Angelina was beginning to dread the calls. What used to be a highlight in her otherwise horrible days had become a regular reminder of just how much the war in Ukraine had already changed her beloved husband.
“His psychological condition isn’t good,” Angelina said. “His calls have become aggressive, jealous, and filled with insults.”
Power outages, land mines, shelling, and air-raid sirens are now part of everyday life for millions of people like Angelina who are caught in the midst of Ukraine’s war with Russia. Many mothers with young children are unable to leave Ukraine and remain amid the danger and uncertainty. With their husbands serving on the front lines, these women are feeling especially heartbroken and helpless.
“We see the deep need to minister to these internally displaced people,” said Rev. Sergei Sosedkin, Russian-language ministry leader for ReFrame Ministries, the worldwide media ministry of the Christian Reformed Church. “In many cases, the social support systems within the country are less than those in refugee host nations. Women and children are truly on their own. We want to walk beside them with messages of hope, love, trust, and peace in Christ. We want to share the gospel!”
This year, ReFrame’s Russian-language ministry team established a phone and internet chat hotline for internally displaced people in Ukraine. The hotline is available 14 hours every day and is hosted by Christian psychologists.
Every hour, an announcement broadcast by ReFrame’s radio partners in many of Ukraine’s major cities announces, “You don’t have to endure your pain alone. We’re here to listen and share your burden. Reach out now. Our team is standing by, ready to support you.”
When Angelina heard these words, she tearfully recalled yet another troubling interaction with her husband. She both resents and pities him, but she also knows that the horrors of war are really to blame. She decided to call the hotline.
“We engaged in an empathetic conversation,” one of the psychologists shared after her phone call with Angelina. “I provided online resources, a contact for Christian psychotherapy, prayer support, and spiritual guidance.”
The call did not solve everything, but Angelina was grateful for the support she received through the new hotline, and she said she felt relief—a relief CRC congregations and individuals helped provide through their prayers and support.
About the Author
Brian Clark, ReFrame Ministries
