by DMI. It is a blessing for these mentally and/or physically challenged children. Please consider helping them by donating to DMI and earmark your donation forHappy Home. It will mean so much to them and I know it will be a blessing to you.

Diane Simms, BSN RN
​DMI Medical Director

By: Doctor Geoff Conner
DMI board member (Vidalia, GA.)

God knows there has been human suffering throughout history. We clearly live in a broken world. And although there is plenty of brokenness close to home, I recently had a chance to witness it up close at a much greater level in war-torn Ukraine.

A mostly rural farm based country about the size of Texas with a GDP about half that of Mexico, they have very little compared to the US or other western based countries. As a primary care physician I have had a long connection with the people of Ukraine going back over 15 years through multiple medical mission trips facilitated by the Christian ministry DMI.

Originally we worked medical clinics in the Donbas region being based in Donetsk. Our model was church-based, free clinics with pastors praying and ministering with patients as they waited for medical care. I can tell you first hand the people of Ukraine are generally poor and meek. In all the years and all the hundreds if not thousands of patients I have treated or with whom I have had prayer, never have I seen anything but kindness and appreciation.

Ukraine is a country that has been occupied many times throughout history. Only in recent years with the Orange Revolution in 2011 have the Ukrainians begun to develop since of real national pride, and out of that, attempted to reform their government in hopes of a more prosperous Ukraine. But even before the Orange Revolution beginning with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine has been moving toward the west trying to develop its economy out of a desire to integrate into western society, a society based on recognizing the value of human life and human rights. In short, in spite of government corruption, the Ukrainian people have been trying to develop a freedom based western style country with a good deal of success. That success seems to be the real reason for their current predicament.

Its old political partner, Russia, is unhappy with the success Ukraine has had moving westward and without provocation has felt empowered to attack. Like an abusive ex-spouse Russia wants its partner back before it can be completely married to the west. But Ukraine has already moved on from Russia and has no desire to return. It is true there are small older segments of the population in the east that have not adjusted well to capitalism and want to return to what they knew in their youth. The vast majority of Ukrainians however now have a burning hatred for Russia and that is understandable after seeing firsthand what Russia is doing to their country.

I have talked personally to people that have lost everything from random bombings and others that had their homes looted by Russians. I have heard from 72 year old Catarina and her son who had to strip for the Russian soldiers so they could look for Nazi related tattoos. I saw firsthand the bombed maternity hospital and rehab house north of Kyiv. I saw the ruins of bombed apartment buildings in Bucha and Irpin. Never has it been more clear to me the difference in our Judeo-Christian based society that  values human life and a government that does not. We may as  a society be drifting away from realizing it, but we value human life and don't treat each other like animals because at some level we know we are God's special creation. Our souls have his  image. Many other societies don't recognize human life that way. We wrongly assume other governments care about human life as we do and that is why this attack is so shocking to us. It is also why we need to provide help.

God loves us. That may be hard for some to believe, but I am certain he does, and when anyone you love is hurt that hurts you. I know God is in control of all things and is allowing wars and countless other evils to continue for the moment, and his holy purpose we can not always understand, but that should not stop us from helping someone or some people in need. The Bible is full of examples of God showing us how important it is to love our neighbor. And like the well known example of the good Samaritan, when we don't help we go against God. In other words, hurting others is sinful and likewise not helping others that are being hurt is sinful. Of course that is a big challenge. Where do you draw the line. Do I give my life to help a stranger or all my money, or maybe a prayer is the best way to help. Also there are so many people being hurt in some way or another, and how do we know who needs help. It can be overwhelming, but in my opinion, if you let him, God will direct you how best to help, and he will put those in need in front of you. That may be the reason you are reading this now.

When I went to Ukraine, I did not just want to go, I felt I had to go. Something deep said this evil has to be answered with something that helps those being hurt. Fortunately, I was in a position to be able to go there in person with a wonderful team and show our support, but there are many ways to help.

Praying should always be a place to start. Letting our representatives in government know what is needed is another. Donations can be helpful. Being active on social media can help show support. The ministry I have worked with is DMI.

It is Georgia based and puts 100% of its donations directly into the hands of the Ukrainian people and churches that support Ukrainians regardless of faith.

I am convinced this is one of those turning points in history where those who value human life must take a stand against those who don't. I believe the only reason Russia has not used more aggressive weapons to kill massive numbers of innocent Ukrainians is because it is not in their strategic best interest, and I believe that there is no moral best interest in their calculations at all.

