An Easter reflection on a recent trip to Ukraine
In a world that measures success by the possession of power and military victories, the Resurrection stands as a powerful testament to the fact that true victory is not found in domination, but in love, sacrifice and service - traits embodied by our partners in Ukraine, writes Joshua T Searle
I recently arrived back from Ukraine after leading a small group of volunteers from the UK charity, Dnipro Hope Mission, on a trip to visit our ministry partners. This journey was especially meaningful as it coincided with the Easter season, when we are called to reflect on the profound message of Christ’s resurrection, hope, and new life that lies at the heart of our faith.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ not only conquers death but also instills in us a living hope that transcends the tragedy and turmoil of our sin-sick world. This message of hope is especially poignant as we consider the plight of those suffering in Ukraine, where the ravages of war and illegal occupation by a foreign invader have tested the endurance of its people.
Yet, as I discovered during my recent trip to Ukraine, the spirit of the Ukrainian people remains unbroken. In what follows, I will reflect on how my time in Ukraine prompted me to understand the truth and relevance of the Easter message of hope to people who endure unimaginable hardships yet continue to stand firm in their faith.
A hope that rises above politics
As a small team from DHM we were aware that we were arriving in Ukraine at a highly-charged time in geopolitical relations. A few days before we arrived, the American President had implied that Ukraine had started the war and had ordered the immediate suspension of all intelligence sharing and military support for Ukraine. The American President further claimed to have a good relationship with the Russian President.
Needless to say, our Ukrainian friends take a different view. For them the Russian President is a mass murderer who is responsible for the mass slaughter of Ukraine’s civilian population, the mass forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and the constant drone and missile attacks against Ukrainian towns and cities – not to mention the murder of countless journalists and politicians who have criticised him.
The DHM team on the train crossing the Ukraine border
Although DHM does not get involved in politics and restricts its aims to the preservation of human life and dignity, we could not be entirely untouched by the wider political issues at stake in the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. As we assessed the current geopolitical climate – with some nations, particularly the United States, appearing to withdraw support for Ukraine – it became clear that our visit was more than a show of solidarity; it was an act of theological necessity.
At Dnipro Hope Mission, our aim is to save lives in Ukraine and to restore hope and dignity to Ukrainian people impacted by poverty, disease and war. Since the full-scale Russian invasion, DHM has been able to help on average 118,600 people each year, sometimes with life-saving care. DHM’s support for the Ukrainian people, even though it is barely a drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things, signifies our commitment to stand against injustice and to uphold the faith and dignity of a suffering people, who are victims of a vicious and senseless attack.
Yet our focus remains on saving lives, rather than entangling ourselves in political controversies. In stark contrast to the political machinations of seemingly powerful figures on the world stage, we reaffirm the truth within Psalm 146:3-4, which declares, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day, their plans come to nothing.”
The prideful politicians in Washington and Moscow who currently feel their power, will one day stand before God’s judgment. They vainly imagine that they are in control and that they get to dictate the course of history, while in reality, they are weak and insecure and simply doing the bidding of their master: the one referred to in John’s Gospel as “the prince of this world” (John 12:31). Their god is their own ego, and their end is destruction and condemnation (Phil. 3:19).
On the great day of judgment, these seemingly powerful men will be the last, the least significant and the most condemned. They await a truly terrible fate. They will answer for all their lies and their collusion with dark forces in the destruction of innocent lives. When the great Day of Reckoning comes, they will face a dreadful judgment.
In stark contrast to these seemingly powerful men, all those who have suffered at their hands will ultimately be vindicated. Although these victims of naked aggression may feel powerless, battered and exhausted, their struggle for dignity and freedom is just, and the Lord has heard their prayers. In God’s providence, they are now called upon to endure immense suffering. While it is impossible to comprehend why they have had to endure such a terrible trial, one thing can be said with certainty: the fate of all nations is in the hands of God, who protects the righteous.
Finding comfort and hope in God’s word
As we pray for our ministry partners in Ukraine, we are reminded that true sovereignty lies with God, who governs the arc of history with justice and mercy. Therefore, as we said repeatedly to our Ukrainian friends when we met them recently: their struggle for life, freedom and dignity is not in vain.
I find great comfort in the passages throughout Scripture that affirm that those who endure trials for the sake of righteousness will ultimately be vindicated and will experience divine justice. The Book of Lamentations, whose doleful dispatches resonate with the current plight of our Ukrainian friends, encourages us with this clear affirmation: “For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though He causes grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love.”
I also draw strength from Romans 8:18, which encourages us with the perspective that “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” While we may not fully understand the depth of their trials, we cling to the assurance that the faith and perseverance of our ministry partners have not gone unheeded and that the day of God’s vindication will surely come. Their courage and undaunted spirit have not gone unnoticed in the eyes of the divine. The Lord of lords and King of kings is fully aware of their plight, and just as He acknowledged the faithfulness of those biblical “heroes of the faith” (Hebrews 11), God will likewise one day vindicate the faith and courage of our Ukrainian friends.
