News & Updates
April 2
“The reason we can live today is not only because of Him, but because of Him through you … your love, your actions, your participation.”
As Ukraine prepares to celebrate Easter for the fifth time since Russia’s full-scale invasion, UBTS President Slavik Pyzh reflects on the privilege of living every day through the power of Christ’s resurrection.
Previous Updates
March 26
“We have to confront the reality here in Ukraine and the darkness that people are facing. But we are an Easter people with the hope of the resurrection.”
World Help President Noel Yeatts recently visited UBTS and some of the 26 WeCare Centers around Ukraine. In this reflection, she offers a Lenten perspective on the passion and resilience of the UBTS and WeCare Center teams that you have so faithfully supported.
March 19
We are here.
We are together.
We carry all the hardships and pain side by side.
When Russian attacks destroyed her home city, Lida fled to Kryvi Rih and found a welcoming community at the WeCare Center there. She’s now a faithful volunteer, encouraging other displaced women and knowing that God led her to this Center for a reason.
March 5
A forced evacuation.
A distant relocation.
A remarkable restart.
See how this resilient WeCare Center did it.
Six months ago, a frontline WeCare Center was forced to relocate as Russian troops advanced. Today, the Center’s school, bakery, church, and vital services all continue stronger than ever. Your support enables this brave team to carry out the calling God has put before them. Thank you.
February 24
During the last four years of Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine, your prayers and gifts have made a life-saving, soul-reaching difference.
- 17,736 people served monthly at WeCare Centers
- 1,196 UBTS students enrolled
- ILC training for hundreds of leaders and teams
- 69 churches planted
Thanks to your support, our brave team in Ukraine continues to faithfully love and serve their neighbors in the name of Jesus.
February 19
Ukrainian churches and WeCare Centers – lighthouses for communities reeling from four years of loss and suffering.
During a recent visit to Ukraine, Tim Wishon reflected on how Ukrainian churches, in partnership with local WeCare Centers, are bringing light and hope to their war-torn communities. An elder at Carmel Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC, Tim leads Carmel’s church-planting partnership with UBTS.
February 11
The devastation from Russia’s war on Ukraine is real. But God — in the midst of the heartbreak and suffering — is moving through our dedicated teams in Ukraine.
Learn how effectively UBTS, WeCare Centers, and the Institute for Leadership & Coaching are helping Ukrainians today and developing faith communities that are shaping Ukraine’s future. Watch this 45-minute interview with Slavik Pyzh, President of the three ministries, and Randall Littleton of The Crossing church (Chesterfield, MO).
February 5
Soccer star finds redemption and fresh purpose for his future at WeCare Center.
In the midst of Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine, there are pockets of hope and redemption. One of those is the Kryvyi Rih WeCare Center, which is supported by your prayers and gifts. See how Dmytro, a young soccer star, was welcomed into the brave and loving Christian community there and now coaches youngsters in his sport and on their journey to faith.
January 8
Three ministries, one mission: Transforming Ukraine with people who love God, love others, and lead with integrity.
Thanks to your faithful support, UBTS, the Institute for Leadership & Coaching, and 21 WeCare Centers throughout Ukraine will continue to bring God’s love to war-weary people as a new year begins. This one-minute video shows how each ministry is doing that every day.
December 23
“Every single day of this year, we knew that we were not alone … that we have brothers and sisters all across the world …”
This is the fourth Christmas since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In the face of unimaginable loss and pain throughout the country, the staff and volunteers at UBTS, WeCare Centers, and the Institute for Leadership & Coaching have not wavered in their educational, spiritual, and humanitarian mission – a mission your prayers and gifts have sustained. Your support means the world to us and to our team in Ukraine. Thank you.
December 19
“The fact that you are here is the greatest support.”
Your support for WeCare Centers in Ukraine means that chaplains like Ivan can meet with soldiers, veterans, and their families – offering hope and comfort in the most difficult times. In this brief video, Ivan explains how the simple act of being present is sometimes the greatest gift a chaplain can offer.
December 11
“They call our city Range One.”
The WeCare Center in Nikopel operates in a front-line area under constant attack from invading Russian forces. The team there weighed the needs and the dangers and chose to stay so they could provide food, fresh water, and other essential aid to hundreds of people daily. Natalia Mezentseva, director of the Center, shares her heart in this video.
