Despite the fact that it is far from the front lines of the battle, Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has been repeatedly targeted by Russian missiles and drones in recent days. The war gets little attention in the Western media these days, but it is still raging. The toll on military forces has been staggering, but the toll of the war on the civilian population has been even greater. There are millions of refugees struggling to survive, and that is why our continued help is so vitally important. Thanks to the generosity of our friends and partners we’ve been able to deliver over ten million pounds of food and aid so far, but the need continues, and so our outreach must continue.

Before Michael left Ukraine, he met with a group of 30 local pastors. These courageous men are risking their lives to meet the needs of people—not just in their churches, but in their communities as well. He heard so many heartbreaking stories…looters breaking into homes and stealing everything…bodies still under the rubble of collapsed buildings…farmers having their animals stolen or shot…it goes on and on. Together we are helping the people of Ukraine in a powerful way in a time of great need. On behalf of the thousands who are being helped by generous friends like you, thank you to everyone who has made this outreach possible.

Michael stayed overnight in Kharkiv in far eastern Ukraine. Though the front lines of the battle have moved away from the city, it is still being targeted. During the night, Michael was awakened more than once by warning sirens and explosions. Russia continues to increase their attacks on civilian targets. Despite the danger, Michael took food and gifts to a number of precious children there. Please continue to pray for him and our whole team as they deliver life-saving food and supplies to hurting people in Ukraine.

Michael just sent back a report from Ukraine about his latest trip. Russia launched some of the most intense artillery attacks since the first week of the war while he has been there. He is in the Donetsk region, very near the front lines of the fighting. He told us that he has been spending extra time with the children he meets. As he has talked to them and prayed with them, he has seen firsthand the horrible toll of the grinding war on these precious little ones. Because of the love and generosity of our friends and partners, he has been able to tell them someone cares…and show them by delivering vital food and other supplies.

Michael is in Ukraine this week, delivering more food, clothing, and supplies to Jewish Holocaust survivors and Christian refugees. He is near the front lines of the fighting, and we greatly appreciate your prayers for him and the whole team. Russia has dramatically stepped up their attacks this week, not just where the fighting is hottest, but far away in places like Kyiv. The war is dragging on with a tragic human cost, and we must continue to do all we can to help.

We got a report from Kherson, Ukraine, this week that the three major grocery stores in the city had all been hit by Russian artillery and missiles…some of them more than once. This is a deliberate attempt to spread fear and hunger in the Ukrainian people. Very few outside humanitarian organizations are helping in places like this, but thanks to your love and generosity, we are. We are working with Jewish community groups and churches and refugee centers to deliver vital aid. Michael will be returning to Ukraine again next week, taking the life-saving help friends like you provide.

After a few weeks of relative calm in the capital city of Kyiv, the air raid sirens are going off again and again as Russia launches a new wave of missile and drone attacks. Fighting is intensifying in the eastern part of the country as well. Ukraine is trying to mount a counterattack to drive back the invading Russian armies. And trapped in between are innocent men, women, and children. The precious people of Ukraine, Jews and Christians alike, are in desperate need right now. Electrical service remains spotty at best. Running water is a luxury many can only remember. And food is hard to find at any price. That’s why we’re still helping. That’s why we need your help right now.

Father, I pray right now for Holocaust survivors living in Ukraine who are impoverished. They’ve suffered unspeakable hell, going through the Holocaust as children. And now they’re suffering unspeakable hell in the midst of a war where Putin wants to “de-Nazify” Ukraine and has been commissioned as the exorcist to “de-Satanize” Ukraine.

I also pray for the Jewish orphans in Ukraine who have no mother or father and the millions of Ukrainians who are homeless now, living in church basements or Sunday school rooms, and especially the Christian believers and refugees in Ukraine. You’ve said in Psalm 103:13, “As a Father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, your Word says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” The Bible says You went through the towns and villages and were filled with compassion. You said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).

