Faith brought Kent and Inga Friesen together in Ukraine, and it will keep them there throughout the Russian invasion.
Kent moved from Abbotsford to Ukraine in 2000, after living here for 20 years. Missions work took him to the west of the country, where he lives now with Inga.
This week, they will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.
B次元官网网址淪ome celebration,B次元官网网址� she jokes over the phone. Their special day will be just like all others since the invasion began. They will cook and deliver food, they will follow the news, answer phone calls and emails and jump to meet any and all needs.
As missionaries, itB次元官网网址檚 what they do. But as the invasion intensifies, so does the need for help.
TheyB次元官网网址檝e been checking in each day with their home church in Abbotsford, Central Heights, offering reports on military activity and their spiritual wellness. The church has been collecting money online to help them continue their work. (See link at end of story.)
As military vehicles rumble along their street, Inga says itB次元官网网址檚 like watching a war movie. The reality of the invasion has hit big cities and small towns. The Friesens live in a smaller town where Inga teaches English, and the influx of refugees has overwhelmed the community.
The largest cities in Ukraine B次元官网网址� Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk B次元官网网址� are all in the east and home to millions of people. They are easily accessible to Russian forces. Residents from those places have fled west, escaping to Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland. Immigrants within Ukraine have also been fleeing, to get home to places like Nigeria and India.
The Friesens have been meeting with all types of people coming through their town.
B次元官网网址淲e are overwhelmed with refugees,B次元官网网址� Inga says. B次元官网网址淜ids, orphans, (because) parents send their kids with someone, because they are staying behind to fight.B次元官网网址�
Kent says he has seen the tenacity of the Ukrainian people firsthand through the years. It is little surprise to him that Ukraine is fighting back.
B次元官网网址淧eople have suffered for a long time here, even after the fall of communism,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he people here have suffered from one corrupt leader in government after another, so theyB次元官网网址檝e known really nothing except to struggle and fight and survive.B次元官网网址�
There were preparations in Ukraine well before the west was paying attention.
People in the east secured apartments in the west as safety nests. There were practice air raids for months in Kyiv, sometimes in the middle of the night. Inga says many people never took the threat seriously.
The Russian invasion in 2014 only occupied Crimea, and many thought the new threat would result in something similar.
This week, Inga cleaned out her basement to make room for refugees, encouraging neighbours to do the same. Everyone in the country is doing their part.
B次元官网网址淥ur daily life is really not daily anymore,B次元官网网址� Inga says. B次元官网网址淭hings change drasticially from hour to hour, whether itB次元官网网址檚 accomodating refugees, coordination of food, finding food, taking people across the border.B次元官网网址�
When asked if they are personally taking people across borders, she said: B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all doing that.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he whole city is at work, and not just missionairies.B次元官网网址�
TheyB次元官网网址檝e been given no time to rest so far, just enough time to sleep. But through it all they are still making time to pray.
B次元官网网址淒uring communism we werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to touch the Bible or to read the Bible,B次元官网网址� Inga says. Her closest experience with religion was decorating eggs at Easter.
B次元官网网址淭hen with the Soviet Union falling apart a lot of missionairies came this way and started talking about God,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 just want to work so hard, so much, that people would start saying B次元官网网址榞lory to GodB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� instead of B次元官网网址楪lory to Ukraine.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very important to just do GodB次元官网网址檚 will,B次元官网网址� she said.
Kent says his faith has also given him a B次元官网网址渄egree of calmB次元官网网址� in the face of war, frustration, anger and fear.
B次元官网网址淲ithout it IB次元官网网址檓 not sure how weB次元官网网址檇 get through,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 know that it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter what happens to me because IB次元官网网址檓 in a relationship with God and IB次元官网网址檓 ready to go when He says itB次元官网网址檚 time to go.B次元官网网址�
Those interesting in helping their mission can visit and search for the Ukraine Relief Fund.
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