1000 days of war.
Today marks 1000 days of war. The full-scale invasion, and subsequent war has been all encompassing for the country. It’s on the scale of having a 9/11 attack in the US … weekly.
For example, the Ukrainian public has been subject to 11,466 Russian missiles since the war began. That is 23.2 missiles per day. That’s the average, there have been some quiet weeks, but that only means an uptick to follow. There was one 17 day period this summer when the number exceeded 82 missiles per day! Those attacks were aimed at power grids of major cities, natural gas stations, and, tragically, a lot of residential buildings.
If it’s hard for us to relate to 12,000 missiles, we can all relate to 1000 days. That’s a long, long time. A child born 1000 days ago can walk, speak a language, and is approaching school age; a University degree can be completed in close to that time, and a start-up company can go from nothing to billion-dollar valuation in 1000 days. It’s long enough to build something significant, but it’s also long enough to do a lifetime of damage.
For all of the resilience, fortitude, and determination of Ukrainians – It’s been a long time … and everyone is tired. Tired of missiles, tired of air raids, tired of losses, and tired of war.
Believers in Ukraine are tired as well. Several of them have told me they don’t know how much longer they can do it. Pastors have shared their fatigue with me, leaders have told me that they are at their limit. One pastor is daily assessing if he and his wife should stay in their frontline city. The church is tired too.
But the church in Ukraine is something else – full. Full of people asking hard questions, full of people seeking counselling, and full of people trying to find a security in Christ they don’t feel on earth. When your very existence as a country and as a person is threatened daily – you can only be angry/sad/removed for so long before you begin to seek. Seek answers from God, comfort from God, and peace from God.
The need for the church in Ukraine has never been higher – we need to protect these churches in Ukraine, keep them going, keep them encouraged. Their ministry during the war, and their ministry after the war will help the country from despair and loss of hope. Please join with me in standing beside Ukrainian believers.
