One of our trustees, Eddie Lyle, died on Saturday 19th September 2026, aged 73. He passed away in Oxford, surrounded by family and friends, following complications from heart surgery. He is survived by his wife, Christine, and their son, Adam.
Eddie joined our board in 2022, when Hope Lebedyn became an independent charity after separating from Essential Christian. He had previously met Pastors Sergey and Bohdan while serving as President of Open Doors, and made a profound impact on their lives.
Born in Northern Ireland, Eddie became a Christian as a young man and left his work as an air cargo specialist to serve with Youth for Christ and Release International, now known as Voice for Persecuted Christians. He joined Open Doors in 2005 and, alongside his wife, dedicated two decades to the charity.
Eddie travelled widely to places where following Jesus came at great cost, from secret house churches in communist Vietnam to refugee camps in northern Nigeria. He returned to churches across the UK and Ireland to share what he had seen. Open Doors said he had a natural gift for listening, Bible teaching and storytelling, using these gifts to encourage others and share Christ’s love for the hurting and broken.
For the past four years, Eddie served on the Hope Lebedyn board, where his wisdom was evident. He did not always speak, but when he did, people listened. His contributions were thoughtful, considered and impactful. Eddie was an encourager and motivator who recognised the gifts and strengths in others. He loved seeing what was being achieved in Lebedyn, a small town in north-eastern Ukraine, where the charity is making a significant difference in communities devastated by war.
His passing came as a surprise to us all, and our prayers are with Christine and Adam. May God grant them strength and peace as they grieve.
Eddie may have been small in stature, but in faith and service he was a giant. He leaves an extraordinary legacy, and we trust he is hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Hope Lebedyn Trustees