December 2
“You’ve been so gracious to us and so faithful to the Lord … thank you for that. ”
More than 300,000 women, children, and men in Ukraine have benefitted from your support this year. Our team in Ukraine has renamed today’s “Giving Tuesday” to “Gratitude Tuesday” and sends this message to you.
November 26
“I’m grateful that you did not forget us in Ukraine … that you continue to be with us.”
A Thanksgiving greeting from Slavik Pyzh.
November 21
An impossible idea.
A whisper from God.
Someone who believed and inspired.
See how a God-sized dream became a reality in Ukraine.
Margarita fled from her home in Eastern Ukraine when the Russian invasion began. A trained physical therapist, she dreamed about starting an Equine Therapy program to help people suffering from physical disabilities and trauma. At the Institute for Leadership & Coaching Margarita learned how to make that God-sized dream a reality. See how her ministry is changing lives.
November 6
See how your support is helping Ukraine’s veterans and their families heal from the war’s trauma.
The Institute for Leadership & Coaching (ILC), located at UBTS in Lviv, teaches Ukrainians of all backgrounds to lead in their homes, businesses, and communities with wisdom and integrity. Its new Psychological Support for Soldiers and Families Program trains students to help veterans, their families, and the families of fallen heroes heal from the trauma and loss of war. Participants include veterans and spouses, who seek healing for themselves and also want to help others. This video captures the program’s essense of community and caring.
October 23
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
(Romans 12:21)
The Druzhkivka WeCare Center was recently forced to relocate some 300 miles west, as Russian forces approached and a mandatory evacuation order was issued. Since June of 2023, this WeCare Center has served over 61,000 Ukrainians: both those living in that city and displaced people fleeing from other front-line areas. The ministries include a bread bakery, elementary school, psychological/spiritual support center for soldiers, and church.
It was never a question that the ministries would continue in a new, safer location. The challenge was finding a suitable place for operations and housing for the staff, volunteers, and displaced families who were leaving.
October 9
“We are in the fiery furnace … but we clearly understand that Christ is here with us.”
When invading Russian forces pushed the war’s front line into Druzhkivka, the WeCare Center there – which includes a school, bread bakery, and church community – was forced to evacuate.
For several months, the Center’s brave staff, assisted by other WeCare Centers, coordinated the complex and dangerous relocation of people and resources to new facilities 300 miles away. Staff and volunteers, most of them retirees and young people, loaded over 88 tons of supplies and equipment for transport to Cherkasy, where operations are resuming. The team also is helping a number of displaced families from Druzhkivka – and their own families – find suitable housing.
September 26
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their time of trouble, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
(James 1:27)
Two UBTS graduates have established a WeCare Center in Lviv dedicated to mentoring children from four nearby orphanages and encouraging adoption. Thanks to your support, orphans, displaced children, and other at-risk youth are forming bonds with trusted adults and discovering how important they are to God.
September 11
“WeCare Centers are God’s tool to serve others and share His love with people in need.”
Galyna H. is the director of a WeCare Center in Eastern Ukraine located very close to the war’s front line. In this video, introduced by Slavik Pyzh, she shares the story of a young, traumatized soldier who found healing and support through the Center’s ministry – thanks to your faithful support.
August 14
Shaping Christian women leaders in Ukraine
This inspiring message is from Olena Dubb, who leads the Women’s Ministries at UBTS. She describes the tremendous impact your support is making for young women in Ukraine. Thanks to you, says Olena, they are “rooted in the Word and ready to respond to the needs of a hurting nation.”
July 31
“A room full of tiny hearts carrying far more than they ever should.”
Earlier this month, Dan Upchurch, an IMB missionary who teaches at UBTS, posted this story from a partner in Ukraine. It bears heartbreaking witness to the terror and trauma the Russian invasion brings daily to Ukraine. But it also carries a message of hope – through the vital work of WeCare Centers you make possible in Ukraine’s darkest hours.
July 10
Wounded hearts are open. Local pastors are trained. Our great God is moving. Now is the time to be planting churches in Ukraine!
Carmel Baptist Church (Matthews, NC) is supporting UBTS-trained pastors who are planting six new churches throughout Ukraine. Carmel’s Tim Wishon explains why this exciting work — in collaboration with UBTS, WeCare Centers, and other partners — is so vital and describes some innovative ways these churches are sharing Christ’s love in their war-weary communities. Watch it now and pray with us for these brave leaders!
