The radio program “Faith, Hope, and Love” draws listeners from Ukraine, Russia, and other countries
in the former Soviet Union.
(Image, caption courtesy Christian Aid)
Ukraine (MNN) — Ukraine is a powder keg ready to explode. Russia is keeping a tight grip on Crimea, and pro-Russia protests are spreading throughout Ukraine’s eastern and southern cities.
But there’s good news: the crisis in Ukraine is driving people to Christ.
“During this difficult time, my radio program [is] going on, don’t stop. And people are very, very hungry, especially now,” says Slavik Radchuk, a Ukrainian missionary supported by Christian Aid Mission, your link to indigenous missions.
“People [are] still coming to Christ like never before, [in] all churches.”
Christian Aid supports a total of six ministries in Ukraine. Their leaders are telling Radchuk that people are desperate for hope.
“From Crimea, we have reports that former Muslims or Muslims are coming to our churches and saying, ‘Can we pray together to God?'” says Radchuk. They don’t want to die without hope, he adds.
“This is a very difficult time for us, and all people stay together now and pray to God for peace.”
Over the weekend, thousands of people gathered at a Christian Aid-supported church in Crimea and prayed through Monday morning.
“[Missionaries said attendance was] 1806 in one church, but over 2,000 people came and stayed,” Radchuk shares.
“All night they prayed because it was a very difficult time in Crimea.”
Slavik Radchuk, Ukrainian evangelist and area director for the former Soviet Union at Christian Aid Mission, delivers a message for his Christian radio broadcast.
(Image, caption courtesy Christian Aid)
A voice of hope
Despite ongoing protests and the tension that’s enveloping Ukraine, Radchuk’s radio program is still on the air. Three times a week, families hear about hope and peace that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
“My message is simple,” Radchuk recently told Christian Aid. “I don’t promote a certain church or denomination. I preach the message of salvation, deliverance, of healing broken hearts and families. I just invite people to read the Bible and follow Jesus.”
Read the remarkable story of how Radchuk started his radio ministry.
Today, Radchuk’s radio ministry has a reach of 100 million people in Ukraine, Moldova, Belorussia, western Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, and others. Many listeners send thank-you letters to Radchuk, and others request copies of his messages on CD so they can pass it along to their family and friends.
“Our neighbors come over to our house when your programs are on the air because they do not have a radio at their house,” writes a listener from Kbmelnitskiy. “After your programs, we pray together.”
Prayer needed
Radchuk says literally thousands of Ukrainians are gathering together to pray for their nation. Will you join them?
“Pray for protection, because war can start any day,” he urges.
“We don’t want to have a fight with our Russian brothers, and we want to have peace. Please pray for peace in Ukraine.”
The European Union is meeting today to discuss the implementation of sanctions on Russia for their involvement in Ukraine’s crisis. Pray that their decision will not invoke further violence.
The radio ministry has received thousands
of letters from faithful listeners.
(Image, caption courtesy Christian Aid)
“[I want] to give a big thanks for all Christian people around the world who pray and intercede for our nation in this very, very critical time,” says Radchuk.
2014 marks Christian Aid’s 20th year of support for Radchuk’s ministry. Along with his radio broadcasts, Radchuk shares the Good News through television programming in more than 135 nations.
See how you can support indigenous missionaries like Slavik Radchuk through Christian Aid.
Praise God, I’ll be praying for more.
Our God is mighty and awesome! Nothing can happen without His allowing it for His Divine Purposes! May He comfort, strengthen and encourage His own and work through them to save many! To His praise and glory!
As a disciple of Jesus who has spent years in the “former Soviet Union” I am very interested in what God is doing in Ukraine and would like
to help the dear people of Ukraine. Most of our mission has been in Irkutsk and Ulan Ode. Recently, however our hearts have been stirred with the revelation of the great need for medical attention for the children of Ukraine. Perhaps it even includes the needs of orphans.
Please alert me re: what you see as primary needs for the children
and babies. Dr. Dmitri Shestakov is a very close friend of mine.Dr.
Suhanov, Surgeon is also a good friend of mine. We provided
1.5 million for his “open heart program” in Perm. Hope this reaches you as soon as possible.
