Voice of Ukraine

From: Lyuda Betina – wife of Sergei, pastor of the Belgorod Dnestrovsky Church (Day 1291)

News from Ukraine
This past week has been very difficult for my family. A week ago, my father passed away at the age of 86. For the past two years, he had been in poor health, experiencing heart attacks that had become more frequent in recent months. He went to be with the Lord last Saturday.

My dad, Nikolay, dedicated his entire life to teaching at an agricultural college. He worked there until he was 82. He loved to be with his students and they loved him, he was known for his warm sense of humor. At the age of 50, he came to faith in Christ. While listening to a radio program, he heard the parable of the prodigal son, and that story deeply touched his heart. In it, he recognized himself—a wandering pilgrim longing to return to his Heavenly Father.

In our Orthodox culture, where people are often focused mainly on traditions and rituals, my father stood out because he read the Scriptures and deeply understood the essence of the gospel. He was a true peacemaker, always seeking to resolve conflicts, which made the current war especially painful for him to witness. He longed to see peace restored, followed the news closely, and even made his own plans and hopes for how peace could come.
Three years ago, when the war began, Sergey and I moved in with my parents to care for them. Now that my father has passed, our home feels so empty without him. Yet we find great comfort in knowing that he is with the Lord, where there is no more suffering or pain. Please, pray for my mother, Klaudia, who feels very lonely now, they lived together for 60 years.

Our grief often distracts us from the events unfolding around us. Yet the war goes on, bringing with it pain, death, and sorrow. The new school year has begun, and children have returned to their studies. Those whose school was destroyed by an enemy missile this summer have been placed in other schools. The other day, I visited one of these schools and had a brief conversation with the teachers. I noticed how much tension they carry. Their lessons are constantly interrupted by air-raid sirens, forcing them to lead the children to bomb shelters. The responsibility for the children’s safety, combined with the fear that lingers after the attack on their school, has left a deep mark on our teachers. Last year, I worked with students and teachers at a local college, leading group therapy sessions. Perhaps I should consider doing the same for our schools as well.

Our thoughts and prayers are always with our military especially our loved ones from our church from our family. Dr. Anya had a surgery on her arm. Her many months of service in dangerous places without rest, constant physical and emotional stress affect her health. Her son, Ivan, who originally served in our city, is now serving in a different place, far from here, and we know little about his service now. He calls us and although he tells us little about what is happening around him, we are glad to hear from him and continue to pray for him and other soldiers. We also maintain close contacts with other soldiers from our town whom we met through our friends, we send them a parcels and support them as best we can and we are very happy to see them in our church when they come home for a few days. For many of them, this is their first experience with the church. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to share the Gospel and love of Jesus with them.
Last week we weren’t able to visit the orphanage because the children were sick and placed under quarantine. Thankfully, our counselor Vika now works there, so we were still able to send some treats for the kids through her.

Thank you for your support and care. These days are very difficult for us, but we hold on to the hope that a day will come when everything will change. Then we will praise the Lord for His peace, His love, and His deliverance.

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. Here are some photos: of the children in the orphanage before quarantine, and of the group meeting with the refugees