CITA Ministry Missionaries Visit Soldiers in Hospitals: “Thanksgiving Dinner for the Brave” Campaign Completed!

The initiative by the “Christ is the Answer” ministry successfully raised 12,000 UAH to provide Thanksgiving meals for wounded soldiers in hospitals in Ternopil and Mykolaiv.

In January, CITA missionaries visited these heroes, treating them to delicious meals, delivering gifts from children in Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia, and paid attention to each soldier.

In Ternopil, CITA missionary and chaplain Andriy Vasenda not only visited soldiers in their hospital rooms but also managed to take some of them to a local restaurant using a specially equipped van.

According to Andriy, the soldiers were pleasantly surprised and deeply touched by the unexpected attention. The festive dinner and fellowship were especially meaningful for them, as many of their loved ones live in distant cities, leaving them feeling isolated during recovery.

“In the cozy atmosphere, the soldiers opened up about their injuries, their lives, and their families. They were curious to know who funded the dinner and were deeply grateful upon learning that it was made possible through a charitable campaign. We were able to build closer relationships with them, which allows us to continue supporting them. Events like these are very important. First, soldiers need attention and fellowship, and second, this format creates opportunities to share God’s love. It would be wonderful to organize such events regularly,” Andriy shared.

Children and teenagers from the Zaporizhzhia club, supported by CITA missionaries, prepared and sent heartfelt letters and cards to soldiers at the Ternopil hospital. In their messages, the children expressed gratitude for the soldiers’ sacrifices, assured them of their prayers, and some even shared the Good News, testifying about how their lives changed after accepting Jesus Christ.

In Mykolaiv, the entire South Region CITA team visited wounded soldiers in the local hospital. They sang Christmas songs, prayed for the soldiers’ recovery, and treated them to a hearty meal.

The soldiers received gifts from the children served by the missionaries. These were handmade small felt bibles. Each soldier found a Bible verse inside the craft.   

The children’s club in Zaporizhzhia received special recognition from the CITA ministry for their participation in the charitable event.

Children from Mykolaiv were also awarded personalized certificates of appreciation along with sweet treats as a token of gratitude.

“We had a meeting with the kids who made the gifts for the soldiers! The children were so happy to have brought joy and warmth to the soldiers, and they were delighted to receive certificates of appreciation themselves! Of course, they also enjoyed some sweet treats!” shared Inna Titova, a missionary from Nova Odesa.

Charity is one of the key areas of activity for the “Christ is the Answer” ministry, which its missionaries use to share the Gospel with various groups of people.

In 2021, during Christmas, CITA organized a fundraising campaign for food packages for 500 elderly people as part of the “Visiting Grandma” campaign, which raised $3,000.

CITA Press Center