19 Jun He Wrote to Us From a Mattress in the Hallway
Tolya and Alyona Deminko had moved his family to the hallway of their apartment building, placed mattresses on the floor for their young children. This is the routine in Kiev when the shelling starts. It’s no longer a guarantee that they’ll be able to sleep in their rooms.
He wrote to us from the hallway.
Russia had just fired 611 Shahed drones, 40 ballistic missiles, and 30 cruise missiles at Ukraine. Most of them targeting Kyiv. His family pressed against the interior wall of their third-floor apartment, surrounded by high-rises, doing the math on concrete and altitude.
“We are safe,” he wrote. “Although we are tired, stressed, and sleep-deprived.”
Tolya leads Campus — a nationwide outreach to college students across Ukraine. He has been doing this through three years of war. Sirens, shelters, sleepless nights. And every morning, back to the work of pursuing student for Christ.
This particular night, Russian strikes hit an Orthodox church and a building at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra — a UNESCO World Heritage site. Two weeks before that, a Protestant church had been damaged in a separate attack.
Please lift up the Deminko family in your prayers. Pray for the rest of his team and staff who are living through this situation in Ukraine that the world has seemingly lost interest in. It’s still very real for them.
Before All This, Storyline Partners Did Something That Mattered
I want to tell you what your generosity made possible before all of this.
A few weeks ago, because of those who gave to the worker retreat fund, Tolya and his team were able to leave Kyiv for a few days. They drove into the Carpathian mountains and stayed with our friends Kostya and Margarita Besedyuk.
They slept. They sat outside. They laughed and cried and got a few days to let the stress fall away.
For workers who spend their days ministering to war-weary students and their nights on hallway floors — that mattered more than we can measure.
Dear Mike,
We wanted to thank you once again for your generous gift to our ministry. Twelve staff members and six volunteers benefited from this opportunity.
It was a time of spiritual renewal, refreshment, personal reflection, and prayer. The area is beautiful, peaceful, and far removed from the distractions and worries of everyday life. It is also a safe place, which made it possible for our people to truly rest and recharge.Below are some reflections and feedback from those who participated.
“My family and I are very grateful for the opportunity to go on this retreat and take a break from the noise and constant threats in Kyiv. Having some peace and quiet in the midst of a busy season of ministry allowed us to return refreshed, encouraged, and ready to continue serving. Thank you for making this opportunity possible.” (The Proskin Family)
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend this retreat. Being in the mountains gives me a special opportunity to experience God and His beauty as the Creator. It was especially a time for reflection and prayer about the present and the future, and for making faith-filled decisions about the next steps in my life. I am thankful for this expression of care and support – it was both much needed and perfectly timed.” (Ania Portianko, staff)
“This was truly a time of renewal for me. Being far away from the noise of the city, the many responsibilities, and the constant stream of thoughts gave me a chance to slow down and rest. Surrounded by nature, I felt a deeper closeness to God. It was easier to rest, breathe, and reflect on important matters and decisions. This opportunity came at just the right time for me, and I am deeply grateful for it.”
Thank you to those of you who partner with us for making this possible.
Tolya is back in Kyiv now. Back leading Campus. Back doing what he has always done.
Pray for him. Pray for his family. Pray for the exhausted, faithful workers all across Ukraine who keep showing up.
— Mike