By Christi Mays
When Russia invaded Ukraine in late February last year, Dr. Ivan Rusyn helped rush his seminary faculty, staff and students away from the artillery and missile strikes while he and other key administrators bunkered down a mere 1,000 feet from the Russian front lines to assist those who couldn鈥檛 leave.
From that first day of the war, Rusyn, who is president and professor of missions at the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary, and his team have been actively involved in a relief ministry, providing care to those suffering from the atrocities of war.
Rusyn, who visited a chapel service this fall, shared with students how he stayed behind to help, placing himself in grave danger, because 鈥渢he church cannot serve people without being among the people. We have to walk the same path.鈥�
To help students understand his decision, he challenged them to look at the parable of the Good Samaritan through 鈥淯krainian lenses amid a full-scale war.鈥�
鈥淎 Samaritan was ready to help when it was dangerous,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e gave the most important thing to the one who was wounded鈥攖ime and resources. He demonstrated compassion.鈥�
After spending more than 600 consecutive days serving in the war-torn country, Rusyn looks back, knowing Jesus challenged him to stay.
鈥淥ur first reaction is to run away from the suffering鈥攆rom the places where danger is鈥攂ut Jesus is the incarnation, teaching me to go to the epicenter of the suffering,鈥� said Rusyn, who is also an ordained minister of the Ukrainian Evangelical Church and co-pastor of Christ Temple Church in Kyiv.
