Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine, located in the northeast of the country. Prior to the Russian invasion, it had an estimated population of 1.8 million but now it is reduced to around 1 million due to many people leaving for safer regions.
Pastor Dmitry
Dmitry Goncharov, the Baptist Regional Pastor for Kharkiv, supervises 55 churches. During the war, 6 churches closed and 66 pastors left. The main church in the region, which had 700 members, is now reduced to 400. This is largely due to young families relocating.
Dmitry’s church lost a large number of people, reducing it to 40 members, but now there are 200 members due to many new believers. He has also planted another 2 churches during the war.
It was a blessing for the recent SGA team to meet Dmitry, listen to his story and commit him to the Lord. Pray that the Lord will sustain and strengthen Him in all the demands of His ministry. This is a volatile region where people are living in much uncertainty, but the God who never changes is their refuge.