Faith brought Kent and Inga Friesen together in Ukraine, and it will keep them there throughout the Russian invasion.
Kent moved from Abbotsford to Ukraine in 2000, after living here for 20 years. Missions work took him to the west of the country, where he lives now with Inga.
This week, they will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.
香蕉视频直播淪ome celebration,香蕉视频直播� she jokes over the phone. Their special day will be just like all others since the invasion began. They will cook and deliver food, they will follow the news, answer phone calls and emails and jump to meet any and all needs.
As missionaries, it香蕉视频直播檚 what they do. But as the invasion intensifies, so does the need for help.
They香蕉视频直播檝e been checking in each day with their home church in Abbotsford, Central Heights, offering reports on military activity and their spiritual wellness. The church has been collecting money online to help them continue their work. (See link at end of story.)
As military vehicles rumble along their street, Inga says it香蕉视频直播檚 like watching a war movie. The reality of the invasion has hit big cities and small towns. The Friesens live in a smaller town where Inga teaches English, and the influx of refugees has overwhelmed the community.
The largest cities in Ukraine 香蕉视频直播� Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk 香蕉视频直播� are all in the east and home to millions of people. They are easily accessible to Russian forces. Residents from those places have fled west, escaping to Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland. Immigrants within Ukraine have also been fleeing, to get home to places like Nigeria and India.
The Friesens have been meeting with all types of people coming through their town.
香蕉视频直播淲e are overwhelmed with refugees,香蕉视频直播� Inga says. 香蕉视频直播淜ids, orphans, (because) parents send their kids with someone, because they are staying behind to fight.香蕉视频直播�
Kent says he has seen the tenacity of the Ukrainian people firsthand through the years. It is little surprise to him that Ukraine is fighting back.
香蕉视频直播淧eople have suffered for a long time here, even after the fall of communism,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭he people here have suffered from one corrupt leader in government after another, so they香蕉视频直播檝e known really nothing except to struggle and fight and survive.香蕉视频直播�
There were preparations in Ukraine well before the west was paying attention.
People in the east secured apartments in the west as safety nests. There were practice air raids for months in Kyiv, sometimes in the middle of the night. Inga says many people never took the threat seriously.
The Russian invasion in 2014 only occupied Crimea, and many thought the new threat would result in something similar.
This week, Inga cleaned out her basement to make room for refugees, encouraging neighbours to do the same. Everyone in the country is doing their part.
香蕉视频直播淥ur daily life is really not daily anymore,香蕉视频直播� Inga says. 香蕉视频直播淭hings change drasticially from hour to hour, whether it香蕉视频直播檚 accomodating refugees, coordination of food, finding food, taking people across the border.香蕉视频直播�
When asked if they are personally taking people across borders, she said: 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e all doing that.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭he whole city is at work, and not just missionairies.香蕉视频直播�
They香蕉视频直播檝e been given no time to rest so far, just enough time to sleep. But through it all they are still making time to pray.
香蕉视频直播淒uring communism we weren香蕉视频直播檛 allowed to touch the Bible or to read the Bible,香蕉视频直播� Inga says. Her closest experience with religion was decorating eggs at Easter.
香蕉视频直播淭hen with the Soviet Union falling apart a lot of missionairies came this way and started talking about God,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 just want to work so hard, so much, that people would start saying 香蕉视频直播榞lory to God香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� instead of 香蕉视频直播楪lory to Ukraine.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 very important to just do God香蕉视频直播檚 will,香蕉视频直播� she said.
Kent says his faith has also given him a 香蕉视频直播渄egree of calm香蕉视频直播� in the face of war, frustration, anger and fear.
香蕉视频直播淲ithout it I香蕉视频直播檓 not sure how we香蕉视频直播檇 get through,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淚 know that it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 matter what happens to me because I香蕉视频直播檓 in a relationship with God and I香蕉视频直播檓 ready to go when He says it香蕉视频直播檚 time to go.香蕉视频直播�
Those interesting in helping their mission can visit and search for the Ukraine Relief Fund.
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