Perseverance, Peace and Pushing Ahead
For Shane and Jemimah Paxa, sitting in their home in a village not far from Kyiv, the war is still very real - while we were recording, the air raid siren went off. Another reminder that this is not a movie or a distant headline. This is their daily life.
Over recent weeks, Kyiv and the surrounding region have been under almost constant air raid alerts. Shane and Jem described it as “basically 24/7” sirens, drones, rockets and missiles. These attacks have created increased pressure. Previously there might have been a few days of relative quiet, followed by a large night-time attack. Now, they say, the alerts and attacks are coming through the day, night and morning.
So there’s not only physical danger, which is real enough, but there is also the grinding pressure of a life constantly disrupted. Sleep is broken by sirens and explosions. Schools are interrupted again and again. Government offices close when the sirens sound. Banks, shops, post offices and other basic services shut down. Paperwork stalls. Travel becomes difficult. Ordinary errands become uncertain. Even the simple act of getting through the day becomes exhausting.
As Jem explained, the war affects “absolutely every single aspect of life.”
For the children and young people they work with, the burden is especially heavy. The school year in Ukraine begins on 1 September. But when the air raid siren goes off, educational institutions must move students into bomb shelters. Some children spend all the school day sitting underground rather than learning in classrooms. Others set out for school, only for the siren to sound again, sending them back home or into shelter.
This means that students who are supposed to be preparing for major exams are, in reality, deeply unprepared. Some of these young people are in their final years of schooling. They are part of the next generation Ukraine will need to rebuild — future engineers, doctors, teachers, workers, leaders and servants. Yet war keeps stealing ordinary patterns of education and growth.
Life Under Constant Pressure
“The war affects absolutely every single aspect of life.” Jem Paxa
There are other effects too. Shane and Jem spoke about the increase in tension, conflict and domestic violence. This is part of the hidden damage of war. Not every wound is visible and not every casualty is from a direct enemy assault. The constant pressure, lack of sleep, fear, frustration and uncertainty all take their toll. People are searching for quiet. They are searching for peace and so, despite the conditions, Shane and Jem pointed out, the situation creates gospel opportunity.
Peace with Tears
When asked how they themselves are finding peace and strength, Shane was clear: the peace and joy Christ gives does not mean being happy all the time. It is deeper than that. They are drawing strength from God’s Word. They are reminding themselves of God’s faithfulness, even through times of war recorded in Scripture. They are taking time each morning to read, pray and encourage one another. This daily rhythm is important, crucial in fact. Spending time with God and encouraging each other from the scriptures does not remove the sirens and the danger remains. But time with God, in His word and in supportive fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters provides “an anchor for the soul”. (Hebrews 6:19).
Shane put it simply: “Learn in the light what you’re going to need in the darkness.”
Many of us live in relative peace and comfort. We have access to church, fellowship, Scripture, prayer, quiet, food, safety and sleep. We may not feel the urgency that war creates, but suffering comes to every life in some form. A phone call, a diagnosis, a loss, a crisis — and suddenly we find ourselves needing a faith that is strong enough to hold. The time to learn God’s promises is not only when darkness falls. The time to build on the rock is now.
TeenStreet
Shane and Jem recently took five Ukrainian teenagers to TeenStreet Europe in Offenburg, Germany — a week-long Christian youth event that gathered teens from across Europe
In the middle of all this pressure, Shane and Jem were able to take five Ukrainian teenagers out of the country to Teen Street, a Christian youth camp in Europe. It was not exactly a holiday. There were cancelled flights, missed trains, lost phones, long journeys and last-minute changes. At one point they discovered, only hours before leaving, that nearly all of their flights had been cancelled. What followed was frantic rebooking, extra flights, layovers and long travel days. But God’s providence proved once again to be very real.
For these young people, some of whom had never left Ukraine and none of whom had been on an aeroplane before, the trip was extraordinary. The very act of travelling (including the long border crossing delays) became an exercise in courage and perseverance.
