Please Pray for Ukraine

This is an excerpt from an email that Mike sent to our church in NY this past week:

 "We would like to ask you to please say a prayer this Sunday [today, December 15, 2013], for the country of Ukraine. Things here are at a historical, critical juncture. You may or may not have read stories in the news, but I will try to sum things up for you:

There's truly a revolution in progress and one which has been amazingly peaceful on the part of the protestors. I know that there have been a lot of people praying on the Maidan itself (that's the main square in Kyiv where the protestors have been camped out for weeks); there are numerous pastors as well as priests from the Ukrainian Catholic church, Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches standing right in the front of all the protestors. Our long-time friend Serhiy Baliuk has been there, too, speaking and praying. There are regular prayer services and a prayer tent.

Prayers are truly the order of the day... Prayers that provocateurs won't push the peaceful demonstrators into violence, that the authorities will use restraint in controlling the protestors and not send police with batons to beat them (as they did last Saturday), that the opposition politicians will actually come up with an alternative plan for the country (beyond getting rid of the current president and his cronies), that all involved will hear the voice of God to be humble, love their neighbors and overcome evil with good. This is a revolution which has caused so much unity among formerly apathetic and corruption-weary Ukrainians. There is great promise for the future of Ukraine in these events; may the spirit of justice and fairness (like that in God's heart) prevail over the spirit of rebellion. So far, it has prevailed among the protestors (thank God). Their leaders have reminded them again and again to remain peaceful in the face of riot police. There is a spirit of joy, brotherhood and determination among the protestors. We have a number of friends who have been or are on the Maidan, joining the peaceful protests to show love of their country and their fellow countrymen. Although some Western news reports may portray the protestors as "anti-Russian", this is not their motivation; they are pro-Ukraine.

I'd like to encourage you to watch/show this short, two-minute video by a pastor in Kyiv, to give you a little flavor of things. It's very well done. http://vimeo.com/81788359#

We are safe, as are people throughout Ukraine. The ones who are at the biggest risk are the protestors in Kyiv. That being said, if something doesn't change on the part of the current government, the country is at risk of sliding into deep authoritarianism.

We love you and pray the best for you and your families this season. We couldn't be here without your willingness to risk your love and resources on our mission here!"