Stories From the Field

In 2022, with their home city of Kyiv, Ukraine, under attack during the Russian invasion, our partners, Pasha and Rustam, moved their families to Germany. They wasted no time sharing their faith with hundreds of refugees living in their new ...read more

While in a city in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, I met a believing man. He did not want to evacuate with others leaving the city but desired to stay to serve. He is a simple man that never had gifts for singing or public speaking but humbly ...read more

Church Without Walls in Moldova has been actively involved in ministry to Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the war. As the war persists, many continue to turn to the church for help. Around 400 families are supported with food packages ...read more

“Three years ago, I found out about Help the Children Charity and their mentoring program and was invited to attend the program by their staff,” says 19-year-old Lera. Help the Children’s community centers in Transnistria ...read more

Bethany Church is one church in the Generations Network Ukraine who have been helping the displaced during the war. They have been providing physical and medical aid and replacing and repairing windows in homes that have been damaged in the ...read more

Hello, my name is Nastya! I attended Bible Club for several years in a row. When I became older, I was invited to be a helper with the Bible Clubs. It was so interesting for me to have the opportunity to serve in this way, and I enjoyed ...read more

Vladislav, a 14-year-old boy who has been attending the Children of the Street program for many years. He is very quick-tempered and likes to solve problems with his fists. From an early age, Vladislav has been drinking alcohol and smoking ...read more

My name is Maria. I’m 15 years old. I learned about Adventure Camp and the summer rafting trip from my sister, Ekaterina. She is the raft’s chief mate. Last summer was my first time at the camp, which was a river rafting ...read more

  Meet Myah! I was inspired to begin volunteering with Summit Missions when I was assigned a service project for my Global Politics class at school.  To complete the assignment, we were required to engage in a political ...read more

While we wish we could say the war in Ukraine is over, and although it is not often in the news headlines, the reality is the situation remains turbulent, negatively impacting millions of lives. During their recent travels, our Executive ...read more

Our family was displaced from our home in the Donetsk region.  Our city is under constant shelling.  When we came to Kyiv, we were in a difficult situation, being in a foreign city with little financial resources.  We looked for ...read more

The end of the school year signals the beginning of summer.  For children in Eastern Europe, it brings the anticipation of Bible Clubs.  Many children wait with excitement summer after summer for the next Bible Club to begin—it is a ...read more

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.“ - Genesis 50:20 This verse was a recuring theme over the 9 days SMI board member, Dean Domer, and I spent ...read more

Karina is 10 years old.  She lives and studies in Grigoriopol, Transnistria, a city located on the bank of the Dniester River.  Karina is a small, fragile girl in size, but, at the same time, a very strong girl.  She is from a ...read more

Volunteers from our church evacuated a family of five, including their 94-year-old grandmother from the Kherson region. The day before they left, they had buried their uncle. Shelling was taking place during the funeral and at one point, the ...read more

Hello, my name is Maria, and I am the coordinator of the mentoring project for the Help the Children organization in Transnistria. My love for people, especially teenagers, is the first reason for working in the social work sphere.  I am ...read more

“My family and I are very grateful that the church is here!  I had never been to such meetings before.  It is as if the sun was shining in my heart!  Your church is so good and cozy like a home.  Glory to ...read more

Hello! My name is Ilya. I am part of the Church Without Walls in Moldova. I first came to the church about 6 years ago participating in the student ministry. I was once very afraid of death. Through the Church Without Walls, I learned about ...read more

In celebration of “Mother’s Day,” Church Without Walls hosted a dinner event for Ukrainian refugee women. During the event, Vika, a woman who had come to Transnistria as a refugee, shared her story of God’s help in her ...read more

As the war in Ukraine persists, our church continues to serve refugees. We are sending resources to the front line of the war. In one month, the church was able to deliver 1.5 tons of food, clothes, and hygiene items extremely close to the ...read more

Lida is a girl who lives in Transnistria with her family. Her father is deaf and unable to speak. He cannot work due to his condition. In order to support the family, Lida’s mother had to leave her family, home, and country to find ...read more

Thank you for being a part of the Summit in 2022. Together, we are a community of believers passionate about sharing the Gospel. Through your support, our overseas partners have given practical help and spiritual hope to the refugee, the ...read more

In 2014, we left the occupied part of Ukraine [Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014] for the city of Kyiv. We are involved in organizing a new church in an urban district of the capital city. During the war period, we ...read more

This is Dima! He is only 18 years old but has had a difficult fate. Very early in life, the burdens and responsibilities of an adult man were placed on him. He lives alone with his mother, who is ill, can barely walk, and needs constant care. He ...read more

In early December, we received a call from Sandra, in Nebraska.  She had been looking for a “hands-on” Christmas project for her nine grandchildren. She was excited to learn about the backpack project for Ukrainian refugee ...read more

My name is Elena, I’m 48 years old.  I came from Marhanets to a new city because of the war.  I was not familiar with this city and was trying to adapt, find a new job, meet new people, and navigate unfamiliar places.  ...read more

Meet Andrey! He studies in the 9th grade at a Moldavian-speaking school in his hometown of Grigoriopol, Transnistria.  He is a fan of table tennis and football. While his mother is abroad in search of work, Andrey lives with his elderly ...read more

Though Russia began a full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022, the church in Ukraine never stepped aside. From the first days of the war, churches, volunteer movements, and civic organizations have taken responsibility and joined together to ...read more