It’s now been more than four full weeks of war in Ukraine. Despite Russia’s escalating violence against both the Ukrainian military and civilians, and despite multiple rounds of peace talks and negotiations, there has been no clear resolution.
Fighting continues to be concentrated in southern, eastern, and northern regions. There is a great spirit of unity among Ukrainians, but also great concern as Russia’s tactics grow more ruthless. Almost four million people have now evacuated Ukraine as refugees, and millions more are displaced within Ukraine, having relocated to areas farther away from bombing and Russian occupation. UNICEF estimates that half of Ukrainian children are now displaced, living in an unfamiliar place. Please join us in praying for peace!
HOPE continues to focus on four main priorities:
- We are providing immediate support to HOPE Ukraine staff, including meeting the basic needs of relocated staff
- All of our staff are currently safe. Some of them have chosen to remain in unstable regions for personal reasons (e.g. family), but we check in with each of them daily.
- We are working through local and regional partners to provide support to Ukrainian refugees—both those who are internally displaced in Ukraine and those who are arriving in Moldova and Romania—on a limited scale.
- We are providing grace periods and repayment flexibility on all outstanding loans for HOPE Ukraine entrepreneurs.
- So far, we’ve been able to contact about 90% of the entrepreneurs we serve in Ukraine. We continue to support them however we can.
- We are working to preserve HOPE Ukraine’s ability to rebuild once the violence ends.
While we focus on these priorities, we also believe firmly that the most significant way we can support our friends in Ukraine is through prayer.
- Pray for refugees arriving into the care of our local church partners inside Ukraine and in Romania and Moldova. Some have a clear destination, but many don’t, making them vulnerable to threats like human trafficking in Western Europe.
- Pray for energy and wisdom for church volunteers caring for refugees.
- Pray for the safety of the friends, family, and neighbors of our staff members who are still located in cities under siege.
- Pray that God would sustain families whose businesses are not currently able to operate and generate income.
- Pray for military-age men—18-60—who may receive summons to join the Ukrainian armed forces.
- Pray for these specific requests from the Ukrainian entrepreneurs we serve:
- “For my wife and kids evacuating abroad.”
- “For my harvest, because part of my crop was damaged by tanks.”
- “For my relatives closer to fighting.”
- “For food and medicine supplies running low.”
- “For electricity to come back.”
- Pray for an end to the invasion in Ukraine and all violence resulting from these attacks. Pray for the forces who are defending Ukrainian cities and civilians with their lives. Pray for Russian forces to choose peace and disobey orders to advance.
We invite you to use these words to guide your prayer:
For the Human Family (taken from the Book of Common Prayer)
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Amen.
Sign up to join our monthly prayer update here. If you missed our March 9 update, you can find that here, as well as our February 24 update, here.
