War is robbing Ukraine’s churches of their men, leaving congregations filled with grieving widows and anxious wives for Christmas.
Dasha has recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy into the world. Tragically, her husband, Pavlo, didn’t have the opportunity to hold their son, as he lost his life on the frontlines in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Now, as a young widow in her 20s, Dasha faces the challenges of raising her little one in a war zone. She navigates this journey while grieving her loss and coping with persistent power cuts that endure for days.
One evangelical congregation in the village of Novoivankivtsi, located in southeast Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, has no men. They have either been enlisted to fight or fled the war-torn area with their families. Only a few widows remain, steadfast in their commitment to continue church services and maintain their small Bible study group.
Across Ukraine, hundreds of churches have been virtually drained of men, including pastors, as many have been mobilized to support frontline troops. Since the onset of the war, Ukraine has suffered the loss of 43,000 soldiers began.
Eric Mock, senior vice president of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA, www.sga.org), said,
“After more than 1,000 days of war, the complexion of these churches has changed dramatically. It’s estimated 400 pastors are serving in various capacities on the frontlines, and many more men from these churches.”
Left behind are the women and children, including many like Dasha, who have become widows, along with those living in constant fear of receiving devastating news from the front.
With assistance from SGA in Illinois, these courageous women and their churches are reaching out, putting aside their own sorrow to support their neighbors this Christmas. At the Novoivankivtsi church, elderly widows have received firewood to stay warm during the winter. This effort is part of SGA’s Heat & Hope initiative, which helps local evangelical churches in Ukraine by providing essential support and warmth to the most vulnerable while also sharing the message of the gospel them.
Mock said,
“These churches and their members, including many women, minister to the needs of people coming to them while struggling themselves to put food on their own tables and care for their own children. In the face of anxiety, fear, and sorrow, these courageous women are caring for others.”
SGA supports thousands of evangelical congregations across Ukraine, Russia, the former Soviet Union, and Israel. This Christmas, its church-run Immanuel’s Child initiative will distribute gifts and Bibles, as well as Star of Bethlehem ornaments from supporters in the U.S., to tens of thousands of children, many of whom have never heard the Christmas story before.