Ukraine mission

Recently, I returned from my fourth trip to Ukraine. When the war started in February 2022, I desired to go help. But the door of opportunity was closed to me, so I waited. I knew the Lord knew what my heart desired and I waited on His timing. In August of 2022, the doors opened and I had the opportunity to travel with North Carolina Baptist on Mission with a medical team to the transcarpathian region of Western Ukraine. Most people in this area are of Hungarian descent, where Hungarian is spoken along with Ukrainian. These people have opened their community to take in Internally Displaced Ukrainians from the eastern part of country, where they have fled from the war. Each trip I have taken has been to this region and we have partnered with Hungarian Baptist Aide providing medical care to these internally displaced people. While we did not see any of the infrastructure destruction of war, we did witness what war does to the people, emotionally, mentally and physically. And occasionally we heard air raid sirens, although no one seemed to pay any mind to them and would continue with whatever they were doing without even pausing.

I have been reflecting on the differences of each trip and the progression I have witnessed of the medical care needed, housing, and needs of IDP’s being provided for.

My first trip to Ukraine was in August 2022. We traveled to temporary shelters in schools, churches, even people’s houses where people were being housed. One day we actually worked out of the back of a truck and a van for pharmacy. Most of the cases were providing maintenance medications for people. Many people with high blood pressure, anxiety, and sleep disorders, which was not surprising considering what they were dealing with. Several people’s medical care had been interrupted by the war and we did what we could to provide some relief. One young lady had rheumatoid arthritis and our doctor could only provide temporary relief with joint injection. On this trip, we had a chaplain as part of our team and he was able to share the hope of Christ with many people. One of our clinic locations was in the baptist church where meals were prepared and served to the IDP’s. On the first day, in the afternoon after the meals were served and the kitchen was cleaned, one of the ladies came into the clinic where we had the pharmacy set up and began singing hymns. Of course she sang in Ukrainian but you could recognize the song by the music. The second day we were in this location, she once again came out in the afternoon and sang for us. She also invited us to come visit her in her home after the war was over. Her home in Odessa. I realized she was one of the IDP’s and she has such joy about her. When she sang, you could see in her face and hear in her voice her love and joy for the Lord. She was displaced but still serving the Lord by helping to prepare and serve meals to her fellow displaced citizens. A verse I wrote in my journal while on this mission: “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10

My second and third trip were in the spring of 2023 when I returned on two separate medical teams. We once again went to locations where the internally displaced people were housed. Two locations were a school, one was in an industrial area, another in an office building, and two were in a conference center site. At the conference center sites, the children had a nice area to play outside, the people were able to use the kitchen facilities and prepare meals for the group, and it seemed an overall peaceful location. One particular clinic day stands out in my mind. The first lady to come to clinic was upset because her village was being bombed at that moment and her parents still lived there. The second lady was upset because she had lost here son a few weeks ago in the war. Another lady had lost her grandsons in the war. It seemed almost every patient was distraught and affected by the war. Several expressed sadness over the lose of their way of life. They had homes, businesses, families. And now it was gone. Many knew Russians were living in their homes or their home was no longer there because it had been bombed. Several people with chronic illnesses or medical problems that existed when the war began were having difficulty finding medical care because they were considered temporary residents. One day, we had over 60 patients and distributed over 240 medications. The day started out slow but after lunch our patients tripled. One of the translators said word spread that we were the “real deal”, not just handing out vitamins. There was a young man around 14 who came to clinic and his hands were soaked with sweat. The nurse who triaged him said it was like he had dunked his hands in a bucket of water. The doctor prescribed a beta blocker for the young man. He said it was a nervous condition that was causing the condition. One family we met with 4 young boys was from Mariupol. They had stayed throughout the fighting and had just recently left because the crime and lawlessness had gotten so bad. I can not begin to imagine all they had witnessed and how it will effect the children. As I prepared for this trip, the Lord gave me two verses to encourage me. “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.” 1 Peter 4:11

This last team, we also had a construction team with our medical team. Baptist Aide has purchased a building a block from the city square in Berehove and is renovating it to be a ministry center. The construction team removed brick walls, old tile from floors, and removed debris piles from rooms. For 2 days, we held medical clinics on the second floor. One day, I had the privilege of talking with a lady who physically was fine but emotionally distressed. She had recently lost someone close to her in the war. I along with one of the nurse practitioners talked with her and I prayed for her. The translator said she was much calmer when she left than when she first arrived. On the second day of clinic, a lady came in who looked familiar. I asked Tony, one of the pastors and Baptist Aide workers about her. She was the lady who sang for us on my first trip to the area! When she came to the pharmacy, through the translator I told her I remembered her. He said she remembered me too! Two other days we traveled about an hour to another town where a storefront area had been rented where we set up clinic and the people came to our location. Many of the people were seeking refills on medications they were already on or seeking second opinions for diagnosis they had received from a local healthcare provider. This trip, I had the privilege of working with several people I have gotten to know on the previous trips and also met some new people. The story of one of our translators I had not met before was shared with me of how she walked for two weeks with her mother and grandmother from the eastern part of Ukraine to find shelter in the west. She told us that people are allowed to stay in shelters for three months. At the end of that time they either have to find another shelter to accept them or find a place to rent. Her shelter had one bathroom for over 20 people and many times you stood in line for 45 minutes or more just to use the toilet.

It was good to work with and spend time with friends made on previous trips, get to know others better, and make some new friends. Before traveling, I was a bit anxious because the world is a different place than it was six months ago. Not so much worried about going to Ukraine but the traveling part. But the Lord reassured me through His word.

The Lord is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you; because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

I do not know what my future holds for mission work. I am learning to not try to plan ahead but wait and see where the Lord sends me. I will readily return to Ukraine if the opportunity arises again. The Lord has given me a heart for the Ukrainian people. There is definitely a difference between watching war updates on the news and sitting across from someone hearing their story first hand and seeing on their faces the impact the war has had on their lives.