The following is copied and shared with permission and reflects a deeply personal  perspective forged amid the daily suffering and sacrifice caused by the war in Ukraine.  This update is offered to inform and encourage your prayerful support for all who are affected by this tragedy.

If you would like to help us with humanitarian aid efforts you can donate through our  website https://ipministry.org/donate/. The needs are growing as we keep helping thousands of people to move west within Ukraine and also helping those who want to leave the country temporarily. We need funds most of all for gas, but also for food and various supplies (medical, bed linens, mattresses, etc). Thank you.                        

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Diana Shuliahina in Kyiv:

“Today I caught myself thinking that I count life with days of the war. I can’t remember the date or day of the week but I know today is 39th day of the war. 40 days ago I had an ordinary life. But that day was special – I found out that I would have one more grandbaby and it was also our wedding anniversary. Everything was wonderful! But in less than 24 hours everything has changed! We woke up at 5am from explosions and realized that it was war. The war was in the air even before that morning of Feb 24th.
I am grateful for friends who were realistic and encouraged us to buy some food days ahead of the war so we could start providing food packages to those in need when the time came. It became very helpful when we had problems with food availability in the stores. So many times I thanked God for taking care of us with the help of faithful people who live far away from Ukraine.

We see that the war revealed people’s true character, qualities there were not obvious before the crisis. I didn’t realize how many modest people surround me. When we offer people help they don’t take more than they need, they want to make sure that there will be something left for others. This concern for others among people who were suffering from a shortage of food was very moving. Someone would just take just a pack of rice saying that soon they would get their retirement payment and be able to buy food in a store. Those who accepted the whole food bag would glorify God as He provided more than they were hoping for.

After the first few days of war, we continued to do Bible study groups in the zoom, some in-person meetings in the church, and Sunday services. People in our church are intentionally looking for those who might need help. We got help from Uman church and from some volunteer groups who brought food, diapers, baby food, and various supplies that we can distribute to those in need. It’s an opportunity for us to serve our community and to talk with people about God’s love and the power of prayer. We are praying, acting, believing, and waiting for God’s victory over russian aggressors.”

Update from Ludmilla Pyrig in Lviv:

“We had a chance to meet and help with accommodation, food, give moral and spiritual support to refugees from different parts of Ukraine. Some of them we met for a few hours, and some for a few days and even weeks. The people and stories of their lives are different, but the reason they came to Lviv was the only one – the brutal war which broke in our homes about a month ago.

One of the families came from Mariupol. A grandmother, a mother and five children. They lived in the outskirts of the town. Just before the war was started they had decided to rent an apartment in the center of the Mariupol which seemed a safer place in the face of the threat of the russian invasion. It saved them when the first bombings occurred on the February 24. The situation became worse very soon and the family had to flee to a bomb shelter. They spent 15 long days there. Children could go outside only once in three or four days because it was so dangerous to be in the open space. No electricity or heating. Awful smells, ill people all around, and a condensate dripping on the face from the ceiling. They couldn’t escape from the town on the first attempt. So, they were patiently waiting. The ones with a car had better chances to get out of the site of the warfare. A woman with her son was about to leave too. Ksenia, the mother of the five children, pleaded with her to take them out of the town. But the car was too small to take all the family. Fortunately, they could find the second car to make their way to the west of Ukraine. The trip to the closest town took eight hours. They then were evacuated from that town by buses to Zaporozhye. The pastor of a local church allowed them to stay a few days in his house. After that the family took a train to Lviv. They were surprised to meet medical workers from Billy Graham Rapid Response team on the train station, who checked their blood pressure, made other examinations for free and asked if they could pray for them. Later, when they told us their story, they said that while all those people were taking care of them it was indeed God’s rescuing hand which led them all the way.”

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after
you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong,
firm and steadfast. (1Pe.5:10)

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Please share these updates with others. I have added direct links to our email, our website, and to the IP Ministry Journal on YouTube to the bottom of this page. Your prayers are precious to us. Thank you!

In Christ,
Brandy Ezzell
International Partnerships