Here is a letter from Pastor Mykhaylo Mukienko of Tartarbunary Church in southern Ukraine. Through our partnership with Slavic Gospel Association (SGA), Children’s Hunger Fund has provided emergency relief funding to Pastor Mykhaylo’s church to serve those in need in their community.
Greetings, dear brothers and sisters!
The ministry of Tatarbunary Church during the war: more than 2,000 people have been through the ministry of our church. These are people from different regions of our country: Mariupol, Donetsk, Kherson, Bucha, Mykolaiv, and others. During this period,
a lot of food has been distributed. Now the church is taking care of about one hundred families.
War is a tragedy, but it is a chance for the church to serve people. Many people have come to know God through this war situation, through the ministry of the church. About twenty people regularly attend church services, as well as men’s and women’s fellowships. About twenty people prayed to God with the prayer of repentance. We are holding meetings with IDPs (internally displaced persons). We are holding church services, and people are coming to these services.
Thank you for your kind and open hearts and your sacrifice for our churches, for our people. We are grateful to God for you, that in this difficult time we are not alone, we are not alone with our pain! God answered our requests and prayers through you. We have received products from you and still do, which were distributed to the IDPs and low-income families in our community. People were receiving it in the church, in their homes, with our prayers and evangelism. People listen to the word of God, pray, cry, and thank God for not forsaking them.
May God bless you richly for your love for us!
2 Corinthians 9:12 “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”
Pastor of Tatarbunary Church,
Mykhaylo Mukienko
Update 6/22/23
The following letter is from Pastor Roman Masyukov of Berezivka Baptist Church in the Odessa region of Ukraine. Not only does he share about the church’s ministry during the war, but he shares about the church’s incredible journey, thanks to the faithfulness of one woman.
Berezivka Baptist Church has received emergency relief funding from Children’s Hunger Fund through our partners at Slavic Gospel Association (SGA).
Many greetings to you, our dear brothers and sisters in the Lord!
Sending our love and our prayers to you and before God!
Church life during the war is a challenge for all of us, but our church has learned how to work with people who need help. Our church has tried to help these people, by providing housing, food, clothing and personal hygiene supplies, spiritual support, and many more ministries for these people. The local church also has a children’s club called “Club of the Future” that is attended by the children whose parents receive help from our church.
We would like to express our gratitude to the SGA and sponsors who donate money and provide products so that we could help people in need. Without your support, our church would not be able to provide enough resources to provide proper care to those in need. Therefore, we are very grateful for your generosity and help in this important effort. May God bless everyone abundantly!
Berezivka Baptist Church in the Odessa region is a member of the Baptist Union of the churches of Ukraine. It was revived in 1992 after the devastating losses it suffered in 1937.
In 1992, there was only one believer in Berezivka who invited preachers from Odessa to come to her home and tell people there about Jesus. Since then, the church has grown and even purchased and reconstructed a beautiful House of Prayer.
Today the church has more than sixty members—about twenty children and twenty young people. There are four choirs and a brass orchestra. It preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ in various ways. Currently, it organizes children’s camps and clubs and social ministry to the various population groups in Berezivka and its district. Thanks to SGA support and sponsors, we preach in both word and deed to about 70-100 unbelievers every Sunday. This is a great opportunity to glorify our Savior Jesus Christ, and we praise Him for everything! Christ is Risen! He is Alive!
Pastor Roman Masyukov,
Berezivka, Odessa region
Update 6/8/23
The following letter is from Pastor Volodymyr Khomenko from the church in Khmilnyk, located in central Ukraine, north of Moldova. His church has received emergency relief funding from Children’s Hunger Fund through our partners at Slavic Gospel Association (SGA).
We greet you in the Name of the Lord!
During the years from 2014 to 2023, the Church in Khmilnyk has discovered a new kind of ministry, which is to help IDPs (internally displaced persons) and refugees from the war zone and from the territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and other regions of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops and its soldiers.
The new conditions of life and ministry of the church in the context of war have changed the position of the church and its attitude towards its neighbors in accordance with the Word of God.
The ministry of compassion, helping neighbors who have lost their homes, jobs, and habitual lifestyles, has taught the members of Christ’s church much.
Serving the first IDPs since 2014, who not only received physical, moral, and financial support, but most importantly spiritual support, changed their attitude to the values in this world. Many people were provided with various kinds of assistance, and most importantly, God’s love was shown to those who have ordinary human needs for food, clothing, and rest, and some of these people became members of the church in Khmilnyk and made their contribution to serving the Lord in this world. 
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, the number of those in need has increased rapidly, and the church has welcomed refugees and served them by providing food, a place to sleep, a place to stay, and supporting them spiritually, because many families have lost not only their property – houses, apartments, but also their loved ones.
