Sustaining Hope in the Midst of Conflict: Pray for Ukraine

By: Joni Boyd

February 24 marks two years since Russia declared war on Ukraine, and Mission Without Borders is calling for people to be praying for the devastated population of Ukraine, in the leadup to this date.

Two years after Putin’s chilling speech announcing that Russia was at war with Ukraine, the conflict has continued, destroying families and decimating the population. Right now, millions are displaced and suffering through grief, trauma and prolonged uncertainty.

Stephen Young, CEO of Mission Without Borders is particularly concerned about the impact of the war on Ukrainian children. “Stress, trauma and uncertainty have a big impact on children,” he says and explains that many of the children are missing their fathers who are on the front line.

Additionally, “The war has come on the back of COVID and so their education and their ability to socialize, and other stuff that’s so important to being a child, has been missed.”

While Mission Without Borders isn’t an organisation specialising in trauma management, with such high levels of trauma present in Ukraine, they’ve shifted gears, doing what they can to train the team to deal with the horrors people are facing.

Young is urging Christians around to world to gather with their churches and with friends and family, to pray for the people of Ukraine.

“We would value praying for individuals as they struggle with life that many of us can never imagine,” he says.

“The other thing we’re asking for prayer for is children and trauma, I would add to that – adults and trauma.

“The third area is support for refugees and displaced people. There are still hundreds of thousands or millions living in Ukraine who are not in their home because of the badly damaged community and the infrastructure in the east.”

Mission Without Borders works with families and children, running ongoing programs in the western half of Ukraine where they seek to support families trying to rebuild their lives, while sharing the Gospel.

Mission Without Borders have prepared resources to help guide those who will be holding Ukraine in their prayers in the coming days.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Photo by Ian Betley on Unsplash