For the last year and a half, Ukrainians have witnessed suffering first-hand, perhaps like no other Western country in modern times. They have seen explosions, heard gunfire, escaped as buildings collapsed around them, lost their jobs and livelihoods, and watched as their friends and family have given their lives for their country.
As a Ukrainian and the area director of Young Life Western Ukraine, an organization devoted to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with adolescents, I have witnessed both suffering and celebration, peace and turmoil, and heartbreak and courage in the teenagers my team and I minister to each week.
While last summer teens were fixated on the news of a massive missile strike that hit a crowded shopping mall in Kremenchuk, kids today are being told their fall school curriculum will include mandatory lessons on how to navigate treacherous land mines. That is why, in the ongoing struggle for freedom, every tomorrow holds a spark of worry; and this leaves Ukrainian teenagers confused and questioning, yet surprisingly optimistic about the future of our country.
Without a doubt, the lessons Ukrainian teenagers are teaching me in the midst of war and suffering are both haunting and inspiring. Staring into their faces provides me with reason to keep going. Sharing my faith with them inspires my own faith journey.
I think one of the most important lessons Ukrainian teenagers have taught me is this simple but profound truth: we aren’t supposed to have nor give the right answers to others in times of suffering and despair. In fact, most of the time, words fall short and we say the wrong thing. A ministry of presence and the ability to listen are actually more important than providing trite answers to difficult questions.
Not long ago a young girl moved from a war-torn part of Ukraine to the city of Vinnytsia. Day after day, without friends, she sat at her new home just scrolling through Instagram. One day she stumbled upon a Young Life advertisement showcasing a volleyball tournament nearby and decided to join because she had nothing else to do. Through this volleyball event, she met friends — and she met Jesus. It wasn’t a well-rehearsed sermon or polished presentation of the Gospel that convinced her to trust Christ, but the ministry of people caring about her, her life, and her story that made a difference.
Sitting with people in their grief is sometimes the best thing we can do when things like war, death and heartbreak leave us at a loss for answers.
Ukrainian teenagers have also shown me the importance of taking care of those God has entrusted to us, whether that’s people in our ministry, our family and friends, or even people we meet along the way.
I recently boarded a bus traveling to Kyiv, our capital city, and sat next to a woman with her 15-year-old daughter. Traumatized by the reality of war, this teenager would panic with every loud noise or plane flying overhead. But, even as she expressed her deep wounds, she showed bravery, resilience and sought a cure from the suffering around her — and that’s the sentiment I’m finding around our country these days. Whereas before the war, teenagers were consumed with having fun and looking forward to the next good time, the war changed all of that. Teenagers now want to talk about God because they’re realizing Jesus is the one, true antidote to the mayhem and violence around them. My job was simple on the bus that day: to care for this girl by sharing the only hope I have — the message of Christ.
It can be difficult to find peace in the middle of war. As adults shepherding these young people, we struggle with our own anger. We are angry at Putin and his army. We are angry that our homeland has been destroyed and our people murdered, but I am striving to care for the teenagers looking to me for answers by offering them the light of the world as our best and most secure hope.
Ukrainian teenagers also remind me that it’s imperative to find respite from the ravages of war. We all need to find a place for relief — a place to unplug, a place to rest, a place to find peace — away from the confines of destruction.
When the war started in February of 2022, we had to rethink our summer Young Life camps. After brainstorming how and where to house this important ministry, we settled on establishing a Young Life camp in the Carpathian mountains, away from the war, away from the chaos, in a safe and beautiful place. Although the teenagers must hike several hours to reach the campsite, the refuge provides an opportunity for these teens to just be kids. With no cell network available, the students are able to unplug from the reality of war and focus on God and nature. Last summer, despite the war, we hosted 800 kids at our camp. By the end of this summer, we expect to have hosted 1200 teenagers.
A lot of teens right now have been forced to take responsibility for their families. It’s not unusual to see a 15 or 16-year-old stepping into a leadership role within their home as their parents serve in the military. These kids are growing up fast; but for one week, these brave adolescents do not have to shoulder the weight of the world.
I’m so glad our camp can provide this for the teens we serve. If we don’t find this kind of place, our suffering manifests itself in all kinds of ways, from physical to emotional to spiritual stress. Taking an afternoon off or a week away from the reality of suffering can recharge us like no amount of sleep can provide, and these teenagers remind me of this basic need.
As the war in Ukraine drags on, my prayer is that people across the world will take note of the spirit of resilience evidenced among some of Ukraine’s most vulnerable. Rather than fleeing or hiding in fear, I have found a group of courageous young people seeking Christ, finding respite from the pain, growing in their faith, asking tough questions, sitting with their peers in the hard times, and wooing them to Jesus.
May we all take these important lessons collected from this gallant group of individuals and learn from them. May we all not forget that Ukrainians are struggling for freedom every day; and may we all remember to pray for all Ukrainians, especially the youngest among us.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Christian Headlines.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Paula Bronstein/Stringer
Volodymyr (Vova) Hrychorchuk is the area director of Young Life Western Ukraine.
