The Front and the Future

Update from Buddy, missionary

It has become obvious that the tactic that the Russian army has decided to take is to simply annihilate entire cities with weeks of bombings and then send the infantry in behind to occupy whatever is left. In many cases, not much remains. Mariupol is the template they will use and it seems that Severodonetsk is the next Mariupol on the road. This has not been a war fought intelligently nor decently and I believe that time and history will reveal atrocities committed on a Hitleric level and worse. The total disregard for civilian life is resulting in daily devastation. 

Many continue to ask me when do I think it will all end and the best I can say is, “not soon”. However, it is my belief that the Russian army, in spite of it’s incompetence, will keep inching forward behind the bombs, until it reaches Odesa and then up to Moldova. The hope is that the new weapons that are on their way from the U.S. and Europe will check the advance and make a difference. Again, time will tell. One thing is certain, these Ukrainians will not give up without the fight. And neither should we, as the Church. It seems to me that we as God’s people are where we should be at the front... where this worlds future is being made.

Our team just returned on Wednesday from Donbas region, and we are already gathering a return shipment of aid that will go out on Monday. There is a church in Severodonetsk where the pastor and his family are housing as many of the church people as have refused to leave or were unable to go. Vadim and Slava are going to try to go into the region as far as possible in this coming week to try to get supplies to them and to take anyone out who wants to go. It will be the most dangerous routes we have taken to date. This last week one of the vehicles that went into Donetsk region was fired on and hit several times by Russian soldiers from concealed locations on the road. Our vehicles are always marked, so that it is not possible that the Russians who fired on the vehicle did not know it was an aid vehicle and civilians were inside.

Our goal for the summer will be to continue into these regions that we currently working and continue to reach as many people in need there as we can. That number increases as the war slowly inches forward. However, we also want to try to get ahead of the Russian army and begin to set up a network within the Odesa region. It seems that if they are going to follow the pattern I mentioned earlier, we will be wise to prepare for it. It will be our hope and prayer that they never make it that far, but if they do, then we want to be there to support the people and do all we can in this battered part of His Kingdom.

Our continued thanks to you for every thought and prayer. I know there are a thousand things right now vying for your attention, thoughts and prayers, but there is none more important than this place. The outcome of this war will determine what the future of this world will look like. I’m proud to partner with you in this part of the world and grateful for all you do.