Ukraine Mission
2026 Fundraiser:
Thank you to everyone who came out for this year’s fundraiser and went above and beyond to love, serve, and share Jesus with the people of Ukraine.
Our team is there July 31-August 10, 2026.
Follow this page for daily blog updates from our team on the ground in Ukraine.
Ukraine Update 6 - August 9 @ 2:30 PM
Ukraine Update #6 — “From the First Day Until Now”
We finished Dima’s house!
Saturday morning we worked at a brisk pace, putting the final touches on the home and getting everything ready. After a week of working in some of the worst of the Ukrainian summer heat—mid to upper 90s and sunny almost every day—God gave us the strength, energy and encouragement to finish what we came here to do.
And then came the part we had all been waiting for.
Together as a team, we were able to give Dima the keys to his new home.
We also gave him some new shirts, pants, underwear, socks and flip-flops—and a new Bible. Dima already had a Bible, but when he saw the larger print in this one, he smiled and told us it would be much easier for his old eyes to read!
It was such a sweet moment.
Paul writes in Philippians 1:
“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
That word partnership seems especially fitting after this week.
We came from Dubuque, but we were just one small part of what God was doing here. People came from 18 different countries—including Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Sweden and Switzerland—to serve together. Altogether, teams built 16 new homes this week. One of those will be used as a safe house for evacuees fleeing areas of fighting, and another will become a church.
Our Ukrainian friends from YWAM and Waves of Hope welcomed us, led us, fed us and worked alongside us. Ivan—our beloved foreman from Lutsk—and Nadia—our sweet friend and translator from Kyiv—have become such dear friends to our team this week. We have worked together, laughed together, prayed together and shared life together.
And somewhere along the way, Dima stopped simply being the man whose house we were building. We grew to love him. God knit all of us together around something much bigger than a house.
That became especially clear when it was time to say goodbye.
After we finished, our YWAM friends who had cooked for us all week made us a celebration lunch of grilled chicken and pork with cold drinks. There was laughing, pictures and even some dancing. Who would have thought we would come halfway around the world to Ukraine to find ourselves vibing to Michael Jackson and doing the YMCA dance together? 😂
The goodbyes were sweet. Many of us chose to say, “Paka, Dima”—“See you later”—rather than goodbye.
Dima shed a few tears. He told us he had already gotten used to having us there with him every day and didn’t know what he was going to do when we left. His brother came and joined the celebration too.
Then came a moment I don’t think any of us will forget.
Dima stood in front of his new home and thanked us. There was deep gratitude, love and plenty of tears. Then he took his key, unlocked his front door and stepped inside his new home as all of us clapped and cheered.
What a moment.
And almost as if God wanted to give us one more little gift, something changed right as the work was finished. After making us work all week under that blazing Ukrainian sun, the clouds rolled in. The temperature cooled. A few little drops of rain even began to fall.
We had worked together in the heat.
God let us celebrate together in the cool.
And while most of us spent the week building Dima’s house, Hannah spent her days serving at a children’s camp in a neighboring village.
Near the end of the week, Phillip, one of the Ukrainian youth pastors, asked Hannah if she would share her testimony with the kids. She told them about some of the struggles she experienced when she was their age—times when she was angry, confused and frustrated and life didn’t make sense. And while she would never compare her childhood hardships to everything these kids are experiencing in a war, she was able to tell them something she had learned in her own life:God had not abandoned her. In the middle of her struggles, God met her where she was, provided what she needed and slowly taught her that life would not always go her way—but she could trust His way.
What an opportunity to share that with children who have already experienced things no child should have to experience.
One moment drove that home for Hannah. While playing “Never Have I Ever,” someone said, “Never have I ever stayed in a bomb shelter for more than five days.”
One of the girls, Dasha, had.
For two weeks.
Hannah asked her what that had been like. Dasha described how frightening it was for her family—staying underground with very little food or water, simply hoping the explosions would stop.
And the reality of this war followed them even into camp. At times the warning sirens sounded and everyone had to move into a bomb shelter. The picture you see here is from one of those times. Rather than ending the day, they brought the kids inside and kept going—playing, laughing and loving these children right there in the shelter.
