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Dear Friends,
Last weekend was full of military activity with lots of sirens, no school on the Friday, and on Saturday a massive bomb in the area in a small nearby village. This bomb killed several people, destroyed the school, the hospital and power infrastructure. Once again, a reminder that the team in Lebedyn are working in very challenging conditions in their region.
This week has been Easter camp week. I will bring more news in next week’s update, but the camp is full and children are loving all that is going on. Games and activities, exploring the Easter story and enjoying time with friends, along with delicious bread that has been baked in the bakery are just some of the highlights. What has been a real answer to prayer is once again there have been no sirens in Lebedyn during camp at the time of me writing this update. Given recent months, this is the longest time this year there hasn’t been any and has meant the camp has been able to run smoothly. That is until Thursday morning!!!! Unexpectedly all the water shut off and there is no water supply to the Centre which is not helpful. We pray that this will get fixed and sorted quickly.
We had an unexpected last-minute visit from new friends that are part of several mission agencies working together. They bought gifts, comic books and things for the children at the camp and have access to aid which will be helpful in the future.
Even though the camp was taking part, Bohdan, “Farmer” Sergey and Rosie visited Larisa’s orphanage where numbers continue to grow with children that have been either abandoned or orphaned due to death because of the war. There are now over 20 children in Sumy and 55 in Austria. Bohdan and Rosie took sweets and gifts for the children. Bohdan also took some funds in to help put in a new boiler as the old one had totally given up. When you see the picture below your heart goes out to these casualties of war. The picture below with the children under blankets is when the air raid siren went off in Sumy whilst visiting. There have been requests for other help for the children from Larisa for things such as hygiene kits (toiletry basics), food and general help. We will do what we can and they plan to take the puppet show back there soon.
At the weekend a team from the Centre visited the village of Budylka. There they held a service and gave out seeds and Christian literature giving as much help as they could to the locals there. There is no doubt that the villages are feeling the effects of the war in far greater ways than in the cities. Food supply is tough and community is virtually gone. The team had a great welcome.
On top of all of the above the usual activities continue. Teenagers are still hungry to study and last night all the Teen bible study groups happened. (see below). Soldiers have been visited, helped and prayed for. There is never a quiet moment and the team are just amazing with the energy they give everything.
Once again, thank you for your continued help and support. Next week we are planning to see how we can reach out into the villages more effectively, and we still need to find a source of aid to help the people.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
Thank you for your continued encouragement and prayers. There have been quite a few positive comments this past week or so from information in these emails which has been uplifting for the team.
The general situation in Lebedyn has not changed significantly. There have been less explosions in the area, but still many air raid sirens and today schools were closed, yet again.
As always, the week has been busy reaching out to many people. A lot of soldiers have been in contact and Bohdan has been connecting and praying with them before they go to the front line. Sadly, this past week has seen many funeral processions in the town as the bodies of those killed on the frontline defending Ukraine return for final farewells from family. This seems to be a growing occurrence which is quite concerning, especially to the military families based in Lebedyn.
Bohdan and Musical Sergey were invited to speak at 2 separate conferences, one in the city and the other a regional event. Both were for teachers who lead extra circular activities after school and are based within the arts. This means dance, singing, music, painting, acting and even chess. They were asked to explain the meaning of Easter and its relevance to the arts world. Bohdan explained that it would be great to see Ukraine win the war, but the greatest win was when Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death. This is why we have so much to celebrate at Easter. He was encouraged by the response they gave at both events. There is still one more meeting to do this week. As the picture above shows, all who were there were handed packs of seeds to help them grow food, as all of them stated they are finding food is difficult currently.
The bakery is now up and running, and on Thursday baked 150 loaves of bread to give away to families. This number will grow. (see picture above).
Many of you remember Larisa who runs the orphanage we have helped in Sumy. Bohdan still visits regularly as the number of children who now live there continues to grow. This week Larisa has been in touch quite a bit to say that firstly, the children are very unsettled and wanting to go home. They found that 3 children escaped from where they were staying in Austria trying to get back home to Ukraine as they missed it so much. They are all safe now. Secondly, the orphanage in Sumy has had several problems including their boiler breaking down and needing replacing. It is a large boiler but without it there is no hot water or heat. We have agreed to send funds to have this replaced. It is Larisa’s hope that they will return to Sumy from Austria in the autumn. It was a year ago this last week she escaped with the children.
