Ron and Robin Hampton are retired missionaries who now volunteer some of their time with MSC Canada in support of MSC’s missionaries in Europe. Ron and Robin spend much of each year at his ancestral home in Victoria Beach. Bev & I are blessed to count Ron & Robin as our friends!
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Kyiv, March 2
Ron Hampton: This will be the last report on my trip to Ukraine. Last years trip affected me deeply. This year beyond that. I hope these reports and stories will motivate many to pray and if possible, give to MSC Canada’s Ukraine Relief Fund. https://msccanada.org/donee/ukraine-relief-fund/
I enjoyed borscht with sour cream every day I was in Ukraine. This may have been the best, served with dense bread, green onions and seasoned & herbed lard. I remember my parents talking about bread with lard.
Ukrainian Orthodox officially split from Russian O in 2019 as a result of political tensions following the Russian takeover of Crimea. Of course there are many Ukrainian Catholics… another history. I believe the fastest growing church are those leaving religion and receiving Christ personally and living in relationship with Him.
This woman’s name is Lydia. She is working on The Food Truck. Due to limited budget, Oleg hires mainly untrained youth then trains them. Lydia’s village was destroyed so she has no home to return to. She volunteers to keep her mind off the hard things and to help.
This is a unique food truck in Ukraine. It’s a 40 ft mobile kitchen that moves to locations where Russian bombing makes it impossible for people to prepare their own food. Once the local infrastructure is repaired, the truck & Oleg move on to the next urgent need. Note the diesel generator this side of the truck. This mobile kitchen was designed by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
When we arrived in the am to volunteer on the food truck providing 5000 hot meals per day, Oleg’s ministry is being highlighted by Danish TV. It’s unique but Oleg is working to buy another trailer kitchen… $100,000.
I arrived into the prep tent. This young man was shredding cabbage like he was in Ireland, only for cole slaw, not for boiling with corned beef.
Loads of onions to be diced. Olives for beef stroganoff?
Chickens roasted & ready! 100 kgs of pork and 50 kgs of beef is being braised.
Oleg asked me if I could julienne beef for stroganoff. If I spin me Danny Gleeson cap backwards, I might be able to handle that!
Another amazing experiencing: after slicing beef for a couple of hours, Oleg stops the crew to announce he’s awarding me an official Food Truck chef hat. FBC, here’s comes the cap!
Some of the crew prepping hot meals for 1000s including Allan (right) and Caulene (2nd on left) Bussard, MSC mission workers in Eastern Europe for the past 45+ years.
When Oleg quizzed me about my knife skills, I had to give some credit where credit’s due: long-time Irish chef friend Matt Roche.
Speaking of Ireland, Robin sent me this meme. As it says in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”
8-year memory: Robin & I first met Allan & Caulene, originally from BC & AB, in February 2018. Our lives have never been the same.
After a morning working on the food truck, Andriy had organized a visit to the National Museum of History. This is “the” museum in Kyiv. The Russians built it to highlight Russian superiority. The “Motherland” statue was meant to be the Soviet answer to the Statue of Liberty. For the sake of bragging rights, it was made 27 meters higher (87 ft) than the statue in New York harbour.
When the Russians attacked Ukraine in Feb 2022, by August the Ukrainians had cut-off the Russian coat of arms and replaced it with the Ukrainian one.
It was more than symbolic. By August, the Ukraine army had chased the Russians out of Kyiv and to where they remain today.
This is a drone attack boat that helped sink Russian ships. Drone technology was hardly heard of in 2022. Today it’s job-1 not just in the air but on land and in the water like the Black Sea
You can zoom in and read the story… amazing!
When we arrived at the museum, we were told our guide would join us shortly. Turns out our guide was the Director of the museum! He had heard why we were in Ukraine and wanted to personally give us a tour. He told us he could only spare an hour.
He moved fairly quickly past exhibits relating to previous wars.
This gallery was created by people whose loved ones fought for Ukraine. They are invited to submit black & white pics for addition. Quite impressive.
Soldiers who came to help Ukraine since 2022 from almost 20 different countries including Canada are honoured in the museum.
A massive flag flies permanently at half-mast outside the museum.
The Director who is a constant target of the Russians, whose car has been blown up, brought us into the board room where Russian presidents including Putin has held meetings and entertained diplomats since 1981. He continued a theme, he thanked us for actually coming to Ukraine. He clearly has a vision and a passion for what he does.
