Missionary Partner (#6290)
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My name is Lyubov! I was born in Ukraine but immigrated to the States with my family at age 4. I never thought that God would call me back to my motherland, but I’ve seen how he’s been at work since 2022, drawing me back and giving me such a deep heart for these people and this country. It mainly started when the full-scale invasion broke out - I simply began to pray, and compassion filled me for the people of Ukraine. Scripture began to jump out at me in a new way, and I felt like everything that I was reading was the Lord speaking to me for Ukraine. This was new for me; I had never thought twice about Ukraine or had a heart for the people, but through it all, I felt Jesus give me his own heart for the nation and simply invited me to carry his heart - a prayer I’ve prayed hundreds of times before.
The Beginnings
After a leap of faith and coming to Ukraine for a few months in 2022, God opened doors to serve with various missions organizations and meet so many other volunteers/missionaries who have felt the tug towards Ukraine (both those with Ukrainian descent and not!), and with beautiful local churches and leaders who had courageously pivoted everything to begin to serve their neighbor and the hurting. After 4 months of following his lead, I just couldn’t go back to life as it was - I caught a glimpse. I saw how life stopped and everything changed for Ukrainians. I saw the devastation + destruction and heard story after story of pain, loss, and trauma due to this war. However, I also saw how mightily God had been at work. I saw him touch the lives of hundreds of teenagers and empower youth to preach the gospel. I saw how he used a simple prayer to encourage the hopeless. I heard countless testimonies of his protection over his children. And I’ve also been privileged to be part of some of those stories, which has been the greatest JOY. The more time I spend in Ukraine, the more I see and believe in his promises for this wonderful nation, and I am simply in awe that I get to be a part of it.
What I'm Doing
In September, 2024, I joined Awakened Generation to help launch their coffee shop + prayer room. This has been such a special way to unite my vocation back in the States (coffee) with the reason I’m in Ukraine (prayer). The heart behind this space is for heaven + earth to collide. The coffee shop is a place where people who don’t know Jesus can come and experience kingdom culture in a coffee shop. The prayer room is just behind the wall, and it is a place for the church to unite in prayer, but more so, for us to gaze on His face and dwell in His house. I have a huge heart to see Ukraine encounter the Lord, know the love that he has for them, and walk in their identity as sons + daughters. We regularly host conferences, training + discipleship schools, and events for young people to encounter the Lord in a powerful way.
Partner
Join me in praying God would have His way for Ukraine, that Psalm 24 would be what brings an end to this war– people who have pure hands & a clean heart. Pray that we would be a generation that seeks the face of the Lord because then the King of Glory, the Lord of Armies, will enter in.
As you pray, consider becoming a monthly parter for my ministry. I am fully support-funded in Ukraine, and act as the Director of Kultura Coffee as well as help lead our worship team and prayer room sets. God has been so faithful to provide miraculously every step of the way, for both the coffee shop to take root, as well as providing for my every need.
In HIS love,
Lyubov Bernik
