Living in war-affected villages near Kherson, thousands of children face daily struggles alongside their families. Their homes have been damaged by shelling, schools were destroyed, and the harsh realities of survival have replaced childhood joys. Yet, despite the challenges, these children dream of brighter days.
This winter, thanks to the generosity of our partners from the International Emergency Disaster Service (IDES), who provided most of the support, we were able to do far more than we originally hoped! These children experienced a glimpse of that hope. A VBS and Christmas camp, organized by TCI alumni and students, brought light into their lives. For the first time in months, they laughed, played, and heard about God’s love. Inspired by that experience, our team was determined to bring joy to over 820 children living in Kherson and its region this Christmas season. What started as an effort to reach a few children grew into a large-scale outreach impacting multiple villages.
A team of 44 volunteers from across Ukraine came together to make this mission possible. They traveled to war-affected villages, delivering gift packages filled with small toys, fruit, snacks, and handwritten notes of encouragement. But more importantly, they brought the message of Christ’s love—a gift far greater than anything wrapped in paper.
This initiative was more than just a one-time outreach. It laid the foundation for ongoing relationships with families, deepening trust and opening doors for future ministry. In some areas, this Christmas outreach helped restart a local church’s work among children. In other villages, where Christian communities do not yet exist, we pray that these efforts will lead to a long-term missionary presence and discipleship. Watch more about this project in the following video:
How You Can Pray:
🙏 For the safety of the children and their families – Many remain in dangerous areas due to financial and personal constraints. Pray for God’s protection over them.
🙏 For future mission trips, our team dreams of visiting these villages on a monthly basis to continue spiritual and educational work. Pray for financial provision and safe travels for these efforts.
🙏 For a mobile library project—Since schools, kindergartens, and libraries have been destroyed in many villages, we are praying for the opportunity to launch a mobile library bus that will visit these communities monthly and provide children with access to books and learning resources.