Ministry/War Update for 8.15.22
Dear Friends and Partners,
Here is our mid-month war update – our regular prayer letter comes out during the first half of each month and this war update comes out the second half of each month. There is intense fighting going on all across the southern and eastern regions of the country. In our city of Kharkiv, the Russian missiles and artillery shelling are occurring daily. Reports show that Russia has placed an additional 5,000 troops near the border, where our city is located (on 20 miles from the Russian border). Since our last update and additional 21 people have been killed and another 82 people injured from Russian missiles and artillery shells. According to Oleksander Filchakov, head of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office, since February over 7,000 buildings have been destroyed, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and residential areas.
The tragedy in our city is that western aid has slowed by over 80% and people are beginning to get very hungry. If things do not change soon, starvation will set in for the most at risk: the elderly and extreme poor. Other than Christians who are serving these people all across our region (pre-war population of 4 million, with 1.5 million in the city of Kharkiv), if anyone could leave, they have already departed. So those who are staying don’t have the resources to leave.
To make matters worse, the Russian military has targeted Kharkiv’s critical communications infrastructure, electrical, and natural gas pipelines. Their natural gas pipelines were hit on August 15, their thermal power plant (that produced heat) was destroyed on August 9. Now withing the city limits of Kharkiv, there is no longer any electricity or gas to cook food for the majority of people who cannot leave the city. In essence, there is very little food, no electricity, and no gas within Kharkiv and starvation will set in soon unless people are evacuated – but to where? What happens when it really gets cold in a few months? The situation is dire.
Our ministry just sent another emergency amount of $4,000 last evening. We only have $2,900 left in our budget for Ukraine for the entire year, because we sent all our budgeted money (almost $135,000). To give our six ministry partners just enough to make it through the end of the year, we will need to raise another $30,000. We are a small ministry, compared to the Red Cross, World Vision, Samaritan Purse, etc.
The churches we support have continued to put on kid’s programs this month, in an effort to bring some joy and relief to these children, but I am scared for what is about to come next for these families. I need your constant prayers that these people can make it through the coming winter months, without heat, electricity, and food. Thankfully, the churches are seeing an explosion in growth and people coming to God.
Here is our link if you would like to financially support our ministry efforts in and around Kharkiv, Ukraine orphans in Romania, and refugees in Poland, Germany, England, and Spain:
slavicchristian.org/donate
Our prayer requests:
1) Please pray for the war to end;
2) Please pray that people will not starve and freeze in the months ahead;
3) Continue to pray for our ministry partner’s safety as they travel and distribute food and supplies;
4) Please pray we can raise an additional $30,000 in emergency funding to make it to the end of this budget year, since our Ukraine budget is almost exhausted for 2022.
5) Please pray for the children to have food and be well mentally, spiritually, and physically.
Thank you again for your prayers and support; God bless you in every way!
Ron Putnam