June 26
“Being a part of this community gives us strength and assurance that we can see the transformation of our nation.”
With your support, 700 students graduated from UBTS this year – the largest class in the seminary’s history! Celebrate their courage and commitment – and see how they’re already making a difference in their churches, communities, and nation.
June 12
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
Oleksandr is a military veteran who will graduate from UBTS this month – thanks to scholarship support you provided. See how he plans to use his experiences from the battlefield and the classroom to help other veterans.
May 22
Your support brings Inna dignity and hope.
Inna is one of the millions of women displaced from their homes by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
At the Lviv WeCare Center, she found a welcoming community and a way to support herself – regaining precious dignity and hope.
May 8
Mothers are an unseen casualty of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
They are separated from husbands, sons, and brothers in military service. Displaced from their homes and often without financial support, they struggle to survive on their own or nurture their children while coping with loss and grief. But with your help, WeCare Centers across Ukraine, like this one in Rivne, offer women a lifeline – helping them find peace and purpose in the midst of their pain.
April 17
Because He lives …
The words of this classic song are a stirring testimony of faith – no matter the language, the season, or the circumstances. We bring you this Easter message from Slavik Pyzh and a talented group of UBTS students with our deepest gratitude for your continuing prayers and support.
April 10
Investing in the next generation
Ivan Dovhaliyk, director of the WeCare Center in Rivne, is always seeking new ways to share the Gospel, particularly with the next generation. In this video, he describes a program that gives teens a place to connect and learn important life truths from adult mentors.
March 27
“Scripture tells me that I am to look for every opportunity to do good … we are to speak up for those being harmed.”
Sandra Fields, LPC-MHSP, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional from Nashville, TN, trains WeCare Center staff to provide trauma-informed care to Ukrainians impacted by the war.
March 12
“I don’t know what kind of decisions will be made … but we share the same family and have the same Father.”
Slavik Pyzh leads the ministries of education, compassion, and hope in Ukraine that your support has made possible during three years of devastating war. Learn how recent events have added to people’s uncertainty about the future and what you can do today to help.
February 24
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Slavik Pyzh leads the ministries of education, compassion, and hope in Ukraine that your support has made possible through three years of devastating war. Hear his reflections on how the war has changed the nation and his vision for a future where Ukrainians love God and respect the law – the keys to building a safe and prosperous future for Ukraine.
February 6
“I’m glad that God sent such people who truly became friends. It helps to live, to dream, to reach goals.”
Yulia and her three children are among the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have been internally displaced by the war and now live in Lviv. Her dream was to create a place where people could gather in friendship. Encouraged and assisted by the Lviv WeCare Center, she achieved her goal with the opening of the Camrat Cafe.
January 23
“We reassured her saying God will take care, that everything will be fine, and we would help as much as we could.”
Halyna Kulaga, co-founder and leader of the Children’s Ministry at the Korosten WeCare Center in northern Ukraine, describes how the Center helps women decide to trust God and continue their pregnancies.
January 9
“Everything that happens here has one goal and one heart and soul, and that is people.”
Anatoliy Moshkivsky, Director of the WeCare Center in Korosten (northern Ukraine), describes the multi-faceted ministries the Center provides to more than 2,000 people each month. Through meeting the basic needs of displaced families, chaplaincy visits, children’s programs, hospice care, and more, the staff and volunteers are demonstrating “there is a real God and he supports us.”
December 23
“True peace – shalom – comes out of the faith and the love we receive in Jesus.”
Slavik Pyzh, President of UBTS, brings Christmas greetings from Ukraine – a message of hope and peace in the midst of war.
December 12
“We are raising up church leaders who are positively impacting society … in this way, we are an effective ministry of God for our country.”
Olena Dub is the Director of Women’s Ministry Programs at UBTS. In this update, she celebrates the 210 students who are having a positive impact in their families, communities, churches, and nation.
November 27
“God’s presence is always revealed through his people.
You are His presence for us.”
UBTS President Slavik Pyzh offers thanks on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of people – including students and staff, WeCare Center teams, and Ukrainian families – who have been blessed by your prayers and gifts during more than 1,000 days of war.
