Thriving in the Midst of War

by Joe Landis

Approximately a month after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Anabaptist World published the story “MCC workers evacuate Ukraine; churches respond to risk of war.”  The article referenced Prometheus, a special needs school in Zaporizhzhia serving 167 students. It was started 17 years ago by parents with the help of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). The cover of that March 4, 2022, issue featured Dasha Bardus, an 11-year-old student, walking with arm crutches. Many students with special needs cannot attend public school in Ukraine, although the government provides the school building and some teachers.

I was struck by the fact that Zaporizhzhia (comparable to the size of Denver, CO) is only 30 miles from the Russian front. Prometheus, a vibrant school, continues to operate as normally as possible, even though they hear drones and artillery firing every night as well as bombs exploding in the city. I decided we needed to find a way to support this school.

After sharing their story in Spring 2024 with Salford Mennonite Church’s Hilltop Sunday School Class, we chose to convert some of our art into greeting cards and posters, selling them to raise funds for Prometheus. In 2025, I emailed the principal of Prometheus to learn about Dasha’s progress in the last three years. She sent this report:

A year ago, Dasha graduated from middle school (9th grade), and she entered a high school (in a different place) with specialties—biology and chemistry. It was a new experience in her life, for she had to meet new classmates and to adapt to a new environment. She was the only person with cerebral palsy, and the administration of the school was very sensitive and made some changes in the schedule, so Dasha felt comfortable. She was very well accepted by children. They helped her from the very first day at that school. Now she has finished grade 10. Dasha will keep studying in this school another year. And next year she hopes to enter university to study psychology. She is not with the Prometei anymore, but she has lots of friends there and she visits them regularly. Actually, when she becomes a psychologist, Prometei can become her first job.

We are very close to raising a total of $3,000 for the school. The school’s leaders stated in their thank you note:

Thanks to your support . . . we were able to purchase school equipment: desks, chairs and a blackboard, which creates comfortable conditions for the learning and development of our students. Your participation in the life of the center is an invaluable contribution to the future of children who need care and attention so much. Thank you for your kind heart and desire to help!

As we have seen with all the Anabaptist 500 celebrations in Zurich, Switzerland, and Mennonite World Conference in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, and other conferences in other places, we are a worldwide church of believers. Wouldn’t it be great if someday that kind of bond was among all of us who are committed to inclusion in our congregations and communities around the world?

Resources—available on the internet

Meet the students of Prometheus: Meet Prometey: Changing Futures One Step at a Time

To learn more about the school and how to support it, see Salford Mennonite Church: Be Transformed Art