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Dear Friends,
THANK YOU! As we mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the trustees of Hope Lebedyn extend their deepest appreciation for your continued support, especially for the team working in Lebedyn. Many of you have stood by us throughout these four challenging years, witnessing not only heartache, sadness, and tragedy, but also moments of joy, love, and remarkable kindness. This journey would not have been possible without your prayers, financial support, or both. Your loyalty, compassion, and generosity toward those in the Sumy region mean so much to us. War affects every aspect of life, and while we remain hopeful and continue to pray for peace, we recognise that our work will be just beginning as we seek to help people rebuild and recover from all they have endured.
Tuesday night was probably the worst night of the four years. The sky lit up as over 20 missiles and drones targeted key areas of Lebedyn. Thankfully, the team and all the buildings are safe and intact but in the suburban areas of Lebedyn one area has been heavily hit. Quite a few people from the church live in this area, and it was in fact the area Bohdan used to live in. We are so grateful that there were no fatalities, although it was hugely frightening with Bohdan’s house shaking all through the night.
The temperature rose for one day this week, climbing from extreme lows of around -25°C. This brief warm spell brought rain that melted the heavy snow on the ground. As shown in the pictures below, this led to significant flooding across the town. However, within 12 hours, the temperature dropped again to -15°C, resulting in black ice everywhere and making travel difficult.
Samotoivka was hit badly during Tuesday when Veronica (Pastor Andrew’s wife ) was there for work. The school was bombed and completely razed to the ground. The team went out to help, also visiting the villages near Samotoivka as there have been no food deliveries for weeks and consequently there is little food to eat. Nobody wants to visit there as the road conditions are terrible and cars have been shot at. However, the team took bread from the bakery which was a welcome sight.
With support from our partners at Mission Eurasia, 16 wood-burning stoves are being provided to offer heat and a place to cook food especially when electricity is unavailable. These stoves will be delivered to families most in need, likely within village communities.
During the weekend, alongside youth clubs and meetings, the church hosted a mini-conference focused on effective evangelism during times of war. The guest speaker and his wife stayed throughout the weekend, departing on Monday, and they inspired everyone who attended. More than ten leaders from other regional churches participated, providing encouragement to Bohdan. All 50+ attendees left feeling uplifted and motivated to put what they learned into practice.
On Wednesday, I learned that Bohdan’s father passed away unexpectedly from natural causes unrelated to the war. The funeral was also held that afternoon since the morgues are full due to casualties from the conflict, so burials happen quickly. On Thursday, he was already back in the office, and helping the team clear everything due to heavy overnight snow as they have a service he is speaking at later today. Please keep Bohdan and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
This update highlights the range of experiences people have encountered each week, from enduring pain and grief in challenging circumstances, to finding joy in shared activities and assisting others. Over the past four years of this conflict, resilience has been evident despite ongoing fatigue, sustained by hope and faith during these times. We truly appreciate your continued support and partnership—it has been invaluable throughout this period.
If you’re able to attend, we look forward to seeing you at our prayer service at 4pm on Saturday, 21 February at Victoria Baptist Church in Eastbourne. We welcome everyone, but if you can’t join us in person, we can share an online link so you may participate remotely. Please note that the service isn’t open to the general public online; you’ll need the link to access it.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
