On the second day of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin’s forces are closing in on the capital city of Kyiv from all directions. UCB news reporter Vicky Gibbens spoke to Derek Maxwell from the Slavic Gospel Association UK, who informed her that his organisation’s colleagues in western Ukraine are remaining in the country, responding to the humanitarian crisis and sharing God’s hope.
Maxwell said: “We have been in Ukraine and sharing the gospel of the Lord for many years. Our involvement in Ukraine has grown extensively in that time.
“The eastern part of Ukraine has been embroiled in a war for nine years and so these men have been faithfully serving and we also have been helping with the Odessa Seminary where many are trying to serve God across Ukraine and other parts of the Slavic world.
“A major concern of ours is with the orphans in Christian orphanages that we support in Ukraine. Decisions are being made now about where the children must be taken to and where they will be safe, and some of them are based in cities that have already been attacked and loss of life has taken place.”
Maxwell went on to describe the war in Ukraine as a “forgotten war” over the last nine years since the Russian annexation of Crimea and fighting in the rebel-held regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. He said that the war has now been thrust into the limelight of the world now that Putin has made his move by sending Russian forces into the country.
“Our thoughts are very much with our friends in Ukraine. Yesterday morning will not be easily forgotten, we will think of the February 24, 2022, as the day Europe never imagined it would see again with deeply disturbing images of the main road from Kyiv gridlocked with cars fleeing the city. Russian forces were soon engaged in an all-out attack on the nation and still, our friends in Ukraine and our missionaries still have an amazing resolve to continue to serve the Lord. The forgotten war that started in 2014 in the eastern part of Ukraine has now extended to engulf the nation.
“I have had the opportunity to visit eastern Ukraine on a number of occasions because we’ve been involved in providing humanitarian aid there, and it is a great blessing to be able to visit these people and do that. One of the church leaders in Ukraine just before the invasion spoke of the importance that the gospel continues to be preached and that it would take brave Christians to continue to share the gospel, stay in their place of service for God and reach out to people with the wonderful message that they need to hear at this time.”
Listen to the full interview with Derek Maxwell here.
Photo by Chaiwat Hanpitakpong on Unsplash
