Hope Within Reach in Ukraine: Six Questions About Life and Ministry in a Conflict Zone
[Estimated reading time: 5 minutes]
Since the beginning of the war, families in Ukraine have been torn apart by displacement and death. TWR is endeavoring to meet those affected in their brokenness to provide support and heal wounds.
As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to cast a dark shadow over both countries, TWR is bringing the eternal hope of life in Jesus. Alex Chmut, the leader of TWR Ukraine, has opened up on the challenge and glory of God’s love in the middle of this crisis.
In a recent interview, Chmut answered six key questions and provided us with insights into the current context in which TWR is offering hope.
Can you describe the biggest challenges faced by the TWR team?
Currently, the biggest challenges we face concern people – their emotional, spiritual and physical condition. The team is exhausted. The constant shelling, sleepless nights, the ever-present threat of death and the uncertainty about what the future holds – all this affects our productivity and mood. This situation is observed in many Christian organizations and churches. Rehabilitation will take time when all this ends.
Another challenge is the lack of people whom we could involve in the ministry. There is currently a severe shortage of personnel. Finding brothers is practically impossible. People continue to leave the country.
The last challenge is the financial donations from Ukrainian listeners, which continue to decline. Previously, our major sponsors were older people, but their numbers are decreasing. Younger people tend to donate much less. Furthermore, the economic situation does not encourage expectations of increased donations soon.
What impact does the message of Jesus’ love have?
Our message truly transforms the way people think, as evidenced by the comments they leave under our videos and audio materials. People are beginning to understand God better. We represent him as he truly is, as the biblical God. It is crucial for people to reconcile the injustice prevailing in this world with the presence of the almighty God who controls everything. We encourage people, above all, to entrust their lives to Jesus, and many are responding to this call.
Can you describe the impact of the war on families and how TWR is helping?
The war has resulted in millions of separated families in Ukraine. This devastating reality is even difficult to fully comprehend, but it manifests in some of the following ways:
- At the beginning of the full-scale war, hundreds of thousands of women with children fled abroad, and most have not returned. Many families, including Christian ones, have fallen apart.
- Millions of men were mobilized and have been involved in the war for over three years. This has caused a major strain on families, and they will need to relearn how to rebuild relationships.
- The result of the war today includes hundreds of thousands of widows and orphans, [leading to] broken families.
The state will not be able to address the consequences of such a massive tragedy on its own. A comprehensive rehabilitation program is needed. TWR Ukraine is striving to prepare programs that can help heal existing wounds, show the pathway to reconciliation and teach people how to live even when things cannot be undone.
How would you like TWR's ministry to develop?
Our desire is to involve more dedicated and talented people in the ministry of TWR who can further advance this work. We aim to actively engage local churches to help spread our content throughout Ukraine, reaching both believers and nonbelievers alike.
We plan to continue creating content that is relevant and understandable to various groups of people in our country. We will focus on sharing testimonies of transformed lives, teaching practical solutions to people's problems and presenting accessible Bible-study materials.
Can you provide examples of those who have responded to TWR’s preaching?
One pastor was mobilized and sent to the front lines. After being wounded, he was transferred to the rear and, during a conversation, shared that he had spent several days in a shelter in a city under bombardment. During that time, he listened to our podcast on the message to the Ephesians, which greatly strengthened him.
We have many testimonies of people who have accepted Jesus into their hearts through listening to our programs. A woman approached me at church and said she found our church through a video of my sermons on the internet and now attends regularly. We have many similar testimonies.
What are your prayer requests for Ukraine?
- We ask God for his mercy, that this war would come to an end. We are extremely exhausted from all of this and often struggle with the challenges before us.
- For the spiritual, emotional and physical restoration of our team members. The damage caused by the war greatly affects the effectiveness of our ministry.
- For wisdom and vision in creating content that appropriately meets the needs of our people.
- For the protection of the lives of our staff. Lately, we find ourselves in areas of heightened risk due to frequent and massive missile strikes.
Images: (top, banner) A father holds his son while they observe an old tank in Ukraine, (middle, right) Two women weave camouflage mesh for the military in Ukraine.
