‘I dream of peace for Ukraine ... and that Ukraine would belong to God’
BY SIMONE WORTHING
International Editor
Major Svitlana Bochkareva is the Corps Officer of Kharkiv Corps, Ukraine, approximately 30km south of the Russian border. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kharkiv is considered a frontline city and experiences ongoing bombing, shelling, drone and missile attacks, destruction and terror.
Major Svitlana and her team, as well as the nearby Saltivka Outpost, continue to serve the corps and community, despite living in an active warzone.
I recently spoke with Svitlana who shared some of her story, and the ministry of the corps, constantly working in unimaginable circumstances:
Simone: Can you share some of your background with us, and the work of the corps where you currently serve?
Svitlana: I am originally from Moldova. It was there that I learned about The Salvation Army, met Christ, became a soldier and then an officer. But my roots are in Ukraine, and my parents decided to move to Ukraine. So, when God offered me the opportunity to serve in Ukraine, I went. In order to make it easier to serve with the appropriate legal status, I became a Ukrainian citizen.
Knowing how long the process of obtaining citizenship usually takes, the speed with which I received my Ukrainian passport convinced me that this was God’s will. However, when Kharkiv was shelled in 2022, I couldn’t help asking God, “Why me?” And I received an answer that corresponded exactly to my question: “Because you.”
As an officer, I have been serving God for 17 years. For the past three years, I have been serving in Kharkiv, and for the four years before that I served in Pisochyn. Half of this town is considered part of Kharkiv, while the other half is a suburb of Kharkiv. It is difficult to explain. But one thing I can say is that for seven years of war, I have been serving people in a frontline area.
We also worked with children, helping to distract them from the horror that fills the heart and mind when the sounds of rockets, drones, guided aerial bombs and fighting can be heard flying overhead or exploding nearby.
But we have never stopped serving God and people, not even for a minute. Our doors in Pisochyn were open so that people could shelter from the bombing, because we were located in a basement. Even under shelling, we continued to gather for worship, Bible study and prayer. We also worked with children, helping to distract them from the horror that fills the heart and mind when the sounds of rockets, drones, guided-aerial bombs and fighting can be heard flying overhead or exploding nearby.
Whenever possible, we provided assistance in the form of food.
Now, in the fifth year of the war, people in the corps continue to gather for worship, prayer meetings and Bible studies covering both the Old and New Testaments. We gather children for a children’s club. We also run an after-school program for them, and a psychologist works with them.
We provide assistance through vouchers for food, cleaning and hygiene products, shoes and clothing, dishes and bed linen. We also have a ‘House of Kindness’. People bring things they no longer need and leave them for those who are in need. Unfortunately, we have very little space, so some of these things are displayed in the corridor near the entrance, and some outside.
We dream of having our own large premises where there would be space for all the people and programs. When distributing assistance, we try to talk with people and tell them about God. We distribute Bibles and provide information about how to protect themselves from being trafficked into slavery. Most of the ministry is carried out by senior soldiers, but volunteers also help us.
You are located not far from the Russian border. What does your usual day and night look like – or has the concept of ‘normal’ already lost its meaning?
All of this activity takes place against the constant sound of sirens, day and night, because of our proximity to the frontline. The sirens warn us of the danger of incoming attacks.
The truth is that, over time, we have stopped hiding in shelters. We simply monitor the warnings to see how close the threat is and in which direction it is moving. The shelling has become so intense that we would have to sit in shelters constantly if we took cover every time. And the missiles and drones travel so quickly that sometimes you simply don’t have time to get to a shelter ...
In the first years of the war, people rushed to churches, praying for the war to end and for the young men serving on the frontline. But now it is the fifth year of the war. The cemeteries have grown many times larger. And people have become frozen in the horror and grief that we are going through.
