Donbass war: Church volunteers head into the line of fire in the name of the Lord

As the war in Donbass rages on in eastern Ukraine, an evangelical Free Church has set up shop at a checkpoint where grenades still hit, in a bid to help those who need it the most. Marlon Roseberry Bünck tells the story of the volunteers who are risking their lives to come to the aid of others

Lena often has to work in out in the fields, which limits the time she can spend at home with her family

The ancient Volkswagen van has seen better days. It's a cold afternoon in the southwest of Kiev, as members of the evangelical New Life Church load relief supplies into the worn out vehicle. In Romania and Ukraine the evangelical Free Church has 1,500 members. They are a Christian minority in an Orthodox-dominated country.

Today, they are taking a road trip to Donbass, organised by 47 year-old Reverend Igor Brus. In his daily life he is construction supervisor, but in his other life he manages the trips and also directly coordinates things in the Donbass.

The route leads through Poltawa, where the Reverend from another free church called Light of God’s Glory, Igor Ubiy-Vovk, boards the van. The group's first destination is the town of Popsane near Luhansk city, where more volunteers meet and plan out the day. All of them have come here to help out. In Popsane, the Church has furnished a house where food and supplies are handed out to residents. Sometimes concerts are staged in the building as well, to help people forget about the grim reality of war, if only for a few brief moments.

There also is a new church building under construction. Right now it is nothing but bare concrete with a roof and some chairs, but soon it will be a place for local residents to come together and receive aid.

Buildings along the route lie in destruction after years of war

Packed with goods, the van heads onwards to Luhansk. The roads become rifts and are almost impassible. Dodging potholes, Brus comments that after every trip like this, the Church has to ask for donations to make fresh repairs on the van so it can make it through the next journey.

Close to Stanitsa Luhanska the car stops in the small suburb of Schastya. In Schastya, we meet a woman named Lena, who says she struggles every single day just to keep her four children and herself alive. It is hard to say what might happen to her family if they weren't receiving support from the Church.

Lena’s first son, Dima, 20, was born paralysed and requires a wheelchair. The family receives 2000 UAH per month (around €70) in social security. Even though the money is barely enough to sustain Lena and her family, her neighbours accuse her of hoarding the money and, as a result, exclude her from the community.

“The entire situation severely depressed her. We offer her medicine and assist her in the struggle to stay abstinent from alcohol. These hostilities caused by welfare money for Dima are devastating and sad”, says Reverend Brus. He learned of Lena’s situation through a soldier who shared her plight with the Church. Through their charity the windows in Lena’s home have been replaced and Dima has finally been connected with the medication he requires, as well as a new wheelchair. The Church also gave gave Lena some financial support to her help her open a small street cafe, while also providing her family with 30 geese and vegetable seeds so they can grow their own crops.

Neighbours have accused Lena’s family of ‘hoarding support money’, much of which goes towards Dima’s care

Lena also does field work to provide for her family, and while she is away, her 12-year-old daughter Lisa must manage the household. Not only does she look after her two younger siblings, aged two and four, but she is also responsible for Dima’s care. Other children Lisa’s age might get to watch television all day or play outside, Brus says, but Lisa has given up her own childhood to take care of her family and home.

“We'll try to allow her to return to a real school again,” Brus says. “Last year she went to a church camp for young people in Kiev. Later, they went to a KFC and she cried, because she has never seen anything but her own home.”

12-year-old Lisa often has to take care of her younger siblings, as well as Dima, in her mother’s place

On the way further east into the war zone, countless buildings lay in ruins. Coming closer to Stanitsa Luhanska, the checkpoints also become increasingly regular. Most of the time the Volkswagen van with the KAPELAN licence plate can pass through without further investigation, as the guards have come to recognise the vehicle.

Soldiers sometimes visit the church for tea, to do laundry or simply to have a chat with members and volunteers

Prior to the war Stanitsa had approximately 15,000 inhabitants. Only around 7,000 of them have stayed. Often, artillery fire rains down on the city, destroying many of its buildings and homes. The Church has tried to fix as many of them as possible.

“Up to now we have repaired 30 houses. We focus our efforts on the most miserable families, those who are sick, old and have many children. One time wealthy families who owned vacation homes in Stanitsa but lived in the territory of the separatists approached us for free help. Naturally, we refused,” Brus states. Every two weeks for the last two years he has been driving into the war-torn area to deliver aid.

Members crowd outside one of the church’s tents, where services are often held

Some 100 metres from the border crossing is another centre that the church has constructed, rebuilding a home that was destroyed by bombings. It’s Sunday and the Church is holding a service.

Daniel P, 20, volunteers at the Church. He is Uzbek, however his father is from Ukraine and works as a clergyman. “For me, it's an honour to help together with this group. In Uzbekistan you get arrested for having a Bible, here I have the opportunity to help in the name of the Lord.”

Volunteers from different countries have braved heading into the line of fire to help make these services happen

Chilean volunteers are present as well. Their leader Alonso, 29, describes his engagement. “Sure, many ask why we have come particularly to Ukraine. Chile has had close links to the Ukraine for some time and people there know what is going on here. I couldn’t leave them alone, and if my work and support leads to people coming closer to God and their life becoming a bit better then I am satisfied.”