Working with the Ukraine Bible Society, representatives of David Hathaway’s Ministry in Ukraine have frequently distributed Bibles and ministered to those in need of comfort and support. Our staff have made many trips to the ‘red-zone’, distributing Bibles to soldiers who are in a stand-off with Russian-backed separatists. In addition, we have ministered to vulnerable children living in Kiev, offering them much needed care and support. These are the stories of three individuals who have benefited from these outreaches. Thank you for supporting this ministry.
Zhenya, was one of the ‘Cyborg’ soldiers who heroically defended Donetsk airport in 2014-2015 against the prevailing enemy Separatist forces – the Separatist officers called the defenders ‘Cyborgs’ to explain away why they couldn’t break their defence. Just one day before the airport was completely destroyed, Zhenya got a minor injury and was invalided out – now, he believes it was God’s providence. He said the only thing that protected him, both physically and spiritually, was the New Testament, which he always carried with him. Many times, he saw God’s protection over himself and his comrades.
When Zhenya received a Bible from us, he was very touched. “Now, I will be able to read the whole Bible! Every soldier needs God and His Word here, on the frontline. But, even more, he needs it when he returns home.”
Svitlana, lost her husband during the war. “I am truly thankful for the Bible I’ve received today! For me personally, the Bible brought spiritual salvation. After my husband was killed, it was really hard to cope with the pain and despair. Someone suggested to me to read Proverbs and Psalms. This is when I understood the purpose of this Book. It helps to sort out our problems and find relief. I owe a lot to the Christians who read the Bible with me and helped to understand it. As a widow, I always tell others who go through similar circumstances to read, think and learn about God through His Word. This Book brings true peace and heals the wounds in our souls. It is the greatest help to me in the most difficult of situations.”
Dmytriy, 16, doesn’t like to think of his past life, but he found himself a detention centre along with many other children with similar stories to his own. The environment there was forcing him to break the law to survive in this ‘evil world’ as he called it. After he received a Bible, he was afraid to read it because the other boys would laugh at him for being ‘weak’ and ‘soft’. However, an irresistible interest in this Book and a strong desire to understand why those visitors gave it to him as a gift, compelled him to start reading. He told us, “Frankly speaking, I didn’t understand everything at the beginning, but when I read the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus I was greatly surprised at this rich man renouncing his fortune of his own free will. That helped me to understand there are different values in life – more precious than luxury living and wealth. After that, I began reading Bible more and more to understand what all this is about. I am so grateful to the people who gave this book to me! It contains God’s life principles that are so different from those rules I was forced to follow before.”