November 14
“Don’t forget who you are.”
Thanks to your support, hundreds of Ukrainian children will have warm hats and coats this winter. But UBTS President Slavik Pyzh and World Help President Noel Brewer Yeatts have a sobering message about the war’s ongoing suffering.
October 31
“There’s something about what God is doing in Ukraine today that is extraordinary.”
International evangelist Michael Gott recently visited UBTS to encourage and challenge students and staff. He believes they are being called and trained to participate in a great spiritual harvest in Ukraine.
October 10
Dave Ferguson, Lead Pastor of Community Christian Church in Chicago and a member of the UPF Advocacy Board, visited UBTS to speak at the M4 and Exponential Europe regional conferences the Seminary hosted. He describes how effectively UBTS students and staff continue to do Kingdom work under the most difficult circumstances.
September 26
Student interest in UBTS has surged – with 200 more qualified applicants than expected for the 2024-25 academic year. UBTS President Slavic Pyzh reflects on this “miracle” and the hope it holds for Ukraine’s future.
September 12
Over 2,000 Ukrainian children attended some 30 summer camps sponsored by WeCare Centers throughout the country. Kids of all ages enjoyed a welcome break from the uncertainty and trauma that has surrounded them for almost three years. See how these children thrived at the camps.
September 12
Sophia was one of the children who attended a WeCare Summer Camp. See the difference it made in her life.
September 4
Iryna Los, UBTS Chief of Staff, describes the impact of a Russian missile attack on Lviv. An off-campus housing unit for women students was damaged but no students were injured. Please pray for UBTS staff and students as they continue their studies and reach out to help their neighbors.
August 22
UPF Board member Suzanne Galvin shares her hope for Ukraine’s future. More than 1,000 UBTS students and graduates, and WeCare Center leaders, staff, and volunteers, are on mission to spread the Gospel – through word and deed – in a war-weary nation.
August 8
Bob Meisel, describes his visit to a new church in Ternopil. It’s one of more than 50 churches that have been planted in Ukraine in recent months by teams trained at UBTS.
July 25
J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church, celebrates 54 churches that have been planted in Ukraine through the work of UBTS and WeCare Centers during this dark time of war in that nation.
July 11
Forty students were equipped at a new church planting school Ukraine Partnership Missions recently opened in Kharkiv. Learn more about the new church being started in Derhachi, a front-line city that has been under constant attack.
June 27
Heather Larson is the founder of LiveGive, a philanthropy advising group with a global impact. During her recent visit to Ukraine, she witnessed first hand the work of WeCare Centers, a ministry of Ukraine Partnership Missions.
June 20
A video message from Slavik Pyzh: UBTS graduates are transforming Ukraine!
June 13
A video message from Slavik Pyzh: Ukraine’s children find respite from war in summer camps.
June 6
A video message from Slavik Pyzh: We planted 54 churches!
May 30
A video message from Slavik Pyzh: ILC graduates bring the Gospel to the marketplace
May 23
A video message from Slavik Pyzh: First baptisms at new church in previously occupied territory
May 16
A video message from Slavik Pyzh: Good news and bad news
May 2024
Video
“Our trips there give them hope for the future.”
For more than a year, the Boryslav WeCare Center has delivered weekly humanitarian aid and shared the eternal hope of the gospel at multiple sites on the Eastern front – touching the lives of over 12,800 Ukrainians. See the story in this video.
April 2024
Video
“Pray for the safety of our children.”
Five WeCare Centers are in Ukrainian front-line cities enduring destructive missile attacks. Staff and volunteers bravely serve as the hands and feet of Jesus to increasingly desperate families. In this video, two directors describe the daily reality and ask for your continued prayers and support.
April 2024
Video
Planting a church with soccer families
UBTS President Slavik Pyzh recently spoke about the work of Ukraine’s WeCare Centers at Missouri’s Fellowship of Wildwood Church. The Kryvyi Rih WCC organizes a safe school and soccer games for 600 children and provides support for their families. In this video, Slavik describes how this sense of community and hope in the midst of great darkness has blossomed into a unique new church.
March 2024
Video
The promise of Easter: Christ Conquers death
For UBTS President Slavik Pyzh, this Easter season is a time to affirm that Christ conquers death, even in the midst of the ongoing war. This is the hope that thousands of UBTS students and alumni are spreading throughout Ukraine. In this video, Slavik brings Easter greetings as students offer a moving choir presentation of Nearer My God to Thee.