I have mentioned in the past few updates that aid is getting harder to obtain and many have been praying for this. This week I was introduced to an amazing lady working with several mission organisations who distribute aid. They have agreed to come to the Centre on Monday with vans of aid, to visit the villages and area to distribute more help. They hope to have medical supplies and a doctor on their team as well, so this is a massive answer to prayer.
Next week will be very busy as it is our Easter camp week. Just under 100 children are booked in and they will be fed, looked after, and told the Easter story. It is their first week of school holidays. Please pray for the team, for all the preparations, and for safety through the week.
The work still grows with the children and teenagers. The extra Bible study homegroups have grown so much they are now running two, with one run by Alla. Alla will be leaving us and going to Germany on April 10th with her family, so please do pray for the team as we need to find a replacement fairly soon. We have now 8 people being baptised over Easter which Bohdan is encouraged by.
Over recent years we have had a large minibus to use for getting things around. Such vehicles are not great now as the larger the vehicle, the greater risk there is for it to be attacked, and it therefore has been largely sitting in a garage unused. Laws changed and we only have one person that can drive this and that is Pastor Sergey. This is not ideal, so we have decided to sell this and try and obtain a smaller minibus, plus another large car (7-seater) to help with the work. We need to have the right vehicles to get us to the outlying villages to provide the help and ministry. We are costing this out as it is not an ideal climate to buy and sell vehicles, but we need to change what we have to make us more effective. Getting this right will mean we can do so much more.
Finally, Bohdan has asked if we can pray for his children, especially Lubomir and Zoryana. Lubomir is down with a stomach virus as most of the school are. However, Zoryana has not been sleeping well at all for some time, and they went for her 9-month check. They are sending Zoryana to a specialist paediatric cardiologist as they seem to think she could have a heart problem. Please can we continue to pray for the family.
My thanks again for your continued support and prayers.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
Thank you for your continuing prayers and support. The situation for this last week has been much the same with air raid sirens daily, children being sent home from school every day after being in bomb shelters, and explosions heard when missiles and drones intercepted. The disruption to daily life is immense and tough for those living in the area.
In good news the local hospital in Lebedyn have reached out for help. They are planning to adapt an area to look after children through the day. This will be for children that are requiring ongoing treatment, but will also act as a safe place for young children to be when parents are working in the hospital. It will also host children who have been abandoned and not yet assigned care, as otherwise they sit in a ward all day with nothing to do. They would like the team to help run activities, perhaps with the puppet show performing regularly, as well as to be part of the team running this area. It is an amazing opportunity to help reach out to many children and families, and at weekends many of them will come then to the Centre for all that we host there. We will also be able to give aid where it is most needed. We are waiting to see how much this will cost, but to be of help in such a way is amazing.
Bohdan has been having many meetings this week, especially with soldiers and families who are very concerned about what is going on. Bohdan is able to pray and support, and do as much as he can to help, but before soldiers go back to the frontline there are always high emotions as you can imagine.
Attendance at all the clubs at the weekend maintain their high level, and the team have been giving out aid where they can. Aid is running dry and we are still trying to get more.
Sadly, we are going to lose Alla (Children’s worker), her husband -Tolik, and their children. They have decided to leave Lebedyn and go to Germany, where they have friends from Kharkiv. There are many reasons for this. They have struggled to find accommodation to live as a family, and with potential new laws starting, it could be that Tolik is called up to the army, but he has a disability and they are not keen for this to happen. An Easter camp is planned which they will help to lead and they will then leave immediately after. Alla has been amazing and will be greatly missed. Her work with the children and even the young teens has been exemplary, and she is always willing to do any job to ensure the mission work is effective. Tolik, although not officially part of the team, has been helping with the music, training young people to play and to lead worship. We now look for a new person to come into this role and also to help with the music.
Obviously, Alla’s sister, Luba, will be sad to see her leave but the good news from her is that she is pregnant – another war time baby! We will pray for her through this journey in the months ahead, and as she juggles this with leading the teenager’s work.
Thank you again for your support and prayers. It is so appreciated.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
Another week has passed where the chaotic life living through the war disrupts normality. Every day drones and missiles are being intercepted with loud explosions nearby. Wednesday night was exceptionally bad, with many explosions and sirens going all night. Children are attending school often only for an hour, to spend 2 hours in a cold, unheated bunker then sent home. It is all very distressing for parents and many are planning to leave and emigrate to other safe havens. Lebedyn and Sumy is safer than down in the south, but is becoming a very transient town. People are arriving and leaving at the same time.
