Children and youth – the hope of The Salvation Army in Ukraine

21 hours ago
4 min read

Young people from the Kyiv Corps led worship on Sunday 27 April to mark The Salvation Army’s International Day for Children and Youth.

Salvos Online journalist SIMONE WORTHING and her husband, Cliff, are on deployment with an International Headquarters Emergency Services team, assisting at various corps in the Ukraine Division of the Eastern Europe Territory. Simone filed this report on how the Ukraine Division marked The Salvation Army’s International Day for Children and Youth.

BY SIMONE WORTHING

In Ukraine

It began with an invitation after the Sunday meeting at the Vinnytsia Corps in Ukraine. A few of the youth offered to take my husband, Cliff, and me on a walking tour to show us the history and beauty of their city.

We were surprised but delighted that the young people would volunteer to spend time with us ‘oldies’, and they were equally surprised that we accepted!

In so many ways, we could’ve been anywhere in the world on this (northern hemisphere) spring evening – children playing in parks, outdoor cafes full of people, music playing, the sound of laughter.

Except we weren’t. We were in a country at war. Russia’s war in Ukraine began in 2014 and escalated into a full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Its impact can be seen and felt everywhere, despite the laughter, the music and the signs that life goes on.

The young people of Vinnytsia Corps gave Australian Salvationists Cliff and Simone Worthing a tour of their city. (Cliff and Simone on the far right in the second photo).

And yet, in many ways, life doesn’t go on. People still go to work, children go to school, and ordinary activities continue. But so do the air-raid sirens, the drones, the missiles, the destroyed lives and homes, the grief, the exhaustion. Life goes on, but at the same time, it is on hold.

And so it is for the young people of the Vinnytsia Corps. Yet their growing faith, reliance on God, and energy and positivity bring a joy and hope that seem to rise above the challenges and encourage all those around them.

“Many of our hopes and dreams may be more difficult to obtain right now because of the war, but we still have them, are doing what we can, and are trusting God to direct our paths and our future.”

This was the overwhelming sentiment among this small group of young people who showed us around the city that night. As we walked through parks, down boulevards and rode trams, they spoke about their faith, their service at the corps, their beloved youth and Scout groups, and their hope for the future, both now and when the war is over.

They still face the challenges many young people around the world encounter as they grow spiritually, socially and emotionally, and they carry the added burdens, complexities and pain of war. Yet they focus on God, his strength and his will for their lives as they serve, study and look to the future.

Kyiv youth

The young people in Kyiv showed a similar spirit – a desire to serve God, the corps, their peers, and their community – as they continue their studies and work towards a future that is anything but easy to navigate after more than four years of war.

Their openness to learning was both inspiring and humbling. They actively participated in seminars and Bible studies on caring for self and others, team building, emotional intelligence, communication, trust, working together, and problem-solving. They asked questions about psychological safety, the compassion of Jesus, social justice, inclusion, leading and loving the pre- and early-teen groups, and God’s will for their lives.

“I want to improve my English, and I want to improve everything I am doing and learning,” said one youth leader. “I know God is leading me and I want to respond.”

Young people led the Sunday service at Kyiv Corps.

Their friendly competition with youth groups from other corps was heartwarming. Their love of music, fashion and technology was familiar. Their maturity and ability to face and work through issues that no young person their age should have to face were inspiring and humbling.

Despite the grinding impacts of a war many have grown up with, the faith, love, and energy these young people embody bring hope and joy to a nation in need of light and joy in dark, desperate times.

And times are desperate. There are many young people grieving the loss of parents and loved ones at the front; many who have served and are dealing with mental, physical and psychological scars; many who have turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of loss, grief and horror; many who have no one to turn to; and so many more suffering in numerous ways.

The youth of The Salvation Army in Ukraine face many difficulties and challenging life circumstances too, but their lights continue to shine – sometimes flickering, sometimes bright – as they focus on Jesus, the source of light and hope.

Youth and children

On The Salvation Army’s International Day for Children and Youth (27 April), corps across Ukraine celebrated the day. Children and youth led meetings, read the Scriptures, collected offerings, sang, played and served snacks.

In Dnipro, the children studied Matthew 18:3, learning how much Jesus loves children and what it means to be a child of God. They also focused on Ephesians 5:8, learning about shining as lights in the darkness.

In Lviv, the young people sang for the congregation (see link below):

In Kyiv, the young people prepared for the meeting, led worship and collected the offering. Youth leader Timofei Shvab delivered the message.

In Vinnytsia, the young people gave testimonies, prayed, collected the offering and led the Sunday school.

In all corps, including Kharkiv, Novi, and Kropivnitsky, The Salvation Army runs programs for children and youth, including Bible studies, scouting, youth groups, sports, crafts, English lessons, after-school programs, and more.