March 2024
Video
“Our church wants to partner with people who are making a difference in Kingdom work.”
Pastor Drew Hill of Memorial Baptist Church in Arlington, VA, has been a guest faculty member at UBTS multiple times since 2013 and recently returned from his most recent visit there. In this video he explains why “I don’t know anyplace on this planet where God’s making anymore of a difference than what’s happening right here.”
March 2024
Video
“I really believe that training Christian leaders is the way to transform a nation.”
Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, is a longtime supporter of UPF and the vital ministries we support in Ukraine: UBTS, the Institute for Leadership & Coaching, and WeCare Centers. In this video, he shares his conviction that your prayers and gifts are “a great way to invest in God’s Kingdom in our generation.”
February 2024
Video
“Trauma impacts every bit of a person… the whole culture is becoming traumatized.”
On February 24, Ukraine will somberly mark two years of a horrific war. The lives and futures of millions of people have been shattered – and an end is nowhere in sight. In response to this national trauma, UPF is sending volunteer teams of professional counselors to help train staff at WeCare Centers in the basics of trauma care. In this video, Sandra Fields, LPC/MHSP, shares her recent experience in Ukraine.
February 2024
Video
“When you’re called, you go and you do.”
Scott Reed, a longtime member of the UPF Board of Directors, recently traveled to Ukraine with two faithful UPF supporters, Perry Hudspeth and Ken Farrington. They met with UBTS staff and students in L’viv and visited three WeCare Centers to see first-hand how these ministries are laying the foundation for transformation in Ukraine through the work of Ukraine Partnership Missions. This video captures their experience and reflections.
January 2024
Video
Introducing Ukraine Partnership Missions:
Christians committed to transforming Ukraine
For nearly two years, the staff, students, and alumni of UBTS have served as the hands and feet of Jesus in the midst of the war in Ukraine. Now, the three key ministries UPF supports — UBTS, the Institute for Leadership and Coaching (ILC) and WeCare Centers — are named Ukraine Partnership Missions.
In this video, Slavik Pyzh, who leads this strategic mission, shares his vision for Ukraine in this new year.
January 2024
Video
Druzhkivka is located in the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine and has experienced repeated shelling and missile attacks. Nearly half of the pre-war population has fled. The intrepid leaders of the WeCare Center there have a special focus on providing remaining residents with bread from a repurposed bakery and family programs that teach parents how to help their children cope with the trauma of war. In this video, the director and administrator of the Druzhkivka WeCare Center explain why they have stayed in the war-torn area and how they are bringing God’s love to the people they serve.
January 2024
Feature Story
Sandy Fields, a licensed professional counselor and mental health services provider from Nashville, helped train the staff in trauma care at 17 WeCare centers – a key part of the vital services UPF supports in Ukraine.
Journalist Diana Chandler, writing for Baptist Press, describes the staggering amount of loss and suffering that Sandy believes will be a “trauma call for generations.”
December 2023
Video
The leadership team at the WeCare Center in Ivano-Frankivsk believes the changed lives they are seeing today will change the future of Ukraine. In this video, team members describe their unique approach to meeting the physical and spiritual needs of internally displaced families and soldiers serving at the front lines of war.
December 2023
Video
Send Relief is a collaboration between the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board; they respond to crisis and strengthen vulnerable communities around the world by meeting physical and spiritual needs in Jesus’ name. The organization recently held a series of community development training sessions for WeCare Center leaders, focused on how to identify problems and develop solutions that will equip communities to care for themselves and thrive.
November 2023
Video
In this video, Vyacheslav Bondor, director of the Kharkiv WeCare Center, describes how they are helping Ukrainian children who have been traumatized by the war. Speaking from personal experience about the generational impact of trauma, he and his team are committed to restoring the children’s sense of safety and trust in adults.
October 2023
Video
NewThing is a global Christian organization committed to seeing a church planted in every community around the world. They provide expert training and resources to the people who are already doing this challenging work in their own communities.
WeCare Centers Ukraine recently partnered with NewThing to provide training for all WeCare Center leaders – equipping them to expand their influence and impact through networking and collaboration with other organizations in their cities.
