Ukrainians suffer through family separations amid Russian invasion
Fox News' Harris Faulkner describes the struggles Ukrainians are facing after Russian invasion rips apart families.
A Ukrainian-American pastor in Lynchburg, Virginia — who was born in Ukraine and who immigrated to the U.S. when he was 10 years old — shared with Fox News Digital the stories and prayers that members of his faith community have been receiving, hearing and then sharing with others, including poignant and dramatic personal stories straight out of Ukraine.
"Ukraine will live, because God DOES NOT LEAVE his own."
"This morning while it was quiet, we quickly climbed out of the basement to cook, eat and wash the children," wrote one person who is currently in the south of Ukraine and unable to get out of the country, Pastor Andrew Moroz conveyed to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
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The individual added, "And to wash myself! What a joy to wash your head, brush your teeth — we all do [this] as soldiers, very quickly."
"At any moment you have to run to the shelter! Our city is surrounded when I’m writing," this same person told Americans here.
A member of the Ukrainian Emergency Service looks at the City Hall building in the central square following shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Associated Press)
Another individual shared with Ukrainian Americans living in Virginia, "I don’t know why politicians look from the outside at how people are being killed in the heart of Europe? How [is] Ukraine being killed in front of the whole world???" this person added.
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That same second individual also shared, "At the same time, I'm receiving hundreds of messages, calls and voice messages with incredible support and prayer from friends, from acquaintances and from churches from all over the world."
This person went on, "I am simply shocked by this. I admire the participation of people in our grief, in my personal grief."
Refugees from Ukraine arrive at the border crossing Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Associated Press)
In addition, the person — who remains unnamed for safety — said, "God, my heart [is] broken, bleeding and torn to pieces!"
"What a joy to wash … [to] brush your teeth — we all do [this] as soldiers, very quickly."
This person went on in a message to Americans: "Thank you very much to everyone for your participation, for supporting our hands in prayer when they get tired … Ukraine [is] still only alive because of this!"
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"Ukraine will live, because God DOES NOT LEAVE his own."
People are shown praying here inside a church in this image. Americans from coast to coast are praying for the people of Ukraine — as are people all over the world at this moment. (iStock)
In addition, the person said, "Regarding gratitude to everyone [who's been praying for the people of Ukraine] … I don’t know how to say and how to express … There are no words. I sincerely thank everyone who is with us!"
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Wrote this individual, who is outside Kyiv and is trying desperately to get out of the country safely, "Sorry, the battery [on the phone] is running low and there is not much time. I need to pray for my soldiers, for my country, for my president."
Ukrainian servicemen sit in front of a damaged house near a checkpoint in Brovary, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Associated Press)
Pastor Moroz of Virginia still has many family members and friends in Ukraine.
"The Ukrainians are very resilient people," he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
"I'm hearing a beautiful defiance" right now in the faith-based community as they defend their country and their freedoms, the pastor also said.
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He also told Fox News Digital that the Ukrainians he knows are saying to themselves, "We're going to keep serving each other and the Lord."
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