SHORT-TERM MISSIONS &
DISASTER RESPONSE

by David Nakhla, Administrator for the OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries

I have traveled to Ukraine several times over the years, but this was my first visit to the beautiful city of Kyiv. Standing there on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion felt surreal. The war that has reshaped this nation continues with no clear end in sight, and the cost has been staggering. Both sides have suffered enormous casualties, and nearly every Ukrainian family carries some burden from the conflict.

Yet what struck me most during my time there was not only the weight of the suffering, but also the resilience of the people—and the quiet, steady work of God in the midst of it.

Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, sits in the north-central part of the country along the Dnipro River, roughly midway between Lviv in the west and Kharkiv in the east. Living in a country under constant threat creates strange contrasts, no matter where you are.

One day while in Kyiv, we attended the wedding of a young couple from the church. It was a joyful celebration—laughter, fellowship, beautiful music in a magnificent church building, everyone dressed in the traditional Ukrainian vyshyvanka, and the beginning of a new life together. But later that night, air raid alarms sounded across the city. Phones lit up with the warning: “Residents of Kyiv, take cover. Ballistics incoming.”

This is the rhythm of life in Ukraine today. People continue to live, work, worship, and celebrate, all while remaining alert to the ever-present danger.

Despite the ongoing war, the churches of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ukraine continue faithfully proclaiming the gospel. Alongside that ministry of the Word, an enormous effort of mercy ministry has emerged. Through the work of the church’s deacons and volunteers—and through the generous giving of saints far away—practical aid has reached hundreds of thousands of people during these years of war. Food, supplies, and basic necessities have been distributed to families whose lives have been upended.

In many ways, these acts of mercy have become a visible expression of the gospel itself. As a result, the churches there are growing and thriving in new ways. Continued contributions to the OPC Ukraine Crisis Fund help sustain these efforts.

The impact of the war on the country is evident and widespread. In Kharkiv, church leaders shared that while many younger members have been lost to military service or displacement, something unexpected has happened. An older generation—people who were once difficult to reach—are now filling the pews. In the midst of war, they are coming to hear the message of hope found in Christ. They are searching for stability and truth.

The evil of war is real, but it is not winning. As Scripture reminds us, the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s church.

The scars of war are visible everywhere. Former prisoners of war struggle with severe trauma. Children grow up without fathers—some displaced due to active military service, others killed on the front lines. And always there is the possibility of another missile attack.

We saw a number of men with missing limbs. The one that struck me most appeared at first to be a very short man hobbling toward the train station. As he came closer, we realized that both of his legs were missing from mid-thigh down, and he was walking on very short prosthetics. His life will never be the same. Such sacrifice. So sobering.

Compassion fatigue is real. For many of us living far from the conflict, it can become easy to disengage—to move on after years of troubling headlines. But the suffering in Ukraine has not ended. The people there still need our prayers and our involvement.

And yet, again and again, believers there reminded me of a truth they hold tightly: God is still on His throne.

I was told that one of the most meaningful parts of our visit was simply being present with the people there. Several spoke of how encouraging it is when visitors come. Our presence reminds them they have not been forgotten. We are merely ambassadors of Christ, but even that small gesture carries great weight.

In my work as the Administrator of the OPC’s Committee on Diaconal Ministries, I am privileged to visit on behalf of the church and offer a small measure of comfort to those suffering and in distress.

One evening during the trip we were blessed to share a meal with Sasha and his wife Katya, members of the church and parents of eight-year-old twins. Sasha had joined the Ukrainian army three years ago. Last October, after two years of service, he stepped on a landmine. His fellow soldiers risked their lives to evacuate him, but the injury was severe. His left leg had to be amputated below the knee.

Incredibly, at this stage of the war, such an injury does not necessarily end a soldier’s service. Once he completes rehabilitation and receives a prosthetic, Sasha will likely return to serve in a desk assignment. For now, he moves carefully on crutches as he begins the long road of recovery.

Katya carries a tremendous burden. She works full-time while caring for their children and supporting her husband through rehabilitation. At times during the war she has had electricity for only ninety minutes a day, along with frequent disruptions to heat and water. Yet her quiet strength was remarkable. It was a privilege to meet them.

Sadly, their story is just one of countless lives reshaped by this war.

Our final stop in Ukraine was Lviv, where we visited OPC missionaries Heero and Anya Hacquebord. Though they are doing well, the war is never far from their minds. Air raid sirens interrupt daily life, and occasional bombings serve as sobering reminders of the conflict.

Lviv sits more than 500 miles from the Russian border and the heaviest fighting in the east, yet it has not been spared. Since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, Russian drones and missiles have struck the city multiple times, targeting energy infrastructure and residential areas, causing deaths and significant damage. Even here, far from the front lines, the possibility of attack lingers, and the people of Lviv mourn the destruction being inflicted on their countrymen to the east.

Reformed pastors across the country shared both the joys and struggles of shepherding their congregations during wartime. Like any church, they face ordinary challenges—conflict, discouragement, and the daily realities of ministering to broken people in a broken world. Yet those challenges are layered with the realities of war.

Still, their faith remains steady.

The churches there ask something simple of us: remember them. Continue to pray. Pray for an end to the war. Pray for families like Sasha and Katya’s. Pray for the churches faithfully proclaiming the hope of Christ in the midst of devastation.

Continue to care. Give if you are able. And pray that even in the darkness of war, the light of the gospel will continue to shine.

You can read more about the OPC’s ministry to the saints in Ukraine on the OPC Disaster Response website.