Given this ultimate hope, it is perhaps appropriate that our trip to Ukraine took place in the early springtime, when the birds were beginning to sing and the daffodils had started to blossom. All these signs in God’s creation presage the advent of new life, which finds its full expression in the Resurrection of Christ. Christ’s Resurrection demonstrates not only the triumph of life over death, but also the vindication of righteousness over sin. In the words of 1 Peter 1:3, “He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
As I witnessed in Ukraine, this hope is not merely theoretical or abstract, but manifests in tangible ways through the lives of those struggling for freedom and dignity in an unequal struggle against an aggressor superior in military might and economic power, but inferior in moral integrity and ethical resolve. The resurrection promise of righteousness and vindication enables our DHM ministry partners to endure suffering today with the expectation of a peaceful and dignified future.
I reminded our Ukrainian friends that long after the powerful and self-serving figures in global politics have exited the stage and are no more than dust and clay, it is precisely those who embody humility, service, and sacrifice who will be remembered and held in honour.
Through the eyes of faith, we can see that the true destiny of Ukraine is not dictated by the whims of political leaders in Washington, Moscow, Brussels, or even Kyiv, but rather by the hands of compassionate individuals like Pastor Valeriy, Pastor Sergei, Pastor Alexander, and Pastor Oleksii. Their ministries embody Christ’s love and align with God’s ultimate purposes for Ukraine and all nations.
Joshua Searle with Pastor Valeriy
By serving as instruments of God’s healing and hope, these devoted servants create something that carries enduring and eternal significance in the fulfilment of God’s great plans for the world. The self-serving actions and empty proclamations of political figures, by contrast, are ultimately destined to be rendered inconsequential.
In the grand scheme of eternity, the only human endeavours that hold true value are those that contribute to the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth; everything else is merely dross and waste. This is why the names of the DHM partners will resound through all eternity long after the present tyrants and charlatans on the world stage are dead and buried and their evil deeds have been erased without a trace by the inexorable tide of God’s righteousness and justice.
Conclusion: the Easter narrative and the ultimate hope of the world
In conclusion, as we reflect upon the profound implications of the Resurrection during this season of Easter, we are reminded of the transience of political power and the ultimate reality of God's judgment. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead fundamentally subverts the narratives that dominate our world: the narratives of political might, military strength, and human arrogance.
In a world that measures success by the possession of power and military victories, the Resurrection stands as a powerful testament to the fact that true victory is not found in domination, but in love, sacrifice and service.
The proud statesmen, who may seem invincible as they strut around on the world stage, will ultimately be brought low by the same divine judgment that raised Christ from the grave. Their earthly triumphs are fleeting. Their achievements are in reality mere shadows that will fade away in the light of God’s eternal justice and the dawning of the new light that comes with the appearance of the Son of God. As it is written in Philippians 2:10-11, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
When we view our world through the redeeming light of the Resurrection, we see a different kind of power: the power of love that conquers hatred, the strength of forgiveness that overcomes vengeance, and the triumph of hope that dispels despair. As I reflect on the struggles of my Ukrainian friends, I am reminded of the powerful assurance in Romans 8:37 that through Christ, they have become “more than conquerors,” capable of overcoming the unimaginable hardships they face with the strength and hope that comes from their faith in the Risen Christ.
It is in this context that the ministry of DHM in Ukraine finds its purpose and direction. While the world may applaud those who brandish swords and wield influence, it is the quiet unsung deeds of compassion, sacrificial love and service that will echo through eternity.
In a time when the clamour of political voices can drown out the still, small whisper of truth, we are called to follow the Lamb who conquers not through force, but through love. This does not mean, of course, that Ukraine should not receive all the practical help that it needs in order to restrain the killing of its soldiers and civilians by a foreign and illegal invader. The need to preserve innocent life sometimes means that it is a Christian duty to take the weapon out of the hands of those who would unjustly inflict suffering, violence, and death upon others.
Yet while defensive weapons can help to diminish suffering and death, the ultimate victory can only be achieved by the transformative power of love, reconciliation and justice. The gospel calls us not only to protect life but also to embody the values of Christ by laying foundations for a sustainable and perpetual peace among the nations.
As I continue to witness with sorrow and outrage the ongoing atrocities committed by Russia against the Ukraine people, I hold fast to the knowledge that God’s justice will prevail. The Resurrection serves as a powerful reminder that the future is secured not by the machinations of evil and misguided men, but by the sovereign grace and mercy of Christ, the Risen Saviour.
In this Easter season, I pray we will have the wisdom to proclaim with confidence that true power belongs to God alone, whose kingdom cannot be shaken, and whose love endures forever.
Joshua T. Searle is a member of the Board of Trustees of Dnipro Hope Mission.
Joshua, a former tutor at Spurgeon’s College, London, is Professor of Mission Studies and Intercultural Theology at Elstal Theological College (Theologische Hochschule Elstal), the German Baptist University
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Baptist Times, 24/04/2025