I know the final victory over evil is already won, but how much we love God is reflected by how much we love his special creation. Please consider providing some form of help for a nation trying to fight a battle against evil, and pray for the
people of Russia that they may see this evil also and take a stand against it. ​

We have seen some of the devastation in Ukraine on television during the past 6 months. However, to see it in person and to talk to the people who have had to flee from their homes puts this war into a very different perspective.

It is one thing to see all the refugees as they cross the border into Poland or German. It is another thing to sit with some of these refugees who have moved to other parts of Ukraine to hopefully restart their lives.

Pastor Eugene, for example, is now a refugee for the second time. He lived in Makeyevka until the war in 2014. He fled the occupied area of Donbass and moved into a city in Ukrainian Donbass Region. He started a church in one of the poorest towns in the region. DMI began supporting his ministry and is still supporting him.

When this war started in February he had to flee once again. There were six churches and pastors DMI was supporting in this region. Four of those pastors fled for their own safety. They abandoned their congregations almost overnight. No warning at all. However, Eugene and another pastor, Igor, gathered all of the people in the six congregations and fled to Uman, in central Ukraine.

They are staying in a summer camp, and with God's help, they will find jobs and a permanent place to live. This is difficult since there are around 10,000 refugees in and around the city of Uman.

In the city of Uman, one church is giving aid to over 500 refugees at a time two days a week. The UN humanitarian aid service has joined in with support of food and other supplies. The church prepares food bags for 500 families at a time. The food is enough to last them 3 weeks. Medical assistance is also offered each week. A pharmacy is set up to give medicines to those with prescriptions. What a ministry is taking place here. DMI is supporting this effort by assisting the pastor of the church. In a village south of Kiev, which was occupied by Russian troops for the month of February, one church, "House of Bread," is providing meals daily to homeless refugees. Some people fled the city of Bucha, north of Kiev, when the Russians' attack moved towards Kiev. They were looking for safety and then still were occupied by Russian forces.
​
God is working in so many lives and using His church to help those in dire need. God bless them all and keep them safe. ​

It has been a little over 2 months since a group of us went to Ukraine to deliver humanitarian aid. There we were able to deliver medications and financial support. Because of the generosity of so many people, we were able to help lessen the tremendous burden that many there are experiencing due to the war. On behalf of the Board of DMI, thank you so much for your prayers and for answering the call for financial help. Lord willing, another trip is being planned for November. This will be a medical mission trip. We hope to address the physical needs of refugees who have had to leave their homes. We also hope to carry with us funds to help the pastors and ministries that we are supporting. You will see a report in this newsletter of where this help is going. Please continue to support our effort to help the church in Ukraine.

On our recent trip, Elder Pat McCoy and I met with one of many pastors. His name is Igor. We have known this dear brother for many years. We first met him before all of this conflict, when our ministry was centered in the Eastern Part of the Ukraine. He left that area in 2014 as a result of the Russian invasion. He settled in an area north of
Kiev, in a village where DMI helped to build a church building.
​
When the present conflict started in February, this man risked his life by driving into places where fighting was taking place. He did so to help bring people to safety. When his village was threatened, many of the people there lost their jobs. He told us at one point, they were unable to even buy food for a period of about a month. Though the threat from Russian soldiers overrunning the city has dissipated, yet many still are unable to work. Many are still struggling to survive.

I asked him what was the message that he gave to the people in the church? He simply and meekly said --- "Hope." That despite the present hardships, their hope rested in the redemptive ministry of Jesus. There is hope in the life that is to come. And that hope can never be taken away from them. Brother Pat and I were extremely humbled by this man's words.

We may not be facing armed conflict like these brothers and sisters are. We do not have to worry about our communities being threatened by an invading army. But we each face our own enemies, our own trials, and afflictions. The answer to how we deal with such afflictions is the same as what Igor answered; it is hope! It is hope in Christ. It is the sure hope that whatever we must face in this life, the life that is to come will make it all worth it.

Thank you Brother Igor for reminding me of this great truth!

Thank you again for supporting this ministry. There is more work to be done. Please join us as we seek to help lift the burden of war that our Ukrainian brothers and sisters are laboring under.