Lord, I pray that You speak to every person’s heart who is reading this prayer and that they’ll be moved with compassion by the Holy Spirit to answer the prayers of traumatized Jews and Christians in Ukraine who are homeless and hungry, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Since Mother’s Day last year, tens of thousands of Ukrainian mothers have buried their sons or husbands. Hundreds of thousands have seen their sons or husbands wounded in the fighting. Millions have been forced from their homes. There won’t be much for them to celebrate this year. We must reach out to them with love and comfort. Michael is going back to Ukraine next month. I know he would rather spend Mother’s Day at home with his mom, and with Jessica and their four beautiful children. But we have received so many urgent calls for help, and we cannot turn away.

There has been a lot in the news recently about leaked documents regarding the situation in Ukraine. The reports indicate that things are even worse in Ukraine than most people think or is being reported in the news. The people of Ukraine have fought courageously for their country, holding the Russians largely at bay. Yet critical shortages of military gear, weapons, ammunition, and manpower threaten to undermine Ukraine’s fight. Beyond that, there is not enough food, clean water, or electricity, and millions of refugees are living on the brink. That’s why we’ve been working so hard to help meet the urgent needs of the precious people of Ukraine…and that’s why we can’t stop now.

This week the international charity organization Save the Children released a heartbreaking report that they have identified 501 children who have been killed since the Russian invasion in February of 2022. Sadly, they believe that there are far more…those are just the ones they have been able to verify. The war is taking its greatest toll on those who are most vulnerable. The very young and the very old have suffered greatly. We’ve been able to do a great deal to help thanks to our friends and partners, but there is still so much more that needs to be done…so many people still in urgent need.

Most people thought the Russian invasion of Ukraine could be averted. Most people thought that after the war started, it would be over quickly. Neither proved to be true. As the war drags into its second year with no clear end in sight, the staggering toll being taken on the people of Ukraine continues to mount. Millions have been driven from their homes. Tens of thousands have been killed or injured in the fighting. A nation’s infrastructure is being systematically destroyed. Of course, we pray for peace to come, but we are also putting feet to our prayers. That’s why we continue to deliver truck after truck filled with food and emergency supplies to the suffering people of Ukraine…and that’s why we continue to need your help.

Most modern wars between nations have tended to be short, lasting only a few weeks or even a few days. Yet the war in Ukraine has now lasted 13 months. When the war started, most people expected it to end quickly. There was little planning for the devastating impact of a lingering conflict. As a result, millions of refugees have fled the country while millions of others have lost their homes and nearly everything they own. When the store shelves are empty, when the electricity doesn’t work, when the sound of warning sirens is a constant, the toll is great. We are reaching out in Christian love to the precious people of Ukraine to meet their urgent humanitarian needs and show them they are not alone, and this is only possible because friends like you have joined us in this great cause.

As the war in Ukraine continues to drag on into its second year, the damage and devastation continue to spread. It’s not headline news day after day like it was when the war started. But the people whose homes were destroyed still need somewhere to live. The people who have no place to buy food still need something to eat. The people who are shivering in the cold still need something to keep them warm. And we are continuing to respond to these urgent needs thanks to the love and generous compassion of our friends and partners.

This week Russia launched a massive missile assault on Ukraine, using more advanced weaponry including the hypersonic Khinzal cruise missile. Attacks on Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv brought widespread power outages far from the front lines of the battle. The larger and faster missiles were used to strike infrastructure targets, including a major energy plant near Kyiv. As the war drags on, and people become accustomed to hearing the dreadful reports, it’s easy to become numb to the suffering and destruction, but we must not. Day after day the need grows, and thanks to generous friends and partners, day after day, we are there to help meet it.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this week that this has been “the most difficult winter” in Ukraine’s history. The bitter cold and snow added to the misery of those living without heat or enough food to eat. Millions of refugees have been forced to struggle just to stay alive. And the help that generous friends like you have provided—now more than 7 million pounds of food along with blankets, generators, and so much more—has literally been the difference between life and death for so many. The war continues, and the need for our help also continues…and we will not stop doing all we can to bless the people of Ukraine.

