«Love endures all things.» 1 Cor. 13:7
I am traveling by train to the eastern front line, accompanied by bishops, pastors, and chaplains. We will celebrate Christmas with our defenders—our brothers and sisters—who are now sitting in the trenches and dugouts, fighting against the enemy that is attacking and invading our homeland.
For the majority of Ukrainians, the Christmas holiday holds a special significance. It is seen as a family celebration where loved ones gather to sing carols, spend quality time together, and celebrate the coming of the Messiah into this world according to their traditions. This time offers a unique and valuable opportunity for families, large and small, to connect and find a moment of peace in today’s turbulent, fast-paced world. Currently, over one million Ukrainians are mobilized to the Armed Forces. Most of us have someone from our family – a brother, sister, father, mother, son, or daughter – defending our country in the army.
Third Christmas during wartime
For the third consecutive year, we have been celebrating Christmas during wartime. Not everyone can gather around the family table this year, and for many families, someone will be missing forever.
Our train is heading east, and most of the passengers are soldiers. However, there are also many women traveling with children. I asked the boy sitting behind me where he was going.
– My mom and I are going to visit my dad in Sloviansk -he replied. He is a soldier, and we haven’t seen him for 174 days. We are going to see him for Christmas.
I immersed myself in thought. Our wives and children go to the war zone for Christmas because there are people they love dearly whom they miss and worry about. “Love endures all things”!
«Could you pray for me?»
My back started to ache, so I got up to walk a bit. There were young men on the train, our soldiers, some of whom already had prosthetic legs.
In the vestibule, a young man with a crutch joined me. He lost his leg. He had undergone several surgeries and received prosthetics in the United States, and now he was returning to the front lines. “Love is not self-seeking.”
«Are you a pastor-chaplain? «Are you going to be with our guys? We really need you! Could you pray for me?»
Anatoliy Rachynets, assisterende generalsekretær i Det Ukrainske Bibelselskapet
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