Mission to Ukraine

My name is Rev. Jim Kirby and I am a diocesan priest for the diocese of Des Moines in Iowa.  I first came to Ukraine, by the invitation of a friend back in 2013.  While there, I was lucky enough to meet some of the beautiful people of Ukraine, who I feel blessed now, to call friends.  I was so struck by the beauty, creative, strength and spirit of Ukraine that I continued to visit. 

 

When the war started in 2022, watching the horror and violence I knew I had to do something to help my friends.  I felt a deep call to go and be with them. I wanted to offer my talents as a photographer in someway to help tell the story of the war and the heroic people of Ukraine.  In June of 2022, I connected with several organizations who were interested and so I made my first trip to Ukraine since the war started. My time documenting the war was heartbreaking while at the same time inspiring.  The level of destruction, loss and death was (and still is) overwhelming, but the courage, strength and spirit of the Ukrainian people inspires me to continue to keep coming back to Ukraine and to keep supporting them.

 

This December I will take my seventh trip to Ukraine since the war. I don't take as many photos as I use those first few trips, now I spend more energy, raising funds and bringing supplies for the people and soldiers of Ukraine, that are not available to them. I hope you can follow me and help the Ukrainian people fight for the peace, freedom and independence that they enjoyed before the brutal invasion by Russia.