At the camp, they encountered Christian community on a scale they had never before experienced: thousands of teenagers, many languages, yet one God, one Spirit, one gospel. They saw young people from around the world worshipping Christ. They tasted something bigger than their own town, their own struggles, and the daily pressure of war.
One especially powerful moment was at a camp activity…Shane and Jem had prepared the Ukrainian teenagers for the possibility that they might meet Russian teenagers living in Europe. That could have been very difficult. But when they did meet a girl from Russia, the response was simple and gracious. After a moment of silence, the Ukrainian teenagers said, “Cool. We’re from Ukraine.” And the conversation continued. That is no small thing.
Another story involved a teenage girl whose life has left an embedded fear of almost everything. At an amusement park in Poland, she stood in line for a large roller coaster — one with one of the steepest drops in Europe. For forty minutes, she wrestled with fear. She wanted to get off. But she stayed. She rode it. And when it was over, she was elated. That “See, you CAN do it!” experience, was the confidence springboard allowing her to later pray in front of thousands of people.
This young lady had repented and been baptised – becoming a Christian – only in the previous year. Now she had taken another step of faith, another step of courage. These are not small moments. These are signs of God at work in young lives.
Turning Experience into a Foundation
Shane and Jem are very aware that a camp experience, however powerful, is not enough by itself. The teenagers have now returned to Ukraine with sirens, family stress, uncertainty and for some, difficult home situations marked by sickness, fear, violence or deep dysfunction.
So the work now is discipling these young people, giving them the tools to grow and persevere in their faith. As Jem explained, the goal is to help the teenagers understand that what they experienced at Teen Street was not simply the result of an adventure to a well-organised youth gathering called Teen Street. The Holy Spirit was in and around, leading, guiding, hovering protectively, teaching and encouraging.
The same Spirit encountered at Teen Street is with them in Ukraine. The same God who gave them courage in Europe can encourage and strengthen them at home. The same Christ who was present in worship with thousands is present in the bomb shelter, in the family conflict, in the quiet bedroom, in the midst of an air raid. Shane and Jem described this next stage of discipling their charges as watering seeds and protecting them from the elements.
Looking Ahead
The coming months are not looking quiet. Shane has taken on a significant new role at the seminary after the director of the Master’s program in biblical counselling was conscripted into the army and, having now completed basic training, he’s on the front line as a chaplain’s assistant. Shane has stepped into his role, which means teaching both Master’s-level biblical counselling units and one-year certificate units. This will mean more time teaching in Kyiv (where it may be more dangerous now than it’s ever been), as well as his continuing counselling responsibilities. Jemimah and the team have also started an expanded day centre/kindergarten ministry, running four days a week with several young children already attending.
So while the war continues, the ministry is growing. There are teenagers to disciple. Men to counsel. Students to teach. Children to care for. Families to support. Gospel opportunities to pursue.
There is also practical provision to thank God for. Shane and Jem’s solar panels, battery and inverter have arrived and are being installed. In a country where power and infrastructure are constantly under threat, this is more than convenience. It means their home can become an “island of light” in the darkness — a place of hospitality, refuge and gospel witness. More details will be in the next post.
How We Can Pray
Please continue to pray for Shane and Jemimah.
Pray for their safety as attacks continue around Kyiv and the surrounding region.
Pray for deep rest, especially as sleepless nights accumulate.
Pray for strength in their bodies, minds and spirits.
Pray for Shane as he takes on increased teaching and counselling responsibilities.
Pray for Jemimah and the team as they care for young children through the day centre and kindergarten.
Pray for the teenagers who went to Teen Street — that the seeds planted in them would grow, that they would understand the work of the Holy Spirit, and that they would continue to follow Christ in costly and courageous ways.
Pray for the children and young people whose education, family life and emotional wellbeing are being damaged by war.
Pray for Ukrainians searching for peace, that they would find true peace in Christ.
And thank God for Shane and Jem’s faithfulness. In darkness, and under pressure they are still serving – holding out the light of Christ.