Ukraine (MNN) — Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but conflict in Eastern Ukraine first began in 2014. Right at that time, a Ukrainian pastor was starting up a house church in the region.
Eric Foley works with many Ukrainian Christians and other Russian speakers through the Voice of the Martyrs Korea. He shares the Ukrainian pastor’s story below:
“His friends urged him to leave. The Lord brought to mind the story from Numbers about Moses and Aaron interceding and turning away God’s punishment of the people. And he prayed about it. He said, ‘Well, who would intercede for these people if I left?’ So he stayed.”
The 2022 invasion
When the invasion started in February 2022, Russian forces miraculously went around the pastor’s small village.
Amid a food shortage, the pastor and his wife scraped together enough flour to give away 30 loaves of bread. Foley says, “People were just moved that this small little house church would share everything they had. So, people started bringing flour. A farmer brought 60 liters of milk. Someone miraculously supplied yeast to the family.”
Over the next 10 days, they made about 160 loaves of bread a day.
“The government called them and said, ‘We understand you have bread. There is another small village nearby. Do you have any bread we can supply to them?’” Foley says.
A powerful witness
Protestants make up just a small minority in Eastern Ukraine. But this ministry made a very positive impression on the local people.
Foley says, “It reminds me of the Old Testament story of the widow and Elijah and how she gave what she had. Ukrainian Christians are really giving what little they have.”
Praise God for His new creation breaking into the war zone. Pray many Ukrainians would find hope in Jesus.
Header image depicts Russian bombardment of telecommunications antennas in Kyiv in March 2022. (Wikimedia Commons)
