‘I’m a Ukrainian church leader. Amid the heartache of war, we’re baptising more people than ever’

The Russian invasion is still wreaking a heavy toll, and the need is great, says Ukrainian church leader David Karcha. He reports on how his church is seeing God move powerfully, even amid the chaos of war

February 24 2022 is carved into my memory - the day Russia’s full-scale invasion began. The day fear swept across Ukraine like a flood. Each morning started with the same questions: When will they strike next? How far will they go? Will we survive this?

Those first weeks felt like living inside a nightmare that wouldn’t end. Sirens became the soundtrack of our days. Every phone call carried a cry for help. We learned to run, to hide, to help. We learned to count the seconds between explosions, to enjoy even the smallest things, to cherish what we had. We learned how fragile life is.

Then came 2023 and 2024 - years filled with even more cruelty and pain brought by the Russian army. But we kept going, helping as much as we could, holding on to hope and longing for peace. But those years have blurred together. The hope that once carried us through the first year has slowly drained away.