Children at Risk

Sophia is on the Left

Feburary 2026

Dear friends, I hope you are doing well and looking forward to expressing your love to your beloved on Valentines Day. After reading this prayer letter, I hope you will hug those you love a bit longer this holiday.

Before I get into the testimonial portion of our letter, I know that the news never seems to end in Ukraine, but our region continues to get hit regularly by the Russian military as we approach the four year anniversary of this war.

Since the last prayer letter, our region has endured a consistent influx of missles, bombs and drones, due to Kharkiv’s 30-mile proximity to the Russian border. Just today, a Russian drone killed a humanitarian aid worker delivering food to hungry people; and three weeks ago another drone targeted and killed two other humanitarian aid workers. Are the Russians now targeting those providing love, care and food? If so, our partners are now at greater risk and will need even more prayers for their safety!

Also this week, a Russian drone killed a family in their home, leaving only the pregnant mother alive, while losing her husband and three other children from the explosion. How is this mother supposed to live with this loss? It is inconceviable to me the grief she will endure as she gives birth a few months from now.

And once again, another energy facility was destroyed several weeks ago by Russian missiles that cast many people in Kharkiv into the cold and darkness. Friends, these are only a “few” of the stories. I could go on and on …

I will be providing church updates soon, but there are so many stories of people’s lives you have impacted through your prayers and donations that I felt compelled to share a few of the lives you have touched. Here are three testimonies:

Dennis’ Story

Our first story is about a really wonderful boy, named Dennis. By God’s grace, he is alive, but his house was hit by a missle and his family’s home was burned to the ground. Dennis is only 9 years old and already knows the horrors of war. He is trying to learn to read and now has a speech impediment. Is it a condition he had before the war or has the trauma of war done this to him? One of our partnering churches is trying to help him get to a safe location and try to recover, hoping his speech improves again. Please pray for Dennis and many children like him.

Alice

Alice and Vitalik’s Journey

Alice and Vitalik are siblings and had a rough beginning to life. Their mom and grandma are both deaf and somewhat handicapped. Vitalik also cannot speak or hear, making life changelling for him too.

When the war began, their dad went to war to fight (it is unknown at this time if he is still alive), however, their uncle, whom they loved has already died in the war.

During the first year or two of the war, the family lived in the basement of a home, where there was no light, running water, electricity or natural gas. Then a missile hit the home and destroyed the one place that provided safety (no matter how horrible the conditions). The family moved to another home owned by relatives and the mother left the children with them, since she didn’t have the capacity to care for them any longer. I do not know where the mom is located or if their fatiher is alive or not, but these children are waiting for their dad to come home someday … I hope and pray that he does! Their photos were taken by one of our partnering churches serving these two kids at a children’s camp for special needs kids. As you can see, there is a brief moment of joy and our Christian partners are always trying to bring the hope of Christ to all kids!  

Vitalik

Sophia Finally Smiles

Sophia was 7 years old when the war broke out and she is around 11 years old today. Her home was in Volchansk, which is in our Kharkiv region, but only three miles from the Russian border. Her town was decimated in the early stages of the war almost four years ago and today is only a landscape of rubble and devestation. Her town was one of the first towns that experienced the full onslaught of the Russian advance with endless explosions. The town was eventually liberated by the Ukrainains and that was the moment that Sophia and her mom fled for their lives, leaving evertything behind as the town burned to the ground around them.

They had no idea where to go because they had no other relatives to flee to for safety. They had no money and no housing – they left with absolutely nothing but their lives and with only God watching over them. There are still many fears they have after almost four years of enduring this war, but they are in a better spot now than earlier. One of our ministry partners embraced Sophia and her mom and they now go to church regularly, with Sophia enjoying Sunday school with other children. Her mom found a job that at least pays enough for their food and rent.

The photo of Sophia on the first page is when she was at a Christian children’s camp that you helped support. It was the best five days of her life and for a brief moment of time, she was allowed to be a kid again. As I mentioned, they don’t know what their future holds, like so many other families, but are taking it one day at a time. For now, Sophia’s mom is just thankful to see a smile on her daughter’s face.

Dear friends, these are just three stories of children affected by this war – there are thousands upon thousands more in our region alone. This Valentines Day, love those around you well; we are never promised tomorrow and we don’t know what the future holds. But I do know God loves his children, which includes you, and he will never leave you or forsake you!

Thank you for always praying for the Ukrainian children and supporting our minisry and to Ukraine!!

In Jesus’ love,

 Ron