CLEVELAND — For seven and a half years, Ron Jackson and his ministry, God Loves Ukraine, have traveled to Ukraine, donating supplies and offering a message of hope in a country under attack by Russia.
“When we initially started, we just met with around 10 or 11 soldiers on the front lines, and we've just seen God open the door where now we see thousands of soldiers,” said Jackson.
Jackson says their priority is to show the soldiers God’s love, as well as to encourage them to keep fighting for their homes and families.
“Being on the frontlines is sobering because when we go to the front, we wear a helmet, a vest, and the ground shakes. You don’t know what’s going or incoming and then you realize that these people are facing this every day,” said Jackson.
Before his most recent visit in August, Jackson and Deacon John Stover came up with an idea for the soldiers to get a message to President Donald Trump.
“I said it would be nice if we could get a flag signed by the soldiers on the front lines, since President Trump is working to end this war between Russia and Ukraine," Jackson said.
And the response from the soldiers was overwhelming.
“They're tired and they're incredible fighters. They've shown that, but I think they're hoping for help and when I brought the flag to them everyone wanted to sign it,” said Jackson.
Soldiers wrote names, cities, messages seeking victory and bible verses addressed to Trump. The president said Friday that he is "running out" of patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin when it comes to the war in Ukraine. Jackson is hoping the flag will encourage him to take more action.
“I hope people see that the Ukrainian people do value his help in this, and they need his help. Obviously, he can do something that we can't. We pray and we can do our part, but he can do some things that are great in the eyes of Ukraine and the freedom for Ukraine,” said Jackson.
Many members of Cleveland Baptist Church have helped God Loves Ukraine over the past four years with donations of supplies and money. Their pastor, Peter Folger, is hoping the flag will connect with Trump on a personal level.
“As I looked at that flag and I saw all those names… each of them represents not just a life, but a home, a family, their sons, their daughters, their husbands and wives. So, perhaps, maybe when he sees that, it'll connect with him on a very personal level,” Jackson said.
With the help of local legislators, they plan to deliver the flag to Trump in the next few weeks before Jackson returns to Ukraine.
