‘Joy mixed with sorrow’
By SGA’s Communications Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Kateryna Nikonorova.
As Ukraine’s fate continues to be discussed at the highest political levels, with potential negotiations for a ceasefire, the shelling of Ukrainian cities has intensified. Each night brings new reports of destruction targeting civilian infrastructure and residential buildings—in Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia, and today, in Kyiv.
“Today, our church is in deep mourning. During a drone strike, our brother in Christ and his 5-year-old daughter lost their lives. This family had fled the war, relocating to Kyiv from Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region. The mother, Oleksandra, survived, but she lost her loved ones and was left without a home. Let us pray for Oleksandra—that God may give her the strength to endure this devastating loss.”
This post is taken from the Facebook page of Emmanuel Church—an evangelical church in Kyiv. It is but a glimpse of the daily tragedies unfolding, yet it wounds us deeply, as these are our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a time of great trials, leaving us with unanswered questions.
Coincidentally, yesterday I visited a church plant in Kyiv, whose pastor is supported by SGA. Oleh Herasichkin, and his wife Olha, along with their seven children, have been displaced since 2014.
Having lost their home in the Luhansk region to Russian occupation, they resolved to continue in the Lord’s work of planting churches. In 2022, as they were forced to flee again, they found refuge in France, where they helped plant another church for Ukrainian refugees. However, their heart remained burdened for their people in Ukraine, so the family returned to their homeland, where they have since planted churches in Lviv, Uman, Borispil, and now in a large residential area of Kyiv. They reach those people they can relate to completely – displaced people in desperate need of hope.
While there, I met Svetlana, a mother of a displaced family, who also fled from the Zaporizhzhia region. She was introduced to the church through her teenage daughter, Lisa, who participated in the church’s activities and later became a great help, running children’s programmes. Now, their entire family, including Svetlana’s husband and their son – Lisa’s brother, has come to trust in Jesus Christ.
Day after day joy is mixed with sorrow, and for those of us living and serving in Ukraine, the fact that each day could be our last is painfully real. We are speechless and deeply sorrowful in the face of such tragedy, and we weep with those who weep. Yet, the more this brings the hearts of the Lord’s servants to action, the more they are moved to offer help and the saving message of Jesus Christ until His return.