Ukrainian Baptists in areas previously occupied by Russian troops report “unbelievable” atrocities and “extreme crisis,” the European Baptist Federation stated in a Nov. 22 update.
Even so, Baptists in Ukraine continue to minister to their neighbors and to give thanks for God’s sustaining grace while they prepare for a hard winter ahead, European Baptist Communications reported.
“As areas have been liberated, aid organizations, including the Baptists, have rushed in desperately needed supplies for those neglected and reeling from Russian occupation. The atrocities reported in these areas are unbelievable. Winter in these regions will be particularly difficult,” the EBF update stated.
Russian authorities seized “multiple churches” in recent weeks to use as barracks, the update continued.
“Numerous pastors have gone missing. Churches that used to stand as centers of refuge and ministry in their towns have been destroyed, left hollow by fire or missiles,” the report stated.
Leaders of the Baptist Union in Mykolaiv report “tragic news” from the city in southern Ukraine.
“People are pulled out from under the rubble, industrial and civilian objects are attacked, and the lives and livelihoods of our citizens are destroyed,” European Baptist Communications quoted Ukrainian Baptist Union leaders.
“Broken lives,” damaged infrastructure and “uncertainty about the future” are reality for Mykolaiv’s residents, the EBF report stated.
“Many people at this time found themselves in an extreme crisis,” the EBF update continued. “Those who had to fight for survival even before the war suffered the most. These are people with disabilities, families in difficult life circumstances and elderly people.”
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‘This new normal’
Even beyond regions previously occupied by Russian military, Ukrainians in recent weeks have experienced “sporadic shelling across the country, with Russian troops increasingly targeting civilian areas and critical infrastructure,” the update stated.
“Baptists across the country are trying to adjust and live through this new normal, which includes frequent visits to bomb shelters and limited or restricted access to power.”
The EBF noted Igor Bandura, vice president of the Ukrainian Baptist Union, told a recent prayer gathering, “Over time comes the understanding that you should not wait for life to return to a peaceful course but live the life we have today.”
In the midst of turmoil, Ukrainian Baptists report giving thanks for new believers baptized, new pastors ordained, new churches started and “more than 20,000 new people attending church regularly.”
To a large degree, the growth has resulted from the care Ukrainian Baptists have demonstrated to neighbors over the past nine months.
“Since February, our churches have turned from meeting halls into dorms, canteens, train stations, heating points and places of spiritual renewal,” the EBF update quotes Baptist leaders. “Often, Christians responded to challenges faster than local administration and local governments. Now, hundreds of new people respect, love and join the church.”
Impact on Baptists in surrounding nations
In a YouTube video, EBF General Secretary Alan Donaldson said as the war in Ukraine continues, European Baptist churches in neighboring nations seek to balance longstanding ministries to their own communities with new ministries to Ukrainian refugees who are sheltered in their countries.
“The churches are undergoing an existential change that will last,” he said, noting there now may be more Ukrainian Baptists in Poland than Polish Baptists.
Donaldson also pointed to the unique challenges facing Russian Baptists. They suffer under the weight of sanctions from without and pressure from within their country, as well as the loss of young families who are migrating to Turkey, Georgia, Serbia, Armenia and other areas, he noted.
“They suffer financial loss, as well as the loss of relationships. They have chosen to be very cautious about what they are condemning publicly. But they have—in their latest public statement—restated their pacifist views in an act of resistance related to possible forced conscription,” he said.
As more nations are drawn into the Russian/Ukrainian conflict, the search for an appropriate response is on the agenda of nearly every Baptist union and convention, Donaldson said.
Pointing to the societal transformation taking place in Europe due to the influx of immigrants and refugees, the EBF and its member unions prayerfully are asking “what the Lord requires of us” in challenging days, he said.
EDITOR’S NOTE:The European Baptist Federation is the lead agency from the Baptist Forum for Aid and Development responding to the war in Ukraine. For more information about EBF and the ways Baptists in and around Ukraine are serving go to ebf.org.
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