By Gennady Podgaisky, CBF field personnel
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for almost three years. Although it often doesn’t make the front pages of newspapers unless there are shocking or devastating developments, the conflict continues, and people are dying and suffering on an unprecedented scale in the 21st century. When Russian troops retreated from Kyiv in April 2022, many areas around the capital, which had seen fierce battles, experienced significant damage and devastation.
One of the affected locations is the small village of Moshchun, located about six miles from Kyiv. In the summer of 2022, several hundred people still lived in less-damaged houses, often without electricity or running water. Most of these residents were elderly and disabled individuals who had nowhere else to go.
A group from the church we attended in Kyiv began providing food, clothing, drinkable water and assistance with minor repairs to make homes livable. Volunteers also prayed with the people, shared God’s love, listened to their stories and became the hands and feet of Christ in that small community. Over the past two and a half years, there have been several village-wide evangelistic outreach events and activities for children; leading many adults and children to learn about Jesus Christ.
In the past two years, volunteers from the church have been feeding 130 to 150 people twice a week. Due to frequent electricity outages and the high prices or shortages of natural gas for heating and cooking, all meals are prepared outdoors on wood-burning stoves. To serve this many people, volunteers must purchase, transport and chop firewood, buy groceries, cook the meals, and then distribute them in the village.
In the last year, two weekly home Bible study groups have been organized in Moshchun. They meet in a rented and restored small village store/café. While most attendees identify themselves as Orthodox Christians, they rarely encounter Protestant Christians and have never studied the Bible. Another Christian organization provided Bibles for adults and children, which were distributed at the feeding location.
Thanks to your financial support, we have been able to assist this ministry of Bread and Word and the dedicated volunteers since the summer of 2022. All four Gospels recount the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in a remote location. “Jesus replied [to the disciples], ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat,’” Matthew 14:16.
When people witness the love of God and experience compassion in action, they become open and willing to hear the Good News.
To learn more about how to support Mina and Gennady, visit classy.org/campaign/gennady-and-mina-podgaisky/c106540