We describe ourselves as “unbroken”, but in reality, it is a cry for help. There is one goal: to live to see the end of the war. Most people are experiencing feelings of guilt, loss and disappointment, and stop coming to God. But during this period, we have accepted 13 soldiers as members, and we continue to invite people to enter into a covenant with God. We have also opened an outpost in Saltivka, a large district of Kharkiv.
Some of the people and ministry of the Saltivka Outpost.
How has the war affected you personally?
The hardest part of serving during the war is communicating with people who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been physically maimed by the war – without arms or legs. And the most frightening thing is those who have lost hope.
I have never had doubts about my salvation or my calling to ministry.
But in terms of my character – yes. I can only tell you how the war has affected my character. I have become more confident and learned to accept a ‘no’ without taking offence. I have become less rebellious in the face of injustice when I cannot influence events. I have learned to trust God more.
I dream of peace for Ukraine. I dream that Ukraine would belong to God.
You could leave if you wanted to. What motivates you to stay?
God, my calling, and the understanding that everything is in his hands. I was evacuated for several months. But after some time, I realised that I couldn’t find my place, and I started bombarding the headquarters with letters asking whether it was time for me to return, as things had become quieter there. The support of people also brings me joy – through prayer and material support. Knowing that I am not alone in this horror.
Where do you draw strength and hope from?
God and his promises, people, and their faith and support. Spending time with people who, despite their losses, continue to praise God.
I will never forget a man who showed me his back and stomach, where a piece of his body had been torn away, and who had lost a leg. He confidently said that he had survived because that was what God wanted. He was escaping from an occupied area when a drone deliberately struck him. People pulled him out, but the doctors gave him no chance of survival. Yet he survived.
Knowing that there are people beside me who support me in my ministry – like Moses, who prayed for his people while they fought their enemies, holding up his hands. And those around him supported his hands. While his hands were raised in prayer to God, the Israelites were winning. I am truly not Moses. But support gives me strength and courage.
How do the corps, other officers and the local community support one another?
The corps – caring for one another and prayer. If someone has plenty of something, we bring it and share it.
Officers – communication and prayer.
The community – we support one another by sharing humanitarian aid.
The Salvation Army continues to preach about salvation and the love of God in the most difficult circumstances, helping, as far as we are able, everyone who needs help.
What will people need after the war?
I think:
Healing for their souls. The longer the war continues, the more hatred and unforgiveness accumulate in the hearts of Ukrainians.
Help for displaced people to return home. Almost all displaced people dream of returning home. In their hearts, they understand that their cities and villages have been razed to the ground, but they still want to go home. They will need help rebuilding roofs over their heads.
Help for people with disabilities. There are so many people who have been physically maimed.
What would you like The Salvation Army around the world to know about Ukraine, its people and the Army’s work in this country?
As for Ukraine – ordinary people in Ukraine never wanted war, and now we are praying for peace. But we do not want to lose our identity.
What do you dream of for Ukraine, your people, your corps?
I dream of peace for Ukraine. I dream that Ukraine would belong to God. That the people of Ukraine would see God’s support and put their trust in him. For the corps, I dream of people who are faithful to God, a strong team of leaders who are dedicated to God and to service, and our own premises where there will be a place for every kind of ministry – both spiritual and social. Please pray that we, The Salvation Army, will stand firm and spread throughout all of Ukraine; for protection; and for peace in our hearts and in our country.
What has the war taught you about God and my own journey of faith?
To remain faithful to God’s truth, so that I do not become disappointed by the results of my actions. To give myself and other people a chance, but not to indulge our weaknesses. Not to be afraid to stand up for my position, even if there are losses.
The days of life given to us are very short and precious. We need to live in such a way that we will not regret a single minute or a single person.
I believe in God, whose words always come true. Isaiah 55:11 says: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
I hope that I am his word.
The music and these words from Oh my God on TikTok resonate with the movement of my soul.
Please pray that we, The Salvation Army, will stand firm and spread throughout all of Ukraine; for protection; and for peace in our hearts and in our country.