It was one year ago that Russia crossed the border into Ukraine. In that year, tens of thousands of people have been killed. Millions have been driven from their homes. A nation lies in shambles, and innocent men, women, and children are struggling to survive. I was in Ukraine with Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen this week. We took food, blankets, and supplies to the Jewish community in Kyiv and met with the leaders of the country. Very few people thought Ukraine would survive for a year, but the people are still fighting to defend their country. Our help is needed now more than ever as the war drags on.

With the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion almost here and with the end of winter in sight, everyone knows that a new wave of attacks is about to start. Russia has mobilized hundreds of thousands more soldiers to bolster its attempt to conquer Ukraine. The people are suffering in ways you can’t imagine—cold, tired, hungry, scared, and so often, isolated and alone. I’m asking you today to pray for the people of Ukraine in a special way.

Since I’ve been here in Kyiv, Ukraine, I’ve grown accustomed to warning sirens sounding day and night. Though we are far from the front lines of the battle between the armies, civilian targets, including Ukraine’s capital city, continue to be attacked. The day I arrived, there were more than 30 such attacks. Many of them are from drones Russia received from Iran that are being used to bomb critical infrastructure like power and water plants. The toll these constant attacks have taken on the precious people here is heartbreaking. I am here as your voice of hope and love, and I ask that you pray for the people of Ukraine in a special way right now.

After spending ten days in Israel in high-level meetings with military and political leaders, I flew to Washington, D.C. There I met with a number of Senators and Representatives, as well as ambassadors, including Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States. The threats facing Israel are global, not just local, and the events unfolding in Ukraine, particularly the growing partnership between Russia and Iran, directly affect the security of the Jewish state and the Jewish people. That’s why I’m in Kyiv now for one of the most important meetings I’ve ever had. Please pray for me…as soon as I can I will share the details.

While Michael was in Ukraine, he visited the home of a precious lady named Jane. Though Kyiv is far from the front lines of the fighting, her home has been damaged again and again by shrapnel from explosions. Even in the cold of winter, all she has for a roof is a plastic tarp to replace what was destroyed. Michael was able to deliver food and blankets to her because friends like you made it possible for him to be there. This is exactly why we’re in Ukraine.

Dozens of times in the past few days someone in Ukraine said, “Thank you.” The food, blankets, medicine, generators, and more that we just delivered are literally the difference between life and death for so many precious people. Even though they were expressing their gratitude to me, they were really thanking you. It is only because friends like you have stepped forward to respond to the largest humanitarian crisis of our lifetimes that we have been able to provide this urgently needed help. We’ve now delivered more than seven million pounds of food, but the need continues to grow as the war drags on. Please don’t turn away from the urgent needs in Ukraine.

It’s cold here in Ukraine with winter in full swing. Snow is predicted for four of the next five days in Kharkiv. What are people going to do when the snow falls and they have no electricity, no power, and no heat? Together we are answering that question, bringing not only food and other supplies but also vitally needed generators to keep precious people alive during the bitter cold of winter. Our help is the only help many of these people are receiving, and we must not let them down.

Today is day 350 of the war in Ukraine. When I was here at this time last year, there was still hope that the war could be averted. Now everything has changed. Everywhere I look I see the signs of the devastation brought by the Russian invasion. Even in the western part of the country, far away from the front lines, the effect of Russian missiles (and the drones they got from Iran) is visible. Things are even worse than they were when I was here just before Christmas. I am about to go east to the battle zone with the food, blankets, and supplies your love and generosity provided for the cold and starving refugees. Please pray and stand with us in this vital outreach of Christian love.

In one of the villages where our teams have been delivering supplies (name withheld for security reasons), the Russians are gone, but the scars are left behind. A number of residents were executed, and many others remain missing. Attempts to dig for graves to determine who the victims might be are being hindered by the fact that so many land mines were left behind. Natalya, a 36-year-old woman in the village said, “If there was a hell, it was here.” These are people your love and generosity are helping. The food, generators, and supplies we deliver are the only help many of them are getting as the war drags on.

The decision by NATO and the U.S. to send battle tanks to Ukraine for the first time is a huge boost to the military. But for the millions of refugees who are shivering and starving, it is little comfort. The scope of the humanitarian disaster in Ukraine is beyond anything we have seen before in our lifetimes. Michael will be going to Ukraine again in just a few days to deliver the next load of food, warm blankets, winter clothing, and generators. This massive relief effort is only possible because generous friends like you have provided the resources for the outreach.

