January 13, 2026
Day 1420
News from Ukraine
A new year always brings new hopes and plans. For us in Ukraine, one hope stands above all others—peace. We hear this word everywhere: in support groups, churches, and everyday conversations. We pray for a just peace, the kind only God can give—a peace that allows us to remain a free country with our own borders, language, culture, and traditions.
Nearly four years of war have left deep scars. Electrical systems, homes, schools, and hospitals are deliberately targeted. Our region, including Odesa, has suffered greatly, and 2025 has been especially hard for our small town. Just before Christmas, a massive night drone attack destroyed an electrical substation and nearby homes. By morning, the full extent of the devastation was visible—ruins, twisted metal, and ashes where life had been only hours before.
Despite this, Christmas still came. The week before Christmas is usually filled with rehearsals and preparations, and this year we focused especially on children who now spend much of their lives in bomb shelters. We held Christmas programs at an orphanage and a school for children with special needs, as well as a church service and dinner. In between air raids, children listened to the Christmas story, rang handbells, received gifts they had long dreamed of, and worshiped with us at church. Their joy was a powerful reminder that light still shines, even in darkness.
The first days of the new year are quieter in our city, though nearby areas continue to face heavy attacks. Our region depends on a single remaining bridge to connect us with Odesa and central Ukraine. Over the past two months, it has been repeatedly targeted, yet each time it is quickly repaired so traffic can continue.
This week, Sergey plans to travel to Kyiv with Sasha, a seriously wounded soldier who needs further medical treatment. Kyiv is under constant attack, with frequent power and water shortages. Please pray for their safety—on the road, at the bridge, and in the hospital.
Finally, please pray for a new direction in our ministry: the creation of a rehabilitation center for war veterans. God has provided a remarkable building, now under renovation. Pray for successful reconstruction and for wisdom as we develop a strong rehabilitation program with counselors and specialists to serve those who have sacrificed so much.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer and hope.
Please, send your donations to Pathway Ministries
http://www.pathwayministriesinc.org
In Christ,
Lyuda
P.S. Attached are photos from our Christmas program for children, the church dinner, and the renovation of the building for our ministry to war veterans.
