Easter on the frontlines in Ukraine: “Resurrection is our hope”

Raychynets is part of an ecumenical chaplaincy delegation that includes clergy in Ukraine from the Baptist Church, Ukrainian Evangelical Church, Roman Catholic Church, and Orthodox churches.

The delegation left Kyiv for the frontlines on Easter Sunday. On 24 April, as Raychynets and the chaplaincy delegation continued to bring Easter tidings to men and women, he took time to share what he is witnessing. 

“They have been mobilized to serve, and many of them would very much like to be in church, so to bring the gospel here is a great joy, and there is so much gratefulness, because it means so much to those who are in very different circumstances,” he said.

For the chaplains, this work during the week after Easter brings a lot of joy—but also challenges that are all but insurmountable. “We are still here, and this week, all week, we have unit after unit asking us: can you come here? Can you pray, read, and sing with us?” said Raychynets.

On 24 April, he received the news that Russian strikes killed at least nine people and injured 70 others in an overnight attack on Kyiv. 

“Early this morning I got a message from Kyiv that the strike was close to my apartment, where I live with my family,” he said. “And here on the frontlines, it’s nonstop Russian attacks.”

Raychynets asks for prayers that he and the other chaplains remain strong enough to share a message of hope with people who desperately want to hear it. 

“When Jesus had been praying, he took with him three other disciples to pray together because he knew what kind of pain and torture he needed to go through—and how horrible is crucifixion. Jesus asked someone to be with him and support him in his prayers,” said Raychynets. “I ask my brother and sister soldiers here: did God save Jesus from pain? Did God save Jesus from torture? Nope.”

But God did send angels to support Jesus, Raychynets pointed out.

“In Ukraine, we read in the Bible about the angels who served Jesus,” he said. “What we are experiencing right now, is, just as Jesus in Gethsemane had angels come to give him strength, that we would have the world with us, praying with us, and giving us strength in Ukraine.” 

Raychynets has been preaching this week on the idea that God is with us, through angels, serving us, helping us, caring for us. “It gives us so much courage,” he said. “We are in danger. We need to jump out of cars and hide ourselves in the forest, hide ourselves in the forest for an hour because drones are targeting cars.”

Yet, he added, he sees God’s protection and sees God’s miracles every day. 

“Ukraine is still Ukraine,” he said. “What we experience is that, God is with us.”

He speaks to soldiers about going through a dark time. “I tell soldiers that, when Jesus died, the darkness came, and we experience in Ukraine a very dark time,” he said. “But Easter is about Sunday morning, when light has been shining from the tomb.”

Many in Ukraine have mixed feelings of despair and hope, anger and a yearning for peace and justice right now, concluded Raychynets. “Yet we have joy in our hearts that the Sunday morning resurrection will come,” he said. “We pray here, all who believe in God and Jesus as a savior. And the people who pray for us and with us—you are angels sent from God.”