Ukraine Trip Blog Day 1

Remember Us: A Ukraine Trip Reflection

"I thank God in all my remembrance of you” (Phil 1:3). Remembering, referred to as “remembrance” in scripture, is essential and unifying in our visits to our partners. We remember our partners not just in prayers and conversations, but most powerfully when we visit their homes and lands. Like the stones of Aaron (Exodus 28:12), we help each other remember the Lord’s goodness during the atrocities of war.

In April, The Outreach Foundation assembled a team from the United States, Lithuania, and Poland to remember war-affected Ukrainians, pastors, and military chaplains. Our itinerary took us from Lviv to Kyiv, and beyond Kharkiv. We saw, heard, and now bear witness to what God is doing throughout Ukraine because of His church – transforming a country before our eyes.

Our visit began with a 3-day retreat for 43 participants from many areas of Ukraine, including regions still violent from the war. Chaplains and their wives gathered for rest, worship, and support alongside our team of experienced military veterans, chaplains, and pastors. Emotions were raw, and couples were weepy as husbands deployed the next day. In a country at war, the body of Christ still gathered, glorified God, and had their souls strengthened.

We saw weary people in various locations who reminded us that they are not overcome but who do worry the world has forgotten them. “Remember us, please” was the theme that reverberated in our visits. We heard it from boys at Radooga’s robotics day camp. We also heard it at a mass grave in Buccha, where an icon of the Pieta now stands, signaling that the crucified Jesus, who knows suffering, is with them.

Remember us. These words we heard after a drive to an undisclosed location in the east where we came across a congregation of 135 that now gathers under a tent in an area littered with landmines and the constant threat of Russian artillery. Needing to rebuild their community, these Ukrainians were energized to volunteer, even finding space for 270 children to gather for online education because of a generator providing them power. In a situation where many would give up, these people are flourishing by God’s Mercy.

Thanks to Outreach donors and churches, we also brought 1,000 Immediate First Aid Kits (IFAKs) to soldiers on the front lines. Our team was honored to hand out 30 kits to soldiers fresh from the front lines. One army training medic said, “These are like warm oil over my battered spirit. Thank you for remembering us. These will save many lives.”

Reflecting on this visit has taken patience as we waited for our spirits to grasp what our souls experienced in Ukraine. Saulius Karosas, pastor of our partner City Church in Lithuania, put it best: “Finally my soul has caught up with my body.” We look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks.

-Tom Boone, Associate Director for Mission