Relying on God, Not America: A Report from the Church in Ukraine

By Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra and Caleb Suko - Posted at The Gospel Coalition:

It brings tears to our eyes to hear people saying, ‘We’re praying for you.’

On Friday, Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky disagreed publicly and heatedly over the handling of the war between Russia and Ukraine. In the end, Zelensky left without signing a proposed mineral rights agreement between the United States and Ukraine and without a clear next step to ending the three-year-long war.

In Ukraine, the fallout was “pretty discouraging,” said American missionary Caleb Suko, who has lived in Ukraine with his family since 2007. “The feeling amongst Ukrainians and in the churches is [that we’ve been] betrayed by America and by President Trump.”

At the same time, he says, “I hear people saying this might be meant to teach Ukrainians that they should not rely on America to save them, but on God. We can see how God is using this to shift affections and hope in things.”

Suko felt that shift as well.

“As an American, it was sad for me to see President Trump not supporting a country that has freedom and democracy,” he said. “It helps to remember my most important citizenship is in heaven, and I think Ukrainian believers are sensing that more than ever now too. If they’re going to have peace through victory in this war, we’re going to have to give that praise to God, not to America or to any other country.”

The Gospel Coalition asked Suko about the mood in Ukraine, how the churches have been faring, and how he has seen God at work.

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