There is something both heartbreaking and beautiful about that picture.
War is still very real here.
But so is love.
So is joy.
And so is the hope of Jesus.
Paul goes on:
“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Paul wasn’t promising that God would simply help us finish whatever project we started. His confidence was much bigger than that. God finishes what He begins in His people.
The house is finished.
But God’s work isn’t.
Waves of Hope will keep building homes. Our Ukrainian brothers and sisters will keep loving and serving their neighbors. Children like Dasha will continue to be loved and hear about Jesus. Dima now has a home to live in and a Bible to read. And all of us return home changed by the people we met, the things we saw and the ways we watched God work.
And maybe that is why the next words from Paul feel especially appropriate tonight:
“It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart…”
Dima is in our hearts now.
So are Ivan and Nadia. So are Dasha and the children Hannah spent the week loving. So are our YWAM and Waves of Hope friends. So are the people of Ukraine.
And I think our team has been knit together in a way that only happens when you sweat together, pray together, serve together, laugh together—and watch God use ordinary people to show His love in very tangible ways.
We came here to help build a house and serve some children.
God gave us friends.
And through all of it, our prayer is that people would see beyond us to Jesus—the One who loved us first, who gave Himself for us, and who offers a hope that even war cannot take away.
Now all that remains is to reverse our travels through Moldova and begin the long journey home to all of you.
Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for giving. Thank you for sending us. Thank you for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
We can’t wait to see you.
And for our Ukrainian friends, it isn’t goodbye.
Paka. ❤️🇺🇦
Ukraine Update 5 - August 8 @ 6:14 AM
“They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.” — Isaiah 65:21
Meet Dima! He is over 70 and has lived in this little village outside Mykolaiv his entire life—and in the same house for 47 years. Then a Russian drone struck his home while he was inside. The house caught fire, and although Dima escaped, injuries to his head and arms required two months in the hospital. He lost most of his belongings in the fire. But when Dima left the hospital, he came home. He went back to tending his fields of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and melons, and caring for his dogs, cats, chickens, birds and one very vocal turkey! 😂 (The turkey’s gobbling was considerably more welcome than Rex’s barking at the first house we built!) Dima loves his animals—especially his dogs and their companionship—and he loves this land.
Dima is small, but he moves quickly through his fields! He was once in the military and assured us he still does his push-ups regularly. He knows what is growing, where it is growing and when it is ready to harvest. As we walked with him, he joyfully gathered in an armload of produce, found a bag and gifted it to us. Such generosity from a man who has lost so much. He lights up talking about his five children and five grandchildren. His two daughters live nearby, while all three of his sons are serving in the military. He even showed us his motorcycle, now covered in a shed, and smiled as he motioned with his hands around his face to describe how much he loved the feeling of the wind as he rode. He’d still like to ride again.
As I watched Dima walk through his fields, I kept thinking about Isaiah’s picture of the world God will one day make new: “They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.” It’s striking how ordinary—and beautiful—God’s picture is: a home, a field, meaningful work, food, family, and people enjoying the fruit of their labor.
The Christian hope isn’t simply that God gets us out of this broken world, but that through Jesus He will ultimately restore everything sin has broken. It’s true in Dina’s life but also just as true in mine and yours. And standing in Dima’s field, you understand why that promise matters. We live in a world where a man can spend 47 years in a home and lose it in a moment. Where tomatoes and peppers grow while drones fly overhead. But God says this is not how the story ends. Jesus entered our broken world, died in it, and rose again—and His resurrection is the guarantee that one day He really will make all things new.
So our team has tried to build Dima the kind of home we would want someone to build for us. That means caring about little things: carefully trimming windows and doors, laying the flooring, reinforcing the roof so it doesn’t rattle in the wind, bending the exterior metal and guiding caulk into all the nooks and crannies so water can’t find its way in. Love often shows up in little things. Another group before us beautifully rebuilt the badly damaged upstairs of Dima’s old home—and he hopes that space can someday be used by his Mykolaiv church to hold worship services right here in his village. Think about that: a home attacked and burned becoming a place where people gather to worship Jesus.
