Christians in eastern Ukraine and Crimea are facing severe religious persecution at the hands of pro-Russian separatists. From April - September 2014, hundreds of believers were abducted and tortured in territories under separatist control, solely because of their faith. Some of them were released (very often in return for a ransom), but all suffered various degrees of injury, such as beatings, stabbings, broken bones, dislocated joints, and burns from electric shocks.
We also learned that more than 50 church buildings of various Christian denominations have been taken over or destroyed by the separatists. In response to this violence, about 100 other churches, Christian missions, orphanages, rehabilitation centers, educational institutions, research centers, and charities have been closed. Today, tens of thousands of believers in eastern Ukraine and Crimea are facing threats of abduction, torture, and death.
As you participate in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on November 2, please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Ukraine:
- That God would strengthen their faith
- That the Holy Spirit would give them the right words, and that they would fearlessly share the gospel
- That God would provide housing and winter clothes for persecuted Christians and refugees in eastern Ukraine
- That God would protect the Christian leaders and missionaries who are patiently and fearlessly serving Him in the midst of the ongoing conflict