Dear Office, It appears Ukraine’s long-anticipated “Counter-Offensive” may be starting. This will be a particularly dangerous and deadly chapter in Ukraine’s history. We hope and pray for victory and an end to this war as soon as possible.
MATCHING OFFER REMINDER: Four days left to double any gifts to HART. Thanks to everyone in our HART community who has taken advantage of this matching offer. Your generosity will ensure that many more refugees receive shelter, meds, and relief aid and hear God’s love for them.
SUMMER CAMPS: Summer camp programs will begin in the next couple of weeks, and thanks to you, thousands of kids will be going to camps.
Several churches also plan to hold camps for the wives and children of fallen soldiers. Please keep these camps in your prayers.
A camp leader recently told us, “It is particularly important to have camps in wartime because children, especially those from the war zones, are traumatized and need special attention and care, as well as encouragement and security. The war leaves scars on their souls, so we must help them get to know Jesus as soon as possible because He is the only one who gives hope and healing.”
PASTOR CONFERENCES: About a month ago, we shared with you our goal of holding Conferences (retreats) for Pastors and their wives. These gatherings aim to provide a unique opportunity for relaxation and rejuvenation. The first of several conferences we have planned is going on this week! Please pray for all the participants; that this retreat will truly be a remarkable and significant experience for them. May they return to their homes and ministries infused with renewed vigor, inspiration, and focus from their conference experience.
Four days left!
DOUBLE Your Gift – Until midnight (MST) June 10
News
Russian forces destroy a Hydro Electric dam, triggering a humanitarian and environmental disaster across southern Ukraine. READ HERE
World Health Organization (WHO): ‘Grim Milestone’ of 1,000 Russian Attacks on Ukraine’s Healthcare Reached. READ HERE
Videos
From Last Summer.
War in Ukraine – Maps
More than a year since Russia`s invasion
How military control of Ukraine has changed during the war
CHILD SPONSOR PROGRAM
Maxim needs a sponsor and medical support.
In almost every Child Sponsor case, understandably, the story from the child’s perspective can be vastly different from that of the caseworker looking after the family. Case in point, please read Maxim’s letter to a potential sponsor, followed by the caseworker’s comments about the true plight of the family.
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Maksym. I am eight years old, and I am in the third grade. My favorite subjects are Math and handicrafts. My mother’s name is Inna, and my father’s is Yaroslav. I have two brothers, Yaroslav (13) and Bohdan (7 months).
In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends, and in winter, I love sledding and playing with snowballs. In summer, I enjoy playing hide & seek and soccer, riding a bicycle, and swimming in the river. I really want to become your friend. With respect,
Your new friend Maksym
Caseworker’s comments 2023:
Maxim is a cheerful boy who loves to solve math problems and play chess, bingo, puzzles, and other board games. Aside from playing indoors, Maxim loves to go on walks outside, but unfortunately, he is very limited in spending time outdoors because he is partially blind. Because of this, Maxim cannot always do the things he loves and cannot have the childhood he deserves.
He cannot see from one eye at all, and recently, he had surgery on his good eye, where his eyesight went from 4% to 20%. Maxim needs medicine every month to lower his eye pressure, but these medicines weaken his immune system, so he often gets sick.
Maxim’s family consists of his father, mother, two siblings, and a grandmother. The family is super friendly and loving, and they always support each other as much as possible. But their financial situation is dire and getting worse. Maxim and his family have a number of health issues, and the expense of healthcare is beyond their means.
Maxim’s father is partially deaf and must wear a hearing aid, and he is also partially blind. He requires surgery on both knees because he had a major accident earlier this year and cannot work. His mother is blind as well, and his grandmother has cancer.
The family has been through a lot and receives a small disability allowance from the state with no other income except the grandmother’s pension. The family lives in an old house without indoor plumbing. Maxim hopes to undergo several more eye surgeries, and also, because of his family’s situation, he would be so grateful to have your support.
New CSP Policy for Special Needs Children
We have many children like Maxim in HART’s Child Sponsor program. Having special needs in a poor country like Ukraine is economically devastating for any family. Our regular sponsorship of $45/mo does not provide enough assistance for children with severe or chronic medical conditions.
HART’s policy has always been “one sponsor – for one child.” However, the reality of the situation with special needs kids has caused us to review, rethink and settle on an alternative strategy in the future. We are now allowing special needs children to have two sponsors.
How will this work? Either one sponsor will double up and commit to two sponsorships ($45 x 2=$90/mo), or we will need to find two sponsors at $45/mo to look after one special needs child.
If you would like to be the first or second sponsor for a needy child in Ukraine, please get in touch with our office at 403-230-8263.
Here are specific prayer points that can help guide our prayers for the situation in Ukraine. Please share these with your friends and family:
- Pray for the physical protection and provision for Ukrainian children in harm’s way. Supernaturally and otherwise, minimize the suffering and loss of life. Pray for children who see things no child’s eye should ever see. Jesus, you are a great King and healer. By whatever means you choose — loving parents, a direct work of the Holy Spirit, fellow believers… protect children’s hearts, minds, and imagination.
- Pray for and ask to see God’s glory amid this great struggle. Pray that He would be glorified through the Christians in Ukraine who are being his hands and feet during this tragedy.
- Pray for God’s peace to strengthen and encourage the thousands of Ukrainian workers/volunteers serving refugees and the poor in their communities, who need to hear of God’s love for them through these Christian workers.
- Pray for God’s protection for soldiers and civilians caught up in this conflict.
- Pray for the residents of cities and towns who are under heavy shelling and have lost their heat, lights, and water.
- Pray for the civilian and military prisoners of war who are subject to torture and death at the hands of their captors.
- Ask God to comfort the many families that have lost mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters during this Russian invasion.
The pain and heartache are overwhelming for most families. - Pray for the frustration of all evil plans of the enemy.
- Ask God to intervene. Pray for wisdom for world leaders. Pray God would move in their hearts and guide their steps and plans to end this war.
- Pray for the President (Zelensky) and the leaders of Ukraine to know God’s truth and peace and be transformed by his Holy Spirit so that they would seek to lead their country in the way of peace.
- Ask that this conflict would open doors of opportunities for the gospel. Pray that He would make his name known across Ukraine, Russia, and all the European countries refugees are fleeing to due to this conflict.