October 2023
Video
The war has created a leadership vacuum in Ukraine’s churches – and the UBTS mission has a new urgency. More that 1,100 students are already enrolled at UBTS this academic year. Students in each cohort group bring great energy and commitment as they arrive on campus.
In this video, UBTS President Slavik Pyzh explains the simple but powerful strategy UBTS believes will transform lives and the future of Ukraine.
September 2023
Video
Cliff Eason, retired President and CEO of the Southwestern Bell Division of ATT, has supported UBTS for more than a decade. Now vice president of the UPF Board, he also chairs the working group charged with oversight for the 17 WeCare Centers UBTS has developed throughout Ukraine. In this video, Cliff shares why he supports the ministries of UBTS and his belief that this work is an essential part of Ukraine’s future.
September 2023
Video
UBTS recently held a graduation ceremony for more than 170 students. With God’s calling, their perseverance, and the support of many faithful benefactors, they are equipped to serve their neighbors and nation, and to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. See how four of those graduates are demonstrating the love and hope of God’s Kingdom throughout Ukraine.
August 2023
Video
Throughout Ukraine, women are rising to meet the challenges of war – serving their families, churches, and communities by filling the gaps left by the fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons who have been called to fight. UBTS has added new training and curriculum to its Women’s Ministry program – equipping women to meet the urgent and long-term needs resulting from the war.
July 6, 2023
Video
The overnight missile attack in L’viv brought death and destruction. More than 50 buildings were severely damaged, including the apartment that was home to a UBTS partner in the Young Leaders Program. This attack on innocent civilians will bring a fresh wave of trauma and need to the Ukrainians who live in L’viv, and to the displaced women and children who have sought safety there from other parts of the country. It will certainly bring many more people to the WeCare Center in L’viv seeking immediate help.
July 2023
Print Interview
The July 6 missile attack on L’viv – where UBTS is located – was the most devastating in that city since the beginning of the war. In this print interview with the Baptist Press, UBTS President Slavik Pyzh discusses the attack on L’viv and the openness to the Gospel they are seeing among Ukrainians as the war rages on.
June 2023
Video
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in the Kherson region of Ukraine on June 6 caused an incalculable human, economic, and agricultural impact that will last for years. In response, several WeCare Centers have increased emergency aid. In this video, WeCare leaders describe their immediate and long-term efforts to assist the people in the flooded Kherson region.
May 2023
Podcast
In this podcast from Three Men for Thee, UBTS President Slavik Pyzh describes his faith journey, and the work and mission of UBTS and WeCare Centers.
May 2023
News
On May 13, 2023, a Russian missile destroyed the warehouse for the Ternopil WeCare Center. Information about the impact of the attack is available in the electronic newsletters below.
January 2023
In 2022, when war came to Ukraine, thousands of gifts to UPF from generous and caring individuals, churches, and foundations enabled UBTS to bless and serve people throughout Ukraine. This report shows the impact of those gifts.
December 2022
An update about how UBTS is responding to the war in Ukraine
July 2022
A special report about how UBTS is responding to the war in Ukraine
The Opportunity & Impact Report, launched in 2018, is UPF’s periodic newsletter. Past issues are archived below.
February 2023 - Letter from UPF President - One Year of War in Ukraine
One year of war in Ukraine – reflection and thanks
A message from UPF President Joe Privott
February 2023
Dear Friends,
One year ago, on February 24, 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine created the greatest crisis in Europe since World War II. Millions of Ukrainians are refugees living out-of-country or are displaced in their own homeland. The war’s impact has been felt worldwide and no one can predict when this terrible atrocity will end.
But… in the midst of this darkness, Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary (UBTS), with the support of UPF and people like you, has been privileged to share the light and hope of the Gospel throughout Ukraine. Guided by the resolute leadership of UBTS President Slavik Pyzh, a selfless team of staff, students, and alumni have been delivering material and spiritual aid to tens of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people since the day the war began.
Their actions are guided by the Seminary’s BMA core values: Biblical (love God and your neighbor), Missional (serve unbelievers and believers), and Accountable (understand and be committed to your calling). This is more than humanitarian work – it’s Kingdom work that your prayers and gifts make possible.