And Dima loves Jesus. He spoke warmly and openly about his faith in Christ as his Savior. When we told him that makes him our brother—and that because of Jesus we will all be together again in eternity—he smiled and hugged us. The little home we’re building isn’t Isaiah 65. This world is still broken, and someday this house will need repairs too. But maybe it’s a little signpost. For a few days, twelve people from Dubuque get to help rebuild something war destroyed—and point toward the One who is ultimately going to restore everything sin has broken. One day there will be no drones, no homes destroyed by war, and no fathers wondering about sons on a battlefield. Jesus is making all things new. Until then, we build. And this week, by God’s grace, we get to build for our brother Dima.
Because He first loved us,
Jon on behalf of the Dubuque Team
Ukraine Update 4 - August 6 @ 8:45 AM
God is making new homes, but even better… new hearts!
Svetlana was not home when the Russian drone attacked. A neighbor called and told her that her house was on fire. She had no idea how that could be. Then she learned that an outside evil—a drone—had made its way into her village and destroyed everything she had known.
This morning, before we headed out to finish building Svetlana’s new home, we gathered and read these words from the Bible:
“Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.” Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.”
Just as that drone came into Svetlana’s village and left wreckage behind, something else has worked its way into every one of our lives. The Bible calls it sin—our choosing to live life apart from God instead of with Him. And like that drone, sin leaves behind brokenness, heartache, and lives that need rescuing.
Yesterday, God provided a new house and a fresh start for Svetlana. Our team was brought to tears when this sweet older woman—completely unexpectedly!—dropped to her knees and began thanking God. Without hesitation, we knelt beside her and thanked Him too—for a safe place to sleep, eat, laugh, make memories, and for the new friendships He had given us together.
But Jesus says He is making everything new—including the lives of those who trust Him.
Our prayer is not only for Svetlana, but for you as well. If you have never turned to Jesus, He invites you to come to Him. He will forgive your sin, make you new, and come dwell with you. Imagine walking through every ordinary day knowing that God Himself is with you. There is no greater gift than that.
Enjoy these photos of our team getting to witness the gift of a new home. But even more, rejoice with us in the beautiful work God does when He begins making a heart new.
Onto the next heart & house,
Jon
on behalf of the Dubuque Team
August 4 @ 8:36 AM from Mykolaiv
News from across the world: The Lord is working!
What an amazing first day!
Hannah spent the day loving, talking with, and having fun alongside 10 children. There was Red Rover, dancing, painting—and lots of laughing. When the day was drawing to a close, the kids weren’t ready to leave! Pray they will invite their friends, and that Hannah and the other volunteers will be blessed to spend time with even more children today.
There was also the reality of the situation here. Part of the children’s camp had to be held in the local bomb shelter. But praise the Lord that He is making even bomb shelters places of love, laughter, and new beginnings—and, as it turns out, the coolest place to gather in a town without air conditioning.
The rest of the Dubuque team made great headway on a new home for Svetlana. Our sweet new friend has lost so much. Her home was destroyed in a drone attack (see the first photo), and she has also lost her husband and two sons in the war. She now has her sister—and her dog, Rex (who is slowly beginning to trust us!)—to lean on.
Several members of our team were able to spend time with Svetlana, hear her story, and begin building a friendship. Kazmira noticed Svetlana’s old sewing machine in the rubble, which led to conversations about sewing, pets, and life. Through a translator, some of our team was able to end the conversation by offering hugs, which our new friend received warmly.
Her new home is smaller than the second one we will build this week, but it is already taking shape (see the photo of the progress!). By the end of the first day, it was well underway. Today we are hoping to get the roof on, install the skirt flashing around the outside, and complete some of the trim work inside.
Through it all, our team’s spirits are high. We prayed with Svetlana after she shared part of her story, asking God to continue to meet her with His comfort and hope. Then, at the end of the workday, we gathered together to thank Him for all He is accomplishing here in Ukraine.
Our morning gathering with more than 100 volunteers focused on these words from Philippians 4:
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
May Jesus make that encouragement just as true in your lives this week as He is making it in ours.
Because of Him,
Jon
on behalf of the Dubuque Team
August 2 @ 7:45 AM from Mykolaiv
We are in Mykolaiv, Ukraine!
