Your Impact
Sasha and her family came to Kremenets as refugees
They needed help!
Olga Talks about how MPI Transformed her Family
“My name is Olga. My husband Oleg and I along with our two daughters, Sasha and Masha were displaced from Mykolaiv. We live in a one room student dormitory given to us by the local administration. The dorms have no heat.
One day, we heard from some of the other families in the dorms that there was a church where we could go to get help with food. We also heard there would be a gathering for children from displaced families like ours.
My girls really enjoyed the gathering. They had a lot of fun dancing and singing. I stayed afterward to get a bag of food to take home. I had so many questions. I needed to know more, so I talked to the Pastor’s wife and asked if it would be ok for us to come to church the next day.
That Sunday I felt God in my heart. A few weeks later, Oleg and I accepted Jesus as our Saviour. Now I tell everybody about the love God showed to us.
Later that winter, generous people from Canada gave us a heater so we wouldn’t be so cold in our dorm room in the winter.
Now we volunteer at the Social Hub and at Sunday service often. Life is still hard, but I see how God has taken care of us through the kindness of others like Pastor Alexey. Because of them and the supporters of Mission Partners International our lives are completely transformed!”
-Olga & Oleg
Alexander's Family was in Crisis
they lived in a home with no bathroom or running water
Alexander and his Family are Rescued and Restored
This family lives in a small rural village named Mala Antonivka south of Kyiv. Alexander (Sasha) supports his family by raising animals on their small property, and baking bread and selling it at the local market. That is how we met him.
Sasha has four children. He and his mom Larissa have also, at times, taken in other families who were struggling and needed a place to live.
We visited this family, we found the kids to be well-behaved, clean, and decently fed. But this family lives in a very poor rural area. When we first met them, they had no indoor plumbing. Grandma Larissa was bathing the kids with buckets of cold water. The kids were using the woods to go to the bathroom.
Thanks to the generous support of caring Canadian donors, we have helped this family with food, farm supplies, and a proper indoor washroom.
Your support has also sent the children to God's Gift summer camp for the last three years.
The family is learning how to find healing and hope in Jesus. We celebrate their baptism, their journey to wholeness, and their growing faith in Christ. Please continue to pray for them.
-Pastor Vasily
Bogdan was angry and withdrawn
because he and his and his family lost everything
Olga Shares about how MPI Donors Rescued her Family
“My name is Olga. I used to live in Kharkiv until the full-scale war started in February of 2022. When it became unsafe to stay in Kharkiv, I came to Western Ukraine with my five children.
We first met Pastor Alexey in 2022. He brought firewood donated by Canadians through Mission Partners International (MPI).
Since then, MPI has given us food, hygiene items and this past winter, an electric heater.
My oldest son, Bogdan, really took it hard that we had to leave our home. He was already a teenager. He missed his friends and his home. This is what he told me when we came to Kremenets.
"I hate that we had to leave. It's not fair that everything we owned was bombed. Now we’re a long way from home in some village I don’t know. This place isn’t home."
In the last couple of years, as we realized that people cared about what we were going through, our lives got a little bit easier. Canadians have helped us to survive.
Now I see a change in my son. He smiles again! He attends the youth program at the church and is making new friends here.
-Olga
Winter Heating Support for the War-Impacted
Valery's Story
As a part of the humanitarian outreach of our church, we visited a displaced family from the Donetsk area. We met with Valery and his family. We gave them an electric heater to stay warm and prayed with them. I was deeply touched by their story and want to share it with our friends and partners at MPI.
Valery and his wife are retired and lived in Ugledar of Donetsk oblast. Their two sons worked at a coal mine nearby. The area is known for fierce fighting and mass destruction of residential properties and objects of infrastructure.
When a missile hit Valery’s house it destroyed it, but by miracle Valery and his wife survived. They got out of the house a moment before it got hit. Wearing pajamas and slippers. The next missile completely leveled the ruins of their house, garage, and barn. Everything they owned in a very short time: home, car, and personal belongings were gone before their eyes. Their son’s houses were also destroyed.
They left their hometown and went to the western part of Ukraine. They came to our town of Kremenets. They were offered a room to stay. I met with them and invited them to our Church. At first, Valery cried during services. It was very devastating for him to lose everything he worked all his life for.