Last February, your gifts to the Emergency Fund enabled UBTS to open a refugee center at the Seminary in L’viv. And then you helped thousands of women, children, and elders reach safety in Poland and beyond. You stepped up again with generous support when UBTS began transporting food and supplies to other areas of Ukraine that desperately needed humanitarian relief.
Most recently, your gifts to the Winter Survival Fund, which were fully matched, provided generators and other life-saving provisions to help Ukrainians endure harsh winter weather – often without heat, electricity, or water.
These and other acute needs will continue long after the fighting ceases. So, we are now establishing WeCare Centers all across Ukraine. These are nonprofit, non-governmental platforms (NGOs) where local and international organizations work together to rebuild communities with a Gospel Kingdom mindset. They are led by local UBTS-trained leaders, with oversight by UBTS and American experts to assure integrity and efficiency. These centers of help and hope are crucial now and will play an even more important role in restoring communities when the war ends.
Supporting WeCare Centers that are locally managed and operated with high standards for integrity and accountability is a unique opportunity for philanthropic-minded people to maximize the impact of their gifts to Ukraine.
The UPF Board has great confidence in Slavik’s strategic leadership and values his heart for training Christian leaders and strengthening local churches. The UBTS team has always served with integrity, skill, and creativity.
Notwithstanding the challenges of Covid, and now the war, enrollment at UBTS has grown every single year since Slavik became president. Tuition has been waived for most current students, who are unable to pay this expense due to the war.
The UBTS core values, developed to guide Seminary education in a time of peace, are being strengthened and activated throughout Ukraine in the crucible of war – impacting more people than we ever could have imagined.
The UBTS team has truly become the hands and feet of Jesus, extending His love, care, and compassion to people in their time of greatest need. We believe God is at work. In the midst of this great evil of war, the seeds for rebirth and revival are being sown.
To say “Thank You” seems inadequate to express our deep gratitude for the prayers and gifts you have made. Be assured that your financial support is always gratefully accepted and prudently used to achieve the most needed and effective outcomes.
Finally, we must also thank the tireless volunteers who are UPF. We have no office or employees, and minimal overhead. Essentially every dollar contributed to UPF goes directly to fund activities on the ground in Ukraine.
Thank you. Thank you, friends and benefactors. Thank you, UPF volunteers. And especially, thank you to every member of the UBTS team.
May we all continue to support the Kingdom work of the UBTS team in the uncertain days ahead. And may
we continue to pray for the “big miracle” that will bring this horrible war to an end.
December 2021
Contents:
- Multipurpose Chapel Nears Completion
- Recap: The UBTS Construction Plan
- Help UBTS Complete the Campus Building!
- Students Describe the UBTS Experience
- Reflection from a UBTS Guest Lecturer
- A Message from the UPF Board of Directors
- How You Can Help
May 2021
Contents:
- UBTS Develops Young Leaders for Ukraine’s Churches & Communities
- The Inspiring History of God’s Providence at UBTS
- Help UBTS Complete the Campus Building!
- A Message from the UPF Board of Directors
- Your Support has Impact – See the Proof!
- News from UPF
- How You Can Help
December 2020
Contents:
- Thank You from the UPF Board of Directors
- Adapting & Thriving: A Thank You from the UBTS President
- New Classrooms were Ready – Just in Time!
- Learning & Fellowship: UBTS Students’ Report
August 2020
Contents:
- A Message from the UPF Board of Directors
- UBTS Prepares for In-Person Classes
- Progress on the New Academic Building Continues
- How You Can Help
April 2020 - Special Edition
Contents:
- A Message from the UPF Board of Directors
- UBTS Perspectives: the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Lviv, Ukraine and four principles that have guided UBTS during this time
- COVID-19 Restrictions in Ukraine
- How UBTS has Adapted its Teaching and Mentoring Programs
- How You Can Help
December 2019
Contents:
- A Message from UPF President
- UBTS Enrollment Continues to Surge
- Prayerful Planning Drives New Initiatives
- How You Can Help
- UPF News
July 2019
Contents:
- Message from UPF Board of Directors
- Enrollment Growth Fuels UBTS Expansion
- The Three-Year Transition Plan
- Help Us Close the Gap
- UPF News
December 2018
Contents:
- A Message from the UPF Board of DIrectors
- Students Flee Ukraine War Zone
- Ukraine Women Encouraged by UBTS Women’s Ministry
- A Shared Vision for UBTS
