September 18, 2026 (Day 1668)
Our lives continue despite the war. We work, we serve, we try to find time to rest, and we try to sleep at night—although that is not always possible.
The first days of autumn have been warm and sunny. The open markets are filled with an abundance of vegetables and fruits, and people are busy preparing for the winter. We do not know what this winter will bring for us. The enemy has been attacking food warehouses and destroying food supplies, which makes preparing for the months ahead even more important.
So, many people are now preserving vegetables and fruits, making salads, juices, ketchup, and compotes. I have never really had time for this before, but this year I decided that I should save something for the winter. I made a few jars of canned salads and some juice—and I am quite proud of myself! It may seem like a small thing, but in these difficult times, even these simple preparations give me a sense that I am doing something practical to care for my family and prepare for whatever lies ahead.
My mother’s health has been declining, and she seems to grow weaker every day. Sergey and I are taking care of her and doing our best to make her days as joyful and meaningful as possible. She enjoys our company, and we try to keep her life interesting and filled with little moments of happiness. Her hearing has also become quite poor. In a strange way, this sometimes gives her a little more peace—she does not always hear the air-raid alarms or the explosions outside. So, while we are often aware of what is happening, she can remain peacefully unaware and sleep through some of the noise.
Our Bible group, which was on vacation last month, has resumed meetings again. We are studying the book of Acts and experiencing the times of the birth of the church, the history of the preaching of the Gospel, persecution for the Word of God, and the endurance and strong spirit of Christ’s disciples who carry his Gospel to the ends of the world. Our Bible study group is not big and consists of refugees, some of whom have already given their lives to Jesus over the past four years and have become members of our church, some of whom are still on their way to God. But we are all curious and happy to discover new things through studying this book.
Dr. Anya is home again. Her military service in the medical unit is demanding and exhausting, and she has been facing some health problems as well. She recently had to return to a military hospital for treatment, where she underwent knee surgery. Now she is recovering at home and enjoying time with her family and fellowship with the church. We are very happy to have her home and to see her again. We are thankful for her service and continue to pray for her recovery, strength, and health.
This week Sergey conducted a funeral service for an elderly man who had occasionally attended our church. The man became seriously ill last week and was taken to the hospital. Sergey visited him there, and the man was very glad to see him. He told Sergey that his greatest desire was to have peace with the Lord. Sergey prayed with him and helped him pray a prayer of repentance and receive Jesus into his heart. The very next day, the man passed away. Funerals have become far too common in our country. Every day, people experience the pain of losing loved ones and face sadness, grief, and despair. Yet at this funeral, there was also a deep sense of joy and gratitude. We were thankful to God for this man’s life and for the peace he found with the Lord. We were comforted by the hope that he had gone home to be with Him.
The need to evacuate people from Kherson, a city very close to the front line and the occupied territories, has become increasingly urgent. Life there is becoming more dangerous every day. Drones attack people on the streets, target their cars, and harass the civilian population on a regular basis.
Although our own city is not safe either, it is still safer than the areas close to the front line. We are therefore ready to welcome people from the church in Kherson who may need to leave their homes.
Today, several women from our church gathered at the refugee center to clean and prepare place for those who may come to stay with us. We do not know exactly when they will arrive or how many people will need our help, but we want to be ready to open our doors and provide them with a safe and welcoming place.
Please continue to pray for us—that Ukraine will endure and survive this brutal war, and that even through the midst of these terrible circumstances, many people will open their hearts to God, find hope in Him, and come to know His peace and love.
Please, send your donations to Pathway Ministries: http://www.pathwayministriesinc.org
In Christ,
Lyuda
P.S. I have included some photos from our church, our work with a therapeutic support group, the aftermath of recent attacks, and a photo of my basement.