Someone from Kremenets gave them a room to stay in his house, but he controlled the heat in the room. He had it turned off. It was very cold inside that room. With your help, we provided them with a large heater. We also take food to them and encourage to grow in faith. I would like to thank Canadians for helping Valery and his family to stay warm, but most of all to share the Love of God through acts of kindness.
-Pastor Alexey, Kremenets
Firewood Saves Lives
Wood for Lydia in Stepove
“I did not expect at all that firewood would be brought to me. When the forklift stopped near my house and began to unload the wood in the pallet, I understood for sure that there is a God! But then I thought about the fact that I walk with a cane. I could not unload all that firewood myself. The snow had already begun to fall so it wouldn’t be good to leave firewood outside. I started calling my children, but no one answered. So I sat down and thought to myself. It is good that I have firewood, but how will I unload it? Ten minutes later, my son’s car flashed near the fence. My son and daughter-in-law arrived, and they helped unload everything. After that, I truly understood that God exists. By a miracle of God, everything was arranged. He is real and He loves me.” Lydia
The Social Hub - Water of Life Church Kremenets
Feeding the Vulnerable
Our partners from Water of Life Church are passionate about serving the needs of the local displaced population through the “Social Hub” initiative. This humanitarian drop-in centre operates weekly, distributing much needed food, hygiene items, and clothing to the vulnerable. The team serves the broken with love.
The Social Hub has become a vital means of outreach. Because they have built trust with the local displaced, Pastor Alexey and his team are begin each Social Hub day by reading a scripture and praying with people.
There continues to be an influx of newly displaced families as more communities in the east become unliveable. This year there has been a 158% increase in the number of families seeking care.
Because of your faithfulness and care for the vulnerable, Alexey and the Water of Life Team have been able to keep the Social Hub in operation. This caring ministry team continues to serve the hurting and the broken in their community by meeting physical needs with the love of God.
This past September on our trip to visit Alexey and the Social Hub, we encountered a woman whose life was forever changed by the Hub, and by the words of encouragement, we spoke to the crowd and prayed for them. Here is what Valentina, Alexey's wife told us after the Hub:
“After we gave out food at the Hub recently, one of the ladies who received help came to talk to me. We have been building a relationship with her for several months. She was so grateful for the food. She asked me if it was ok to come to church the next day. She was curious because we talked about Jesus and prayed. She wanted to know more.”
Food Rescues and Restores Lives
Alex accepts Jesus because of the Food, Love and Care shown
Alex had never been to church. His Mom, Mary was a part of our church community. Alex, who worked at the international airport is no longer employed. His job was to re-fuel the planes. Alex's wife and children are still living outside of Ukraine.
After Mary suffered a stroke Hope Church took care of her. We visited her at home and got a wheelchair. Alex began to bring Mary to church at her request on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. At first, He didn’t want his photo to be taken when we brought diapers or food. But he was very grateful.
The church helps their family regularly with food and hygiene items. They also receive hot meals after Sunday services. God answered a mother's prayers for her son’s salvation. Alexander now attends church services every Sunday along with his mom. Because of his mom's health, Alex is home looking after her. He is starting to see God’s mercy and understand what God has done for him.
MPI staff met with Alex and his Mom. Alex shared how grateful he is for MPI's support for the food programs at Hope Church. We spent time visiting with them and encouraging them. Alex told us that he was encouraged by Hope Church because they give to people in need. They show love by feeding people. He never went to church because he felt that many were not interested in them, just in their money.
The Story of Dasha
Children Find Love and Hope
One day young Dasha was outside playing. Her parents got drunk, locked the house, and then passed out inside. She was alone on the street all night, desperately trying to get back inside. This wasn’t an isolated incident. She became withdrawn and angry. She decided she would find comfort in smoking and attention from boys. But things started to turn around when our team in Stepove reached out. The team visited their home to bring food and counseling. Dasha was invited to come to services at the Children’s Centre.
She said she would go. This village has nowhere to play and nothing to do. Later, she admitted she had fun. She was happy to have a safe place to go. She loves the art classes and enjoys hearing stories about Jesus. Today, Dasha loves Jesus, and has learned how to smile.