Dear
supporters, prayer partners, and friends,
Many of you have been expressing growing
concern about our safety as you have read about or watched the recent media
coverage of the anti-government protest movement on Independence Square in
downtown Kiev. Out of concern for the well-being of our Ukrainian ministry
partners (and for our personal protection), we were asked not to make any
explicit references to the ongoing demonstrations. Hence, we simply sent out
brief messages from time-to-time requesting prayer for Ukraine and assuring you
of our safety. At this time, we have
been advised that it is safe to provide additional information about this
ongoing, historical development along with some personal observations.
Although the following words and phrases cannot
fully explain what has happened. they provide a vivid summary of the recent events of the past few weeks: Peaceful protest; brutal crackdown; journalist
murdered; kidnappings; snipers; Molotov cocktails; barricades; rising death
tolls; beatings; arson; stun grenades; medic shot; truce; slaughter; mourning for the dead, yet an undying resolve for a better country; tenuous political settlement; unknown whereabouts of
president; restoration of 2004 constitution; removal of president; new
government; collapsing currency; uncertain future.
All of this has been going on less than 10
miles away from where we live and serve in Kiev. While we have never felt that
we were in any immediate personal danger, it has constantly been on our minds
and in our prayers. Our hearts ache for the families of the more than 75 people
(including protesters and police) who have lost their lives since the protest
began back in November. Over half of the fatalities have occurred in just the
past 5 days.
With the recent change of government, there is
a sense of hope for the future. But that hope is threatened by the
sobering realization that it is easier to topple a bad government than it is to
establish a good one. Especially when there are so many challenges to overcome:
1) a nearly bankrupt economy (largely due
to the systemic corruption of this and preceding governments); 2) a country
that is divided by ethnic Ukrainians (in the center and west) who prefer a
closer relationship to Europe, and
ethnic Russians (in the south and east) who want to maintain historic ties to Moscow; 3) a geopolitical
tug-of-war between larger powers for control of the energy pipelines across
Ukraine that connect Eurasia to Europe.
Unquestionably the most important development in
the midst of all this is how our Sovereign God is working through these
situations to advance His Kingdom. We have heard of numerous opportunities where
believers have been able to share the Gospel with fellow Ukrainians who have
been sobered and even frightened by these recent events. I even had a young
Ukrainian man approach me yesterday in order to find out if I knew God and if I
understood why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to earth. I was so blessed to see
his urgency to “make the most of this
opportunity” for the advancement of the Gospel (Eph. 5:16).
So please continue to pray:
1.
Pray
not simply for political change, but for change in the hearts of people that comes
only through the Gospel. As one missionary friend put it: “God's love and forgiveness is desperately needed to heal the
wounds of this nation.”
2. Pray for stability and peace in a nation whose current sense
of calm is fragile and could easily lapse back into infighting and conflict.
Pray that God would raise up a leader with wisdom and integrity. This is has
been deeply lacking and has greatly contributed to the present conflict.
3. Pray for believers—that the church would step up like never
before and be the church that Jesus has called her to be: Passionate for Jesus and His glorious Gospel above all else!
4. Pray for our safety and effectiveness this last month before
our home service begins on March 26.
Your partners to the Russian-speaking world,
