As I reflect on my time in Ukraine, there’s one last story I’d like to share.
I haven’t talked much about the war in these letters, though it was evident everywhere I looked. “Hedgehog” tank stoppers from 2022 still on roadsides. Many people in uniform, some with injuries. Memorials all over town. Every cemetery we passed had fresh military graves.
And of course the griefs and anxieties of war came up in conversation. For example, our prayer circle has been praying for Angelina’s* health challenges. Staff member Katya brought her by the Day Center to introduce us. Angelina shared that she had a “question for God” – and then told us that her brother has been missing in action for two years.
On my second-to-last day in Ukraine, I saw our staff in action in the middle of an air raid alert, adapting their plans to meet the needs of our youth.
Ronnie Mosley of Capturing Grace had arrived Sunday evening with his friend Pramod, and Last Bell’s executive director Marguerite had arrived the night before, so all four of us went along on Tuesday’s visit to a local school. Because of the alert, the planned Life Skills meeting took place in a tiny bomb shelter in the school’s basement.
for three and a half packed days of photos and interviews
This is a school for learning cooking skills – specifically for students who didn’t have good grades, have a learning disability, or don’t have any money, so many of the students had no choice about their placement. The social worker there is a good advocate for orphaned youth. It was against the rules to place beds in the bomb shelter, but she did anyway, so students could sleep during nighttime alerts.
Because of those beds, it was a very crowded room!
But our staff were not phased – either by the uncomfortable space or knowing there was an air raid siren. They passed out snacks (canned Cokes, a big hit) and started a game. Staff member Katya handed out cards with different questions, like “What little things bring you joy?” It was a great way to quickly get to know each other.
It was a simple visit – but packed a lot of relationship into a short amount of time. And it was a weekly reminder for these students that our staff are ready to welcome them with love (and more snacks) at the Day Center.
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Marguerite, Ronnie, and Pramod saw firsthand what it feels like to be in a city at war. (I was with family at the time.) Ronnie captured this video of a drone flying overhead, which then hit nearby and injured several people. The next day, he received special permission to go behind police lines and take photos of the damage.
While a drone actually hitting Zhytomyr is rare, the threat is a daily reality. But whatever fear and anxiety our staff may experience, they continue in service to orphaned students and orphan-led families. I’m encouraged by their faith and challenged by their dedication.
Thank you for praying for our Last Bell family – both for safety and for the hearts and lives of the young people we serve.
-Emily
*not her real name