Voice of Ukraine

From: Lyuda Betina in Belgorod Dnestrovsky (Day 1221)

“The tragedy of war is that it uses man’s best to do man’s worst.” — Henry Fosdick.

I recently came across this quote and reflected on how warfare technology has changed over the past three years. How much effort, knowledge, research, and money have been invested in making weapons deadlier. In these three years of war, we have witnessed the rapid evolution of the drones our enemy sends against us. Fiber-optic technology guides these drones to their targets to carry out their deadly missions. Missiles enhanced with AI have learned to bypass radars and air defenses. And this is just a small part of the technological advancements we’ve seen.
For most of these three years, our small town felt safe. While destruction and fires raged around us—Odessa, the coastal areas, ports, and fields ready for harvest—our town seemed as if God had covered it with His hands, allowing us to work and minister. Many people fleeing war zones and occupied territories found shelter and protection here. They found jobs, community, and, most importantly, a church where they could come to God. Many refugees discovered new homes, friends, support, and faith.
But last month everything changed. The enemy began attacking our city with drones and missiles.

The main tactic of the Russians is to strike residential areas, trying to break people’s spirit through psychological pressure and force us to capitulate.

This week we experienced the most horrific attack so far. Two rockets struck one of our schools. Just the day before, that school had hosted a graduation ceremony—students celebrated with music, balloons, and decorations.

On Monday, some teachers and students returned to clean up after the party and finish their tasks before the holidays.
One rocket exploded near the school. The second penetrated all four floors of the building and exploded inside.

Three people were killed, and 14 were injured. If it had happened just one day earlier, the number of victims would have been far greater.

Our church van was damaged as Sergey and I happened to be driving near the school at the time. The house of our elder, Valeriy, which is located in that area, was seriously damaged as well. All the windows were shattered, and parts of the walls and roof were destroyed. People from the church came together to help him cover the windows with film.

A few days earlier, the enemy struck the place where our brother Ivan Pushkarevsky was serving. It happened at night. By a miracle of the Lord, Ivan survived, even though he was at the very epicenter of the explosion. Sadly, his colleague was killed.

The arrival of the missionaries these days has been a great support for us. Although their time with us was short, it was truly special. They showed genuine interest in our ministry and did their best to help and support us in planning for the future. They were so brave, staying with us even during the time of shelling. We thank God for His protection and care over all of us.

We also very much hope that our plans to establish a rehabilitation center for war veterans will become a reality. Our deep desire is for those veterans who have endured the hell of war and returned home with wounded souls and broken hearts to experience genuine care and love — and to be moved to seek help from the One who alone can heal and renew their broken hearts and spirits.

The Bible group of refugees continues to meet at the Refugee Center to study Scripture. This week we reflected on Luke chapter 22. We discussed Judas’s betrayal and immersed ourselves in the atmosphere of the Last Supper. There were many questions and meaningful conversations. Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him; He knew what He was about to endure. Yet He gave Himself fully to His disciples — washing their feet, teaching them, and preparing them for their ministry. This brought us a deep sense of Jesus’ presence with us. For people who have had to leave their homes because of the war and now face attacks again in a new place, in a state of extreme anxiety, the presence of Christ brings peace and calm. Together, we are gaining new understanding of how to experience His peace even in the midst of destruction.

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

In Christ,
Lyuda

P.S. With photos of the ruined school above, you will also find photos of other buildings in our town that were destroyed this month.