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.
含羞草研究社淪ome celebration,含羞草研究社� 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, it含羞草研究社檚 what they do. But as the invasion intensifies, so does the need for help.
They含羞草研究社檝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 it含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社� Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk 含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淲e are overwhelmed with refugees,含羞草研究社� Inga says. 含羞草研究社淜ids, orphans, (because) parents send their kids with someone, because they are staying behind to fight.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淧eople have suffered for a long time here, even after the fall of communism,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭he people here have suffered from one corrupt leader in government after another, so they含羞草研究社檝e known really nothing except to struggle and fight and survive.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淥ur daily life is really not daily anymore,含羞草研究社� Inga says. 含羞草研究社淭hings change drasticially from hour to hour, whether it含羞草研究社檚 accomodating refugees, coordination of food, finding food, taking people across the border.含羞草研究社�
When asked if they are personally taking people across borders, she said: 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e all doing that.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭he whole city is at work, and not just missionairies.含羞草研究社�
They含羞草研究社檝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.
含羞草研究社淒uring communism we weren含羞草研究社檛 allowed to touch the Bible or to read the Bible,含羞草研究社� Inga says. Her closest experience with religion was decorating eggs at Easter.
含羞草研究社淭hen with the Soviet Union falling apart a lot of missionairies came this way and started talking about God,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 just want to work so hard, so much, that people would start saying 含羞草研究社榞lory to God含羞草研究社�,含羞草研究社� instead of 含羞草研究社楪lory to Ukraine.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 very important to just do God含羞草研究社檚 will,含羞草研究社� she said.
Kent says his faith has also given him a 含羞草研究社渄egree of calm含羞草研究社� in the face of war, frustration, anger and fear.
含羞草研究社淲ithout it I含羞草研究社檓 not sure how we含羞草研究社檇 get through,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淚 know that it doesn含羞草研究社檛 matter what happens to me because I含羞草研究社檓 in a relationship with God and I含羞草研究社檓 ready to go when He says it含羞草研究社檚 time to go.含羞草研究社�
Those interesting in helping their mission can visit and search for the Ukraine Relief Fund.
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