Snowflakes trickled down in Kyiv, laying a white blanket over the city. The capital had grown cold from the harsh winds and the chilling tension with Russia. Freshman Josiah Jones slept soundly, unawakened by war forming in the distance.

For Josiah, this could describe any winter day in Ukraine. Tensions existed prior to his family’s move to the country in 2018 for missionary work, but in February 2022, war broke out.  

“Have a good weekend,” Josiah said to his friends before heading home.

 It was a Friday afternoon in late January and he had finished his day at Kyiv Christian Academy. He would not see many of his classmates again.  

The following day, the U.S. embassy recommended all Americans leave Ukraine by the end of the month. The news came as a shock to his family, Josiah said. His dad, Ron Jones, said the family would often discuss the possibility of evacuation, but none of them thought it would really happen. 

The Jones family frantically put everything they could find into suitcases, booked flights, and prepared to move out of the country. The following week, the family was on a plane back to the U.S.

“It was just a shock. Everything I knew, everybody I knew, was gone in three days,” Josiah said. “There were some friends I never saw again.”

While living in Ukraine, Josiah was a full-time student, and would often accompany his father on trips to rural villages. 

Josiah said many rural areas in Ukraine have been forgotten and have no churches. His father trained Ukrainian pastors as small business owners so they could move to rural areas, start a business, and be financially self-sufficient. 

“He would come along to provide extra help,” Josiah  said. “It was good to have him there, and I think he learned a lot.”

Josiah said he attended an international school and made lots of friends from all over the world. The school was a mixture of missionary, military, and diplomatic kids. His other friends, mostly Ukrainians, came from church and his dad’s missionary work. 

Since he was 8, Josiah has been involved in missionary work, living in different countries throughout the Middle East, such as Dubai. His father made short-term missionary trips to Ukraine prior to 2018 and developed a connection to the country. Ron said the family felt God tugging on their hearts in 2017 to return full time.

“The opportunity to live in a different culture and see things in a non-Western perspective is very valuable,” Ron said. “That was incredibly important to Josiah.” 

Josiah said he was struck by Ukraine’s poverty.

“Ukraine is plagued with poverty and corruption as a result of it being under a horrible communist system during the Soviet Union,” Josiah said. “The ripple effects of that are still felt throughout the country.”

As a result Ukraine has turned to the West in hopes that they can establish a more democratic system, Josiah said. Ever since the invasion, Western values in Ukraine have only increased in popularity, Josiah said, and citizens fear Russia’s opposition to democracy.

“They want to squash democracy, and if you look at it geographically where they are moving out of Ukraine is the first blockade,” said senior Emiliya Smyk, whose family is Ukrainian. “People throughout the world look at Ukraine and they say, ‘ah well Ukraine failed after the Soviet Union.’ No, Ukraine has struggled again and again to maintain its democracy.”

Josiah said when he and his family left Ukraine, they felt a whirlwind of emotions. However, three weeks later Russia began to drop bombs in Ukraine and the Jones thought it was inappropriate to grieve over their situation.

“The invasion hit and we had nothing to feel sorry about,” Josiah said. “Our house isn’t burnt down, at least we have safety here.”

For four years, Ukraine was a home to Josiah. As a former resident and Christian, he feels obligated to help out the country.

“It’s such a horrible thing — millions of people are still dying,” Josiah said. “There is so much rebuilding that has to be done, it is just colossal, and I don’t think we understand how big of a deal it is.”

Josiah is currently involved in humanitarian work and sends supplies and evacuation routes to Ukrainians. Josiah said he plans to return to Ukraine to help and see his friends again.

“Ukraine holds such a special place in my heart,” Josiah said. “Those people cared so well for me during the four years that I was there. I feel like I have a duty to give back to them for all that they have done for me.”