One Year Later The Salvation Army Continues to Give Hope in Ukraine

Salvation Army worker huddles and encourages those affected by war
by SalvationArmy.ca
Categories: Articles, Blog, Feature, Hope Stories, Mobile, Newswire
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On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, starting a war that has caused widespread devastation and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homeland.

For The Salvation Army, the past year has been a time of ongoing front-line ministry—especially in Ukraine and the surrounding countries, but also in Canada and around the world.

As we mark the one-year anniversary of the conflict, these reflections offer three unique perspectives on the war and the Army’s response:

  • From Captain Svetlana Bochkareva, a Salvation Army officer still serving in Kharkiv, Ukraine. “On the day the war began, I opened the basement of our corps building as a bomb shelter and for those who had already been bombed. People were afraid, distressed and crying. Children sobbed. They needed shelter. And although I knew that this basement could become a common grave, I opened it, hoping that God would provide. We had a warm place to sleep, and we had water and food. The building quickly filled.”
  • From Anastasiia Adelson, a Ukrainian refugee who was helped by the Army in Victoria and is now an employee, helping others like herself. “When I first arrived in Victoria, I asked around about places where I could go to for help and most people said The Salvation Army. They provided me with groceries and clothing vouchers when I first got here. They were so friendly and kind,” she says.
  • From Debbie Clarke, a Canadian Salvationist who deployed to Romania and served Ukrainian refugees there for two months. “The current base of operations for The Salvation Army’s services for Ukrainian refugees in Bucharest is the Romexpo exhibition centre. Before we even opened the doors in the morning, there was already a line of people waiting. Once inside, the individuals received a tag, which gave them access to all services that are provided in the building. While I was there, we were seeing an average of 1,000 people a day.”

To read the complete article, visit https://salvationist.ca/articles/ministry-on-the-front-lines-ukraine/