Faith and Love in the Midst of War | 战火中的信心与爱

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1

Even as the war continues, our partners in Lviv Central Baptist Church remain faithful in caring for widows and children affected by the conflict. Even though the road ahead is difficult, they persevered with faith and love, bearing witness to God's presence and grace.

During the summer, the church team organized children’s day camps and teen camps. As fall began, they prepared for the new school year and planned more activities to involve the children regularly in church life. Because COVID-19 has begun spreading again, some women are unable to attend, yet ministry continues with hope and perseverance.

The first school-year women’s meeting was held on September 13, followed by two preparation meetings for the coming semester. More pastors and women are joining the ministry to serve war widows. In one nearby region, another church has also started a program for widows. Currently, six small groups of widows and children meet every two weeks for fellowship and Bible reading. Pastor Bogdan’s wife leads one of the groups, and four women who were once participants are now helping lead others. As relationships deepen, more women have begun reading the Bible, seeing God answer their prayers, and valuing Christian fellowship. Some now attend church regularly, while others are still hesitant. To reach them, the team is preparing a retreat on November 20–22 for about 50 women who have never joined before.

Co-workers continue home visits. Natalia, the lead staff member, visits families every two weeks. She shared with Living Hope that she recently helped Orest install a small lift at home, as he needs to go to the hospital for dialysis three times a week. Sister Julia was baptized last year. Her daughter, Rusa, is frail and often ridiculed for her faith, but she remains steadfast, saying, "The Church is my only home."

Michael, who serves in hospital, continues sharing the gospel with patients. He recently met a young wounded soldier who was moved to tears in church. “The only hope,” Michael told him, “is in God.”

May the Lord continue to strengthen them so that His Church can be a source of light and comfort in troubled places.

神是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们在患难中随时的帮助。——诗篇 46:1

即使战火仍在继续，我们在Lviv Central Baptist Church的弟兄姊妹仍旧忠心服事，关怀那些在战争中失去爱人的寡妇与受创的孩子们。即使前路艰难，他们以信心与爱心坚持着，见证着神的同在与恩典

在今夏，教会团队举办了儿童夏令营与青少年营会，让孩子们在游戏、学习与团契中重新绽放笑容。进入秋季后，他们积极为新学期作准备，并规划更多活动，鼓励孩子们持续参与教会生活。虽然新冠疫情再度蔓延，使部分妇女暂时无法聚会，但事工仍在盼望与坚忍中继续前行——因为他们深信，主的爱从未止息。

9月13日，教会举办了新学年的第一次妇女聚会，随后召开两次筹备会议，为新学期的服事立下清晰方向。越来越多的牧者与妇女加入服事行列，一同关怀战争遗孀。在邻近地区，另一间教会也回应呼召，开展了寡妇事工。目前教会共有六个小组，每两周聚会一次，一同团契与查经。Bogdan牧师的妻子亲自带领其中一组，而四位曾经只是参与者的妇女，如今也成为新的组长。随着关系的加深，更多妇女开始阅读圣经，亲身经历神垂听祷告的真实，也更加珍惜基督里的团契之爱。有些人已开始固定参加主日崇拜，另一些仍在观望。为了接触更多尚未参与的妇女，团队正筹备于11月20日至22日举办一场退修会，预计将邀请约五十位新朋友同行。  

同工们持续进行家访，主要负责同工Natalia每两周都会有家庭探访。她跟Living Hope分享，最近她协助Orest在家中安装了小升降机，因为他每周需到医院透析三次。Julia姐妹，去年受洗归主。她的女儿Rusa体弱多病，还因信仰常被人讥笑，但她仍坚定地说：“教会是我唯一的家。”

在医院服事的Michael，也不断向伤兵传扬福音。最近，他遇到一位受伤的年轻士兵，这位士兵在教会中听见信息后感动落泪。Michael 轻声对他说：“惟有在神里，才有真正的盼望。”愿主继续坚固他们，使祂的教会在苦难之地成为亮光与安慰的泉源。