Staying in the cities of Donetsk region is already a bold step, although I think children and women would be better off leaving. And to continue working is already a feat. We are fortunate to meet the heroic people who bake the social bread. It is either distributed or sold at 12 UAH per loaf. These people work three shifts. We could help them with flour and other ingredients. See for yourselves.

I want to give you the current situation in Ukraine and focus of LOR/ DMI ministry in
Ukraine. First of all, thousands of refugees have fled the Donbass Region and continue to leave daily. There is a mandatory evacuation taking place now in this region. A train leaves once or twice a day from Pokrovsko to central Ukraine and the city of Umam. LOR provides food, medical aid for these refugees. Our focus is on refugees who are Ukrainian.

We are trying to help refugees by giving to families who are recommended by contacts working with refugees daily. We give them monthly support for rent, food, bills, etc.

It is hard on refugees to stay together in camps. Many families are staying in one large room such as auditoriums, so we are helping individual families to be independent. Samaritan Purse has sent aid. We received a large (40 foot) container. Pastor Maxime and his church are responsible for distribution of the food stuff to needy families in villages around Kiev. Also, UN food distribution is giving aid. 17 kl of most needed groceries, such as flower, oil, can of meat, etc. My concern is knowing we have a limit of funds. How to get assistance to Christians and give them funds to meet basic needs. DMI aid is sent to those serving on front like.

At this point in time our stress is that there are 10's of thousands of brothers and sisters scattered around Ukraine with no means of help and no future. The amount given to families depends on size of families and where they are, city or village. We give $200 to $500 per month. The commitment is for 3 months to families based on reports from Eugine, Vadim, Surgey and others. That is $20,000 per month at present. This average amount aids 17 families per week.

Those refugees with Eugene at the summer camp will need to move during September. There are 90 people, 40 families, who need to be moved before winter. The amount of request and needs will grow to $7000 to $8000 per week.


There is much tension in the air. The people are up and down with their feelings. People are getting down very much due to length of war. People are concerned that other areas will fall.

Our priority for the present changes weekly and sometimes daily. Zaparosia seems to be on list to fall under Russia. Their population is 500,000 . People from Mariople are there also. If they are attacked, another wave of refugees. Helping people get out. We may have to get back to paying cost for evacuation.
​
We are praying for the collapse of Russia. Praying God will perform a miracle and Putin taken out. Elijah's servant was wondering about the enemy and the Lord opened his eyes to see the real balance between powers.

I myself and others in Ukraine never take for granted DMI's support and prayers. And we appreciate and are thankful to the Lord that He has bound us together as body of Christ.

In Christ
Brother Sasha

​Below are the latest reports from Ukraine.
​

Brothers and Sisters!  Dear friends at DMI!
You don't imagine how much your prayers and support are meant to us!

I admire the leadership of DMI - Brothers Dean Robbins and Pat McCoy for all they do. Proud to be their friend.  Proud to be part of all of yours lives for many years!

We all need miracle for Ukraine to survive against Russia. If we will not - the enemy will go further to other countries. 

As our President spoke in his powerful speech yesterday to the US Congress - Ukraine is fighting for the rest of the World.  I'm agree with that statement 100%.

I want you not to be in panic.  If God is for us - who may stay against us?

We as the leadership of LOR (Light of Resurrection) do as much as we could.  Coordinating different efforts all around Ukraine and practically serving to people around us.  We don't have much time for writing but believe me - the great work is being done every minute.

I'm proud to be a part of great team of LOR.  God has blessed me with the great people on our staff.   Some of them and some of our local partners got to be under Russians, temporarily for sure.

They keep strong over there and in many different ways are fighting against the enemies.  I couldn't give you more details at the moment.

At any place around Ukraine, we don't know what might happen next day, even next hour.  There is no place in Ukraine that may be considered as a safe place. 

There will be no victory of Russia over Ukraine.  We all could die, and they could take over the territory, but not over the people of Ukraine.  More and more areas could be occupied by Russians and a lot of Ukrainian blood could be shed next weeks, months - but there will be no victory of Russia.

The fact you're standing behind us with your prayers and financial support - inspires us. 

Speaking about finances - we need finances.  Don't think of donating clothing or food or medications at the moment in USA.  Even if you'd donate to some charities - the logistics will be difficult and almost impossible, honestly speaking. 

Please ask your churches, friends, local busyness to give to DMI for the Ukrainian War fund.  We will need a lot of money in the nearest future.

