Since the beginning of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, our Association has devoted significant effort and resources to providing aid – not only through tangible humanitarian support and assistance to refugees arriving in our country, but also, in line with the nature of our work, by offering spiritual support to our neighbors.
Out of this initiative, and through our long-standing friendships with various Ukrainian organizations, the Nadiya.in.ua platform was created.
During our DeoLink Internet Mission Conference, many representatives, staff members, and volunteers involved in developing this platform came to Wisła Malinka.
After the conference, we also hosted Jana, who is actively involved in Nadiya.in.ua as well as in the Ukraine Prays movement. Through her connections, she coordinates the “Couriers of Hope” initiative – volunteers who deliver parcels to participants after they complete an online course. This personal delivery is a wonderful opportunity to get to know people better, encourage them to engage with their local community, and continue growing on their spiritual journey.
We had the opportunity to talk with her about what her work in Ukraine looks like and what they need most in their day-to-day ministry.
We invite you to read this short interview:
Kornelia, DeoLink Association: Who are the Couriers of Hope?
Jana: I’ve been involved in the Ukraine Prays project for many years. Within this project, we have connections and partnerships with many churches. So, when the Nadiya.in.ua platform was created, the idea of Couriers of Hope was born – to prepare small gift packages with educational and spiritual materials for participants. Thanks to the involvement of many volunteers and contacts, we send these packages to everyone who completes a course on the platform and agrees to receive this small gift. Often, this begins an ongoing relationship with that person in the offline world and an opportunity to support them further.
K: How many people have you reached so far?
J: I’ve personally delivered 130 gifts, and through the contacts we’ve shared with churches and volunteers, we’ve reached around 2,000 people in total.
K: What’s inside the packages that volunteers deliver?
J: The contents vary depending on what we manage to collect. Usually, a package includes a prayer book, a New Testament, and a Children’s Bible. We also often add other Christian literature that has been donated to us.
K: How can people support your project and mission?
J: That’s a great question. I usually search for all the materials myself and look for opportunities to obtain books for the packages. Recently, we managed to get an entire pallet of books! We’re constantly collecting printed materials, so that’s definitely an area where we could use more support. Right now, my biggest personal need is for a new phone – mine is very old, and I use it for all the coordination work with the Couriers.
I should also mention that because of how efficiently we operate, one of the largest courier companies in Ukraine, after hearing our story, lowered the price of each shipment we send out from various locations – which was such an amazing gesture!
K: How many Couriers of Hope are currently active?
J: Each partner manages their own area – some cover just one small parish, while others oversee a larger region. They decide themselves who to give the materials to and who will deliver them, so it’s hard to say an exact number, but I have contacts all across Ukraine. The group changes – some volunteers stay with us long-term, and new churches are constantly joining our project. We always send them prayer books that include a QR code, allowing people to reach out to us directly. Before the war, we were connected with over 200 churches, but after the invasion, we lost contact with some of them. Many ended up on the front line or under Russian occupation, so we no longer keep such precise statistics.
K: You came to our DeoLink conference – not for the first time, right? How did you like it?
J: This was actually my third time at the DeoLink conference, and it’s always such a great opportunity for me to spend time learning and discovering new things that I can apply in my daily ministry. I’m very grateful for this time together.
K: You’re from Sumy in eastern Ukraine. What’s the situation like in your city right now, especially for those working in ministry?
J: The situation is very difficult — our region is located right by the border, not far from Kharkiv, where attacks and explosions happen every day. Although we are not under occupation, the fighting is happening just nearby, day after day.
K: We keep you and your work in our thoughts and prayers every day. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us ans sharing all of this amazing work you doing in Ukraine!
After talking with Jana, the staff of the DeoLink Association, deeply moved by her story, decided to purchase a mobile phone for her – one that she can now use in her daily coordination of the Couriers of Hope and building personal relationships with course participants who received a gift in person.
The needs in Ukraine remain vast and ongoing. Therefore, we warmly encourage everyone who wishes to support the country – either humanitarianly or spiritually – to reach out to us.
We’ll be glad to connect you with the appropriate channels to help.
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