Ukraine

Independence Square in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine

“The Ukrainians we serve are alive because of the aid you give!”

Paul H. Popov, Int’l President

Door of Hope International has been actively bringing aid and spiritual support into Ukraine for more than 40 years. During the Soviet-era we smuggled Bibles and New Testaments into Ukraine. After the collapse of the Iron Curtain, Ukraine was plunged into poverty after it declared independence from the Soviet Union. DOHI began several soup kitchens for impoverished families, street children and orphans abandoned by parents who had lost all hope.

In February 2014, Russia invaded Eastern Donbas, bombed cities, and annexed Crimea forcing many to flee to safer cities. The elderly and families with no financial means to start again had nowhere to go. DOHI began working in Eastern Donbas bringing aid and support to impoverished families devastated by the war.

In February 2022, Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. More than 15,000 people have been displaced as refugees in other countries or internally displaced. The destruction of cities, infrastructure and loss of lives is catastrophic. The hardest hit area remains Eastern Donbas where DOHI continues to work with front-line workers, bringing aid and relief to families and children impacted directly by this unprovoked war.

Power outages have impacted farmers who have experienced losses in production in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Nikopol regions. This is driving up the cost of food, creating huge challenges to the already struggling poor families.

“The interruption of the energy supply has put us in a state of emergency. People are left without gas, heating and hot water. With God’s help we conducted Christmas programs for children where 140 new families came for the first time and are interested in joining our on-going Christian programs. We need heating in order to keep our ministry going. Autonomous heating is essential for us as our winters are cold. For this we need a 250 kw boiler, and a 40-50 kw generator. We don’t want to lose the new families that started coming, as we want to minister Christ to them that they may be born again.

We are grateful for any help you can give us!”

Pastor Yuri – Ukriane

Saving Lives in Ukraine

In Lviv, Pastor Misha’s church provides outreach ministries to destitute Roma (Gypsy) families living in tents in the forest, men and women addicted to drugs and alcohol, and young boys, ages 11-16, held in the Gorodok Juvenile Prison. The church offers foundational Christian education and humanitarian aid to destitute families in the community. As a result, many have opened their hearts to God and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.

In Kyiv, Pastor Tyoma continues his evangelistic football ministry, believing it is vital to bring hope to young men. Participating in a Christ-centered sport and competitions keeps them thinking positive and prevents them from drifting into despair. He offers the teams prayer, encouragement and Bible studies. Many young soldiers, former teammates, call him from the frontlines in desperation, asking for prayer. We are thankful to God that many of these soldiers have given their lives to Jesus while in the trenches!

In Nikopol, Pastor Roman and his wife Inna invest what they call “bits of goodness” in their community. Pastor Roman’s church feeds 90 children daily. For most, it is the only food they get. Through the church’s youth club “Smile,” many children have accepted Jesus in their hearts. Looking for the same hope they see in their children’s eyes, their mothers and fathers have now also started attending church.

In some of the worst-hit regions of Ukraine, our partners bring food to families and the elderly, transport people to safety during air raids, provide spiritual and physical care to the suffering, and supply desperate families with heating fuel, generators and small portable cooking units that can be used in homes, churches and bomb shelters.

In Eastern Donbas, husbands, fathers, sons, uncles and nephews are on the frontlines fighting. Many are killed or injured, leaving families devastated.

Pastor A leads a small Chaplain Ministry team of pastors who attend to wounded soldiers and their families, as well as to the families of those killed in action. As a trained doctor and medic, Pastor A has seen the worst of this war as he rescues soldiers at ground zero, carrying the wounded to hospitals and first aid stations. As a pastor, his heart bleeds for the people he sees struggling daily to survive.

Testimony

Michael, a soldier, was stationed in the hottest areas of the frontline. For 15 days, his small group held positions protecting a village from the advancing Russian army. Bombing was intense with no break, day or night. A bomb landed in Michael’s trench, throwing him out. Shrapnel from the bomb hit his legs. He bled heavily and thought he would die. The shelling was so heavy he couldn’t be evacuated to a hospital until the following day. His leg could not be saved.

As Michael waited in the hospital for a prosthetic, the Chaplain Ministry team ministered to Michael, and he accepted Christ as his Savior! He now prays every day and reads the Bible they gave him.

Thousands of soldiers die every month, tens of thousands become disabled. We buy food, medicine, clothes, and hygiene products. With the expansion of the ministry due to increased casualties, we are constantly in desperate need of more supplies. —Pastor A., Eastern Donbas