What is our finances strategy on our end?  Under current circumstances each one of the staff are spending their own savings they might have.  We also are spending funds from LOR accounts donated to us before the war by various local and international supporters for other purposes.  In other words, we're spending personal funds and funds of other donors for urgent needs around us.

We need to empty our pockets and accounts as soon as possible, because we just don't know for how long the banking system will be working here.

We keep the track of our spendings here. 

I knew from brother Pat there was $25K donated to the Ukrainian war fund at DMI.  The funds are on DMI account, but they're spent already by us on our end and for us it means that our personal finances and other supporters finances are in a safe place at DMI bank.  I hope you understand the concept. 

By the end of month - we will send to brother Pat the breakdown of our spendings out of DMI Ukrainian war fund and whom they belong to, along with some stories, where applicable. 

Right now, the funds are being spent for:
- Food
- Medications
- Fuel
- Evacuations (rent of transport)
- Rent cost for refugees
- Power generators

When we know there's more funds on DMI Ukrainian War fund - we will start spending it.  We are also in a process of analyzing approved for 2022 DMI's original budget. 

The communication is difficult.  Some people we have been supporting have fled abroad, some are on the occupied areas with no banking system available.  Some stay - but have no ministry left behind.  We're making an assessment of each individual case and will let brothers Dean and Pat know by the end of March, since all the DMI's original 2022 projects were already covered for the first quarter of this year. 

Love you all!  Hope to see you all once again on the Earth, but if not on the Earth - then in Heaven. 

Pray for our President.  This little man is really anointed by God for these days of trials. 

In His Peace,
Brother Sasha

Dear Pat,
As I can imagine Sasha and his family are alive and more or less OK.  Sasha was yesterday in the LOR chat.  The situation in his place is calmer now.  But it can change very quickly.  Sasha has money, food and all necessary, as I know.  So, please, try to be in contact with him personally. 
 
We also are OK here, in Zhytomyr.  There were a few missile attacks with terrible destructions and casualties.  But last 3 days is quieter. 
 
We collect here food and send it to an occupied region in the North of Ukraine (Sumy region).  Yesterday we have sent the second transport with food there via a brave brother Eugene from that region.  We also take part in church life - help refugees, help the people whose houses were destroyed.  Yesterday I have preached in our church in Zhytomyr. 
 
Thanks a lot for concern and prayers.  Our warmest greetings to all friends. 
 
In Him - 
Andrey. ​

A quick update. We all are fine. Today got some food supplies. Praise the Lord!
The enemies are close to us like 20 miles away.

I heard from Sergey from Kharkiv. He is fine. Out of his 50+ people 3 were injured. One of them is in hard condition.

Yesterday one of Max's rehab centers got to be under fire. One man at the rehab was killed. Max is fine.

Yesterday the heavy jet's attack took place by Andrey. The bomb exploded in 1 mile away from Andrey's. They're fine. 

No names or cities are being given for the protection of our brothers and sisters who are there.  These reports are coming in daily and sometimes more than one report a day.  I ask an interest in your prayers.

Financial aid is going to be needed as you can see from the first letter dated Friday.  DMI will be receiving donations for “Humanitarian Aid”.  These funds will be held until we are notified that it is safe to transfer funds once again.  As always, all funds are used directly in the area designated by each donor.  This is explained at the end of the first message below.

I have prepared a flyer which can be printed and given out to your church members and friends who may desire to help by sending aid.  You may contact me by email if you would like a file of this flyer.  My email is: [email protected]

Thanks for your prayers and assistance through the years and thanks ahead of time for any contributions you make in this great time of need.

Greetings to you, dear Friends!

Time flies frighteningly fast, and we are unnoticeably approaching the end of the year. When I was asked to share through a letter about our ministry in Ukraine, so to speak, to sum up the results of the ending 2021, I thought to myself - what's special to say there?
​
Everything seems to be known and understood. We work, maybe not as actively as we would like to, because of the pandemic, but some work is being done. We travel somewhere, meet and fellowship with pastors and people in need, but what's so special about that? We just do our work according to our ability. Also, both despondencies and griefs happen on this way, inner experiences as well as outer trials.

Last night, I turned on my computer and opened a file that records everything that we have done with the help of the money donated by DMI for our ministry in Ukraine. I read these notes and my mood gradually improved. There is a story behind each line and number in this file. And not even a story in the singular, but the stories of all people behind one or another project.

