Praying for Ukraine

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Thursday, March 17th.

Thank you so much for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Myrna Brown.

PAUL BUTLER, HOST: And I’m Paul Butler. Coming next on The World and Everything in It: Praying for Ukraine.

Every weekday morning a group made up of grandparents, moms of teens and a Purple Heart Marine veteran come together to pray. This Zoom prayer group began as a way for people to stay connected as their church buildings were shuttered during the height of the COVID pandemic.

BROWN: Well Paul, two years later that 30-minute-zoom prayer call continues! And these self-described prayer warriors are using technology to stand in the gap for their brothers and sisters in Ukraine.

PRAYER WARRIORS: Good Morning everybody… good morning, good morning. Morning y'all.

MYRNA BROWN REPORTING: It’s a few minutes past 7:30 and the squares on the screen keep coming.

BRYAN LASH/LINDA SCHUCK: Letting a few more in here… a few more coming? Yeah, some more coming…

On the call today…nearly 50 men and women from Georgia, Florida and South Africa, ready to encourage and pray for a father and son in Ukraine.

Pastor Anatoly: Anton, can you start? Yeah I can start…

Wearing glasses and a plaid button down, Pastor Anatoly sits in front of a crowded bookcase that covers the wall behind him. His son, Pastor Anton, has his father’s dark hair. The 33-year-old is in the church office, sitting next to what appears to be a window. As he talks with his hands, he periodically glances toward the sunlight, describing what is unfolding around them.

PASTOR ANTON: Most of young people left Kiev as well as a lot of seniors. And they don’t have money. And grocery stores… they have huge lines or they are empty. And we try to provide like a food supply. And so we brought here some potatoes, sausages, flour… so we try to keep it together. And now we have started to work with medicine.

At the mention of medicine, Pastor Anatoly speaks up.

PASTOR ANATOLY: It’s huge problem. Many people sick and the pharmacies almost empty or closed. And we can see myself… too much stress. I need some medicine to be ok. My blood pressure. It’s people like me… so many people and not enough medicine. It’s huge problem.

Pastor Anatoly says he’s trying to connect with a pharmaceutical company to get medicine to the local hospital. He’s also made contact with someone from Germany who he hopes will bring in more buses for transportation. They also need drivers.

Anatoly and Anton are third and fourth generation pastors. Before COVID, they say their church was one of the largest evangelical congregations in Kiev. Both leaders of a Ukrainian network of independent evangelical churches. Pastor Anton says they’re concerned about other pastors in the association.

PASTOR ANTON: One of our church pastors, he lost connection 14 days ago. And we don’t know how he is as there is no electricity, no heating, no cell phone connection.

But Pastors Anatoly and Anton say there are just as many stories of hope and God’s provision in Ukraine.

PASTOR ANTON: So many non-believers and people who were far away from church,  far away from Christianity. They want to come here and help like volunteers.

Pastor Anton says this new batch of volunteers is helping to unload potatoes and other supplies. Pastor Anatoly says that’s something only God can do.

PASTOR ANATOLY: I can see God’s miracles. I can tell you…ten years ago, village where I was born, where my father started church, give to the church five hectares of land and we put a Christian camp. I told God, why we need that camp? It takes money and all of that. But now that camp became a refugee center. Now that village of Christian people help us. We feed people. We help people. It’s God doing something special. God said it’s not your war, it’s my war. We can see God fighting in front of us.

Heads bop up and down as some listeners on the zoom call take notes. Others seem lost in their thoughts. A few are overwhelmed with emotion and moved beyond words until it’s time to pray.

PASTOR RANDY RAINWATER: Lord Jesus we are humbled by the faith of these two men. We see both the perseverance of one who has journeyed through this before. And Lord I see the concern of Anton for his father and for his family. And Lord, we know there is great courage that comes through walking through hardship and seeing your hand at work.

ROBIN DILL: So we bring specifics to you Lord Jesus. We bring the need for drivers and their protection and buses. Lord, we pray for gasoline. We pray, Jesus, for medicine. Lord, we pray for those pastors that have had contact lost with them. And Lord I thank you. You haven’t lost contact with them.

BRYAN LASH: We thank you God for the power and authority You have given us. By the power you have delegated to us and by the shed blood of Jesus we come against principalities and powers and of the rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places.

KELLI MARTIN STUART: Lord, we know from your word that you command the wind and the waves, Lord. And you also command the skies Lord. And so I just pray, Lord that you would close the skies. That it would be to your glory Lord.

VERNON RAINWATER: And so collectively today, on behalf of these men who we love so much, do not let them feel abandoned. And we ask for that in the powerful and victorious name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Myrna Brown.

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