Through this past week many came along to all the clubs for the teenagers and children, as well as for the many other meetings. The Centre has been a hive of activity. As shown in the pictures above and below, the team have been out once again delivering food to those in nearby villages, and who live locally but are vulnerable or have no means to support themselves. Many family members are coming back from the frontline without limbs and with serious injury which is creating new issues.
When speaking with Bohdan, he told me that many families are struggling to make ends meet now and food in some areas is scarce. He also told me a story of how the war is affecting his family and his boys. Ratmir (Bohdan’s middle son) has a close friend in his class at school. This boy’s father has been fighting in the war, but has been sent home with very bad injuries and has had to have his leg amputated. He is still not well and now they are saying that he might have to have his other leg amputated. His mother is struggling financially, because if the father is not fighting he is not getting paid, and there is little or no social care. So, Bohdan and team have delivered, aid, food and clothes to the family and in the picture below you can see Ratmir’s friend reading the books and bible that was put in. Let’s pray for him.
Valentine looks after the older teenagers and youth. He has been invaluable over this past year and still continues his studies part time at the Ukraine Theological Seminary during the war. He is just 22. Yesterday he received news that his mother had died. Valentine, like so many children before the war, was abandoned by his parents after his parents divorced at just the age of 3. His Grandmother and Aunt Ola took him in and cared for him. Not long after, his Grandmother passed away leaving all the care to his aunt. It was a happy place, but he would very rarely see his mother. His aunt in looking for things to do, came to the Centre and sent Valentine to the children’s and then youth work. They both came became Christians through the work of the church and this made so much difference in their lives.
Valentine said he does not know how to grieve as he doesn’t have any memories of his mother or father. He has immersed himself into the work and when everything is back to “normal” wants to work in colleges and senior schools to show young people there is another way to life.
There is another lovely twist to this, as sometimes he was sent to another Aunt, Alla (yes another Alla!!) in town for some respite for his main caring aunt. He has been encouraging her to come to the Centre during the war so as to be prayed for, and a month or so ago she too became a Christian and now wants to be baptised. It is an amazing story of God’s grace on a young man who had nothing but gave everything to Jesus! Please pray for Valentine at this time as his Mother moved to and lived in Russia when she let left him, and so he cannot even attend his mother’s funeral.
The team continue to plan for the Easter/Spring camps for the children. The puppet show plays a major part in all the camp work. Thankfully, “Musical” Sergey, after a period of sickness, is now back to work, but because so many families are leaving, many of the children that performed in the puppet show have gone, leaving him to find yet another new team.
Thank you for your continuing support and prayers.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
Firstly, a big thank you to those that came out to our service of prayer and thanksgiving on 25th February to mark the first anniversary of this terrible war. It was great to see such a large crowd gathered to pray for Ukraine and for the team in Lebedyn. To have some of the team present, to hear Bohdan speak, and to see baby Zoryana was a special treat. It was also a joy to welcome so many Ukrainian nationals to the meeting who joined us trhoughout. The service was recorded and we have a link to the recording if anyone is interested.
I spoke with Bohdan on Wednesday and there is a level of stability in the region due to the fact there is more power available to all. The villages in the region of Sumy, close to the border to Russia, lie empty and uninhabited with the destruction of buildings evident. Fear of a Russian attack has meant the people have fled from these more remote parts. The area commander has said that small incursions akin to scouting groups have come across the border, but so far they have not penetrated through the defences. Daily the sirens echo out, and even today the schools are closed, with gunfire being heard, sirens ringing out and drones flying around. Just on Wednesday night, a huge explosion rocked Lebedyn. Air defence brought down a large bomb on its way south.
The team in Lebedyn have been asked to do more for the families of the soldiers fighting. Many in the church and associated to the mission centre have family members that are fighting on the frontline. More services will be held, more aid sought, and more specialist first aid given. One couple that have been coming to the church regularly have their son in hospital seriously injured from the fighting. I have said we will pray for this family.
