Overcoming Obstacles

From a woman in Ukraine

"Thank you again for everything that you are doing for us! My name is Ruslana*. I am from a wonderful village near Kharkiv region. That morning, February 24, I will remember for the rest of my life, since I saw with my own eyes through my window how Russian rockets were striking the military base, that was on the outskirts of our village. The next three weeks my grandparents and I spent in the basement without light and mobile connection, hiding from continuous bombing, because our village happened to be close to the frontline right next to a village occupied by the Russian soldiers.

"Later my mother and brother joined us, because their house was only 100 meters from a place where Ukrainian tanks were restraining the offensive of the Russian invaders. There are no words to describe the horror that they had been through, when they were walking down the streets of their own village, destroyed by the enemy's projectiles.

"We understood that there was a long way into the unknown ahead of us, but thank God, we have come across a lot of amazing people who have helped us to overcome the obstacles on our way. One example of those people is the people from the church in east-central Ukraine. These wonderful people supported us in the most difficult period of our lives. They provided us with a shelter, clothes, medicines, food - with everything that is needed to feel that your life is back to normal which is so valuable right now. They also supported us with the Word of God, that helps us find joy and comfort while going through the horror of the war. We are eternally grateful to them. May God bless them!"

*Name changed for privacy and security

Additional Posts

By Michelle Atwell December 23, 2025
When God First Widened My World: Remembering Urbana 1996 I still remember the winter air. It was December 1996, and I was a junior at Oakland University in Rochester Michigan, serving as a small group leader with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship—the ministry that had profoundly shaped my faith since my freshman year. I was growing spiritually, serving faithfully in my local church, and stepping into leadership on campus. Attending Urbana felt like the natural next step. Urbana only happened every three years, and I knew that once I graduated, I might miss the chance altogether. My church believed in that moment enough to cover the cost. They entrusted me—and my campus minister—with a van full of college students, driving from Detroit to Champaign-Urbana during the quiet days between Christmas and New Year’s. I had heard the stories: thousands of students, passionate worship, a clear call to live fully for Jesus. What I encountered exceeded every expectation. A Campus Taken Over by the Kingdom Buses poured in from every direction, unloading students onto a snow- covered campus. Dorm rooms filled. Cafeterias buzzed. The entire university seemed overtaken—not by noise or spectacle, but by a quiet, collective hunger for God. For the first time in my life, I met students from places far beyond Michigan— Harvard, Loyola, Wheaton. My world was expanding in real time. I don’t remember every speaker or session. What I do remember is the unmistakable clarity of the invitation. God was bigger than I had ever imagined. Not just personal. Not just local. He was King of the nations. And there were people—millions of them—who had never heard His name. The question was simple, but it felt weighty: Would I commit my life, in whatever way God asked, to the Great Commission? Explore God’s leading toward the nations with a SEND missions coach.
By Diaspora North America November 4, 2025
Opening Your Homes This Thanksgiving 
By Diaspora North America October 7, 2025
Creating Safe Spaces for Conversations 
Show More