Sincerely, Don Hawkinson
Our 19 trips to the “former Soviet Union” has been a wonderful
experience. I love our dear friends in Ulan Ode, Irkutsk and Perm.l
We realize the children of Ulan Ode have great needs. I am
the president of orphans dream.org I live near Chicago. Please
alert me to the needs of the children of Ulan Ode. We miss
you so much. Here are websites;
orphansdream.org
kingdomseeker.org
Mercy Medical Mission has been involved in medical relief to
Russia. We anticipate the medical needs in Ukraine will be
substantial. Our hub will be in the Seattle area. I’m a graduate
of Seattle Pacific University. My wife is a graduate of Swedish
Covenant Hospital. We seek information on the medical
needs re: the orphans and children of Ukraine. Our relationship
with Perm Medical Academy and Irkutsk/Perm should introduce you.
We are also graduates of the “University of the Nations.”
We worked with Ulan Ode as well.
We believe this is God’s Day for the people of “the Ukraine” We
are a part of “the University of the Nations” in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.We have “hubs” centers around the world. We have seen so many
young people put their faith in Jesus Christ, it is wonderful. At this
point, it seems that God has put “Ulan Ode” on our hearts.
Need some help. We need to know more about the “spiritual
condition of the Christian students in Perm, Ulan Ode, Irkutsk,
medical needs of the orphanages. I would very much like
to hear from you.
Don Hawkinson
President, Mercy Medical Mission
.
To: my dear Professor Suhanov. Greetings from Chicago.
I hope this email finds you well and encouraged. I hav e
missed you and am anxious to hear how you are. I’m
very proud of you and the way you have served the people
of Perm. I am anxious you again. Our loving God cares so
much about people you provide surgery for and we look
forward to finding new ways to serve the wonderful people
of Irkutsk. I’m wondering if Alex Sander might be able
to provide translation between us? Let’s see if this is possible.
Here are a few websites;
orphansdream.org.
kingdomseeker, org
May our Lord be with you.
Don and Ruthie Hawkinson
Update:
Just checking in with you. We continue to educate ourselves
re: the medical needs of the children and babies of Ukraine.
As you know, Ulan Ode, Irkutsk, Perm, Kiev, are just a few of
the potential partners we need to discover re: their willingness
or desire to work together. There are about 143 million orphans
in the world. Christians in America have a special concern
to partner with those we already know. For medical reasons,
many families in America find themselves unable to have children.
Ruthie and Don Hawkinson are in that situation. We decided
to adoption children in Russia. It has been a wonderful experience
to bring children to America and placed in Christian homes.
throughout the country. His blessings, our best.
Greetings from Washington State.
To: Professor Suhanov and Dr. Sergei
It has been such along time since we have been together and
each day I think about the friendship God has given us. Being
away from each other is difficult. I think of the wonderful
care you are to to the people of Perm and I thank
God for the love you give to those in need. Hopefully, we
will have a chance to be together. Please have Dr. Alex
Sander get in touch with me. Perhaps he could be our link.
Your friend, Don Hawkinson
Open heart program in Perm. My research brings me to a
proposal. The medical technology you need is to be found
at the “Mayo Clinic Hospitals.” They have many locations
and we need to seek a relationship with them. Start with
Novosibirsk and branch out to other locations. Dr. Suhanov
is the key surgeon and our friend. The goal is to bring surgeons
from the University of Washington to perform medical
procedures for children. (cleft lip and pallet and other medical
procedures)
Please check out Novosibirsk. I think it might be a center. We
need to have a relationship with the “Mayo Clinic.” If this
could happen, it could change so much in Russia. We must not
lose focus on personalities. It’s people that mantter. My family
is as from Norway. What brings us together is our love for
Christ and His Kingdom.We long to bring healing to Russia
and Ukraine. Best regards to Mr. Putin.
From: Don Hawkinson,
My dear friends in Perm. How I have missed you. I want to
do all I can to help us develop good communications. I live
near Chicago. My phone is 480 392 0677. We need to discover
how we can have good communications between Perm and . t
the United States. I am anxious to serve you. Please contact
Dr. Alexei Sander. He can help us with communications. I will
try to establish communications between Perm and Chicago.
I’ll call the Russian Embassy in America and alert them to
our partnerships over the years. Your brother in Christ, Don
Hawkinson.
Please contact us re: your ministry.
Don Hawkinson
Missing you. Get in touch if you can. Anxious to know how things
are going in in Russia’s children. Missing you.