Peter Martin
Peter previously worked with Spring Harvest and Essential Christian for 34 years as CEO and latterly executive vice chair. Now as a charity consultant, he runs Hope Lebedyn – a charity working specifically within the eastern part of Ukraine.
Hope in Ukraine: Margerite, her grandmother and youth camp
28 February 2025Our camps are for children and youth of all ages and run throughout the year, alongside weekend children’s clubs and youth groups. The biggest growth has been with the teenage group (between 40ؘ–80 young people attending). Many are coming to faith and are hungry to study the Bible and know more about God and His purposes for them. These meetings have historically been held in the bomb shelter on site. In 2024 we pioneered an extra camp week for 15+ teenagers to meet. It was kept deliberately…
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Hope in Ukraine: The making of a pastor
27 February 2025In 2001, the new Centre Hope Lebedyn started running summer camps. His mother heard about it and enrolled eleven-year-old Bohdan. His mother made him go and his hesitation soon subsided when he saw they had football and games and his involvement was not based on his preconceived ideas about the orthodox church. Whilst there, he listened to the wonderful Bible stories and met people who, for them, God was real and alive! Bohdan continued to go along and even helped with the puppet show the…
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Hope in Ukraine: Larisa and the orphanage
26 February 2025Larisa committed to helping these children, to show them love and care resulting in her going part-time in her senior role within government. Larisa formed a bond with the Hope Lebedyn team at the centre who gave regular help and support. Every year, food and aid were given along with the usual Christmas activities and gifts. Spring 2022 saw the full incursion into Ukraine by the Russian army. Almost all other orphanages had been closed or abandoned at this point. Sumy city where Larisa’s…
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Hope in Ukraine: Inna and the Bibles
25 February 2025Throughout the war, Hope Lebedyn has been blessed to have been able to distribute Bibles in partnership with Biblica, Ukraine Bible Society, Zondervan (Jesus Story Book Bible) and the Pocket Testament League, which we helped to produce the first gospel of John in Ukrainian (right at the start of the war). Bibles have been a great blessing to so many as they suffer hardship and despair caused by the cruelty of war. John’s gospel has been distributed to many soldiers and their families who are on…
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Hope in Ukraine: Svetlana and the bakery
24 February 2025Once the bread-making was in operation, word got out, which led to queues starting to form outside the bakery. The team at the mission centre in Lebedyn held services to share the gospel message and distribute the bread to those in need who attended. We were dedicated to letting the people know that God had helped provide this bread. People listened intently during the service whilst the waft of fresh bread filled the air. Over the next few months, service attendance grew into the hundreds and…
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