After yesterday’s long journey across Moldova and into Ukraine, we finally arrived in Mykolaiv. This city will serve as our base of operations for the next six days.
Soon after arriving, we gathered for a briefing (see the first photo) with some of the 130 volunteers who have come from all over the world. From this larger group, we will divide into smaller teams to build 16 houses, help lead a children’s camp, and spend time listening to, encouraging, and praying with people from several surrounding villages.
The Dubuque building team will be led by Vanya—a friend from previous trips for several of us. In fact, a few Christmases ago Veritas Church Dubuque sent a crate of candles, flashlights, and snacks for him to distribute to families in need. He is such a joy to be around! He also shared that he recently helped build a distribution center in his home area where people can receive clothing, food, and other necessities.
Hannah will be joining a team partnering with a local church to help lead a children’s camp. She’ll have the opportunity to meet, love, and encourage children from a neighboring village who have grown up in the midst of war. We can’t wait to share some of her stories and pictures with you over the coming days.
As you read this, the rest of us are heading out to begin building the first of two houses. Would you join us in praying for the two families we’ll meet this week? We want to work hard, but even more than that, we want to take every opportunity to meet the Ukrainian people, listen well, offer words of encouragement, and pray with them.
As I finished writing this update, our entire group gathered for our morning devotion. One thought especially stayed with me: God lit the fire here in Ukraine.
Every meaningful moment is a place where God is present. We can build walls, but only God can build hope in people’s hearts. We can install roofs, but only God can change lives forever. God moved many of you to give generously. And He has brought people from around the world to keep His fire burning here in Ukraine.
Would you take a moment and pray along with the Dubuque Team?
God, make me a tool for people to see You through me. Thank You for the people You have placed around me. Help me share both my life and the hope found in You. Amen.
Until tomorrow,
Jon
On behalf of the Dubuque Team
Sunday August 1 @ 5:52 AM
Greetings and good morning from Chișinău, Moldova!
It is 5:52 AM here and 9:52 PM in Dubuque—and God is good in both places at the same time!
Our team of 13 (including me) got up early on Friday, July 31, and met at the Kwik Stop/Dairy Queen on E. 16th St. (see the first photo). At 5:00 AM we looked a little sleepy, but we were plenty excited to begin our journey to Ukraine! We huddled up in the parking lot and did the only thing that made sense before we left our homes and our city to travel halfway across the world to a country at war… we prayed together.
Hannah, Carter, Irina, Nolan, Missy, Dan, Lizzy, Taylor, Kazmira, Jayden, Isaac, Marcus, and I asked God to go before us and lead us as we pointed our three vehicles toward Chicago O’Hare. We felt His presence and peace as we loaded up and headed out. There truly is no better, safer, or more satisfying place to be in life—for us or for you—than going where God has told us to go!
The 10+ hour flight went smoothly, as did the brief layover in Istanbul, Turkey, and the two-hour flight into Moldova. Some (wisely) slept for a few hours during the flights, while others of us passed the time reading, talking, and watching movies. We checked into our hotel, rested briefly, cleaned up, and then checked out Chișinău’s shopping mall (cleverly named “MallDova”).
We made a new friend (see the second photo) named Bustamonte (aka Busta, pronounced “Boost-ah”). Busta is a full-time missionary from Mexico who has spent the last 23 years traveling through 22 countries, building houses, helping with children’s camps, and sharing hope with people who are hurting and in need. He was full of life and encouragement, and our team was energized by his stories and laughter! With our stomachs and hearts full, we all turned in for the night.
This morning at 7:15 AM we will gather again in front of our hotel. This will be one of several rally points where small groups of people from all over the world will board buses and make their way across the border into Ukraine. Lord willing, we will arrive at our hotel in Ukraine this afternoon. That will be our home for the week, along with about 100 people who will be serving alongside us.
We are excited to love these people and give them hope—with a new home, by spending time with their children, and by sharing our lives and our faith in Jesus with them.
I’ll leave you this morning with the verse on the back of our team T-shirts:
“…we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t standoffish with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.” (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
I’m praying this morning that this is exactly what the 13 of us will do this week: love some people who need hope, tell them the message of Jesus, and share our very lives.
With love,
Jon
On behalf of the Dubuque Team
