From: Lyuda Betina (Day 1384)
News from Ukraine
Winter has arrived with its cold and grey days, yet December still carries the warm anticipation of the coming holidays. Even as air raid alerts grow more frequent and blackouts deepen, our people long for a moment of celebration. And Christmas, the holiday that brings light into the darkest season, fills hearts with joy—because the birth of Jesus gives us hope.
We cannot put up bright decorations outside, as they might attract drones. Our enemy continues to target energy facilities, trying to leave us without power and heat this winter. Yet inside our homes and churches, we decorate with joy, allowing ourselves—for a little while—to forget the war and everything difficult around us. Even when the electricity is out and we are surrounded by darkness, we switch on our flashlights, rehearse the Christmas program, prepare costumes, and wrap gifts. Soon we will share our Christmas play and skits, and we hope with all our hearts to bring our community the joy of peace and hope through the Christmas story.
In these difficult days, when so many around us feel the weight of despair and depression brought on by the war, we feel an even greater desire to bring light to our community. We want to offer moments of warmth and encouragement, to remind people that they are not alone, and to let the hope of Christmas shine into places darkened by fear and uncertainty.
One of the most meaningful moments of our week is our visit with the children at the orphanage. We treasure every minute we spend together—discussing Bible stories, drawing, playing, and singing motion songs. Sometimes the children pull us aside to talk privately and share their struggles or secrets.
There is 13-year-old Art, still grieving the loss of his mother who passed away six months ago. From time to time he runs away to spend a few quiet hours at her grave, and then gently returns.
Alyona shares her dreams of becoming a journalist and always whispers her request for her favorite sweets as we leave.
Vanya waits every Saturday for his grandfather to visit; when he cannot come, Vanya’s disappointment is deep.
And Kostya, usually so quiet, suddenly comes alive during games—his eyes light up, and he becomes active and talkative.
Each child carries a whole story within their heart.
Recently, we received wonderful news: despite the war and all the challenges these children face, four of them will soon be welcomed into a foster family. We are truly grateful and deeply happy for them.
We are gathering Christmas packages for our soldiers, hoping to send them not only small gifts but also our love, prayers, and warm holiday wishes. Sadly, none of our church members who are serving on the front lines will be able to come home for Christmas this year. We will miss Dr. Anya, Paul, and Ivan deeply. We continue to lift them up in prayer, asking God to guard and protect them in every moment. We also look back with deep fondness on the Christmas concert Ivan organized in our church last year. Even in the midst of his service, he found an opportunity to prepare it during his free time. It was a beautiful gift to us and to our whole community.
And we recently received another unexpected joy: a little dog has joined our home. We took her in from a refugee family who had been given the puppy as a gift but were unable to care for her. Her name is Lana, and she is wonderful—bringing us so many positive emotions and bright moments each day.
We are living through difficult times, yet the Lord does not abandon us. He gives us moments of joy, sustains us, and helps us keep going. I hold on to the hope that peace will return to our country and that we will one day be able to live in safety once again.
Dear friends, thank you for your prayers, your support, and your steadfast stand against evil. I am deeply grateful for each one of you. May the Lord bless you and your families with His special grace during this holiday season, and may the joy of Christmas fill your hearts with peace and hope.
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.org
In Christ,
Lyuda
P.S. I am sharing photos from our work with a group of refugees, pictures of our time with the children at the orphanage during a blackout, and images of the destroyed homes in our neighborhood after the most recent drone attack and the photo of our dog.
Voice of Ukraine 
4 responses to “12/8/2025 — Christmas Greetings From Belgorod Dnestrovsky”
Our prayers continue for a just end to this war and for you to be held close by our Savior.
Dee
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Dear Lyuda,
Thank you for writing of the joy, hope and light our Savior brings!!! Especially during the hard times!
Praying for you all daily!
May God have mercy on Ukraine!
Love in Christ,
Jill
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My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
Psalm 63:5-7
Thanks to your prayers, the strategic bombers that took off in russia on Sunday night never launched any missiles. There were many theories as to why it happened. Perhaps it was intended as intimidation only from the very beginning. Or maybe they had to cancel because of the freezing rain that began after takeoff. We don’t know how, but we trust it was God’s hand at work.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the news about the massive blackout in Berlin. Even though there’s a group that took responsibility for setting the power lines on fire, it’s a known fact that russia sponsors both extreme right and extreme left groups just to cause disunity in any society. The good old “divide and conquer” (divide et impera ) strategy. All Ukrainians sympathize with the residents of Berlin who have been left without electricity for days. I’m so glad that my friends live in the area that wasn’t affected. I remember how people were sharing blackout tips back in 2021-2022, and we kept hoping we wouldn’t need them. Unfortunately, our world is very fragile.
I read about a Ukrainian community setting up a “resilience point” in Berlin, offering hot drinks, hot food, and an opportunity to charge phones and power banks. They were not unique, but it was encouraging to see the Ukrainians taking initiative and responding with love to those who welcomed them in times of need.
Unfortunately, Ukrainians have had a unique experience now. An experience we didn’t ask for, but one we cannot afford to waste. This war has made us stronger than we ever wanted to be, so we hope we can become the strength Europe needs while all of us resist the bloodthirsty tyrant on our continent.
God allows things for a reason, so let us be watchful and ready to respond.
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