By the grace of God, in 2021 we were able to support 13 ministers financially. They work in different regions of Ukraine. Some of them planted churches by the grace of God, others just start home Bible study groups, some literally walk around district after district of ​​their city and tell people about Christ, some of them are refugees, leaders of rehabilitation centers, some of them feed the poor. Therefore, speaking of the 13 people whom we financially supported, we can think of hundreds and maybe thousands of people who are influenced by God through the ministry of these brothers. Is everything smooth and cloudless in the ministry of these brothers? Of course not. Like me, they also have their inner experiences, struggles, and outer trials. Where we have good personal contact with these brothers, where good chemistry happens in our relationship, there God gives the opportunity to minister to these brothers, sometimes with advice on the phone, sometimes with a good conversation during a personal visit, but always with prayer about the entire list of these brothers, when we open this list and begin to pray for each of them.
                                                                                                    Brother Sasha

 This year, God blessed us to help financially in repairing a church in a small village, where the roof leaked during the rains and where there was no toilet. Now this small and poor community can survive the winter without rain pouring on heads of people.
​
In another village, our finances helped to make repairs in the house where male members of the church who have undergone rehabilitation live, of whom more than half are disabled. This house was the beginning of a small Bible study group and will possibly grow into a church.

In another village, our finances helped to make repairs in the house where male members of the church who have undergone rehabilitation live, of whom more than half are disabled. This house was the beginning of a small Bible study group and will possibly grow into a church.

​We were happy to help grandmother Elena, who raises her grandchildren in the front-line city of Avdeevka. There is complete poverty and desolation in that house. The church continues to take care of this family and what will come of this - God knows.

God blessed us with the meeting with a true Princess. Princesses really exist! In our case, this is the name of a mother of eight children, a gypsy by nationality. A scampish Russian husband and Princess who alone takes all the care of their beautiful and clean children, but the living conditions are not at all the same as in a princess's castle.

This year we rejoiced helping the Happy Home ministry. It is incredibly amazing to see changes in the development of children who were doomed to die if not for this ministry. We pray that the scope of this ministry will expand, and that even more children with disabilities will find physical salvation in the new house, for which a large sum of money is due by April.

The life of Igor and his children still has an imprint of grief. Too little time has passed since the moment of separation from a dear person - wife, mother. Nadia was a true Christian - God-fearing, humble, patient, loving. The youngest daughter, Sophia, looks like her mother. She misses her mom very much. Any mention of her brings tears. Bereavement did not make the family disunited, on the contrary, it rallied them even stronger. The spirit of love, support - it is always felt. Igor also shared his joy - his eldest son is going to get married; the wedding is planned for March next year. So, life goes on.

The Syrbus prepare to move to their own home. They finish renovating their new apartment. Igor and his sons do most of the work with their own hands. By the way, the apartment is quite small. They converted into separate rooms a dressing room, part of a hall and even the loggia. They plan to move in November-December. They still live in the basement. All debts for buying an apartment have already been paid.

We grieve together with many COVID-19 sufferers. Among them are pastor Vladimir Velgus (75) and his wife Rita. Dozens of years of blessed ministry in Donetsk, then the war and the forced departure.

In sickness and in health. More than ever, relevant words. The Velguses fell ill at the same time. Rita Petrovna handles covid more easily. Vladimir Vakulovich handles the disease a lot worse. He believes that 20 years of work on the mine are taking their toll - a lot of coal dust remains in the lungs.

We cried when God took Sister Raisa from Zhitomir to Himself.
This humble woman was an imperceptible blessing to many people. A woman of prayer and imperceptible helper. When she was dying in agony, our help helped alleviate her suffering at least a little bit and helped to ensure a proper funeral. Without sister Raisa, the church got to be empty in many ways.

This is not a complete list of what God has given us the privilege of participating in this year. God gave us Grace not to know what eternal consequences these deeds of ours can lead to, and Grace not to worry about the results. And this is the thing that gives sense and raises tired hands to a new round of ministry.

My life is full of gratitude to God for the people whom He sends my way and with whom I can do my little work.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God for working together with brothers Dean and Pat, and the entire DMI Board. Dear Brothers Dean and Pat, your willingness to come to the aid is encouraging. I know that at any time I can talk to you, ask for advice, or just send a text message late at night: “pray for me”, - and get an answer right away: “I’m already praying”, - without asking any questions.

