My Heart is Heavy
Loss comes daily to families across Ukraine. The lack of power and the constant pressure of the war has worn down many. People tell me that the last two months in Ukraine have been the hardest months they have experienced throughout the war. It is a time of suffering. The stories that people share are stories of deep pain and loss. Everyone that I meet knows someone who has died during the war. Some children have been in “online” school for over two years.
Air raid alerts sound daily across much of the country. Most of the alerts occur at night. Sometimes many times per night. The sounds of incoming missiles and outgoing air defense systems are commonplace. In many places the sounds of explosions from missiles and artillery shells are constant.
Songs of Lament
I am reminded of the laments of King David and others. Like David, the people of Ukraine ask, “God why have you forsaken your people in Ukraine? Why do you allow this evil to continue? Lord, it seems like you do not hear, or you do not care.”
But I know that God cares, and that God sees what is happening in Ukraine. I know that God moves the hearts of kings like streams of water. None of this is a surprise to God. I know that God has a plan and that He will accomplish everything in His plan.
This Trip Was Full
Camp
I started this trip in Croatia working at a camp for Ukrainian families that have children with special needs. What an amazing time. The camp used material from “Joni and Friends,” a Christian ministry founded by American Joni Eareckson Tada.
Cornerstone Church, a Ukrainian/English church in Parma, Ohio, helped lead the camp and brought a wonderful group of teenagers to serve at the camp. I have never seen a group of young people who served so well. Another team from One Harbor Church in Morehead City, North Carolina, who themselves had family members with special needs, also served. Together the combined team warmly engaged these families showing the love of Christ in both word and deed. It was a wonderful week.
Back to Kyiv
After camp, I went to Kyiv and met with churches and helped lead another chaplain training program. The Chaplain training sessions are so encouraging as we see individuals wanting to learn more to better serve others in challenging times. We cover a wide range of topics, many of them are hard. During this training session I taught on Trauma Communications, Lament, and Moral Injury and Spiritual Injury.
During the training process we work through very difficult scenarios. These include a young man who went to serve and while he was on the front, a missile struck his village and killed his wife and daughter. We walk through how to talk to individuals who have experienced traumatic events like this to help them process what they have experienced. Because many people will need long-term care after the war, pray that the volunteer chaplains will be well-equipped to serve and “comfort people with the comfort with which [they] have been comforted”.
Serving Pastors and Churches
I met with a couple of pastors who have become good friends and we spent time sharing and encouraging each other. I also had a chance to preach on John 4 regarding the woman at the well. It is such an appropriate passage showing God’s love and grace to people who feel they are not wanted. It is a story of God’s intentional and great love for his image bearers, no matter the circumstances of their lives.
There are many people here with such deep faith. God is moving in the hearts of many, but it is a challenging time.
Kyiv Seminaries
I also had a chance to visit two different seminaries in Kyiv. One of the seminaries, Ukrainian Evangelical Seminary, has been working with the Ukrainian Military, the U,S, Military and Trinity Evangelical Seminary in the U.S. to develop a 9-month long chaplain training program for the Ukrainian military. I had the honor and privilege of attending the first graduation ceremony of Chaplains (about 280 graduates) that have completed this program. What a blessing.
I was also asked to teach a 4-day class in November at the Ukrainian Evangelical Seminary. The topic will be “Welcoming People Home”. The focus is equipping the church to welcome home and minister to soldiers and military families as well as civilians injured by the war, alcoholics, drug users, persons with special needs, etc. The underlying theme throughout the class will be on how the church can show unity, love and acceptance to all image bearers. Pray for me as I prepare for this class.
You Are Part of this Ministry
You play a very important role in this ministry. I cannot do this without you. The believers in Ukraine cherish and covet your prayers, and so do I.
I had many great encounters on this trip and wish that I could share them all with you. But for now, I will leave you with Paul’s admonition to the church in Ephesus,“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Ephesians 6:10 (ESV)
Thank you all for your prayers and support.
I am heading back to Ukraine in both October and November. Please pray for me as I organize these trips and especially as I get ready to teach at the seminary and at our Chaplain training program.
Click Here to Financially Support My Ministry
Prayer Requests
- Wisdom for me
- God’s leadership and guidance with my meetings
- My overall financial support as I continue to travel to Ukraine often and costs have gone up significantly for travel
- Our ongoing Chaplain Training Program
- For God’s leadership and grace as I teach, preach, and minister to broken people that I can be humble, compassionate, empathetic, and wise
- That God would continue to pour out His Holy Spirit and bring salvation and true peace into the lives of many
- Wisdom for our leadership team as we come alongside local churches and missionaries to share God’s love and the hope of the gospel
How You Can Help
I need your continued support for my ministry. The Crisis Response team needs people to come and serve at our sites in the U.S. and to serve overseas. We need your prayers, as do the people impacted by crisis events around the world.
How will you finish the race to which God has called you?
Even in all the chaos we see around the world, God is moving in amazing ways. Come join us and be a part of what God is doing. Come and serve and/or support others that are going. God calls all of us to make disciples.
Thank You for Your Support
Thank you again so much to all of you who have contributed financially to my ministry. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. It is so humbling and amazing to see how God provides.
Follow The ReachGlobal Crisis Response Blog
Steve Smeltzer
ReachGlobal Crisis Response
steve.smeltzer@efca.org
Blog: www.visionhopepartners.com
+1.949.290.6367
If you want to volunteer to serve, email: respond@efca.org