Pastor Alexander D. was one of Dnipro Hope Mission’s first partners. He led a thriving ministry to people with disabilities in Kyiv; ran an inclusive workshop to prepare teams to serve people with disabilities and had started to organise an all-Ukrainian association of ministers for people with disabilities.
This work ended abruptly in January 2022 when he suffered an horrific accident whilst installing a lift which would enable people with disabilities in his church to access the worship services and group meetings. While Alexander was standing on the lift on the second-floor level, one of the suspension ropes snapped, sending him crashing down to the ground. He was left with multiple complex fractures to several bones in both his feet, ankles and legs. At the time Joshua wrote: ‘The damage is so severe that doctors have said that even after complex surgery, it is unlikely that Alexander will ever be able to walk again unassisted. We are praying for a miracle.’
Just six weeks after this terrible life-changing injury, the war started. Pastor Alexander was trapped in an upper floor apartment in Kyiv unable to move to a place of safety. He was offered asylum in Sweden and so, assisted by friends and family, he began the long journey from Kyiv to Sweden, driven by his 18-year old daughter and accompanied by his wife and three other daughters. He was close to death many times – contracting pneumonia and suffering other complications resulting from the trauma.
Life has not been easy as a refugee in Sweden. Alexander and his family had to move into accommodation for asylum seekers. He needed further complex operations on his feet, experienced much pain and rehabilitation was expensive. However, two years later, Alexander is able to minister in a newly opened Ukrainian church although it is long way from his home and fuel is expensive ‘there is not always money to fill the tank, but I think God will solve the problem. The main thing is desire and zeal…’; he also supports fellow refugees and offers on-line support to members of his disabled congregation in Kyiv.
We are so grateful to our loyal supporters who have supported Alexander faithfully, financially and prayerfully on his long journey back to health and healing. Please continue to pray for him. He experiences a lot of pain after standing for any length of time and has further consultations and rehabilitation ahead.
Alexander recently sent us the photographs below and wrote:
‘Hello my precious ones. Thank you for your prayers. God makes it possible to minister to many people here in Sweden. This is an immense joy and honour for us. Please convey a big thank you from me and my family for your help and support to everyone who donates to DHM. We feel protected and thank God for our big family. God bless you. Oleksandr’
DHM’s current focus is supporting our eight relief projects and three rehabilitation projects helping the most vulnerable who remain in Ukraine. All the pastors and churches we are supporting in Ukraine are continually active in bringing life-saving support to their communities.
If you would like to support Pastor Alexander in his inclusive ministry to fellow refugees in Sweden please use the link above this post to donate and send an email to our treasurer ([email protected]) to indicate that you’d like the funds to be used to help Pastor Alexander D.
Written by Melanie Gray, DHM trustee
For more about Pastor Alexander see our earlier blogposts:
5/10/21: https://www.dniprohopemission.org/7135-2/
6/1/22: https://www.dniprohopemission.org/terrible-news-from-kyiv-please-pray-for-pastor-alexander-and-his-family/
10/02/22: https://www.dniprohopemission.org/update-on-pastor-alexander-in-kyiv/
13/6/22 https://www.dniprohopemission.org/dhm-continues-to-deliver-aid-to-eastern-ukraine-including-suv/
