Together with the church, the team of the Reimer Center participates in the ministry “Golden Days” – a monthly gathering for elderly people, or as the participants call themselves, “55+.” For many, this is a place of support, where they can share their faith, memories, reflections, and simply communicate.
At this gathering, 60 elderly men and women were present. Behind these wrinkles and gray hair are not just years but lives filled with trials, joys, and hopes. What do they recall when they avert their gaze? Where do their thoughts wander as they look at their calloused hands? What do they share with each other, their eyes still shining brightly despite the years? Perhaps, the past. Or perhaps, the war deprives them of a peaceful old age, keeping them worried about today. After all, they are living their “today” in front-line Zaporizhzhia, in wartime conditions: fear, loneliness, and need are just some of their challenges. Many women have been widowed and are left alone with their grief. Nearly half of those present are displaced persons who fled from occupied territories. One woman from Bakhmut shared that she only has enough savings for a few months, while her rent is three times her pension. She simply does not know what to do next. In the eyes of those around her, she saw true understanding. Medical treatment, which they need but cannot afford, is another common hardship. Lyudmila shared that her greatest joy is meeting with her children and grandchildren—so precious because they are so rare.
Yet, these people do not complain. They share their pain and challenges, but somehow, they still find the strength to hope that things will get better.
Each of those present carries their own pain, their own losses, their own worries. To support and stand beside them, Christians Marina, Serhii, and Anzhela prepared a discussion on suffering and how the Bible teaches us to go through it. Today, they addressed the topic of domestic violence. One might think—what could grandmothers have to say about this? Yet, several women admitted that it had happened in their families or the families of loved ones. This brought them back to the past—a past they would rather not remember but must confront to heal. They eagerly participated in the discussion, sharing their views.
“When my husband beat me, and I cried for help, no one could do anything,” exclaimed a petite woman with a long braid. Meanwhile, Valentyna insisted that outsiders should intervene in “family matters” when it comes to violence. The discussion touched on how to recognize when help is needed, how to offer assistance, and how God’s love can heal even the deepest wounds.
These gatherings are an opportunity to care for the older generation, to show them respect for the lives they have lived. At the Reimer Center, it is a chance to create a space where they can be open, heard, and listen to others—because they need it so much. It is an opportunity to share faith with some and to witness the Gospel to others.
