Rick Perhai lives with his family in Kyiv, the capital (and most populous city) of one of the most embattled nations on earth. With 130,000 Russian troops poised ominously along Ukraine’s border, you might assume the Perhais are frantically packing their stuff to return to America. They are not. Ukraine has been home for 20 years, and they don’t intend to leave their beloved friends and believing family now.

Perhai, a pastor and seminary professor, offers a stirring on-the-ground perspective in a recent article for TGC. After sketching some historical and political context—bottom line: this foreboding turn of events is, for Ukrainians, sadly familiar—he recounts how the work of the gospel continues “despite war and rumors of war.” Read Perhai share about God’s work through Andrii, who is developing a missionary-sending agency; or Oleh, who is training scores of chaplains to minister God’s Word to troops staring conflict in the face; or Serhii, who is preparing to be sent to Greece to plant a church.

Despite these encouragements, the political situation is dire. Perhai writes:

Our family has known for years that the window of opportunity for missionary training in Ukraine might someday close. That day could be right around the corner. But our Ukrainian brothers and sisters have shown us how to continue in faith and hope in times of great uncertainty. Surrounded by such a cloud of living witnesses makes us want to stay as long as we can in a land surrounded and threatened by Russian armies.

Let’s pray for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. May God protect them. And may he fortify their faith and continue to produce eternal fruit—even in the darkest of times.