Can you imagine the horrors of losing everything you own? Fleeing from your home? Wondering each day if it will be your last? Can you imagine losing friends and family and holding onto the smallest shred of hope that there will be an end to this suffering?

A staggering 1.6 million internally displaced people in Ukraine are reeling from tragedies like these—traumatized by war and uncertainty.

The Background

The government of Ukraine has been in conflict against pro-Russian separatists for more than three years now. Tensions began in 2014 with Russia’s struggle to maintain its regional influence over Ukraine and Ukraine’s attempt to embrace Europe’s politics.

Residents in Eastern Ukraine are facing the worst fighting in years. Violent street clashes and bombings have led to the deaths of more than 10,000 civilians in Eastern Ukraine. Many have lost relatives and friends. The fighting has pushed people out of their homes, forcing many of them to live in territories held by insurgents. Now many citizens—primarily women and children—are living as strangers in their own homeland.

Ukraine’s displaced people—broken by pain and separation—need to experience the healing of Jesus.

The Response: The Love and Healing of Jesus

The Bible holds the words of life. Through our Bible-based trauma healing ministry, we have seen people find love and healing in Jesus.

Now, in partnership with American Bible Society’s Trauma Healing Institute, Ukrainian Bible Society is training individuals to use Bible-based trauma healing to minister to the people of Ukraine.

For the training, Ukrainian Bible Society is linking arms with a variety of churches—especially those with the specific focus of aiding the victims of ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine. This coalition plans to:

• Train 100 pastors, priests, and therapy-minded laypeople as Bible-based trauma healing facilitators.
• Complete the translation of the Healing the Wounds of Trauma curriculum in both Russian and Ukrainian.
• Invite 66,000 people in Ukraine to attend these Bible-based trauma healing groups to find hope and healing in Christ.

This ministry-focused, interconfessional collaboration will help many discover the truth of Isaiah 53:5: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (GNTD).

Will you join us in praying for the displaced people of Ukraine to find healing in Jesus?

Let’s Pray

• Pray for the thousands of displaced people in Ukraine to discover the only one who offers true healing, Jesus.
• Pray for leaders being trained in Bible-based trauma healing best practices to be sensitive to people who are hurting and to approach them with the love of Jesus.
• Pray for God’s wisdom for those translating and contextualizing the Healing the Wounds of Trauma curriculum—that the materials would effectively share Jesus with those who have been traumatized.
• Pray for God’s peace to reign in Ukraine.