The more I live, the more I wonder and admire God who works in the hearts of DMI donators. Your loyalty blesses us not only financially, but also with its influence on increasing reciprocal loyalty on the part of Ukrainians. May God bless your souls, houses, churches, your state!

I am glad to be part of the work of the Light of Resurrection staff.
I rejoice in Andrew's heart, which God leads to all these “princesses” and to other "invisible" people, and how God ministers to them through him.

I rejoice how our translator Svetlana sees the heart and sense of what has been written, and how God gives her the necessary words that convey the heart of our ministry.

I rejoice how our accountants and lawyers Tatyana and Svetlana, as well as the administrative director Boris, in their part of our common ministry, do their job creatively and efficiently, sharing the spirit of our ministry and loving those whom God serves through us.
​
Glory be to Him!

Mission Director Sasha Malov's Report

Spring has come! For me, the arrival of spring is always specifically associated with smells. It's still February, it's still cold and it's snowing, but something is changing in the air. The air smells like the rapid arrival of spring.

This year, something is happening differently than in times past. I do not know how to explain and express it, but more than ever, I just physically feel anxiety in the air. Something frightening and inexplicable is felt around me. Some say that a big war may return to Ukraine soon and there are political prerequisites for this.

The incomprehensibility associated with the epidemic is frightening. Almost the entire territory of Ukraine is closed again for a lockdown for three weeks. The number of sick and dying people is growing. We hear about people who got sick for the second time and in more severe forms than the first time. Again, on the roads appear checkpoints, which close access to regions in the red zone with the largest number of sick people.
The question that scares is: will the economy withstand the next lockdown. What will happen to us all? Will there be a surge in the growth of crime rates in our society?
And these are not only my personal questions, but even watching the people around, one may see general apathy and gloom. Where and in what to find comfort, if it seems that the whole world has gone mad. Obviously, anxiety is now inherent in the inhabitants of the whole world. Pandemic, politics, crime and injustice - the same issues concern everyone on earth. It seems that there is not a single calm and stable place left on the entire globe.

As I thought and prayed about the reasons for my anxiety, a story from the Gospel of Luke 7 came into my heart. After the resurrection of the young man and the subsequent fear and glorifying God, John the Baptist sends two of his disciples to go to Jesus and ask Him (verse 19) - "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?"

They came to Jesus, asked a question and received an answer (verses 22- 23) “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me."

What did our Lord do and say? He simply drew John's attention to things that actually happened and said an important thing - do not be tempted about Me!

Why is this an important passage for me? John the Baptist is in prison. In itself, this is unpleasant, and even more so when the mission of his life is in some sense in question. Are You really the Messiah? Are You really the One for Whose preaching I am imprisoned?

Lena From Makeyevka

​Lena (33 years old) was brought up in a Christian orphanage in Makeyevka. She was part of the church. After graduating from the orphanage, she began an independent life. But she started to “limp”. She left God and the church. Gave birth to 4 children. Started drinking. Her “husbands”, fathers of her children, appeared in her life and disappeared again. The state periodically takes children to state boarding schools, then Lena seems to come to her senses, but then she starts to "limp" again. I cannot remember all the details of how this or that family, similar to Lena, appears in the life of our ministry - they appear somehow, Christ sends them on our way.

So we met Lena and her children. The house where they live, does not have proper heating and water supply. It is very cold. But there is our partner church nearby, which prepares hot meals for such children – Lena`s children also receive meals there. Now we are looking for a possibility to repair the coal stove in the house and have the house put on to the water mains. Lena sees such an attitude towards her and gradually tries to “limp” less, fearing that if she would not change her lifestyle, her children would be taken to the state orphanage for good. She was able to find an unskilled job and is slowly reaching for a normal life. Such is the story of the “lame” Lena.

Three Children Of An Alcoholic Mother

​​Similar to this is the life story of 3 other children. Their names are Nadia, Alesha and Toma. Their mother is 28 years old and the whole story is very similar to the previous one.
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Good children, but again, poverty and misery, and also a drinking mother. It is good that there is a church nearby, which saw these children and began to take care of them, and we together with you will be able to financially respond to the needs. There is no water supply in this house either, but thanks to your financial participation, a well will be drilled there in spring.

These and hundreds of other stories, they are far from purely humanitarian projects. Most likely, this is about the coming of Christ in the lives of tens and hundreds of people. The blind suddenly begin to see - people who have blamed others and the circumstances all their lives, suddenly begin to see their true position and the true reasons for their position.