He used a recently published personal project, a book, to explain more of the history illustrated with stories of people he knew. Unbelievably, when he was finished, he gave me this book to take with me. Unbelievably, I didn’t think to ask him to sign it.
He showed us a few videos he had produced about the current war. This particular one focused on Resistance, Remembrance & Resilience of the Ukrainian people. He was moved. The video was especially moving!
Images of the human cost of defending one’s own country and family. Integra is doing tremendous work not only in providing infrastructure needs like generators and food security but in developing models of trauma care for children, youth & adults that are working.
Modern-day bands of brothers. Helping each other during and after war.
He has hosted president Zelenssky many times for official functions at the key museum.
We ended this day with a blowout Ukrainian meal: more broach, garlic dill bread, potato & cheese perogies w sour cream, and you guessed it, classic Chicken Kyiv.
On our way out of Kyiv, a city of 3.5 million+. Unforgettable trip, people and need!
I was able to reschedule my flight home to Dublin. The Bussards dropped me at Krakow. They still had 8 hours of driving. Please be praying for the work of Integra.sk in Ikraine and also Eastern Africa (another amazing story).
I forgot I wanted to add this pic. While we were at the museum, 100s of young Ukrainian army recruits were being orientated to the history of war in Ukraine at the museum. They are on their way to fight, possibly die, for their country. Jesus said to not be afraid of those who can only kill the body. It’s our souls for which Jesus died. This world needs Christ. People need the Lord!
Sumy, February 26
Piloted by a seemingly tireless Integra driver Igor, after travelling through the night we arrived at daybreak, we arrived in Sumy. The sun is actually arising over Russia just 60 km to the east.
After a checkpoint on the outskirts of this embattled city, we stopped at the impromptu memorial to all the Ukraine army units that came to defend Sumy. Early in the war Putin boasted he had taken this strategic city on the road from Kursk, Russia to Kyiv. It wasn’t true. Surrounded and bombarded over weeks, no Russian soldier was allowed to enter the city. He still wants Sumy hence regular unrelenting attacks meant to terrorize the citizens.
Within 20 min we’re arriving at Sumy’s main heating plant providing 70% of the heat to homes and buildings. Under the centralized govt of the Soviet era, all heat is delivered from plants like this via hot water pumped through underground and above-ground pipes. They could control the population especially during frigid winters by threatening to turn it off.
This plant also delivers up to 50% of the electricity. It’s -20C when we arrive and this plant was bombed during the night. Can we imagine living in Winnipeg without any heat or electricity for days even a week or more? They don’t even try to replace glass. OSB & plywood takes its place. Within 10 min of arriving the air raid sirens started going off at the plant and across the city. We were told to proceed to shelter.
Allan watches as workers who had been repairing the plant through the night descend underground. They don’t ordinarily stop for the sake of air raid alerts otherwise they’d never get anything done. They come down the stairs describing drones that are flying overhead.
One of our colleagues shoots down drones over Kyiv as a member of the home guard. He shows us pics they use to identify Russian drones.
More pics of what it looks like at this key piece of infrastructure proving heat and electricity. This is near the entrance.
A 250 kW diesel generator being delivered by Integra with whom MSC Canada partners once the threat is over. When the plant has to be shut down for immediate repairs to bombing damage, this generator will now kick in to keep the hot water pumping until the plant is back on line. How essential is this.
The generator is lowered into place. It will now be connected to the plant.
Allan Bussard thanking Slovakians who have contributed over 1 million euro within 4 weeks to the “Warmth for Ukraine” project. Integra is delivering a second large generator today to keep the public transportation network operating. Donors to MSC’s Ukraine Relief Fund have also contributed.
The two Ukrainian brothers on the left: Oleksiy, a lawyer who who gave up private practise to be the Integra liaison with govt, agencies & other NGOs, and Andriy, Ukraine projects manager are key to everything that Integra accomplishes in Ukraine. Borrowing the CMIAID slogan, “The Love of Christ Compels Them.” The plant manager in the centre is absolutely thrilled this help has sowed up. I told him I have the same blue Columbia jacket back in winnipeg. He smiled… he’s a very positive attitude guy.
