A note from Alena* — a widow in Belarus, a servant of Christ and the Church.
We came to God when we were 37 years old. In August 1990, my husband Victor* and I made a covenant with the Lord. From that time, the Lord led us step by step, teaching us and preparing us for ministry.
My husband served as a pastor and evangelist for many years. Our life in ministry was not easy. His salary was very small — sometimes $25, then $40, and later $50 a month. There were times when it was very difficult to live. I could not always find work, and one of our sons became seriously ill. At that time, several sisters from the church helped us with food. I still remember them by name, and I thank God for them.
The Lord also called me into ministry. For many years, I served women in our churches and worked full time in women’s ministry. Later, I helped begin Christian publications so women and families could be encouraged in their faith. Our life was always connected to serving others.
My husband later served as a regional pastor, caring for many churches in small towns and villages. We visited pastors and their families often. We saw how they lived. Many had no steady work and took jobs as janitors or laborers so they could continue to preach, study the Word, and visit people. They served faithfully, even when life was very hard.
Through the years, we came to know many pastors and their wives who sacrificed much for the gospel. Some sold their homes to open churches. Some took foster children into their families so they could both serve and survive. Many of these ministers are now elderly or sick. Today, there are many widows of pastors in our churches. Some are very old. Some live alone. Many live only on small pensions of $200 per month.
My husband went to be with the Lord on October 20, 2025. He was 73 years old.
I am now a widow and also a pensioner. My pension is small, and much of it goes to utilities. But I know I am not the only one. There are many women like me who served alongside their husbands in ministry and now must live without their support.
I try to call these widows, to pray with them, to encourage them, because I understand their pain. When my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor, the Lord gave us almost two more years together. This was a great mercy. I believe the Lord is using this time in my life to bring me closer to Him and to know Him more deeply.
I share these words with a grateful heart. We have served the Lord all our lives, and even now, we trust Him.
Sincerely,
Alena*
*Names have been changed for security
I’ve included with this letter a note from Alena* — a widow in Belarus, a servant of Christ and the Church, and a woman who has carried the weight of ministry and sacrifice for decades.
Her words are not just stories.
They are lived realities.
And they represent dozens of pastors’ widows and retired ministers across Belarus who quietly continue on — faithful, aging, and often forgotten.
Today, I am asking you to stand with them.
For generations, the Church in Belarus has been built not on comfort, but on courage. Many of today’s pastors are first- or second-generation believers, shaped by communism, persecution, and scarcity.
They smuggled Bibles. They planted churches in rural villages. They preached when it was dangerous to do so. Their ambition was never wealth — it was faithfulness.
And now, many of those same servants are elderly, widowed, or living on pensions as low as $130 per month.
As winter settles in across Belarus (where pipes freeze if water isn’t kept running and rural homes lack reliable heating) these faithful servants are facing the cold with very little support.
That is why I’m asking for your help. In partnership with the national church in Belarus, we are providing care packages to help them in their time of need.
Each care package costs just $35 — and that single gift can provide warmth, food, and essential supplies to someone who has dedicated their life to the gospel.
Our immediate goal is to raise $7,000, which will allow us to provide care packages for:
- 52 pastors’ widows
- 45 retired pastors, many living alone on minimal income
And beyond that, there are hundreds more active pastors (especially in rural communities) who continue serving with limited resources, even now.
Friend, this is not charity. This is honor.
It is a way of saying: You were not forgotten. Your sacrifice mattered. The Church remembers.
- A gift of $35 provides one complete care package.
- A gift of $70 supports two faithful servants.
- A gift of $350 brings comfort and dignity to ten widows or retired pastors.
And even if you can give just one, that one matters.
The Church in Belarus is strong. Young people are gathering. Children are being discipled. The gospel continues to advance. But it stands on the shoulders of men and women who paid a high price to make that possible.
Now, as they age — and as many face widowhood, illness, and poverty — we have an opportunity to honor their faithfulness in a very tangible way.
I invite you to pray… and then to give generously. Together, we can bring warmth into cold homes. Relief into seasons of grief.
And encouragement to those who have given everything for Christ.