War against Ukraine

Support Ukraine: Write Your Representatives

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This is a sample letter you can copy and paste to urge your elected officials to support Ukraine.

Dear _____,

I am deeply concerned about Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russia has violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ongoing attack has produced an inhumane situation.  America cannot stand by idly any longer.  If we do, we will lose all credibility as a nation that claims to be for the rights of free, democratic nations.

We also lose all credibility because we are failing to uphold our commitments under the Budapest Memorandum signed in 1994.  We promised Ukraine that we would guarantee their security and territorial integrity in exchange for Ukraine giving up their nuclear arsenal.  Ukraine gave up their weapons, but now we are not upholding our commitments.  Any observers of our actions, Iran for example, would rightly not trust any promises given by the U.S. in exchange for not developing their own nuclear deterrent.

I would like to urge the United States government to support Ukraine.  First, the United States and NATO need to establish a no-fly zone over the territory of Ukraine.  This gives Ukraine’s army and territorial defense units a fighting chance to defend their nation since we will not go in and do it for them.  Secondly, provide Ukraine with all possible defensive weaponry including anti-missile technology, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons; as well as arms, technology, and tactical gear to be able to fight back.  Third, Russia must be isolated in every way. Russia must be cut off from SWIFT, the international banking system, and treated as the pariah state that it is.  All possible actions to cut Russia off from any western economic and financial activity should be implemented immediately.  In addition, Russia should be expelled from all international organizations, sporting events, etc.  Russia should be isolated in such a way that all the kleptocrats keeping Putin in power realize that they need to remove him if they want to survive.  Finally, the United States needs to do everything in her power to help Ukrainian refugees including resettlement in the U.S.  We have a moral obligation to the people of Ukraine who are fighting today for our democratic values and for the freedoms that we enjoy.  They are fighting to maintain the order that we take for granted.  We need to step up to care for those who are suffering so much.

Please do everything possible to help Ukraine. 

Sincerely,

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Prayer request, War against Ukraine

Prayer for Ukraine

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George was asked by the CRC Worship Ministries to share a prayer for Ukraine. Please join us in praying for peace.

Heavenly Father, we come to you with heavy hearts as we see war in Ukraine.  We pray that you would be merciful on the people of Ukraine and Russia and end this war.  Grant wisdom to world leaders to effectively stop evil.  Allow for the truth to be known, for lies to be shown for what they are, and for evil-doers to be thwarted.

Lord, we pray for those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.  Comfort and provide for the needs of those who have been displaced and seek refuge.  Lord, we ask for mercy and we seek justice.  We pray that you would be at worked in both.

We pray for the day when all wars will cease and when your peaceful reign will come fully.  But in the meantime, we pray that you would use us to facilitate the coming of your kingdom here and now.  Help us to take action to bring peace, to care for the victims of war, and to work for justice.  Help us to live according to the principles of your Kingdom today, and to remain faithful until your Kingdom comes fully at your return. Grant courage to your church in Russia, in Ukraine, and here to speak truth to power and to prophetically proclaim the truths of your Kingdom as well as the day of grace that still remains for those who repent.  

Lord, we pray for Vladimir Putin.  We pray that you would change his heart and work your miracle of salvation in his life.  If he continues in his wicked ways, we pray that you would restrain his evil and have mercy on those who suffer because of it.

In all these things, we trust you, because you are our loving Father.  We ask that you would keep us faithful by the power of your Spirit and that you would be with your church in Ukraine – that in times of war it would faithfully follow you and represent you before the nations.  Heal the wounds, we pray, both physical and the wounds of the heart.  Reconcile the nations with you and with each other by the power of the cross of our reigning Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

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New Paths

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The following is George’s testimony for Resonate Global Mission on how he has been personally impacted by the Healing Hearts, Transforming Nation’s ministry.

In February 2014, Ukraine successfully removed a corrupt, dictatorial, pro-Russian regime through what has become known as the “revolution of dignity”. Our rejoicing in this change was soon overcome with pain as just two short weeks later Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. First, they took over the Crimean Peninsula, eventually annexing it. Then they launched a ground invasion of the two easternmost provinces of Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk. The war continues in those regions. Over 13,000 have lost their lives in the conflict. Over 1.5 million have been internally displaced. The war between Russia and Ukraine has already dragged on longer than World War II.

As we worked with local churches to address the issues that were springing up due to the conflict, reconciliation between Ukrainians and Russians in the churches quickly took center stage. And through this God changed my life.

In 2015 I became acquainted with a ministry in Rwanda called “Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations” (HHTN). It was born out of the horrific 1994 genocide of the Tutsi population at the hands of the Hutus. While in Rwanda attending the “International School of Reconciliation”, I quickly realized that reconciliation needed to begin with me.

Through the HHTN process I had to face the unhealed wounds that I was still carrying. After identifying my personal wounds and the wounds of my people, I was able to bring them to the cross and give them to Jesus.
One of the revelations HHTN taught me was that before we can be reconciled, we need to address our pain. The church has often overlooked the question of what to do about the pain we experience as a result of sin – those committed against us as well as those that we ourselves commit. As Isaiah 53:4a says, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering” (NIV). We speak a lot about sin and how we need to confess our sin and bring it to Jesus, who paid for it on the cross. But we don’t talk about our pain, or we fall into the patterns of our culture. I have learned that identifying our pain and bringing to Jesus, the pain bearer, is the key to reconciliation. Bringing our pain to the cross and letting Jesus take it frees us to see both victim and perpetrator through new eyes. We receive the power to forgive and to truly repent. We begin a path of reconciliation that changes lives, congregations, communities, and nations.

This process changed my life and put my ministry on a new path. Not only have I witnessed the transformation that has taken place in individuals and communities in Rwanda, Ukraine, Hungary, Wales, and Lithuania, where I have been privileged to shepherd groups through the process, but I have witnessed the transformation in my own life and the healing of my own wounds. My prayer is that the power of healing centered on the cross would also lead to lasting reconciliation and a new, deep formation of community not only in places of conflict around the world, but in North America as well.