A few months ago I asked for prayer for Alla’s (children’s worker) mother-in-law. She was captured due to her role as chief administrator to the Mayor down in the south of Ukraine where the fighting is at its most severe. She was released a little while back, too traumatised to talk, but Alla visited her last week in Kharkiv where she is staying with her sister. When she was captured a hood was placed over her head and she had to wear this the whole time of captivity. Food was scarce and what she did have tasted foul and “off”. Prisoners were only allowed to go to the toilet twice a day; there were 20+ people crammed in a cell with only 9 beds, so most nights were spent on a cold, dark cell floor with no heating and sub-zero temperatures outside and in! When the time came for her to be released, they heard stories that when people left they were filmed walking out to prove their release and they would then be shot in the back. Thankfully this did NOT happen. Instead they were told to walk off across the fields to get to the Ukraine army. It was very dark with no light or even moonlight to direct her ways. Prisoners all split up and went across several fields. She could hear explosions so she knew she was close to safety as that would be near where the battles and Ukrainian army were based. When greeted by the Ukrainian army, they were astonished to see her, and they told her they did not understand how she was alive. The fields the people had been directed to walk through were mined, and the explosions heard were fellow inmates stepping on land mines. Alla explained that many people had been praying for her safety. Alla’s mum is not a Christian, but she is thankful for all the prayers. No wonder she was traumatised. We thank God for answered prayers.
The bakery is now getting going, and the team are learning how to bake as you can see from the pictures above and below. They bake for all the children’s and teen work, and for the parents that bring them. All of this is very well received.
The work in the area continues with all the clubs for children and youth. Aid is being given out where we can get hold of it. The work seems like it never comes to an end and there is always more to do at the end of the day than at the beginning.
Bohdan has asked that we pray for both Musical Sergey and Sasha. Sasha is down with a flu type virus which Bohdan had. Because his immune system is compromised there are always concerns when he gets ill.
Musical Sergey is recovering from his operation but still without much energy. He tried to do something at the Centre this week, but was sent home. He also asked for prayer for four young people that over this past week or so, have become Christians and want to be baptised. They are Sofia, Camila, Alexei & Vadim.
Again thank you for your ongoing support and it was great to see so many of you on the 25th February.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
This week marks the first anniversary of this terrible war between Russia and Ukraine. As a result, I have been able to have plenty of contact with Bohdan as we plan to mark this occasion locally here in Eastbourne on Saturday 25th February at 4.00pm, for a 4.30pm start, at Victoria Baptist Church with a service of prayer and worship. As we reflected we have been astonished by the amount of answered prayers, the amount of help given and the number of lives that have been impacted. The recorded interviews made for the service (in case we cannot do them live) have been done with Bohdan, and will be shown in the future. The service will also be recorded and we can send a link for those interested. Please email for this.
There has been a lot of military activity in Kharkiv area which brings more displaced people into Lebedyn. The flight path for missiles going to Kharkiv appears to come over Lebedyn, and several have been destroyed in the air above the city. It is quite frightening for the children. Otherwise, it has been a reasonably quiet week, with power on more than off. Nobody knows what to expect on the anniversary day and the weekend, but Bohdan has been informed that there are an estimated 10,000 troops encamped along the border of Sumy. Lebedyn now has between 2-2,500 troops based within it so there is expectation of hard times ahead.
Since my last report, and having the uncertainty of the above situation, the team have tried to reach out as much as possible to the vulnerable, disabled and displaced. Most of these people cannot get out of home to even get supplies and have very little income to buy anything.
As they drove around the villages, not much has been done to repair buildings and infrastructure. There are people living in abject poverty with no local shops open. As shown below, they were given the iCare food boxes donated through Mission Eurasia to help us in the region. These boxes give enough food for a family of four for 7 days. We are grateful for our partnership with them.
Aid is still being distributed, although stocks are getting low. The usual meetings have been taking place with extra gatherings happening to distribute more seeds to families, ready to plant and harvest later in the year. The teenagers still come to meet and the number grows week on week. Just this past week, Sophia, whohad been coming with her friend sporadically, really met with God for the first time, and it was an amazing meeting by all accounts. She now wants to be baptised along with the growing list of others.
We have been mentioning about the bakery for a while and I am pleased to say that all the work has been finished and it is ready for use. The team that bakes are learning how to use the new ovens, and loads of flour has been ordered and delivered ready to start baking and giving bread out to those in need. Apparently the smell is lovely through the building!!
As this is the one-year anniversary, I want to take this opportunity to thank those that receive these updates and have been standing with us in prayer and have been so generous with your donations throughout. This now goes out wide and far so thank you for spreading the word.
We have found out that we are probably the only charity that is working within the Sumy region, so we are really making a difference into the heartbeat of the community. God has been good and gracious, and Bohdan said in one of his messages he recorded that we must rejoice always. We are thankful for their safety and protection, and that their buildings and activities can still happen when so much has been closed.
Keep praying and keep supporting and spreading news about the work and thank you once again!
