If you would like to support us financially you can do so below. Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer, please confirm that you would like us to claim Gift Aid on your donation. This will add 25p to every £1 you give.
Dear Friends,
Overall, there is a fragile calm over Lebedyn at present, although while speaking with Bohdan notification came through to say two missiles were coming in over Lebedyn town. Thankfully, they did not land on Lebedyn, but they will have landed somewhere causing potential death and destruction.
We have had extensive discussions with the team regarding the current situation. Generally, Ukrainians do not believe that peace is attainable in the near future, and there is considerable distrust surrounding current negotiations and discussions. Bohdan shared that in 2024, it is estimated that only 176,000 children were born in Ukraine (pending verification), compared to approximately 310,000 verified births in 2021, the last full year before the war. This represents a significant decline. Additionally, there has been an increase in infant mortality rates due to the lack of healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth in rural areas. Furthermore, 500,000 people have died in 2024, indicating that the impact of this war on the population will be profound and long-lasting.
In the picture above, this family reached out to the team for help. Their baby is constantly hungry and ill as it has an allergy to most milk products available. Thanks to the aid sent in to us, this special milk with nutrients has been given to help. It is sad that this help isn't available within their region in Ukraine and we are so thankful that we have been able to obtain this for them.
This past week has been exceptionally busy, as the team have made the most of slightly quieter times. Last Friday, they visited the village of Shtepivka which Bohdan said had been badly affected by the war. The village has been heavily bombed, and those living there are suffering in extreme poverty. Aid was given out including food and blankets.
A small van of food has just arrived from Azat. As you might recall, Azat led the church plant in Okhtyrka, and was captured and beaten and is now living in Zaporizhzhia. It is from here he has been able to share some aid with us. They sent quite a bit of bread, which although we bake our own fresh bread is still much appreciated. Other foods were sent as well. The bakery has also been operating at full strength. Special services were held on Thursday and Friday last week, with over 300 attending, and again this Wednesday with similar numbers. It is amazing how many are attending these services and two people this past weekend became Christians as a result. Also, they have been working with some of the soldiers to bake extra goodies for them to enjoy and feel sustained. Yesterday, they took more aid and baked treats into the care homes. The “pies” shown below have cottage cheese and raisins in them!
Pastor Andrew and Veronica have been constantly commuting to Sumy and to Samotoivka, where over the weekend they helped many families and held a service there on the Sunday. Many people who had fled that area have now returned, ignoring government advice to stay away, mainly because there is no housing in other towns and villages.
In other good news, Bohdan managed to receive his quarterly exemption papers within one day of submitting the paperwork over last weekend. Last time it took six weeks of much anxious form filling, so we are grateful for this outcome. He and Alla are now submitting all the papers to the authorities for all the aid they have given out as this is a legal requirement, albeit very laborious. They estimate it will take two days to do this.
Last week, I mentioned about the ambitious plans to hold two mini conferences and five camp weeks. The first of these is taking place this weekend. This is for the youth, and the special guest speaker is Mike Gustafson, the Director of the Institute of Church Ministry within the youth and teen ministry at Kyiv Theological Seminary. He has been a great support to Valentine, who is one of his students there. Please do pray for this weekend as the young people look at healthy relationships during a time of war.
Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. The team are achieving so much within the Sumy region, and it is thanks to your ongoing support this can happen. As things ramp up for the camp season, please continue to pray for the calm to persist, peace talks to be fruitful, as well as health, strength and God's blessing on the team as their carry out all the planned activities.
Every blessing
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
