A Ukrainian soldier holds his Bible as the country continues to fight the Russian invasion.,,,
Bibles are offering hope in the bomb shelters as Ukrainians find solace at ‘the gates of hell’, reported The Daily Telegraph.
Far from blaming God for the suffering caused by Russia’s year-long invasion of the country, living surrounded by death has caused people to ask questions about life, said Anatoliy Raychynets, deputy general secretary of the Ukrainian Bible Society. “I think the Bible is a point of hope to people who are living through the war.”
The Daily Telegraph account included the story of Andriy and his wife Yana, who were in the queue for groceries when they turned to God.
The young couple had gone to hunt for food in their home city of Mariupol during a lull in the Russian bombardment. When they arrived at the nearest shop, some five miles away, they found a long, snaking queue – and then missiles began to fall once more.
“The explosions were still heard but they were far away,” said Yana, 33.
“We stood in the huge line of about 150 to 200 people. When we were almost inside, missiles started falling closer and closer. One hit about 10 metres away from us. Thankfully, it hit behind the corner – only that saved us.”
Terrified of orphaning their two children, left at home in the bomb shelter, they ran inside the shop and began to pray.
“That was the moment when our faith was tested: I was praying for protection all the time. And that was the moment that pushed us into faith,” said Yana. “The real faith started at that moment when we saw that God spared all of us.”
The number of people in Ukraine asking for Bibles has more than doubled since Russia invaded in February, according to figures released by the Ukrainian Bible Society. In 2020, it distributed 136,767 Bibles, but in the first nine months of this year, that figure more than doubled to 359,000. British Christians have donated about 168,000 Bibles and Scripture-based books.
From New Life Newspaper issue 339
