CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 
...from UETS Theological Seminary in Kyiv)



Dear friends at HART!
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

This Christmas is different from any other Christmas we have ever had. We call it Christmas amid ruins and have a number of reasons to do that.

To say the least, the time when Jesus was born was also rather unfavorable… He knows very well what it means to be homeless, poor, chased after by evil people, and a refugee in another country…

So, He is able to sympathize with those going through a similar experience. Currently, it is true that millions of Ukrainians have lost their relatives, friends, homes, property, jobs, possibility to enjoy basic utilities such as electricity, heating, water…

However, the birth of Jesus laid the foundation for the greatest victory of all, resulting from His death and resurrection. In the same way, though there is still plenty of darkness ahead of us, we believe the bleak and dreary days will soon be over.

This is because the inevitable change has already taken place, and with every passing moment, through our faith, we are approaching much brighter days.

We strongly believe that God – Immanuel – is with us among all the suffering, in particular, through our partners and friends who are standing with us, unceasingly praying, supporting, and sharing the pain…

For this reason, no matter how hard it may seem, we are still celebrating, and the major thing we are celebrating is hope; hope which comes with the birth of Jesus in our hearts, leading to the major revival and restoration!

May the Lord richly bless all of you this holiday season! 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
-UETS faculty, staff, and students