10 Years Ago, Dignity Rose Up for Liberty and Prevailed
Hi Office, on Nov 21, Ukrainians nationwide commemorated the anniversary of the historic events that altered the trajectory of Ukraine’s history.
This day, ten years ago, saw the start of a mass protest action on Kyiv’s Maidan central square in response to the government’s reversal of signing an Association Agreement with the European Union. The thenpresident Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to establish closer ties with Russia instead of Europe was the last straw that broke the people’s patience.
I am sure many of you, like me, recall watching these breathtaking events unfold, being glued to the BBC’s television coverage and round-the-clock updates. I distinctly remember being awestruck by the Ukrainian people, who demonstrated incredible courage and unwavering determination in the face of armed thugs and police with clubs and guns.
HART also played a part in this protest. We set up a “Prayer Tent” in Maiden Square, which served as a haven for protesters, offering hot coffee, soup, sandwiches, and Bibles. It also provided a refuge for people to gather and pray during the ongoing protest.
By Nov 24, the number of Maidan protesters exceeded 100,000. What followed was a peaceful protest that turned violent when riot police cracked down on the protesters. First, rubber bullets, then tear gas, then live rounds. In the end, more than 100 protesters died in the central square of Kyiv in a bloody revolution that culminated in Yanukovych fleeing to Russia.
The Euromaidan protests marked a turning point in Ukrainian history, symbolizing the people’s desire for democratic reforms, transparency, and closer ties with Europe. It would later be known as the Revolution of Dignity in honor of those killed in this uprising.
Following Yanukovych’s ousting, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea and the Donbas region of South East Ukraine, thus fueling a war that has been ongoing since 2014.
Ten years after the uprising on Maiden Square, Ukrainians continue to fight against Russian dominance as Ukraine inches ever closer to its EU dream – but this dream has come at a profound cost.
Please continue to stand with us as we resource our network of churches across the country to assist Ukrainians through this upcoming winter.
Thank you – as we, together, continue to change the world, one heart at a time!
Lloyd Cenaiko
President
Thank you for supporting
churches across Ukraine.
How your support is helping
the local churches.
** MATCHING GIFT OPPORTUNITY **
We are happy to announce that HART has been blessed to offer TWO MATCHING GIFT opportunities for December 2023. These have been provided by generous donors who are passionate about HART’s ministry.
Your gift will empower churches to meet the needs of people whose lives have been shattered by the war in Ukraine.
Interview with HART President Lloyd Cenaiko
The interview below took place at Centre Street Church in Calgary, AB, as part of their annual Global Missions weekend on November 11-12, 2023.
Holodomor Remembered
November 25, 2023, marked the 90th Anniversary of the Holodomor, which means “death by hunger.”
In 1932-33, the most fertile regions of the USSR were ravaged by the largest manmade famine in history. As part of his collectivization drive, Stalin unleashed mass terror against the peasantry and starved them into submission.
Video: ‘Hunger For Truth’
Ninety years ago, Canadian reporter Rhea Clyman became the first Western journalist to witness and report on the starvation in Ukraine, making a journey by car in September 1932 through the agricultural heartland of the Soviet Union (USSR) during the Holodomor. This remarkable film is based on her unauthorized truth-telling trip through the starving Soviet heartland. It’s interwoven with the story of a Ukrainian prisoner of war from Russia’s invasion, which began in 2014.
Precious Loaves of Bread
by brother Andrey, Director of Light of Resurrection Ministries in Ukraine and a HART partner
One of our bakeries informed us that during the whole time they have been working, they managed to bake about 2,500 loaves of bread. This is our most productive bakery. If others produced about 1,000 – 1,500 loaves, the total comes out to about 4,000 loaves of bread. Not bad.
What is important about these numbers? What seems small and insignificant actually gives a significant result. It’s the theory of small steps – it works. And the word of God also works. Two fish, five loaves of bread. And the blessing of God. Which multiplies something small to work wonders.
Everyone who is involved in God’s affairs, like these bakeries close to the front lines of the war – sincere thanks! These thousands of loaves of bread are your loaves! Our thanks for participating in this project.
Dennis Bunio introduction
Donor Care Coordinator
We are pleased to introduce HART’s Community in Canada and the USA to Dennis Bunio, a former pastor and longtime HART supporter.
Dennis is working dual roles with HART as a board member and also heading up our Donor Care Ministry.
His role will be establishing and maintaining regular communication with our supporters through various channels, including emails, phone calls, and personalized letters.
Many of you have probably already received a call from Dennis over the past few months. And no doubt he has asked you about any prayer requests you may have. This is important to us, and be assured, we pray for all of you who respond.
So, in Dennis’ own words: “Hi, there – firstly, it’s an honor to have been asked to join the HART team here at the Calgary office. My wife Dianne and I are originally from Winnipeg. She is a retired nurse, and I am a former pastor. We lived and served in those roles for over 27 years – first in Edmonton, then B.C. (Armstrong, then Abbotsford) and now we’ve been in Calgary since May of 2022.
I enjoy connecting with people, and essentially doing all I can to make partnering with HART a fulfilling and faith-building experience for each and every member of our HART family.
Dianne and I have been involved with HART for about 14 years, having been introduced to the ministry by attending a HART auction event while we were in Edmonton. We have sponsored kids and a pastor in Ukraine for many years.
My father came to Canada from Ukraine in 1947, and so my ethnic heritage is from there. And I have always thought how wonderful it would be to give something back to the country of my origins. And now, God has given me the opportunity to do precisely that. He is good!!
If you are ever in the Calgary area, please drop into our office and introduce yourself. Let’s grab a coffee and chat a bit. Or just connecting over the phone would be great as well. I’d love to hear a little of your story at some point.
In any event – if you ever have questions about the work we are doing here at HART or even if we can be praying for you somehow – give me a shout.
I’m looking forward to getting to know you and joining you in empowering the local church in Ukraine to help the most vulnerable and doing it all for the sake of the glory of God!”
Dennis
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.
