The Real Fight in Ukraine, 3 Years into the War
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for three years.
It’s difficult news to swallow, as many prayers have been prayed for the war to end. Lives have been lost, many more children have been orphaned, and peace and safety have been severely disrupted.
Amidst all this darkness, our team in Ukraine surrenders to God’s will each day and chooses to believe His ways are greater than their own.
There’s another war that has been ongoing for far longer.
This war is not just a fight against flesh and blood, but as Ephesians 6:12 puts it, a fight against “the spiritual forces of evil.” Lifesong Ukraine and Poland Director, Denis Poshelok shares—
“The real fight is not giving Satan the chance to steal, kill, and destroy. The real fight is bringing healing and family to orphaned and vulnerable children who have suffered neglect and abuse.”
We are in a battle, a war for souls. God is inviting us to push back darkness and help bring the light of Jesus, so orphans become seen, known, and loved.
Top: A child we serve in Ukraine looks toward a tank parked in her city.
Amidst the chaos, there is still victory for the body of Christ.
During the war, our team explains how time feels like a series of small moments. Between the disruption of wailing sirens when least expected and missile attacks on ordinary days, time according to the clock feels irrelevant. To remain persistent, our team intentionally calls to mind moments that represent the victory of Christ.
Here are a few “moments” that demonstrate what the real fight in Ukraine is all about—
1. The moment Diana trusted God
Diana was born in a prison and lived there for the first 3 years of her life. She was then transferred to an orphanage. But the emotional pain she experienced caused her to distance herself from others.
That changed in 2015 when Diana met one of our team members, Yulia, who became her trusted mentor. Yulia held a Bible study at Diana’s orphanage, and after the first gathering, Diana decided to never to miss it.
For the first four weeks of war in Ukraine, Diana and the other children stayed in the orphanage basement.
Even as her town was occupied by Russian soldiers, God took hold of her heart.
She clung to her belief that God was faithful and wouldn’t give her more than she could handle.
Diana shares—
“If you compare Diana before and after trusting Jesus, that’s two different people.”
Before surrendering her life to Jesus, Diana describes herself as aggressive and uncontrollable, but after putting her trust in Him, she says she grew in kindness and started to smile more often.
Now, Diana dreams of leading her own Bible study like her mentor did for her. She hopes to one day hear the children she leads say, “Thanks to Diana, we know God’s love.”
Despite the war, Diana’s faith kept growing. Christ has the victory in Diana’s heart and in all He has yet to do through her for His kingdom.
2. The moment Serhiy and Oksana adopted
Last February, we shared about Serhiy and Oksana and how the Church in Ukraine has placed over 300 children in Christian families like theirs. Over the past year, Serhiy and Oksana adopted three more children.
At the start of the war, the couple lived in Ukraine with just two biological children. Though it seemed crazy at the time, they knew God was leading them to adopt.
Oksana understood firsthand the pain of losing both parents and had compassion for children who needed a family during the war. She lost her parents to alcoholism, but her aunt stepped in and made her a part of her family.
So, out of an abundance of Christlike love, Serhiy and Oksana took action. They adopted eight children over three years and watched in awe as God provided for their needs.
Serhiy shared—
“Somehow, nothing slowed us down, and nothing scared us.”
Now, inspired by Serhiy and Oksana’s faithfulness, Serhiy’s oldest daughter and her husband have begun the adoption process. Soon, Serhiy and Oksana’s family will represent three generations of changed lives because of adoption.
In Oksana’s words—
“Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone for the sake of these kids. These children have brought so many positive changes to our family. Our family has become stronger.”
In their story, Christ has the victory in the courage Serhiy and Oksana demonstrated when they adopted not one, but eight children in the middle of a war.
3. The moment Yakiv was blessed with a job
Yakiv* grew up at Lifesong Ukraine, and though he was reluctant to believe God could have a plan for his life, he remained connected to our team.
After graduating, he found employment, but the war snatched his job just a few months later. Our team in Ukraine stepped in and provided him with the opportunity to work and be discipled at one of Lifesong’s berry farms. Having meaningful work and job skills training during the war was an especially unique blessing.
But the impact didn’t stop there. As Denis Poshelok shares—
“Once a week, orphanage graduates at the farm get together for a small Bible study. When the outside enemy is threatening us, it makes us closer and stronger together.”
This summer, after receiving the difficult news that his brother had been killed on the battlefield, Yakiv realized his need for Jesus, and at last, he surrendered.
Lifesong Farms Ukraine continues to flourish. Over 300,000 pounds of fruit were produced over the past year, and clients are already requesting more. 50 full-time and 300 part-time jobs have been provided, and 100% of the proceeds help fund our ministry to orphaned and vulnerable children in Ukraine.
Christ has the victory as lives like Yakiv’s are impacted by a business that miraculously continues to thrive despite the war.
4. The moment Sasha let go of fear
At Lifesong Poland, God continues to impact orphaned and vulnerable children from Ukraine. Already in 2025, our team held two Christian camps, one for younger and one for older children.
Team members led children through a series of art therapy exercises to promote healing from anxiety. Art became a beautiful means to connect with the children and to share with them about Jesus.
A young girl named Sasha* arrived at the camp who was noticeably withdrawn from her peers. She showed significant anxiety, accompanied by irritability and restlessness.
During art therapy, Sasha and the other children used pens, paint, and paper to depict a place they’d like to be. As Sasha drew Lifesong Poland, a place she feels safe, her anxiety started to dissipate.
At the camp, our team also shared stories from the Bible where God provides safety and protection for His people.
By the end of the program, Sasha let go of the fear and anxiety she faced at the beginning of the day. She was excited to participate in group activities and talked openly with the other children.
Christ has the victory as Sasha experiences the kind of peace that is only in Jesus.
Christ is victorious in Ukraine.
And one of the ways He works is through your prayers and generous support. Our team in Ukraine encourages Christians around the world to ask, what is my role in this fight for orphans, and am I doing it well? In the words of Denis Poshelok—
“Let us use every opportunity God is giving us and not waste this precious time.”
When you step into your role in this fight, you encourage our team in Ukraine to keep showing up too.
Because of your support and prayers,
over 216 Lifesong staff members and 554 volunteers serve children today in Ukraine. Each one represents a family that chose to stay in Ukraine to care for kids, even though they could have fled to safety elsewhere. Every day, they fight so orphaned and vulnerable children can understand the depth of God’s love for them.
And since the war began …
- Our team is currently providing 3,660 children with Gospel-centered, holistic care, discipleship, and education at dedicated Lifesong facilities in Ukraine and Poland.
- Additionally, our team reaches 2,500 children with relief packages, weekly events, Sunday school, and visitations.
- In 2024, we held 110 Christian camps with 5,500 children in attendance. At the camps, 290 children accepted Jesus.
- In Western Ukraine, our team continues to develop a Trauma Care Center, providing Gospel-centered trauma care and safe housing so the fatigue and anxiety of the war can be overcome.
- 143 staff have received training, including trauma care training.
Keep praying for the war in Ukraine to end
because “joy will come in the morning.” But as you do, remember there is another war worth fighting too, the war against Satan’s ploys to steal, kill, and destroy.
As we persist in this fight for orphaned and vulnerable children, may we, like our team in Ukraine, continually praise God for the good things He is causing to thrive, even in the midst of darkness.
*Names have been changed to protect the identities of the children we serve.
Will you help orphaned and vulnerable children in Ukraine experience the Gospel and heal from trauma?
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