The church in Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky began as a medical mission that provided compassionate, Christian medical care to residents in the post-soviet era. The love shown by the doctors and staff starkly contrasted with the brusque, dehumanizing manner that people were used to, and this, combined with the Good News of Christ’s salvation, turned into a gathering of believers.
Today, the church continues its mission of healing by serving the many who are affected by war. They are open daily for prayer, as well as distributing humanitarian aid and providing a warm location for people to charge their phones and other small electronic devices. Thanks to the installation of solar panels, they have more ready electrical energy, despite the russian attacks that have caused country-wide blackouts.
Our region, including Odesa, has suffered greatly, and 2025 has been especially hard for our small town. Just before Christmas, a massive night drone attack destroyed an electrical substation and nearby homes. Our region depends on a single remaining bridge to connect us with Odesa and central Ukraine. Over the past two months, it has been repeatedly targeted, yet each time it is quickly repaired so traffic can continue.
Spring has arrived, bringing warmer weather, renewed hope, and a sense of relief. . . .For Sergey and me, this spring brought a small but precious break in a two-week trip to the States. It was truly a gift for us—a time of rest, renewal, and meaningful connection. We were able to take a short break from the air raid alarms, sleep peacefully at night, and shift our focus from the war—something we constantly live with—to other things. . . .As a result of our meetings [with people in the churches], you feel very keenly how fragile our world is and how easy it is to upset the established balance.
The most pressing prayer today is a prayer for peace, heard from all corners of the globe. I know that our Lord is just, He will definitely stop and punish the evil that comes to destroy and take life. But it’s so hard to wait when you’re in difficult circumstances. And although today we do not see a single hint that the war will end, but accepting His will and asking Him to bless us with the peace that comes from the Lord.
We ask you to pray with us for the lives of our soldiers who defend our land, especially for the members of our church—Paul, Ivan, Dima, Vadim, Dr. Anya, and Vasyl. Last week, during our trip, we received a message from Vasyl. He has a long history in this war. He defended Mariupol in the first days of the invasion, where he was captured. He spent almost two years in captivity and was later released in a prisoner exchange. Today, he continues to serve in our marine border unit. He is the commander of a boat that goes out to sea during attacks, working to intercept and destroy enemy drones targeting our town and the coast. Vasyl joined our church over a year ago and began studying to become a counseling psychologist while continuing his military service. He is also part of our counseling center and serves as our military advisor. His involvement is especially important now as we are developing a center for veterans’ recovery.
In his message, Vasyl shared that his brother Serge, who was also serving on the front line, was seriously wounded in battle and lost both legs. He asks for prayer for Serge and gives thanks to God that his brother is alive.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer and for your continued support and encouragement. Your partnership means more than words can express, especially in these challenging times. We are deeply grateful that, though far away, you remain close to us in spirit and in Christ’s love.
In Christ,
Lyuda