Pastor Bogdan

A young brother, minister Bogdan, whom we began to support financially, understands the importance of ministering to teenagers.

His ministry is closely related to the church in Makarov, the Kiev region, which mainly grew through the ministry of their rehabilitation center. Hundreds of people are enrolled in this church's rehabilitation program every year and unfortunately, relatively few people eventually get saved. Without a doubt, the rehabilitation ministry is important, but Bogdan has a special concern for adolescents - how to minister to them in a way, so that later they do not have to seek help from rehabilitation centers.

This is how the Teen Bible Study Group came about. They come together for study and fellowship 5-6 times a week. We are glad to have such new ministers who appear within our line of sight and try to help them financially.
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Ministerial Support

​In the history of the miracles of Jesus Christ, there is one miracle that is special to me. It is described in Mark chapter 2. Remember this story? There, 4 people brought a paralyzed man to Jesus, and since there were many people, they had to destroy the structure of the house - they dismantled or dug the roof in order to bring this unfortunate man down to Jesus. Seeing “their faith,” Jesus forgives the paralyzed man of his sins and then heals him from physical weakness.

When I think of the ministers of the Gospel whom we financially support, this story comes to my mind. The source of the miracle of salvation and healing is Christ. But we need such "abnormal" people who will be ready to bring discomfort to the life of the crowd, figuratively speaking, to dig roofs - in order to put a stretcher with the paralyzed right near the feet of Christ.

This is exactly what our brothers-ministers whom we support financially do:

Pastor Maxim
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Pastor Maxim - fights on his battlefields, bringing to Christ's feet hundreds of drug addicts and alcoholics crippled by sin.
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Maxim and his staff serve people in six rehab centers in the Kiev area. They all come together for worship together each Sunday. What a joy to worship with this group.
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Pastor Eduard

He feeds and preaches in a small village in the Donetsk region. People are crippled by sin and poisoned with malice because of the war, but the ministry of Eduard and his wife Lyudmila is a huge testimony, the miracle of healing.

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Three Pastors Labor Together

​Pastor Vasiliy together with brothers Mikhail and Roman. A whole missionary movement was organized in the front-line villages of the Donetsk region. As a result of their ministry, new churches were planted in villages and towns, where there were no believers ever before. For example, in one of the villages, there is now a church where 15 people gather. A small group - but this is in a village with less than 40 inhabitants.

Pastor Oleg

Pastor Oleg is a great and humble servant of God. Through his ministry, dozens of former criminals and drug addicts came to God, they now serve as pastors and leaders of rehabilitation centers. The war changed all plans and since 2014 he and his big family have become refugees.

Now they have 7 children, the youngest one is only 2 months old. But wherever life took them, he began to preach everywhere. In a small town in the Kiev region there was a dying church - Oleg ended up there and now life began to seethe there. Oleg handed over the ministry to the young pastor and in the near future he plans to start preaching in the big city in order to plant a new church.

These "abnormal" people are those who drive history, and today I can testify to you, dear readers, together with them: we see and hear every day - the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached!
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Blessed are we all that did not doubt His control over everything and His power to continue performing the miracles of His salvation!!!

Warzone - People, Homes, & Schools Devastated

The pictures below show the condition in the East today. The shelling took place mostly in 2014 although there is daily shelling taking place along the Donetsk/ Lugansk Regions bordering the occupied territory. This leads to the closing article.

Update From April 3, 2021

​Brother Pat,
Here is a brief update on a possibility of a military conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Let me start with the facts:

Fact number 1: Ukraine is bordering with Russia and with its ally Belarus for thousands of kilometers.  On the East, South, South-East with Russia and controlled by Russia Donetsk and Lugansk. On the North  with Belarus. On the South we border with the annexed territory of Crimea, which is under Russia now. On the South-West we border with the annexed by Russia territory of Moldova which is known as Transdniestria. Basically only on the Western side of our country we have neighbors who belong to the European Union, - Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania.

Fact number 2: Over the last couple months, the Russian army is increasing its presence in all the regions around the Ukrainian borders. These days you cannot hide anything and people put videos on YouTube showing the trains loaded with the tanks moving close to Ukraine. Heavy military tracks on highways and other staff like that. Russia had to explain what is going on and they explained it like that is part of a military training which is planned together with Belarus.

