Bucha, Ukraine

Russia prompted a global outcry this week after the bodies of hundreds of civilians were found on the streets and in mass graves in Bucha. More than 400 men, women, and children are believed to have been killed by Russian troops in what the US, Ukraine, and NATO have deemed evidence of war crimes.

Pastor Fedir's thoughts after visiting Bucha. [Fedir is a professor of theology at a Christian seminary HART supports.]

Kyiv. Day 41 of the war. Yesterday, we went to Bucha and Irpin to deliver some necessities there. When we saw the carnage, the blood froze in our veins.

I wanted to escape somewhere alone, to process what I was witnessing. I couldn't speak, the pressure on my chest was indescribably painful.

The scope of destruction, especially in view of the fact that I knew how life was flowing here before the war, seemed catastrophic. Photos and videos, of course, can render it to a certain context, but the reality is much more horrific.

It was shocking to see people walking around like ghosts; with haunting, painful expressions on their faces. Making eye contact was an invitation for these people who wanted - no - needed to talk to anyone and share what they had been through…

Who is ready to hear them rather than just listen? What knowledge, what wisdom is needed to share and comfort them in their pain?

Yesterday, for the first time in these 40 days of the war, I got scared - not of missiles over my head, bomb explosions nearby, but from the fear of becoming desensitized to this horror.

"God, help us live through this and remain humans…"

We urge you from the bottom of our hearts to pray for:

• frustration of all evil plans of the enemy
• comfort for those who have lost their relatives and friends
• residents of cities and towns who are under heavy shelling
• residents of occupied cities and towns who are peacefully protesting against the Russian invaders

Pastor Fedir

How YOU are helping Bucha

Thanks to you, - HART has been able to serve the people in Bucha now that the Ukrainian army has pushed back the Russian troops.

WITH FOOD.In the past several days, we delivered essential food products to Bucha. One older woman, through tears of gratitude, said she had forgotten what bread smelled like. Her family had been in hiding in their basement for the past month.

WITH AMBULANCES.Our contacts at the Kyiv Military Medical Corps informed us the mayor of Bucha was asking for ambulances for their community. HART has supplied Kyiv, and other front-line cities with over 20 ambulances, and now an additional two are heading from Poland to Bucha and two for the city of Irpin.

Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, thousands of people are being impacted every day during this crisis. We cannot do this without you. TOGETHER, we are changing the world - one heart at a time!

The resiliency and courage of the Ukrainian people, like Pastor Ihor from Odesa, to put themselves in harm's way to help those in the war zones is inspiring. The following letter describes one day in his life.

Thank you so much for your prayers. Yesterday, our team provided food to people in several villages near the city of Mykolaiv.

When we returned to Mykolaiv, we came under shelling from cluster bombs. The missiles hit residential buildings, a marketplace, and people on the streets. Women were bleeding and screaming in pain. We rescued many people and took them to the hospital with shrapnel injuries.

According to an official source, sixty-one people were injured, and nine people were killed.

Praise God that you are with us! Your prayers of protection are being answered.