I left for Ukraine on Tuesday January 3rd. The only way is to fly to Poland, then go by car across the Polish and Ukrainian borders, then into Lviv. I then travelled the 350 miles by car to Kyiv. I met church and military leaders and chaplains on the Saturday, preaching to over 1000 in my very dear friend Boris’s Messianic Congregation. Then back to Lviv for the Day of Prayer in a large church building, worshipping with, and preaching to, 2500 on Sunday evening.
David writes:
I left for Ukraine on Tuesday January 3rd. The only way is to fly to Poland, then go by car across the Polish and Ukrainian borders, then into Lviv. The first day was spent being shown how, for hundreds of years, Ukraine has had an independent identity from Russia, and has every reason to fight to be free from Russian intervention and control.
I then travelled the 350 miles by car to Kyiv. I met with the military commander who was in control of Gostomel airport, just 20 miles outside the city, when, at 10.00am on the morning of the 24 February 2022, the Russians launched the attack with helicopters and paratroopers, to capture Kyiv and President Zelenskyy. Although the Russians captured the airport, the Ukrainian defenders prevented the enemy from reaching Kyiv and eventually drove the enemy back to the borders.
I met church and military leaders and chaplains on the Saturday, preaching to over 1000 in my very dear friend Boris’s Messianic Congregation. We ignored air raid warnings and missiles dropping, this is the largest Messianic Congregation in the world! Afterwards I met with about 50 of the military chaplains who work on the frontline, who are enlisted military, but whose only weapon is the Bible. I also was officially enlisted in the Ukrainian military, complete with uniform and certificate, as an army chaplain! Then back to Lviv for the Day of Prayer in a large church building, worshipping with, and preaching to, 2500 on Sunday evening. If the churches are full, why should I not join them?!
Then on the Monday I met with the Military Governor of the whole Lviv Region Military Administration. Spending an hour in his office with him, he thanked me for my message on the previous Day of Prayer last June which he was able to attend and stay through the whole service. We discussed the current situation and he agreed with my presentation of the four main issues. (1) We must continue and increase our support of the military until victory. (2) In conjunction with the Government and the United Church Council, we are planning a massive celebratory Day of Prayer with 10,000 in the Sport Palace in Kyiv for June 10th 2023. (3) Ukraine will need continuing, increasing support from the West when the war is over to repair the vast damage to homes and infrastructure and enable the 8 million refugees to return. (4) To help to bring mental and physical healing to the whole nation traumatised by the war – spiritually, with the Churches and evangelism, working with the Government. This may be even more difficult than material reconstruction. After our positive meeting it was immediately posted on the Lviv Military Administration website.
Finally, our last meeting was with some of the refugees from the war zones who are being sheltered temporarily in the Seminary building belonging to the church – families torn apart, missing loved ones, living in a tiny space, each with 4 bunk beds and extra mattresses; one family with mother and 10 children in just two rooms, who had owned a large house now occupied by Russian soldiers; one woman who was with a family member, who had stepped out of her home to collect food when a shell landed near her, killing her friend and severing her leg – she was struggling between bed and a wheelchair, shocked and traumatised as she told her story. These were just a few of the hundreds of thousands whom we are able to help with the gifts you are sending us.