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
This week has not seen as much military action in the region and although sirens have been going off they are not so regular but tend to last longer.
Sadly, Bohdan and his family have been struck down by a horrible flu-type virus, and Bohdan has spent the week in bed trying to get rid of a high temperature. He has seen a doctor twice, but there is nothing anyone can do. Please continue to pray for the family as the youngest of his children has been hit hard with this virus at the same time.
Activities still continued and as usual, work with the children and youth took place through the weekend. Numbers were high in attendance as you can see from the pictures above and below. The children and youth want to be at the Centre all the time!
Through the week, services were held and aid was given. Again numbers seemed high. That could be just people are needing more aid, but Bohdan thinks people are very nervous about the anniversary of the war. There are many rumours that an invasion will happen again, with greater air strikes and with more force.
On Tuesday a meeting was held and aid given. At the end of the session two ladies asked to be prayed for and became Christians. They found a joy and peace amidst the chaos of war. Many are still turning to God to look for a hope.
As mentioned before, the old and vulnerable seem to suffer the most, so food parcels are most welcome.
Although Bohdan and his family have been unwell, it has been good to see the team do so much during the week. Musical Sergey is now at home following a stay in hospital, so we need to keep praying for all their health so as to continue this work. We were able to send a few supplies and treats to Bohdan this week which really cheered them up.
Belated Christmas presents were sent with the help from our friends at Hands of Hope in Romania who regularly send parcels by going over the border into Ukraine. This was the first time we tried this and it worked brilliantly. We are thankful for such help.
Here in the UK, we have some meetings with other potential partners to get aid and help to the Centre. Please pray that these are fruitful.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. Please keep praying for safety and peace, and that in these next few weeks they will not experience the military activity predicted.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
This has been a week where the team has seen both the quiet and the noise of war . On Monday, the team managed to get a day off. There were no sirens all day and no threat of military activity. There was an unusual peace. It meant Bohdan had time to spend with Zoryana giving Alla a break. Bohdan said that it was an oasis and reminded him of times before the war. It had been snowing, so as you can see from the picture above, he took Zoryana out on their sled!
However, the weekend had sirens throughout and then on Wednesday a message was sent round to close all schools and workplaces in the area due to impending missiles attacks. They stayed closed for the rest of the week.
Much of the work this past week has been focused on the elderly and vulnerable, as well as giving more seeds out. As people sat around drinking tea they shared stories, each one knowing families deeply affected by the war. People are becoming angrier and show bitterness about what is going on.
After school this week, the Centre has held some English classes. Parents are keen for children to learn some English, and it is not possible to do this at school as all lessons plans are disrupted by school closures.
Before the war the Centre organised sewing classes and workshops. For many people they rely on this for making clothes they otherwise couldn’t afford. Alongside this they would make bedding to take round to the hospital. In Lebedyn hospital they do not provide bedding or food – you must take your own in and for many that are on their own this is simply not possible. They have also been making bedding for those that are displaced and arriving in the town with nothing. This week the team have been back action sewing and training some people along the way as you can see below.
Of course, the usual things like giving aid when we can obtain it has been handed out as well.
Some of the team and family are unwell and Bohdan has asked for prayers for them. His own boys, especially their youngest have had high temperatures with no other apparent symptoms. Musical Sergey has been under the weather for a while, but suddenly took a turn for the worst. He has been taken into Sumy hospital with heart issues and high blood sugars. Apparently, he is quite poorly but they are doing investigations as to what is going on.
We have been preparing for some meetings coming up, and it was amazing to recap over some of what has been done over this past year and how God has answered prayer in peoples lives. The testimonies have been quite astonishing and will be shared over the next few weeks.
Thank you for all your ongoing support and prayers. The team really appreciate them.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
This has been a tough week for the team in Lebedyn and a lot has happened since the last update.
Tensions are rising as troops build up along the border. Everyone is expecting another mass invasion but are busy preparing defences. Last weekend bombs fell in the Lebedyn area taking out the power plant. Subsequently, they have it back up and running with limited capacity, but for a few days there was no power even in the centre.
Fuel is starting to run short so although we have generators the problem will be obtaining the fuel to run them. Many families are fleeing once again, but new rules around conscription are in place and no men can leave the country. I am told by Bohdan that they have also imposed restrictions on Ukrainian males living outside the country that if they do not return within 3 months they will tried for treason when they return. It is splitting families terribly.
