God's Work in Ukraine, Tatarstan and Belarus

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Broadcasts, shown in the first three listings below, can be tuned in by listeners in Ukraine. Content is also available 24/7 via the special livestream linked below.

For the tenth and final episode of How Are You There?, TWR Ukraine took a risk by traveling farther east to interview Christians in war-torn cities. [Image courtesy of TWR Ukraine]

Hope-filled Encounters in Ukraine

As Alexander Chmut, the director of TWR Ukraine, and his wife, Natasha, entered a restaurant just 62 miles outside of Kyiv for a meal, they found it nearly empty, save for a small group of guys at one of the tables. One of the guys excitedly walked up to Chmut, having recognized him from the team’s YouTube channel, and they talked together for a while. Later, when Chmut asked for the bill, the waiter said, “You’re all set. These guys paid for everything.”

This is one example in a string of unexpected blessings the team has witnessed lately. In another turn of events, Chmut was providing marriage counseling to a man named Oleksiy and his fiancée when Oleksiy was severely wounded on the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war. Miraculously, the couple not only persevered through this dark chapter in their lives, but also recently celebrated their wedding. Reflecting on the large number of injured men in Ukraine, Chmut observed, “In the future, if God allows us to live, we will work with many severely wounded soldiers. ... This will also affect our choice of program topics.”

In wartime, TWR Ukraine has quickly adapted its media content to address the current situation. The team invites opinion leaders, chaplains, and ministers to share their perspectives. These insights from knowledgeable leaders who have stayed in Ukraine are an encouragement to listeners of the programs and podcasts.

Point of Resistance is a program dedicated to Kyselivka, an inconspicuous village on the outskirts of Kherson where more than 300 houses have been destroyed by shelling. The program depicts the resilience of ordinary Ukrainian children who live there.

Living On is a program where guests discuss how God brought them through hardships. In one of the episodes, a woman named Fiva describes a period in her life when, simultaneously, her baby was on the verge of death due to illness and Fiva herself was involved in a serious car accident and couldn’t walk. She didn’t know how to move on, yet within her struggle and pain, God gave her a path forward.

In the project Yak vi tam?, which translates to How Are You There?, the Ukraine team interviews Christians in war-torn cities to find out how God has given them courage and hope. For the 10th and final episode, they took a risk by traveling farther east to the friendly cities of Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka. The strong military presence they experienced was a vivid reminder of the ongoing hostilities. 

In early November, Alexander presented TWR’s ministry at a youth conference, a fellowship of independent churches and a coffee house. He had meaningful conversations with many of TWR Ukraine’s loyal listeners.

Joy in Tatarstan

An outreach in Tatarstan through social media and radio channels has begun which is called Joy.

Tatarstan, officially the Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation, is a land of plains, rivers and forests. It shares strong cultural and ethnic connections with Bashkortostan. The Tatar people, Russia's largest Muslim group (5.31 million) and Europe's second largest, are primarily located in neighboring regions rather than Tatarstan itself. Most Tatars are nominal or secular in their religious affiliation, with only 10% actively practicing Islam, and a similar percentage identifying as nominally Orthodox Christians.

The Joy project contains content in the Russian and Tatar languages, and a social media account has been created. Currently, short 30- to 40-second programs are aired on local FM stations in two cities and listeners are invited to follow the programs on social media at the end of each radio segment. In addition, some Tatars have signed up for a training course on who Jesus is.

Using Diverse Media in Belarus

In Belarus, 10 weekly programs are broadcast on medium-wave (AM) radio and on the internet.

The Belarusian team has continued donating speakers, flash drives and SD cards loaded with biblical content to families, orphans and the disabled. In the Brest district, 210 speakers loaded with programs have been prepared for the blind. Misha, an 11-year-old disabled boy, repented after listening to the programs on a flash drive.

One lady named Olga expressed her gratitude: “Thank you for such an unusual and useful gift! Our youngest daughter listens all day from the time she wakes up. The first thing she does in the morning is turn the receiver on.”

The Belarusian branch of the mission Jews for Jesus bought speakers loaded with content for a Jewish audience that they lend to people they minister to.

History Lessons is a program for schoolchildren, students and intellectuals which looks at history from a Christian perspective. So far, 150 interviews have been recorded as part of the program.

In early 2021, TWR Belarus decided to publish a book based on the History Lessons content after seeing how popular the program was. The book will include 50 thematic illustrations and QR codes of TWR sound files.

Two of the staff on the TWR Belarus team have also participated in book projects such as one called The Gospel of Luke, which was represented at the National Book Art Competition and won the nomination “for contribution to the preservation of historical, cultural and spiritual values.” As a result, it was named Book of 2021 in Belarus.

Prayer Points

• Those serving in Ukraine are very aware that God has protected them since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Pray for continued protection for the staff and their families. Also pray that God will continue to inspire them as they create new content and travel to various cities and villages in Ukraine.

• The Joy project in Tatarstan is still in its beginning stages, and God is using it to reveal the truth of who Jesus is to a majority Muslim population. Pray that the Tatars listening to the programs will come to a true faith in Jesus as their Savior.

Pray that the marginalized people in Belarus who listen to TWR programs will be encouraged by what they hear through preloaded audio devices, SD cards and flash drives. Pray for the safety of the team as they travel extensively to visit and encourage their audience, donating these media and storage devices to people who are desperate for good news.

Daily life has changed for millions of people in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. But God has blessed TWR with the means to consistently share the hope of Christ in this part of the world. Will you consider helping us share Christ in these nations? You can give to our crisis fund here.

Image: (middle, right) Alexander Chmut (director of TWR Ukraine) in a recent episode of Mondays with Chmut. [Image courtesy of TWR Ukraine]