On February 24, 2022 Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, attacking many of the cities and taking over what they can. Horizon supports many missionaries in Ukraine, some of whom have stayed in country to serve on the ground, and some of whom have evacuated and continue to support Ukraine through various means as the war continues. Collectively, our missionaries are working to provide humanitarian aid to those in need in Ukraine, service to those who have become refugees in Ukraine or various European countries; they are also providing aid and care for the military and volunteers who are fighting for the country and working on Ukrainian church plants in many different places. Here you can keep up to date with the missionaries from Ukraine that we support, and you can find links to donate to God’s work in Ukraine as the Lord leads. If you have any questions about our missionaries, their work, or how you can support them, please feel free to email us for information about them

Oleksandra (Sasha) Andriyashyna

Oleksandra (Sasha) Andriyashyna

Ukraine

For the last 7 years, Sasha has been a missionary chaplain and volunteer in new church plants in the towns of Stanytsia Luhanska and Avdiivka, which are on the front lines in eastern Ukraine. In February of 2022, when Russia began the full-scale invasion, Sasha had to flee Avdiivka, pick up her mom in Kyiv, and become one of many refugees in western Ukraine. Since then, she has been encouraging many volunteers in how to avoid burnout and minister minister in an effective way. She also teaches webinars geared towards other Ukrainian refugees (especially women and moms) to help them learn to control and properly convey their emotions, how to process with their kids, fight fears, etc. At the same time, Sasha has been heavily involved in spreading humanitarian aid and financial support to some families that she had been ministering to in churches in Stanitsya Luhans’ka and Avdiivka who also evacuated their homes in February.

As a volunteer chaplain, she continues to minister to more than 700 soldiers by staying in touch with them online, recording videos with words of encouragement, as well as sending Bible verses and prayers. She also visits them at least a month at the front line. In this difficult time, she also visits a lot of soldiers at hospitals and ministers to, comforts and supports their families as well as relatives who have lost their loved ones at war. At least once a month she visits funerals and shares the Gospel and words of comfort to lift up their spirits in their grief. Please pray that God would continue to open many doors for Sasha to share the salvation message with Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who suffer from the war. Pray for wisdom, safety, support and much fruit for God’s glory.

Josh & Nicole Baldonado

Josh & Nicole Baldonado

L'viv, Ukraine

Josh and Nicole have been serving in L’viv over seven years. After the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, they took their three kids to safety in Poland. They are serving together with Nicole’s mom, Michelle Pratt, near the Polish-Ukrainian borders. More than 1.8 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland. Josh, Nicole and Michelle are driving refugees from the borders further into Poland, helping find housing, and meeting physical needs as people first enter the country. They are partnering with local Polish groups and connecting with European groups that might provide longer term arrangements for refugees. They are also working on humanitarian aid going into Ukraine.

Ben & Lena Morrison

Ben & Lena Morrison

Svitlovodsk, Ukraine

Benjamin, Lena and their kids are in Svitlovodsk in central Ukraine where Benjamin is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Svitlovodsk. They are serving the many refugees traveling through their city from the east to locations further west. This includes feeding them, getting them clothing and medicines they are lacking, providing housing and, of course, sharing the hope in Christ that overcomes all enemies. Additionally, they are coordinating with and providing humanitarian aid and evacuation from hot points further east. You can donate to help them serve the people of Ukraine with the link below.

Aaron & Dara Markey

Aaron & Dara Markey

Ternopol, Ukraine

 

Aaron and Dara are missionaries in Ternopil, Ukraine with their children Elroi and Tobias (we’ll be joined by Anastasia in October). Our main efforts are focused on reaching our community in spheres that we found ourselves most involved — new moms, youth/teenagers, and young couples. We believe that we can communicate the Gospel most effectively by forming and nurturing relationships. This is especially needed during this time in Ukraine with the ongoing trauma happening and people more open to hearing the Good News. Something that God has been developing in our hearts is hospitality. We want to make people feel accepted and valued, because they are.
     We’re assisting the church in Ternopil to communicate the vision/mission of the church, and assisting the church with its new role as a center for many Calvary Chapels in Ukraine since the outbreak of the invasion. We’re honored to be a part of the efforts in Calvary Chapel Ternopil housing and reaching out to many refugees that have come.
     Another ministry we’re part of is Room For More, which is a band that was started by Jon and Stephanie Markey. Our role is to communicate the message of the songs through visual form — video, art covers, etc. We also want to help produce Christian Ukrainian songwriters.

