WAR FATIGUE
Hi Office, It is clearly obvious that the global spotlight has shifted from Ukraine to the Israel-Gaza conflict over the past several weeks.
Therefore, it is understandable that many people in Ukraine are worrying about and questioning whether global attention and resolve can be sustained on two significant conflicts simultaneously.
Nonetheless, during the weekend, Andriy Yermak, the Chief of Staff to the Ukrainian President, countered the notion of “war fatigue” – and gave world leaders and US politicians something to think about.
Yermak was quoted as saying: “Even if there are people who feel this fatigue, I’m sure they don’t want to wake up in a world tomorrow where there will be less freedom and less security, and the consequences of this last for decades.
Think for a moment: if Britain in 1939 had felt tired of Poland, or if the U.S….felt tired of Britain, would there be such a thing as Poland today, Britain, or Europe as we see it now? We could not afford fatigue then or now. That will repeat itself for sure if these people with “fatigue” stop supporting Ukraine.”
Realistically, the US government and the Pentagon clearly have the ability to focus on more than one issue at a time. Some would say that removing something out of the glare of press coverage can often improve the ability of US policymakers to focus on the matter and get things done. Polls show that US public support for the Ukrainian war is already softening, though it still remains broadly popular.
Pray for political leaders around the world to clearly understand and recognize the importance of continuing support for Ukraine.
I Will Build My Church…
Matt 16:18, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
While the international news outlets may have stopped their coverage of the daily atrocities in Ukraine, the churches in Ukraine have not stopped and will not stop serving their country’s people.
They will not stop caring for, comforting, feeding, clothing, providing medical aid, and sheltering refugees. They will not stop evacuating those in danger, and they will not stop saving the lives of the countless individuals affected by this conflict.
The Church will not stop sending volunteer chaplains to the front lines, standing in solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers throughout the horrors of war, sharing in their difficulties and risks, providing solace, and offering a message of hope during their darkest moments.
The Church will not stop ministering to women who’ve lost their husbands in the war and face a daunting future raising their children alone. They will not stop visiting soldiers recuperating in the hospitals from horrific wounds, and they will not stop evangelizing Russian prisoners of war.
Most assuredly, HART’s Community will not stop supporting these local churches throughout Ukraine. It is incumbent upon all of us to continue to provide the churches with the “tools” and the resources they require to accomplish all the things that bring honor and glory to God during this war.
Evil has not and will not crush the spirit of the Church! Please continue praying for Ukraine and supporting the Church’s monumental Kingdom-building work during this war.
Preparing for Winter
Last winter, Russia took aim at Ukraine’s power grid to deny civilians light and heat and to demoralize its people. President Zelensky has warned that as winter draws near, the number of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s electrical power grid is expected to surge.
Please help us to purchase, stock up, and deliver essential winterization equipment that will no doubt be in demand in the upcoming months. Here is a list of what we plan to purchase:
Thank you for supporting churches across Ukraine.
Pastor Taken POW and Tortured by Russia
VIDEO – Kyiv Post Interview (Kyivpost.com)
Russia has sought to portray itself as a strong Christian society, standing up to the liberalism and “woke-ism” of the West.
Nevertheless, the story of Viktor Cherniiavskyi sheds light on a different narrative. He was an Evangelical pastor who volunteered with the Ukrainian military in 2014 and found himself arrested by Russian forces in Luhansk, Ukraine.
Viktor shares his chilling account of enduring torture for his faith and why the Kremlin has a particular hatred of American protestants and Evangelicals.
The accounts Viktor shares in this video echo the experiences we’ve heard from other pastors who have undergone similar types of torture in 2022 and 2023. This kind of brutality and inhumanity is happening each day of the war to civilians, pastors, and Ukrainian prisoners in regions under Russian occupation.
Victor has been a Chaplain throughout this war and was recognized and earned an award from the Ukrainian Highest Council for Military Chaplain Ministry.
Videos – Music
Stand Up for Ukraine
This song is dedicated to the brave soldiers and civilians in Ukraine who are defending their country from brutal slaughter and destruction. Please stand with Ukraine by recognizing the hideous war crimes that are taking the lives of innocent people – and pray for Ukraine and its victory.
Hug me
This song is performed by the most popular band in Ukraine called Okean Elzy. It is dedicated to civilians and soldiers alike who are living through this horror that will one day end. “When the day comes and the war will be over, hug me and never let me go.”
Articles
The Future Is Too Important to Just Wait For It
Zelensky`s message about democracy.
Calling the war in Ukraine a ‘tragedy’ shelters its perpetrators from blame and responsibility.
PASTOR REFLECTIONS
God’s Plan
by brother Andrey, Director of Light of Resurrection Ministries in Ukraine and a HART partner
Often, as I reflect on this awful war and the things I have seen and heard, sometimes I can’t help but get angry. Very angry. What to do? Do I implore God to call down all the punishments of heaven upon this insane enemy? – I do. Do I wish for their death? – I do. I shout, “May you die!” I’m a sinner; it often just rolls off my tongue.
But today, in my morning prayer, this was born. “Lord, reveal yourself as never before in our country.” As I thought about this more deeply, I suddenly realized – that He does! (Here again, I got a speck in my eye).
I spend my time meeting people’s physical and spiritual needs in the front-line regions of Ukraine. What I do is to deliver the right thing to the right place. I’m just a link in a chain of help. Someone found this thing (like a generator) in Poland, someone transported it to Ukraine, someone took it in, called me, and I offered to put it in the right place. I had the honor of being the last link in this long chain.
And God planned it all! He put all the links together. And it’s the same for everything I do. “I see God every day.” Or rather, “I can see.” It helps me not to fall into depression and despondency, thinking,
“All is lost.”
Look, our anger is righteous. To ask for retribution is just. But there’s another cool option. To try to see what God is doing in the here and now. I’m sure we won’t be disappointed in what we discover.
Brother Andrey.
The Bridge
by Pastor Sasha, volunteer relief aid distributor and HART partner
I stand on this bridge and see a picture that touches me to the core. The war brought terrible destruction-holes in every sense. Holes are physical-holes in the souls of people.
Ukraine returns and liberates the occupied territories. But true liberation is brought by that Cross visible in the distance. Only in the Cross of Christ is true liberation…
On our way back, the military at the entrance to Kharhiv asked us where we were and doing what. Humanitarian aid. Hearing our answer, he says: “Thank you and your churches for being here for our people and for all that you do.”
I am happy to pass on the gratitude of this Ukrainian soldier to all of you. Thank you!
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, Jesus. Keep the bombs away, and food in their stomachs. Pray for children who are seeing things no child’s eye should ever see. Jesus, you are a great King and healer. By whatever means you chose— loving parents, a direct work of the Holy Spirit, fellow believers… protect the hearts, minds, and imagination of children.
- 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 terrible tragedy.
- Pray for God’s peace to be a source of strength for the thousands of Ukrainian workers/volunteers who are serving refugees who need to hear of God’s love for them.
- 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 that 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 that refugees are fleeing to due to this conflict.
