A Letter from Ukraine
Sincere greetings to you, our dear friends and colleagues, from all the staff of the Ukrainian Bible Society.
We all eagerly await the end of the war and the establishment of a just peace on our land. This longing fills the air and grows even stronger with the arrival of spring, reminding us that even the harshest winter has both a beginning and an end. This resonates with the words of Ecclesiastes:
"A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:5-8, ESV)
There is a growing desire to seek help and support from the Almighty. One event that particularly struck me was the unveiling of a majestic crucifix of Jesus Christ on March 4 in the city of Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv region, just 40 km from the Russian border. The sculpture was crafted from 20,000 artillery shells and mines collected in the recently de-occupied communities of Zolochiv and Derhachi – places that still suffer from Russian shelling. The cross was made from pipes salvaged by emergency services from damaged buildings in Kharkiv.
The most striking aspect of this installation is its name – "The Cross of Peace".
Most Ukrainians long for peace. But not only physical peace – the mere absence of war – but also peace in the heart, the comfort that only the Lord can give. This is a peace without end, a peace that no one can take away, a peace that does not require guarantees from powerful individuals or nations. It is the peace secured by the sacrifice of our Savior. That is why we are increasingly receiving requests from bishops, pastors, chaplains, and volunteers for biblical literature. Since the beginning of this year alone, we have processed over a hundred requests for Bibles, New Testaments, and Children's Bibles.
Recently, we delivered 300 Children's Bibles to a chaplain serving in one of the brigades of the Ukrainian Navy. At the start of the year, they had already received some literature, but when the wives and children of the soldiers, who did not yet have their own Bibles, saw the beautiful blue Bibles, they too wished to receive such special gifts. Currently, about 800 families are awaiting their copies.
In addition to providing Children's Bibles for military families, a large-scale event was held in Lviv for internally displaced persons and families of fallen heroes. Around 100 families were reached, each receiving a beautiful Bible as a gift, and if the family had children, they also received a Children's Bible. Day by day, week by week, our phone keeps ringing – we are striving, as much as possible, to fulfil every request for God’s Word.
People are searching for peace – not only earthly peace but also spiritual, divine, and Christ-given peace. And this peace comes through reading God’s Word and communicating with the Creator.
We sincerely thank you for your continued support. Thank you for remembering us in your prayers. Thank you for making it possible, through your participation, for God to become so close and real to those who have suffered from the war, to those whose hearts bear its lasting scars.
We believe that, with God’s help, the long-awaited peace will come to our land, and people's hearts will be filled with divine peace – unshakable, unchanging, and eternal.
With love in Christ,
A Ukrainian Bible Society spokesperson*
*Due to the circumstances we cannot share our colleagues names.