Equipping Leaders to Bring Healing to War-Torn Communities
How Transform Ukraine is strengthening local partnerships to address the invisible wounds of war.
The wounds of war reach far beyond the battlefield. They follow soldiers home, strain marriages, affect children, and leave families struggling with grief, fear, and uncertainty. As Ukraine continues to endure Russia’s war, helping people heal from trauma has become an essential part of transforming our communities.
That is why, in May, Transform Ukraine partnered with REBOOT Recovery to host a special trauma recovery conference in Zakarpattia, bringing together more than 40 pastors, NGO leaders, and other community leaders. Many were partners in our Transform Uzhhorod Alliance, while others represented organizations committed to helping Ukrainians recover from the devastating effects of war.
We were privileged to welcome Chris and Rahnella Adsit, Christian trauma ministry specialists with more than 35 years of experience helping military personnel, first responders, and families overcome trauma. Their ministry in Ukraine began in 2015, shortly after Russia’s first invasion in 2014. Since then, they have helped equip hundreds of Ukrainian chaplains, pastors, counselors, and other leaders with practical, faith-based trauma recovery resources.
Each morning, Chris and Rahnella led excellent training sessions, helping participants better understand trauma and how to minister to those carrying its invisible wounds. In the afternoons, participants divided into small groups led by Ukrainian REBOOT facilitators who are already applying these resources in their own communities. This combination of expert instruction and practical Ukrainian experience made the training especially meaningful. At the conclusion of the conference, participants received certificates from REBOOT Recovery.
For Transform Ukraine, the real significance of this conference goes far beyond the 40-plus leaders who attended.
Our vision for community transformation is built on partnership. Rather than trying to meet every need ourselves, we bring together churches, NGOs, and community leaders, helping them become more effective in serving their communities. When we strengthen one pastor or NGO leader, we potentially touch hundreds of lives through the relationships and ministries they already have.
And we are already seeing the fruit of this investment! Since the conference, many of our local leaders have begun using the REBOOT materials to minister to people struggling with trauma. What began as several days of training is now finding its way into churches, ministries, and communities across our region. These leaders are taking what they learned and putting it into practice, offering compassionate care and the hope of Christ to those carrying the invisible wounds of war.
This is exactly what we hope to accomplish through the Transform Uzhhorod Alliance. We are not simply providing temporary relief to people suffering from the war. We are equipping Ukrainian leaders who will continue serving their own communities long after the conference has ended.
And that is where your prayers and financial partnership with Transform Ukraine are making a lasting difference. Your support helps us build relationships, bring valuable training opportunities to our region, and equip local leaders with the tools they need to serve others more effectively. The impact continues to multiply as these leaders use their training to touch lives we could never reach on our own.
Ukraine’s recovery will require more than rebuilding homes and restoring infrastructure. It will also require healing hearts, restoring families, and rebuilding the relationships that hold communities together.
We are grateful to REBOOT Recovery, Chris and Rahnella Adsit, our Ukrainian facilitators, and every leader who participated. Together, we are helping build a growing network of compassionate servants who bring the hope and healing of Jesus Christ to communities wounded by war.
Because true community transformation is not simply about what we do for a community. It is about what we equip that community to do for itself.