Question 1: What could be the reason for war? Starting a year ago Russia is giving its citizenship to the people living on the occupied areas of Donetsk and Lugansk. From different sources we heard of 500 000 passports already given to people over there – meaning they’re legitimate citizens of Russia now, but living on de-jure Ukrainian territory.  What does it mean for Ukraine? In Russian military doctrine is stated that The state of Russia will protect its citizens everywhere around the world.  If for example Ukraine will start a military campaign to get back the occupied areas, Russia will take it as an aggression against the civil Russian citizens.  I personally think that from now on, anything may become a casus belli and the war could start at any moment.

Question 2: If the war will happen – would that be only in Eastern Ukraine? Not necessary. It could be everywhere since (accordingly Russians) the whole state of Ukraine is guilty in discriminating Russian speaking Ukrainians and they could decide to protect Russian speaking Ukrainians from the discrimination. And it should be not a surprise for you that a lot of people in Eastern, Central and especially Southern Ukraine are very much pro-Russian. I would be not surprised if the invasion will happen to see big support of Russia on those areas.

What is bothering me with all this situation? I have a feeling that Russian propaganda and Ukrainian media are somehow work in one accord. On Russian TV for last month they are screaming as crazy every single day – “ The Big war is coming!”.  The same on Ukrainian medias – the war is near, we need to mobilize ourselves and be ready for a worst development. What I see now in Ukraine, all the news like that do not mobilize people at all, and do not raise the spirit of a nation, rather create some sort of a mass psychosis. That is the thing which is happening. People are scared of Covid and day by day are frighten with the war. It does not work like that. In my opinion it is too much of information is flowing on people, that makes me doubt if the war is really such close as the propaganda on both sides are presenting. The annexation of Crimea – that was done in dead silence in 3-4 days, when the Russians came and occupied that land. Nobody was shouting – we’re coming to annex.

So, that is the big thing that bothers me and I may think of:

• The war is indeed very close.
• Or something else is happening and they shift the attention of people by this mass psychosis.
• Who are those “they”? I have no idea. Putin, Ukrainian president, Biden?
• I do not know, but I think we need to use our critical thinking when something like that is happening and the propaganda in both Ukraine and Russia are working in one accord.

Hope it helps.
In Him,
Sasha (from yet peaceful suburb of Kiev)

Message From DMI's Chairman

​​Greetings to you all in the blessed and most holy name of Jesus Christ! What a joyous season we are in as we have celebrated our Lord’s death and resurrection. Amid so much confusion and uncertainty in the world today, Jesus coming forth out of the grave, as he said he would do, gives us peace in the midst of storms that life in a fallen world brings to us. You have just read of “storms” affecting our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine. Of course, many more Christians are suffering in one form or another across the world. Even Christians in our own country are beginning to feel the heavy hand of unbelievers in positions of authority. But this is all as Jesus said it would be. For he said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus said this right before his suffering and death upon the cross. These words are manna to all who suffer for the sake of the gospel. Peace is still possible for the persecuted because Jesus has overcome the world!

We, at DMI, have always trusted in the goodness of the Lord and His leadership over these past 28 years. Many things have arisen over these years that had the potential to hinder our ministry of the gospel in the Ukraine. But when doors have been closed, the Lord has opened others. So, we believe now HE has His plans and purposes for the church in the Ukraine in these difficult days.

A Plea for help
The Board of DMI has been in prayer for the church there and for the Lord’s guidance in how we can be a further help. Because of the pandemic, we cannot visit there. Thankfully, we have a means by which we can still send funds over there to meet the needs that we have planned through our 2021 budget. But as conditions there deteriorate, with the possibility of armed conflict, we are concerned about the ability to continue to send the funds that are needed to support the ministers and other needs.

So, we are asking our supporters to consider helping us to raise the remaining amount of the budget for this year so that we can send it over there before the possibility of the country being shut down because of conflict. Our monthly ministry cost for the support of our director, Sasha Malov, pastors you read bout in this letter, rehab centers, and humanitarian aid is $7,000. Thank the Lord we have covered and wired funds already to cover our expenses through May. Therefore, the amount we would need to complete the year is $49,000. With the current funds we have in our treasury, soon be wired, we would need $35,000 to meet our budget for this year."
Please share this plea with family and friends. You can give them the web address so that they can keep up with the current news about our ministry. The website is, www.disciplingministries.org.