April 15, 2022

Hi friends, Thank you again for all of your prayers over the last few days! Dad and the guys made it safely to Mykolaiv and back home again on Thursday. Here is an update from Dad: We entered Ukraine very late Tuesday night and left Reni at sunrise on Wednesday morning – destination and purpose is Mykolaiv to deliver humanitarian relief and encouragement to a local church where they assist the poor and elderly that can not leave the city and to the men on the frontlines.

As we drove closer to Odessa, the seriousness of the war became evermore real with many roadblocks and checkpoints every few kilometres and in every town and city. By midday a darkness overcame as we approached Mykolaiv, thick dark clouds and rain covered us but also a very real spiritual darkness is felt in the city. The city is completely shut down, no shops are open, malls are boarded up and people are staying home or in shelters for safety.

The Russian army entered and occupied Mykolaiv at the end of February but in several battles in March, Russian forces were repulsed from the city center in March, and by the beginning of April all but a few of its surrounding villages were back under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian forces are preparing for further attacks but will defend the city should the Russians try to retake it – it is seen as the next key stepping-stone for Russian forces on the road to Odessa. Many soldiers and civilians have been killed or injured defending the city.

We drove through the city to a residential area and met pastor Alex and a few men from the church and we quickly unloaded the 3 vans of food, medicine, sleeping bags & mats, hiking boots, raincoats and many essentials. The men of the church are handing out all the provisions and everyone is so very grateful to all of you who donated. The doctor at the hospital was especially thankful as we brought 2 coolers full of insulin for them….

We are on the receiving end of many hugs and thank-you, but it is all passed on to you! The pastor said they thought we were either very brave or crazy to come to Mykolaiv because no one else would come to them. I said I was the crazy one, the others were the brave ones All the men we met have sent their wives and children out of the country, to Romania and to other European countries, but all these guys are doing their best to be a witness of God’s love and hope in this very dark place.

We drove back to Odessa and were invited to spend the night in a house on the Black Sea coast. Our host was very generous to feed us and give us a place to rest. He has also sent his wife and children away once the bombing started on the coast, but he assured us that his basement would be a good place to be if the bombing started again….

Meanwhile, back in the Rasa Center that is full of moms and children from Ukraine, Darcey is having her own battles dealing with situations that arise when you have that many women & children living together in close quarters. For the most part everyone has been able to live together in peace but, inevitably, there will be some friction when living with that many strangers. And of course, it always seems to happen when there are many other battles going on, so Darcey had her hands full with some major counselling sessions while I was gone. So much prayer is needed for all the ladies and our staff… Back in Odessa, we rose before sunrise to drive back home and, as we traveled away from the darkness and into the light, I was even more aware how much spiritual darkness there was over Mykolaiv and Odessa. War, killing and destruction are the tools of the enemy of our souls, and so many people are trapped by it. Please pray for the people in Ukraine and pray for the women and children in our Center in Rasa. We are so grateful for all the support and love we receive to continue the work! Your emails and messages are a real encouragement to us! Much love from Rasa, Reinhard & Darcey