“When is Daddy coming home?” This is a question all children ask, and it points to a promise all good parents make. Kelsie and I have said it countless times to our children: “Mommy and Daddy will always come back.”
Yet, no matter how we long to reassure our little ones, we know that our power to fulfill that promise is limited. Tragically, there are times when life takes away our promise, times when a parent can’t come home.
Shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, our dear friend and coworker in ministry, Serhii Chepara, was mobilized. Despite the difficult separation from his wife, Natallia, and their two young children, Serhii served honorably, defending his country and faithfully sharing the Gospel with those who came across his path.
In August of last year, Serhii was sent on a very dangerous mission. We knew he would be off-grid for at least a couple of weeks. We waited and prayed. The first week passed, then a second, and then a third. It seemed like something was wrong.
Then, on September 13, Natallia sent us a text saying that Serhii had been reported missing in action. While “missing in action” was his official status, an eyewitness account pointed to all but certain evidence that Serhii had perished.
The Chepara family lives quite close to our home, and as soon as we heard the news, Kelsie and I ran to be with Natallia, to do what little we could to comfort her. The sorrow was terrible. We stood with her as she sobbed. We sat on the floor. We prayed. Within the hour, members of the church began to arrive. One lady offered some pills to help calm Natallia’s nerves and help her think.
Soon, we were on the phone with Serhii’s field commander, trying desperately to learn more about what had happened. The commander could provide few details, having only just escaped with his own life. But his grim conviction was clear: in all likelihood, Serhii was dead.
It’s now been more than six months since that terrible day, and we still don’t know for certain. Ukraine does not currently control the territory where Serhii reportedly fell, and no body has been recovered. There is technically a chance that he is alive in captivity, but as details continue to trickle in, including a second eyewitness account, we are left with little reason to hope.
At present, there is nothing we can do to bring this daddy home to his family. We pray, we hope, and we take comfort knowing that Serhii is in God’s hands. But in Serhii’s absence, we can come alongside Nataliia and the children and support them during this time of sorrow.
Today, Euro Team Outreach is launching a special fundraiser to support people like the Chepara family and to help ease the financial burden that widows like Natallia bear alone. If you would like to donate, you can do so by clicking the button below. Please specify “Fallen Defender Fund” when making your donation.
Thank you for your compassion and generosity.
“Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” (Hebrews 13:3)
I have no regrets.
Eight years of happy marriage.
A beautiful, intelligent wife.
Two fantastic kids.
Two years of service.
Ahead — the front.
—Serhii Chepara, August 9, 2024