Together in Trials: Chaplains. Defenders. Families.

A deep and sincere meeting took place between family members of defenders and chaplains who stand beside soldiers on the front line every day. In the VYBIR Space — a space for defenders and women defenders at the Lviv House of Officers — we created an atmosphere of trust where we spoke about the invisible sides of war, the ones that ache in silence.

We reflected on where God is in our suffering, how to be present when words fall short, and how not to lose faith when darkness seems to outweigh the light. We shared thoughts on spiritual condition and accompaniment through pain — both personal and collective — on acceptance and listening without judgment, and on prayer as presence rather than answers.

Special attention was given to the issue of chaplains’ professional burnout: the fatigue that accumulates over time, the need for mutual support and restoration, and the courage to acknowledge one’s own vulnerability. For those who support others also need a shoulder to lean on and silence in which to recover.

This meeting, organized by the Foundation for Supporting Medicine for the Military, served as a reminder that even in the hardest circumstances, we are not alone. There is community. There is a path of service. There is a light that does not go out — when we are together, when we truly hear one another, and when we are not afraid to remain fully human.