Ellsworth missionary gives update on Ukraine

By Leann Peterson Special to The Journal

Editor’s note: The Journal

first interviewed Ellsworth native Leann Peterson in March, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Peterson is a missionary with Fire Inter – national, Inc. in Ukraine. She has lived and served there for 19 years. Here is her lat –

est update, in her words.

I have been back in my hometown of Krivoy Rog, Ukraine since the end of July. My city is located in south central Ukraine and we are about 60 miles from the frontline fighting. This war has gone on for 7.5 months already.

When I came back, all of my neighbors who have known me for years as the American girl were in shock that I returned. Some whom I’ve never said more than “hello” to now have had long conversations with me. I feel like I have become a beacon of hope, they are so encouraged that an American has been willing to return to Ukraine during the midst of this war.

There is such a sense of unity amongst Ukrainians’ I’m glad I can be here at this time with Ukrainians to support them during this war. It may seem odd, but I have peace about being in Ukraine.

The majority of women and children we helped to evacuate to Poland have since returned home to Ukraine. They have returned because there isn't much fi nancial help available for refugees anymore and most of them simply missed being in their homes and with their husbands/fathers.

My city of Krivoy Rog (population of about 700,000) has almost 100,000 evacuees from other parts of Ukraine. Our non-profit organization, True Hope Ukraine, has two distribution centers where we provide food, clothing, medicine and supplies to those in need. We provide food for up to 150 families daily. We recently received 10 tons of food from

the organization Samaritan’s Purse, which is enabling us to continue to provide for many in need, along with the financial donations we re ceive from around the world.

Ukraine has made incredible progress with retaking land in eastern Ukraine, and we hope that this is a turning point in the war, especially now that Russia has declared the occupied land in Ukraine as Russian territory.

Krivoy Rog has been safe haven for many, but we have not gone unscathed. We have had quite a few missile strikes on our city, many of which were thankfully intercepted in the air, but not always. When the explosions do happen, they are very loud. The worst thing that has happened to my city is that a dam on the city’s reservoir was taken out on Sept. 14, causing a flood in part of the city where 150,000 residents had to be evacuated un- til the flooding subsided. But thankfully, we have had only two civilian casualties in my city, and that was at the very beginning of the war. We count that as the protection of the Lord; it’s amazing.

Life continues on as normal as can be; there is plenty of food in the grocery stores (although prices are quite high) and plenty of fuel at the gas stations. People go to work as usual, restaurants are open, and most stores (but not all.) What is diuerent is how many air raid sirens we can experience in one day, also the sight of anti-tank hedgehogs that line the roads, as well as checkpoints and the increase of military. The other day I was driving back to my apartment and there was a tank behind me on the road, not a normal sight! Of course, we also have marshal law curfew, so you need to be at home from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and no lights on after 10 p.m. as well (unless you have blackout curtains.) It is a diuerent world, but you adapt to it. However, when you gather together with friends now, it always comes back to questions about what will happen next, how our soldier friends are doing, and whether we heard the latest blast near our city.

The horrors of this war continue on, houses are being destroyed and innocent lives are being lost, and all of this is happening not far from me. I have heard many first- hand stories of people who have lived in bomb shelters with no food and water, been shot at, and have lost loved ones.

But we continue to pray and believe that this war will end soon.

I am staying busy ministering spiritually and physically to those refugees/ evacuees in my city, as well as to those in need in our city (especially the elderly), doing outreach on the streets, and encouraging those in our church, Church of Truth. So many new people have come to our church since the war has begun, the new people are both evacuees and people from Krivoy Rog. Everyone is looking for peace and truth, and they are finding it in Jesus. This morning (Oct. 9) there were 83 missiles launched within a few hours at Ukraine, 43 were shot down. Krivoy Rog was also hit today. Lives were lost around the country today. Likely this is all in response to the bridge between Crimea and Russia being hit on Saturday.

But we are still safe and earnestly praying for an end to this war. With winter approaching, everyone is in need of warm clothing and blankets, as we aren’t sure when we will get heat or how warm it will actually be.

I do ask that you pray for Ukraine today, that this war would end soon.

To continue to help True Hope Ukraine support those suuering from this war, you can donate online at fire-in ternational.org/donate and indicate it as “Ukraine Relief.”

Leann Peterson

Leann Peterson prays with a woman in need while ministering to people on the street in Ukraine. Photo courtesy of Leann Peterson

Leann Peterson’s church, Church of Truth, has been distributing clothing and goods to those inneed in Ukraine. Photo courtesy of Leann Peterson

The Ukrainian people are resilient and hopeful, said Ellsworth native and missionary Leann Peterson. Photo courtesy of Leann Peterson