Faith brought Kent and Inga Friesen together in Ukraine, and it will keep them there throughout the Russian invasion.

Kent moved from Abbotsford to Ukraine in 2000, after living here for 20 years. Missions work took him to the west of the country, where he lives now with Inga.

This week, they will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.

91裸聊视频淪ome celebration,91裸聊视频� she jokes over the phone. Their special day will be just like all others since the invasion began. They will cook and deliver food, they will follow the news, answer phone calls and emails and jump to meet any and all needs.

As missionaries, it91裸聊视频檚 what they do. But as the invasion intensifies, so does the need for help.

They91裸聊视频檝e been checking in each day with their home church in Abbotsford, Central Heights, offering reports on military activity and their spiritual wellness. The church has been collecting money online to help them continue their work. (See link at end of story.)

As military vehicles rumble along their street, Inga says it91裸聊视频檚 like watching a war movie. The reality of the invasion has hit big cities and small towns. The Friesens live in a smaller town where Inga teaches English, and the influx of refugees has overwhelmed the community.

The largest cities in Ukraine 91裸聊视频� Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk 91裸聊视频� are all in the east and home to millions of people. They are easily accessible to Russian forces. Residents from those places have fled west, escaping to Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland. Immigrants within Ukraine have also been fleeing, to get home to places like Nigeria and India.

The Friesens have been meeting with all types of people coming through their town.

91裸聊视频淲e are overwhelmed with refugees,91裸聊视频� Inga says. 91裸聊视频淜ids, orphans, (because) parents send their kids with someone, because they are staying behind to fight.91裸聊视频�

Kent says he has seen the tenacity of the Ukrainian people firsthand through the years. It is little surprise to him that Ukraine is fighting back.

91裸聊视频淧eople have suffered for a long time here, even after the fall of communism,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭he people here have suffered from one corrupt leader in government after another, so they91裸聊视频檝e known really nothing except to struggle and fight and survive.91裸聊视频�

There were preparations in Ukraine well before the west was paying attention.

People in the east secured apartments in the west as safety nests. There were practice air raids for months in Kyiv, sometimes in the middle of the night. Inga says many people never took the threat seriously.

The Russian invasion in 2014 only occupied Crimea, and many thought the new threat would result in something similar.

This week, Inga cleaned out her basement to make room for refugees, encouraging neighbours to do the same. Everyone in the country is doing their part.

91裸聊视频淥ur daily life is really not daily anymore,91裸聊视频� Inga says. 91裸聊视频淭hings change drasticially from hour to hour, whether it91裸聊视频檚 accomodating refugees, coordination of food, finding food, taking people across the border.91裸聊视频�

When asked if they are personally taking people across borders, she said: 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e all doing that.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he whole city is at work, and not just missionairies.91裸聊视频�

They91裸聊视频檝e been given no time to rest so far, just enough time to sleep. But through it all they are still making time to pray.

91裸聊视频淒uring communism we weren91裸聊视频檛 allowed to touch the Bible or to read the Bible,91裸聊视频� Inga says. Her closest experience with religion was decorating eggs at Easter.

91裸聊视频淭hen with the Soviet Union falling apart a lot of missionairies came this way and started talking about God,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 just want to work so hard, so much, that people would start saying 91裸聊视频榞lory to God91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� instead of 91裸聊视频楪lory to Ukraine.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 very important to just do God91裸聊视频檚 will,91裸聊视频� she said.

Kent says his faith has also given him a 91裸聊视频渄egree of calm91裸聊视频� in the face of war, frustration, anger and fear.

91裸聊视频淲ithout it I91裸聊视频檓 not sure how we91裸聊视频檇 get through,91裸聊视频� he says. 91裸聊视频淚 know that it doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter what happens to me because I91裸聊视频檓 in a relationship with God and I91裸聊视频檓 ready to go when He says it91裸聊视频檚 time to go.91裸聊视频�

Those interesting in helping their mission can visit and search for the Ukraine Relief Fund.

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jessica.peters@abbynews.com
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