Preaching the Gospel in dangerous places is a family tradition for Paul Barko, a Ukrainian mission pastor at Hillvue Heights Church. 

Barko’s grandfather was imprisoned and ultimately served a 14-year sentence for preaching in the Soviet Union, he said.

“His first time, the government give him seven years and (he) started to preach to prisoners and the government give him more seven years,” Barko said of his grandfather.

Barko carries on his grandfather’s tenacity through mission work he does in eastern Ukraine, where conflict leaves many dead and others homeless, cold and hungry, he said. He visited Ukraine three times last year, and he plans to return in November and work through Two Mites, a missionary organization.

Barko visited Ukraine three times last year. He’s visited only once this year but plans to return in November and work through Two Mites, a missionary organization.

Barko said preaching the Gospel is his first priority followed by establishing small churches to help address a shortage.

“Sixty percent (of) villages in Ukraine don’t have any churches,” he said, adding that he’s established three churches so far.

His work also extends to donating clothing, medicine and food.

Every month he feeds Ukrainian people for as little as $3 a one week per person, he said.

Lack of shelter is also a problem as bombs blow apart homes. Last winter, Barko helped donate a generator to warm families forced to sleep outside in a tent.

“Too many people dying just because [they’re] freezing, too many,” he said.

Ben Brewster, a university pastor for Hillvue Heights, admires Barko’s mission work. 

“He shares the love of Jesus in really practical ways when he does go to the Ukraine,” he said. “There’s a lot of basically ravaged villages from rocket attacks. He’ll go and try to provide food and shelter as an expression of the love of Jesus.”

For Brewster, that kind of work is central to the mission of Christians and the teachings of Jesus. 

“One of the things He says is to go and make disciples of all nations,” Brewster said. “When God saves us here he doesn’t just save us for ourselves.”

Barko also brings his ministry work back home to Bowling Green. By working with Hillvue Heights, he recently started a Russian speaking chapel where he said 60 Christians attend along with some Russian-speaking Muslims. He also has a Russian-speaking church in Louisville.

Elderly Christians face language barriers, Barko said, but they have a drive to worship freely after coming to America from the more restrictive Soviet Russia.

For Barko, his work is about expanding religious freedom in what was once part of the Soviet Union. His mission work is “opening [the] door for preaching Gospel in Ukraine,” he said.

During a visit to Ukraine in December, Barko said 187 people converted to Christianity, adding that’s changing lives for the better.

“For me, it’s miracle,” he said, adding it gives him energy to keep going. “Because it’s working.”

— Follow education reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @BGDN_edbeat or visit bgdailynews.com.