Jon Eide forwarded this glimpse of the realities of ongoing war cessation discussions among world leaders.
May 17, 2025
Day 1179
News from Ukraine.
Yesterday, I had a moving encounter. I was riding home on the bus from Odessa when a seven-year-old boy sat down next to me. His name was Nikita. He was very sociable, and we ended up talking the entire way. Nikita is in the first grade and absolutely loves his school. He proudly told me that he’s learning English, and we even had a short conversation in English together. He chatted about his favorite video games and visiting his grandmother. His father is in the military, and Nikita dreams of becoming a soldier too, so he can protect his country. Then, in a quieter moment, he shared that a friend of his father had recently died in the war, and he had attended the funeral. What struck him most, he said, was seeing the fallen soldier’s mother crying. I was deeply moved. This boy, who has lived half his life in a time of war and likely doesn’t remember what peace feels like, is still living with hope, with joy, with empathy. He has people he loves. He has dreams. He has a future. I prayed silently for Nikita, for his family, and especially for his father. And I truly hope that one day, here in our small town, we will meet Nikita and his mother again—and that they might come visit our church.
Another joyful event for us last week was the visit of a group of missionaries.
They came for just a few days, but their presence was a great encouragement. They came to support us in our ministry, uplift us, and offer practical help. The missionaries brought an evangelism training program, and our church has already started the classes. We’re so thankful and glad that all our church members responded enthusiastically and are now attending the sessions with genuine interest. In these challenging times, it is especially important for us to learn how to connect with people—how to understand where they are spiritually and how to share the Good News in a way that is sincere, engaging, and respectful. As a practical step, each member of our church wrote down the names of three friends they plan to share the Gospel with in the near future. We are praying over these names and trusting that the Holy Spirit will go before us, preparing hearts and guiding each conversation. Our missionary friends also joined us for a meeting with the group of refugees and visited the children at the orphanage. Their presence brought us renewed strength and joy.
Yet despite the joy of fellowship and encouragement, this past week was overshadowed by fear and anxiety. Our town—once a place of peace and refuge throughout three years of war—was struck by a massive drone attack. Our residents experienced what people in larger Ukrainian cities have endured for long three years: destroyed homes, fires breaking out in the night, families running through dark streets with their children, the urgent evacuation of people from burning buildings.
One of the most heartbreaking scenes was that of mothers with newborns huddled in the basement of the maternity ward, listening to glass shattering in the floors above. These horrors didn’t happen just once—they repeated over several nights. Some of the explosions occurred frighteningly close to our church. But by God’s mercy, the church building itself was not damaged.
During the nights, people from nearby apartment buildings would come running to our church, seeking refuge in the basement. We are now working to better equip that space—which includes a kitchen and meeting room—to serve as a proper shelter. We have been laying down mattresses, preparing blankets, stocking up on snacks and water, and gathering toys for children.
We did much of this in the first days of the war. But as things in our town quieted down, our focus shifted to other pressing needs. Now, we feel it’s time to once again turn our attention to the residents of our city—those who have lost their homes, those recovering in hospitals, and those in need of help and comfort.
It seems that the more politicians try to achieve peace by organizing meetings and negotiations, the worse the situation with the war becomes. Our enemy does not want peace and cynically demonstrates this to everyone.
We have planned a week-long vacation for the conselors of our counseling center next month. They have been working very hard for a long time without rest. We hope that the situation does not get so bad that we have to cancel our holiday.
Thank you for standing with us through prayer, encouragement, and support. Together, we can continue to be a place of hope and help in difficult times.
In Christ,
Lyuda
