Russian drones travel stealthily like lethal birds in the night skies over Odesa, a strategic port city in the Russo-Ukrainian war. Snizhana Kadyan knows a drone could drop a bomb on her or one of the remaining members of the Odesa church her husband, the Rev. George Kadyan, planted and faithfully pastors.
“I try to speak to my brain,” says Snizhana of the anxiety. “I tell myself, If I hear an explosion, I’m not dead. Just a few people are dead. So calm down. You’re OK.”
George leads one of 15 Ukrainian churches planted with support from Mission to the World. MTW has raised in-country evangelical leaders in Ukraine with Reformed theological education, encouragement, and financial support.
From October 24 to November 17, 2024, the Kadyans visited the United States. Their trip had several purposes. They attended the MTW Global Missions Conference in Atlanta and stopped in Washington, D.C., where they were interviewed for this story. A highlight was visiting their daughter, Katya, a student at Covenant College.
Throughout their visit, the Kadyans raised awareness about the gains and potential losses of evangelical Christianity in Ukraine.
The Bible Belt of Eastern Europe
From 1922 to 1991, the Soviet Union ruled Ukraine with an iron fist, suppressing religious expression.
MTW and other missionary groups succeeded in bringing the gospel to Ukraine after it became an independent nation that guaranteed religious freedom in its constitution. According to a government estimate, Ukraine now has 800,000 to 1 million evangelicals, roughly 4% of the population, making it the Bible Belt of Eastern Europe.
Ukraine’s geography makes it a strategic crossroads between Europe and Asia. The country is bordered by Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the southwest. Its coastline extends along the Black Sea, where Odesa is located.
The Kadyans believe the war is more than just a geopolitical conflict. It is a spiritual battle for religious freedom and the Great Commission.
Distraction From the Drones
In addition to assisting her husband in tending to his congregation, Snizhana works as a telephone debt collector for a U.S.-based company. The work provides money for future emergencies. Just as important, it distracts her from the drones, which she can sometimes hear while on the phone.
People in the U.S. do not know the woman calling with a pleasant voice and a slight accent works from her home in Ukraine. A cramped hallway is her office because if a bomb hits while Snizhana is on her headset, “I won’t get killed by glass.”
Snizhana works from 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The Russian drones tend to fly between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. When Snizhana ends her shift, only half an hour remains. She takes medication to help her sleep.
There is a bright side to this: “Getting used to the idea that you could die any moment helps you think of eternity,” says Snizhana.
The Bible verse George thinks of most is John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
As a Reformed pastor and church planter, George can share the gospel’s good news in Armenian, Russian, Ukrainian, and English. MTW provides prayer, encouragement, essential supplies, and financial support.
THE ABUNDANT LIFE IN UKRAINE
“I’m living the abundant life because our brothers and sisters in the United States are praying, calling, and even coming,” says George. “Isn’t that the abundant life in Christ, to be able to share the gospel? We come here to say, ‘Thank you, Americans.'”
Still, the threat to pastors and their families is real. Human rights organizations say that when Russian forces occupied the Donbas area, they left a trail of destruction, targeting places of worship and individuals who dared to profess a faith outside the Kremlin-approved Russian Orthodox Church.
“If they come, they will kill me,” says George matter-of-factly.
Snizhana adds, “I hope they would just kill us and not torture us.”
The war has had a devastating impact on their church. Many fled for safer areas in Ukraine, Poland and other EU countries, and the U.S. Those who remained fought for Ukraine and coped with the trauma. Online services became a lifeline, a virtual gathering place for a community torn apart by war.
George and Snizhana partner with Crates for Ukraine. Launched in 2022, Crates For Ukraine provides vital humanitarian aid from U.S. churches to churches and displaced communities in Ukraine. Since its inception, the ministry has delivered 79 tons of aid valued at $4.1 million to over 3,500 locations, helping more than 100,000 people.
Snizhana tells the story of a single mother with an 8-year-old son who has mental and physical health issues. Through Crates for Ukraine, Snizhana brings her medicine, vitamins, diapers, and food. The woman, overwhelmed by emotion, tells Snizhana, “You are my angel.” Snizhana says she isn’t an angel, but Jesus is Lord.
The Kadyans, like their fellow Ukrainians, face serious dangers. But they face them with a gospel-infused courage.
Snizhana shares honestly both her fear and her hope: “I’m afraid of being tortured by Russia. I’m afraid of my house falling on me and turning to rubble. But I don’t have to worry because hell is a scarier place.”
“We know that God is in control,” George adds, his voice filled with quiet conviction. “Even in the midst of suffering, we believe He is working out His purposes.”
Robert Kramer is working alongside MTW missionaries and pastors of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ukraine.