He brought us to his office that is currently being reconstructed after a missile attack. With glass all over the floor, OSB fills in as a window.
This lovely lady, the managers admin asst, brought us very welcome hot coffee. Despite the circumstances, it’s amazing how positive she is. Like everyone in Ukraine and around the world, Putin exempted, she’s wants peace.
We’ve received word that the mayor would like us to come to his office. No officials occupy the usual formal offices. As targets they’re incognito in various buildings around Sumy.
The mayor in his temporary office telling us of the 4 years of devastation his city has experienced.
He spoke for 20 min but bottom line, sincerely wanted to say thank you on behalf of his people. He actually talked about how many orgs are donating small generators but nothing like integra delivered. He also made heartfelt comments how much it meant to have us not only send things but actually show up in support. He thanked us for our bravery… so humbling given what they go through.
Awarding a plaque of appreciation to Integra and their supporters.
What it all means.
Sumy was awarded a trophy titled “Hero City” by Zelennsky as they would not let the Russians enter their city. He had a replica on his desk. He went over to get it then presented it to me… beyond humbling. I haven’t done anything but such was his feelings of gratitude. I gave him the Jets pin off my jacket.
The acting mayor of Sumy, a Ukrainian city of 250,000 repping the Jets. I was able to tell him that 1 out of seven people in Winnipeg, a city of over 750,000 descend from Ukraine. He’s putting the Jets pin in an official display of momentos received expressing support of the people of Sumy.
Shots of Sumy as we walked from place to place meeting other govt officials that wanted to thank integra.
Train station… I think
Reminded of our home church (even in Sumy) and how they pray for and support us.
Still looking for recruits to fight. Men 18-60 are being conscripted.
Without heat & power most businesses run off generators.
A reinforced concrete bomb shelter like the ones integra delivers to many places in Ukraine especially schools, are everywhere.
Meeting a high up govt official in a very discreet location.
More sincere expressions of appreciation.
More borscht… five days in a row!
Very modern Eastern European you-know-what.
Last stop to visit another charity offering accommodation and food to longer-term internally displaced Ukrainians.
People inside and outside this facility are simply coping.
Meeting with the man & woman who started this a few years ago. Integra works to support their vision & passion.
This is the message not simply from a political standpoint but more importantly, from a spiritual one. Jesus said to not fear those who can only kill the body but body and soul. Please pray for Ukrainian people to turn and trust the true Prince of Peace. Paul the apostle writes in Philippians 4 that Christ can provide a peace that passes understanding that can guard our hearts and minds.
As I work on this post, multiple Sumy air raid alerts show up on my phone. Over a dozen in the past 12 hrs.
Hears where hope is found, Gods Word, the Bible.
February 25, 2026
Boyle Park Media presents Ron’s report as he visits Ukraine, to within 60km of Russia, at the dawn of the 5th year of the Russian invasion.
Preparing to Leave
MSC in Ukraine
Integra
MSC Canada with whom we volunteer a lot of our time, partners with and supports humanitarian aid organization Integra. It was started by the Bussards when the Soviet Union came apart and continues to be led by Allan & Caulene who are originally from Vancouver. They are MSC-listed mission workers. Integra is leading the program “Warmth for Ukraine” program alongside two other Slovakian NGOs.
Poland to Kyiv
Food
Sumy 60 km from Russia
Report From Sumy
The morning of February 24, 2026. The fourth anniversary of the invasion
Today marks the four-year anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. On the day it started, MSC Canada initiated the Ukraine Relief Fund. While the conflict continues, so does the resilient witness of the local church and the generous support of Christians worldwide.
We just received this update from Ron Hampton, our WorkerCare Rep in Europe. He’s on the ground in Ukraine and has an update on two new 250 kW generators, essential to powering a local plant in Sumy, only 60 km from the Russian border and under constant attack. They were delivered last week by Integra workers led by MSC Canada-listed worker Allan Bussard. This plant produces 70% of the city’s heating and up to 50% of its electricity, serving a city of 250,000. This was possible thanks to donors to MSC Canada’s Ukraine Relief Fund. In a season of darkness and cold, this is a tangible answer to prayer for heat, light, and hope.
Please continue to pray with us for peace and the protection of those serving on the front lines. You can learn more about the Ukraine Relief Fund at https://msccanada.org/donee/ukraine-relief-fund/