Over the several months of 2022 and 2023, the church in Khmilnyk not only welcomed and helped thousands of people in need, but also organized seven trips to the de-occupied territories of the Kherson region. During this time, about 32 tons of all kinds of humanitarian aid were sent and distributed in both Kherson and the surrounding villages of the region.
First, it was food, hygiene products, clothing, and footwear—the main thing was to testify to God’s love in action. We also distributed many gospels and other spiritual literature, held many conversations, prayers, and conversations with people who, in such difficult, life-threatening circumstances, in times of disappointment and disbelief in the earthly, sought the heavenly—the living God, and His protection, support, understanding and salvation for their souls and life for their families.
We praise the Lord for His faithfulness and the hope He gives through the Word of God, for His blessings in ministry, and for the protection of the Church in times of war.
With the Lord we shall have victory!
Proverbs 21:31 “A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory is from the Lord!”
Pastor of the church,
Volodymyr Khomenko
Update 6/1/2023
The following letter is from Pastor Volodymyr Khomenko from the church in Khmilnyk, located in central Ukraine, north of Moldova. His church has received emergency relief funding from Children’s Hunger Fund through our partners at Slavic Gospel Association (SGA). If you would like to contribute to CHF’s ongoing relief efforts you can do so here.
We greet you in the Name of the Lord!
During the years from 2014 to 2023, the Church in Khmilnyk has discovered a new kind of ministry, which is to help IDPs (internally displaced persons) and refugees from the war zone and from the territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and other regions of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops and its soldiers.
The new conditions of life and ministry of the church in the context of war have changed the position of the church and its attitude towards its neighbors in accordance with the Word of God.
The ministry of compassion, helping neighbors who have lost their homes, jobs, and habitual lifestyles, has taught the members of Christ’s church much.
Serving the first IDPs since 2014, who not only received physical, moral, and financial support, but most importantly spiritual support, changed their attitude to the values in this world. Many people were provided with various kinds of assistance, and most importantly, God’s love was shown to those who have ordinary human needs for food, clothing, and rest, and some of these people became members of the church in Khmilnyk and made their contribution to serving the Lord in this world.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, the number of those in need has increased rapidly, and the church has welcomed refugees and served them by providing food, a place to sleep, a place to stay, and supporting them spiritually, because many families have lost not only their property – houses, apartments, but also their loved ones.
Over the several months of 2022 and 2023, the church in Khmilnyk not only welcomed and helped thousands of people in need, but also organized seven trips to the de-occupied territories of the Kherson region. During this time, about 32 tons of all kinds of humanitarian aid were sent and distributed in both Kherson and the surrounding villages of the region.
First, it was food, hygiene products, clothing, and footwear—the main thing was to testify to God’s love in action. We also distributed many gospels and other spiritual literature, held many conversations, prayers, and conversations with people who, in such difficult, life-threatening circumstances, in times of disappointment and disbelief in the earthly, sought the heavenly—the living God, and His protection, support, understanding and salvation for their souls and life for their families.
We praise the Lord for His faithfulness and the hope He gives through the Word of God, for His blessings in ministry, and for the protection of the Church in times of war.
With the Lord we shall have victory!
Proverbs 21:31 “A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory is from the Lord!”
Pastor of the church,
Volodymyr Khomenko
Update 7/5/2023
This letter comes from a pastor in Zaporozhye, a city in southeastern Ukraine on the Dnieper River. This church recently received aid that was shipped from Poland and provided by funding from Children’s Hunger Fund. We are humbled and grateful for the generosity that made this funding possible.
Letter of Thanks!
Our small church in Zaporozhye would like to thank God and SGA and all the people who are not indifferent to the Ukrainian sufferings!
Most of our region is under occupation. The city of Zaporizhzhia is under shelling all the time, many factories have been closed—there are no jobs, and people are in poverty. But God blesses His children through the work of SGA, other missions, charitable foundations, and ordinary Christians, who love God—for which we are so very grateful!
From our Osipenkivka church, 40% were forced to leave. And those who stayed are actively serving the people—loving the Lord and obeying His commandments: “Whatever you did to one of these little ones you did to Me.” We as all the people in the city have great difficulties with finances, food, and hygiene supplies. But thanks to our Heavenly Father who has your hearts and gives SGA special wisdom to participate in our needs. It’s His grace!
The church today can distribute food packages and prepare meals for those in need, IDPs (internally displaced persons), and refugees. All these circumstances have caused our church to welcome many church visitors. There are always many people at the service who want to listen to God’s Word, sing together, and pray. Others go to small groups and prepare for the baptism.
Our deepest gratitude to God—and a big thank you to the leadership of SGA and to all those who donate their funds to fulfill God’s plan here on earth.
May God reward everyone with strength, health, and prosperity!
God’s blessings to all of you!
