Word from Ukraine is difficult. We have had several sleepless nights in a row. Ivan looked more tired than I had seen him in a while. With our attention focused on elections, Russia, with help from North Korean troops, has been pummeling Ukraine daily. For weeks the situation has worsened in many cities, even Kyiv. I have learned to become more understanding with staff who suddenly become less effective. Ivan was speaking about a young married woman who had been doing well until recently. Her husband and father are on the front lines, and for several days, she has not heard from her brother. This war is taking a deep toll on the people, and the number of refugees has increased greatly as winter approaches.
Read MoreSince February 2021, The Outreach Foundation has been following developments in Ukraine closely. The war is not going well for Ukraine, though we remain positive and want only to encourage them in their dark hours. Russia’s latest attacks have increased pressure on the fragile power grid. Ukraine now imports more than 50% of its needed energy. Attacks in Kyiv, such as the one that made our national news on Monday, July 8, are common. The age of conscription in Ukraine continues to drop, and the age of those actively fighting includes men in their sixties.
Read MoreA typical day in Eastern Ukraine lately is marked by the sounds of artillery shelling, drones, and even ballistic missiles striking their targets. By the hundreds, civilians and military alike are wounded or killed each week. Adding to this the weather is not as forgiving as last year. Winter has just started to settle in and already temperatures are reaching low 20s. Snow and frozen ground are building where shelter is scarce in war-torn cities. Combined this has created a context of decreasing morale and an increasing sense of isolation. This is precisely where the Ukrainian Evangelical Church is showing up.
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