Newsletter

Trip to Ukraine and Moldova

Greetings to you, dear Brothers and Sisters,

By the great mercy and blessing of God, a minister from the state of Massachusetts Andrey Agapov and myself were able to travel to Ukraine and Moldova in October of 2022. Upon arrival to Chisinau, Moldova, we rode for 320 kilometers by car to the city of Chernovtsy, Ukraine. As we all know, the situation is very tense there, but we were able to organize a conference for widows and orphans in both of those cities. 

Let me first tell you about Ukraine where the widows gathered together from a number of its regions. Some of them were unable to arrive due to the curfews still in place in some cities. The widows from Chernovtsy, Khmelnitsky, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Luhansk regions attended the conference. Two more widow were visited in their homes where we prayed with and delivered financial support to them.   

The widow by the name of Galina from Khmelnitsky region has thirteen children. Two years ago, when her husband died in an accident at the sawmill plant, the older son was 17.5 years old and the youngest daughter was 7 months old. Galina was very grateful for the material aid that she received at the conference and for the spiritual encouragement to the widows and to their children devoted to the Lord’s promises to them.

A widow by the name of Alina, 25, arrived from Luhansk region with her 3-year-old daughter. She lost her husband in the war near the town of Hostomel. He was found in the forest with multiple gunshot wounds in the stomach and they buried him in the city of Belaya Tserkov. The fellowship with other widows at the conference provided her with emotional support and the words of the brothers from the Bible gave her the comfort of the Lord. Alina was very grateful to us for delivering the material aid which she needed desperately to by the winter clothes and shoes for her daughter.

Valentina’s husband died for the illness four years ago leaving her with two daughters – 1 and 3 years old. Valentina was very much surprised by the help from brothers and sisters in America and very thankful for it. Not less important for her, according to Valentina’s own words, were the words of comfort and inspiration from the Lord on how to follow here difficult path.

Sister Irina from the city of Lviv lost here husband eight years ago. She arrived to the conference from far away but was very grateful for the chance to participate in it and was praying to God that this ministry continues on.

Sister Olga is now 34. Her husband passed away a year ago and she found herself with the children of 3, 6 and 9 years of age. She came from a village in Chernovitsky region and gave thanks for the spiritual and material support that she received at the conference. All 19 widows and their children expressed gratitude for the chance to take part in this forum in Chernovtsy as was as for the material support from brothers and sisters in America.

On our way back to Ukraine we stopped again in Chisinau and held a conference there for 22 widows and their children. Sister Zhanna, who lost her husband a year-and-a-half ago shared her testimony. Zhanna belongs to the Gipsy family and her all brothers and sisters came to faith in God and are a part of the local church. She was very happy to attend the conference and thankful for the encouragement from the Word and for the financial support. 

Sister Sveta from the city of Kagul became a widow eight years ago, with two sons who were 4 and 6 at the time. It was her first time at such a conference, and she was very pleased by the invitation that came to her from other sisters in the church. She, in turn, brought along one more widow, not yet a believer, to the conference. All of them enjoyed fellowship with other widows and thankful for the material aid. 

All widows in Ukraine and Moldova received reimbursement for their travel to and from the conference. They were also served a dinner that most of the would have not been able to afford although in America that would have been a very simple one. One of the sisters was so much touched by it and admitted that it has been many years since she ate so well and such a tasty food. 

You can see and hear these testimonies on Youtube: « Widows Ukraine Moldova October 2022».

If you are moved to support this ministry, please send you donation via PayPal to 77aleksey@gmail.com (Ministry for Orphans and Widows) and also here