 

Jon & Stephanie Markey

Jon & Stephanie Markey

Kyiv, Ukraine

After spending several months in Hungary, Poland and the US, Jon and Steffie are back in Ternopil, Ukraine. Jon is a pastor at CC Ternopil and the church continues to actively help and reach refugees with the Gospel. Their heart is also to disciple those in the Church around the country as they navigate the current crisis and reach out to those who do not have the hope of Jesus.

Jon and Steffie are also part of Room For More – a ministry they started in 2017 to communicate the gospel through the arts. This has become a great tool in being able to travel and minister to refugees both in Ukraine and in the rest of Europe. They plan to organize events that will provide a space for Ukrainians to gather, share stories, worship, pray and encourage one another.

George & Sharon Markey

George & Sharon Markey

Kyiv, Ukraine

See Aaron Markey’s update above.

Nate & Diana Medlong

Nate & Diana Medlong

Kharkov, Ukraine

Nate and Diana Medlong, along with their kids Natasha, Veronica, Eddie, and Cassie were awokened when Russia started to bomb their city of Kharkiv, Ukraine. They made their way over a 72 hour trek, first Hungary, then on to the USA.

Currently they are located in Cleveland, Ohio, but working to raise awareness, and funds for the humanitarian effort in Ukraine. They are also helping to coordinate support for their church members from Kharkiv and the teachers and families from Diana’s private Christian school, many of them still located in the war zone.

Levi & Nastya Brinkerhoff

Levi & Nastya Brinkerhoff

Dnipro, Ukraine

Levi and Nastya, along with their children Nora, Meika, Soren and Levi Jr., began evacuating Ukraine on february 24th at the start of the full-scale invasion. They spent 10 days in Hungary seeking the Lord and coordinating evacuations and places for refugees to stay. Since March, they have been in Indiana raising funds for Ukraine and gather both humanitarian aid for refugees and gear for the military. In August, Levi came on staff at Horizon as the missions director and continues to serve and support Ukraine in that role.

Mike & Michelle Pratt

Mike & Michelle Pratt

L'viv, Ukraine

German pastor, Karl Barth was indifferent to “getting it right” in his pursuit of Christ. His passion was the “lived quality” of the Christian life, “living it right.” For Michelle and I, healthy spirituality and depth of spiritual growth is best recognized when love, grace, patience, forgiveness and service spontaneously pour out of our lives to those hard to love.
Our lives are our vision statement. What kind of statement are we making? This is our passion. To love God and others.

Our focus is building personal relationships. Together we learn to pay attention daily to the presence of God in our lives. The life we experience every day is the training ground. We practice and learn to take “steps to faith, rather than steps of faith.”

We take steps to faith by serving in practical ways. The gospel is lived through our actions of providing a new roof for families whose home was damaged by the war. We provide trauma care resources and training to treat the interior wounds of war and loss.

Josh & Karina Pratt

David & Katya Snead

David & Katya Snead

L'viv, Ukraine

Katya, her family, and I are serving on two fronts: 1. Serving refugees alongside local ministries in both Poland and the Czech Republic, and 2. Organizing logistics and humanitarian aid for people within Ukraine. Please pray for our little team of five adults, two dogs, and one cat. 🙂

David Markey

David Markey

Siberia

David and his family made it out of Russia safely just before it was locked down. They are now serving refugees alongside the others on this page. See Aaron Markey’s update above. This summer, they moved to Tbilisi, Georgia to serve in the church and Bible college.

Paul Billings

Paul Billings

Ukraine

Paul has temporarily relocated to help with the Ukraine crisis.

Jed Gourley

Jed Gourley

Georgia

Jed has temporarily relocated to help with the Ukraine crisis.