Kateryna* and her husband own a bakery in a small village in Eastern Ukraine. Their village is often heavily shelled. Yet they continue to work long hours, providing bread for their community. They had the chance to evacuate to a safer place but decided to remain. Why? They are the only source of food in their small village and want to be sure that their neighbors have something to eat.

What is remarkable is that this couple continues to do what they believe God wants them to do even though a missile hit an area near their bakery and the building was badly damaged. Miraculously, Praise God, people and the equipment in the bakery were not harmed.

Last Sunday, Orthodox Easter, Kateryna wrote, “We’re still here … We are often bombed. In our house, a window on the balcony was blown out; God protected the rest. We are working. We buy food in [a neighboring] city, we distribute food, we evangelize, we bake bread. There are long lines for bread now, [with people] waiting 15-20 minutes. We sell out—or give—200-300 loaves of bread [at a time] … but many are afraid to come to us; it is too dangerous. Today we celebrated Easter. About 30 new people came to church. Many locals have not left [the village], mostly the elderly. We try to support everyone as best we can. Thank you very much for taking care of us.”

We Praise God for the servant lives of Kateryna and her husband and are humbled and honored to help provide them with the necessary means to continue their ministry.

Please join your hearts with us in prayer as we lift up Kateryna, her husband, and others like them in eastern Ukraine who are risking their lives to provide food, medical supplies, clothing and other necessities to vulnerable adults, families and children. Pray that God would safeguard them, their families, and their homes/places of business as they provide assistance. Ask that He would also give them stamina, good health, rest, and the provisions they need to make a difference. May the joy of the Lord be their strength!

Please also ask God to protect and provide for all who are in eastern Ukraine and very much in the center of the ongoing war. Many have not been able to evacuate; some, like a number of the elderly, have chosen to stay. Pray also for those who have evacuated but are not yet out of danger—that the Lord would protect them as He provides a way and a safe place for them.

Thank you for your prayers! They are making a difference.

*not her real name