Aid too is getting hard to obtain as Lebedyn is so close to the Russian border. We have sent extra funds over to help get some basic medical and food supplies for those in desperate need. We are also planning for the potential evacuation some of the families of the team if things escalate further. However, it is thought that the onslaught and big battle will not start until around the anniversary date of the war.
Air raid sirens are currently active for most of the day. When I did a video catch up with Bohdan he had to rush at the end to go and pick up his 3 children from the school bomb shelter. He said they get used to it now, but their hearts are heavy with all that is going on.
Even with all the above happening the team have been very busy. The teenagers and youth still got together to study the bible and have other activities. 47 arrived at the centre in the dark, walking through unlit streets to get there. We cannot stop them meeting to study and pray as they plan other times to meet at the centre even when not planned. It is keeping Alla and Luba busy. Children’s clubs were much lower in numbers as some families have left the area, but most were taking shelter at the time everything was happening. Even so around 30 children turned up.
Aid is still being given out. The seeds were distributed to many families through various services that were held. This will continue over the next few weeks. Having these seeds gives hope of new life and of the guarantee of some food in the future.
The team are still planning the future. Alla is planning for our first ever spring camp at Easter, Bohdan prepares for teaching and training so everyone can hear the Christian gospel message, Musical Sergey is preparing a new puppet show, Valentine and Lyuba plan for all the youth work, and Farmer Sergey helps with the aid and in every team, as well as looking after the evangelism programme until spring!
All the above is a stark reminder that, although we do not see as much in the news about this war, it is very much happening, and now escalating. We need to pray for peace more than ever, as many lives will be lost if no peace found. Bohdan said yesterday that every day funerals are happening in the town. Loved ones are worried. In the church in Lebedyn all have family members on the frontline. It is so tough for them all.
Please do not forget about the service at Victoria Baptist Church on 25th February at 4pm, as we hope many will come to worship and pray for the team in Lebedyn and within Ukraine.
Our thanks again for your ongoing support.
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
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,
As 11 months of the war have passed, tensions are rising once again. What you will be reading in the news is happening in Sumy.
Today, I spent some time chatting with the team whilst sirens were going off as they have been for the past 48 hours, almost non-stop. Shops are closed and there are long queues for banks, sometimes taking over 4 hours to withdraw cash. People are starting to sell things to get money to be ready to flee, if necessary.
New conscription laws are coming into place to try and get those that have fled the country back to fight. They are only giving permission for males to be out of the country for 3 months maximum. If they do not return, they have threatened to imprison them if they go back after the war. Everything seems to be going up another gear now.
Power, and therefore heat and light, are becoming more sporadic which is dampening people's resolve. This has affected some of the work the team have been doing as numbers have been lower than normal. Parents will not let their teenagers come to the clubs (understandably) with no streetlights and sirens going off. That being said, around 30 will still come out and after school Alla has many that just come and meet, all arranged by the young people, and show in the picture above. Less people were also out at the teenagers homegroup, but again, those that came had a great time.
Food is now becoming more difficult to find, and this week we have been trying to work with the team to source aid and food supplies. We had the offer of 5 tons of aid from Romania, but we had to pick it up, and sadly we could not make this happen. We still have some supplies, but with shops closed things will get very tight soon. They still have supplies to help mothers with young children’s food, but aid is now going to be the next challenge given Lebedyn’s position in the country.
For Bohdan, and some of the team, they had the funeral of one of his close friends, Vyacheslav . He had been a lieutenant in the police until his call up to the army to fight, and was a massive help to Bohdan and the camps we have run over the years. He was actively involved in his church when not away with the army, and over 500 attended. He leaves behind a wife and children, and was only 47.
On the faith side of things, many are still coming to the church for help and prayer. New Christians are asking to be baptised and numbers are growing weekly with new believers. Bohdan said it is strange to be planning a baptismal service when sirens are going off! The team want to do a special Easter camp for the children. This year they only get one week off school. Musical Sergey is preparing a new theatre production of the Easter story which will be shown daily for everyone.
We have also had delivered thousands of packets of seeds. Each year these are given out to the needy families in the area (plus some for the Centre’s allotment patch!) to grow vegetables and fruit. For some this is an absolute lifeline, and the only way they will find food. A service is held where they are distributed, and then people come back in September for a harvest service to give thanks for their produce.
The team’s appetite for the work they do is just so impressive. They all look tired, but they are resolute and undefeated in their goals and mission.
Once again the team send their thanks for all the love and support they are getting. It is keeping them going - that is for sure!
Every blessing,
Peter Martin
Founding Director of Hope Lebedyn
