Ukraine: Hope Amidst Fear
“I know that God is with me. So what can threaten me now?”
In the spring edition of Word at Work, we introduced you to a wonderful Ukrainian woman called Tetiana. Tetiana’s story was one of many who have found beauty in the brokenness of war, and now we want to introduce Bohdan.
Bohdan is 26 years old, and serves as a solider in the 54th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion. In 2025, he was captured during a combat mission to liberate the city of Izium in Kharkiv Oblast. He suffered severe physical and psychological torture during his captivity, and twice tried to take his own life to end the suffering.
When it became known that Bohdan was in this state, an Orthodox priest visited him. (Orthodox traditions were approved by the prison authorities.) He began talking and intended to give him a New Testament with Psalms, but was stopped by the guards. So, on one visit, the priest secretly handed Bohdan a copy.
As he began reading, he started to change. First, the desire to end his life disappeared. Then, a new hope emerged - to return home to his parents, even though he did not know whether they were alive.
His cellmates - around 20 other men - noticed these changes, and when they learned what he was reading, they wanted to do it together. They formed a circle and read aloud, before sharing the Gospel around in turns. They created a system to give each person a small designated reading period. Occasionally, disputes even led to fights as everyone wanted to make the most of their time with Scripture.
It wasn’t long before they began memorising biblical passages and Psalms, translating them first into Ukrainian to avoid learning them in Russian.
In the final days of his captivity, Bohdan asked the priest to baptise him, and on 4th July 2025 Bodhan was exchanged, now going under rehabilitation at a military hospital near Kyiv. When he was asked if he was concerned for his safety recently, he replied, “I know that God is with me. So what can threaten me now?”
One small gift from a generous priest led Bohdan to know Jesus, and to share Him with those around him despite his situation.
Today, would you prayerfully consider supporting the Ukrainian Bible Society to enable more people to share the Bible so all people can know Jesus?