Urgent Prayer for Ukraine

As the potential of a Russian invasion increases in Ukraine, AGWM’s Eurasia region organized a live online prayer event held earlier today to bring the potential crisis to the Lord. Currently, two AGWM missionary families plan to stay in Ukraine, while five will return to the United States. Five more families were already in the United States for itineration, and will remain stateside until further notice. Missionaries Gerald and Jane Dollar say, “Everyone is speculating and preparing for an invasion, but that hasn’t happened. We read Fox News and it is accurate reporting. A devastating invasion in the east could happen, and air strikes on Kyiv could happen. Everyone is preparing — most civilians have a plan. The situation is grave, but GOD! He will not forsake us. Only His mighty hand can stop the imminent bloodshed. That is what Christians on both sides of the conflict are believing for. Churches are on high alert. We’ve been called to prayer and fasting.” Amid Ukraine’s population of 44 million, 11,000 registered evangelical organizations and churches exist. The Assemblies of God’s primary partnering union, the Pentecostal Union, has 1,800 established churches. And 3.6% of the population are evangelical believers. In recent years, the Pentecostal Union (in partnership with AGWM personnel) has engaged in aggressive church planting across Ukraine, realizing that years of peace gave them unprecedented opportunity to work quickly and thoroughly. “We must seize this opportunity and plant as many churches as we can before doors are closed. Our task is to prepare and send leaders to new churches,” says Vasiliy Voytovich, president of Evangel Theological Seminary. (In September 2015, ETS launched the first Russian-language Doctor of Practical Theology program in the former Soviet Union.) His wife, Lyubov, agrees, “Every day I and my 10 younger siblings left for school unsure if we would even get home to see our parents,” she says. “The government was threatening to take us from them unless they raised us as atheists. So, I know that what we have opportunity to do now is important! Please pray that we will have the wisdom to catch and realize what God wants us to do in the midst of what He is doing so quickly. We don’t want to miss anything that He needs us to do.” The Pentecostal Union has issued a call to prayer and fasting, Jan. 30 through Feb. 6, with the following prayer points: 1. Peace in the region 2. That many will come to repentance 3. That the good news of Jesus Christ will be preached widely throughout this crisis 4. For sound minds and peaceful hearts The Dollars share that in addition to AGWM and the Pentecostal Union’s calls to prayer, many believers have already been fasting for weeks. “We know there is a miracle needed,” Jane says. “And God will show up. I’m sure of it.”