Voice of Ukraine

From: Jamie Peipon in Kharkiv (Missions Pastor, First Presbyterian Church Jackson MS): The pastor in the middle of this first picture (Sudakov Sergiy) is one of my heroes. He pastors a Presbyterian church in Kharkiv, Ukraine which is a city whose northern districts are about 15 miles from the Russian border. Because of that proximity, when the air raid sirens go off, the best-case scenario is that you have about 45 seconds before the detected missile’s explosive arrival. They have been hit hard almost every day for the last 800 days. I spent two nights in Kharkiv at the end of last week and, of course, left more encouraged than anything. Despite the astonishingly difficult circumstances, this pastor presses on. Even as his wife and daughter have been in Germany due to health issues that prevent them from remaining in Ukraine. He even has the audacity to serve with abundant joy.

Sergiy’s brother Mark Agarkov had me over for dinner one evening. He and his wife are living in Kharkiv. They are expecting twins. After an incredibly generous dinner, we sat in their living room and talked and listened to some music on their record player. As the sirens went off for the umpteenth time that day, they both sat calmly; their demeanor not numb, but confident and firm. Rather matter-of-factly, Mark said, “You know… I think that laying in bed and hearing the sirens followed by the explosions nearby is actually good for the Christian. We have uniquely had ample opportunity to practice dying.” What a preposterous thing to say if it weren’t for their confidence in the love of their heavenly Father. In Jackson, we often talk about our holding our plans, preferences, and desires with open hands; but I think we could learn a thing or two from these brothers and sisters about what that actually means.

As you can see in the pictures below (LINK), the inconceivable volume of indiscriminate bombings has mainly been unleashed on apartment buildings, kindergartens, churches, and other residential and civilian structures. You may also recognize Markas and Kristina Kvitka. They came to Jackson last summer for a visit and to give a report on the work their church has been doing during an evening service at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS. On Kharkiv’s central square we shared a meal together in a café that was bombed out completely and then later restored. But even so, behind the smiling faces you can see damaged buildings peering over their shoulders in the background.

This Presbyterian church in Kharkiv, which has understandably become smaller as some members have fled further west, has provided spiritual care, food, kits for keeping warm in winter, and other aid to over 200,000 people over the past two years. That, unbelievably, is not a typo. Much of that aid has even been provided outside of the Crates for Ukraine program and is the result of self-sacrifice and other personal fundraising. Pastor Sergiy (on top of his very busy, weekly preaching and teaching schedule) is urgently using his whole Saturdays to prepare other potential church leaders by running an intensive, seminary-like training program with exams and all-day lectures. The need is urgent because there is an acute awareness that tomorrow has not been promised to any of them and they want to make sure the church is equipped with leaders if the worst should happen.

Don’t forget about Kharkiv. This is a proudly Ukrainian fortress of a city that needs your prayers. They receive precious little encouragement and visits from outsiders while having one of the greatest needs for that support.

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”