Voice of Ukraine

From: Lyuda Betina in Belgorod Dnestrovsky (Day 1099)

Day after day passes, we thank God for every day of our lives. Life goes on and the war goes on too. We’ve been living like this for exactly three years. The past two weeks have been very difficult. Political turmoil, a worsening flu epidemic, the arrival of frosty, bitter weather, and the grim realities of war all contribute to an overwhelming sense of distress.

Politicians speak of peace and express a desire for it. Yet, after three years of war, perhaps no nation longs for peace more than ours. But we seek a just and lasting peace. We know our enemy’s tactics all too well. A simple ceasefire will not bring true peace and security—it will only grant the aggressor time to regroup, strengthen its forces, seize more territory, and take more lives. And Ukraine will not be the last victim. Today, we pray for the politicians of the world, hoping they seek wisdom and place their trust more and more in God.

A lot of people are sick with the flu right now. Two weeks ago I suddenly felt sick. I used to always treat colds at home by simply taking medicine. Вut this time I felt so bad that Sergey took me to the clinic, I underwent treatment for five days.

Christian medical clinic is one of the ministries of our church and a big blessing for our community. The clinic continues to work actively now although Dr. Anya is sorely missed there. Our counseling center collaborates closely with the clinic.

Whenever doctors notice a psychological concern in their patients that requires counseling, they call us. This happens quite often, so my colleague Tanya and I regularly visit the clinic to work with some of the patients. But this time, I was the patient, and Lena, the doctor’s assistant, treated me. While she was taking care of me, I had a great opportunity to talk with her.

Lena and Anya, who used to work at the clinic together, joined the army as medics on the first day of the war. Like Anya’s family, Lena’s husband and son also joined the army, too. Her husband, Serhiy, fought in a combat unit, while her son, Dr. Yaroslav, has spent the past three years working as a military surgeon in a hospital in Mykolaiv, saving the lives of both soldiers and civilians.

Lena and Anya served together in the same medical battalion. After two years of service, Lena returned home when her husband was seriously wounded. He is still recovering, and Lena has since returned to her job at the clinic.

These days there were many patients in the clinic, despite the fact that they were all sick, they were chatting with each other. This has already become a special feature of our community. People have learned to share and listen to each other, to empathize and show care. I met a woman whose son is fighting at the war, a young student girl, and a woman who has a disabled son and also saw that refugees from our group were being treated there.

We are constantly in touch with our Dr. Anya and do not stop praying for her. Last night she sent a message with a prayer request saying they were taking two seriously wounded people out of the combat zone and drones were following them. We immediately started praying for the wounded soldiers, for the medics who were providing them with assistance, and for the driver who had to drive at top speed to avoid the drones. An hour later, a message came that they had arrived safely. Praise the Lord!

For three years now, our church has gathered for prayer on Zoom every evening. Monday, February 24, was a day of special prayer, not only in Ukraine but also in many other countries around the world. Exactly three years ago, our lives changed forever when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of our country. Throughout these years, prayer has been a source of strength, bringing us a deep sense of God’s presence and renewing our hope. On this day, missionaries who have dedicated many years to serving in Ukraine joined us in prayer on Zoom. I want to sincerely thank each of you who faithfully stand with us—supporting us in prayer, offering assistance, and helping us grow in faith and ministry.

May God bless us all with His special blessings of peace, love, and unity.

Please, send your donations to:

Pathway Ministries
E. Langston Haygood,D.Min.,Ph.D.
Pathway Ministries, Inc.
288 Huntington Parc Circle
Birmingham, AL 35226
(205)835-3325
http://www.pathwayministriesinc.com

P.S. There are photos of the doctors, workers and some patients of our Christian Medical Clinic, the screenshot of our Zoom prayer and the view of a frozen bay in our town.