Missionaries to Ukraine know 'heavenly Father is sovereign'

Ukrainian Ministries of Oklahoma has set up a prayer page for Ukraine.

Samaritan Ministries members Chris and Mary Malone are back in the U.S. on a one-year furlough from their ministry in Ukraine, but their hearts are with the families they have been serving there for 20 years.

The Malones, of Ukraine Ministries of Oklahoma, returned to the U.S. on January 11 with the five children who still live with them. They wanted their whole family—they have nine children, five of whom have Down syndrome and four of whom are adopted from Ukraine—to be together for the first time in five years. The original plan was to return to Ukraine next January, but that, of course, may not happen, depending on developments in the Eastern European nation suffering brutal attacks from Russia.

“But we are holding it all lightly because we know that our heavenly Father is sovereign and He is good,” Chris says.

“I am so glad that my wife and children are not there,” Chris continues. “However, I do wish I was there to serve alongside my brothers and sisters as they serve the families whose lives were already terribly difficult. I don’t question whether we heard the Lord correctly. There is no doubt in our hearts or minds that He was calling us out for this season. It is just painful to not be there during this really difficult time.”

The Malones started serving Ukrainians in 2001, traveling there several times a year to hold youth camps, pastor and ministry leader training conferences, marriage and family conferences, and other training sessions.

They moved there permanently in February 2012 with their nine children, five of whom have Down syndrome.

“Our fifth child was born with Down syndrome,” Chris says. “We subsequently adopted four more children who also have Down syndrome.”

“We were led to move to Ukraine because of what we saw in orphanages where children like ours with Down syndrome lived—or, more accurately, ‘existed,’” Chris says. “I mean, the short answer is that the Lord drew us there.”

But, Chris says, the Lord had other plans for them.

“We were immediately approached by a woman who had organized an event at Christmas time for about 15 families,” Chris says. “She wanted us to help her in a ministry to families who are affected by disability. That is what we have done since meeting her.

“We began with about 15 families that we were actively serving in some way—and, of course, sharing the Gospel with. In 2021, we served over 350 families in some way.”

Key offerings of their ministry include summer camps for families affected by disability, seasonal large events open to all, weekly small-group Bible studies, and a weekly worship service tailored to families affected by disability.

Chris says that until a few weeks ago, “the people in our circles didn’t really expect that Russia would invade,” and, if it did, it would be a “re-invasion of the areas already occupied by them since 2014.”

“I am not an expert in geopolitics and our understanding of how people felt about the possibility of invasion is limited to our ministry circles,” Chris says. “I am not speaking for even the average Ukrainian. It’s just our personal experience where we live.”

“I won’t share specifics about any of that for their safety, but the situation is very distressing and continues to get worse and more uncertain,” he says.

“Thank you for praying for these people that we love so much.”