This week, Russia’s former president, Dmitry Medvedev issued a stark warning: “Nuclear powers have never lost major conflicts on which their fate depends.” As nations in the West provide Ukraine with more advanced weaponry to defend their country, the Russian advantage is decreasing. Having a major political figure and Putin ally talking openly about escalating the war to a nuclear conflict is terrifying. The people of Ukraine are suffering enormous hardship from the continued Russian attacks with conventional weapons. That is why we are doing so much to help—to provide food, warm clothing, generators, and more—at this time of danger and desperate need.  

Ukrainian officials announced this week that one of the more than 70 Russian rockets, drones, and missiles fired in the Kherson region hit the maternity hospital in Kherson. The indiscriminate attacks aimed at civilian targets have intensified in recent days, as Russian forces have failed to make gains against Ukraine’s army. Our teams on the ground continue to deliver food, warm clothing, and generators to the cities and towns in the war zones where it is needed most. The cold of winter is making our help even more important, and together, we are touching hearts and saving lives. Poor Jewish Holocaust survivors have food to eat today because of friends like you, and with your continued help, we will make sure they have something to eat tomorrow as well.

The brutal war in Ukraine continues to drag on.  When Michael was in Kharkiv just before Christmas to host a special party for more than 1,000 Ukrainian children, there were 72 rocket attacks in one day.  That’s not unusual…it’s been going on for more than ten months now.  Because of Russia’s targeted attacks on the electrical grid, half of the remaining population of Ukraine is without regular power.  With the bitter winter now in full swing, the food, warm clothing, blankets, and generators we continue to provide are literally the difference between life and death for so many.

I’m pretty sure you’ve never had an air siren go off at a Christmas party…but Michael did as he finished up blessing 1,000 Ukrainian children with food, toys, and gifts to help them have a merry Christmas despite all that is going on. He was very close to the front lines, and the warning of an attack came before he even left the building. Shortly after the event concluded, I spoke with him, and he told me that there was no heat in the building where the children’s party was held and that air raid sirens were continually going off. He said, “I’ve been cold for so long I can’t feel my feet, and my fingertips hurt.”

76 missiles landed last night in the city of Kharkiv; the entire city is dark with no power. This is where Michael will hold the Christmas party this weekend for 1,000 children in a massive bomb shelter underground. Michael has gone to Ukraine by faith. He said to me, “Dad, with my four young children, it’s so hard to leave during this Christmas season, but there are 1,000 children that need help and are suffering.” I wept as I prayed for him and said, “Son, I am so proud of you. Jesus is so proud of you, and our precious partners are so proud of you.”

This week, in the midst of winter cold, more than 500 Ukrainian towns and villages were without power. This is the result of deliberate and continued Russian attacks on the power grid. The hardest hit region is around Kharkiv, one of the places Michael will be going in just a few days.

The war in Ukraine has been going on for forty weeks now, and the human toll is staggering. Millions of people have been driven from their homes. Millions are living as refugees without reliable electricity and water. As you read this, people in Ukraine are melting snow so they have something to drink. The toll is greatest of all on the children. Two weeks from now, Michael will be hosting a special Christmas party for 1,000 Ukrainian children near the war zone in the eastern part of the country. 

Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister said recently that the Russians are carrying out a “genocidal campaign to freeze Ukrainians to death, to deprive Ukrainians of electricity.” Russia is not having much success in the fighting between armies, but they are having a devastating impact on the Ukrainian people. Winter has arrived in Ukraine, and the lack of electricity is a deadly threat—one that we can and must do something about.

Ukrainian authorities say their air defense system brought down a Russian Kh-55 missile near Kyiv. This is a terrifying development because those are the missiles Russia uses for nuclear warheads. This missile had a dummy warhead. It was not immediately clear whether this was done to test Ukraine’s defenses or whether it was supposed to have carried a conventional explosive instead. But in either case, it is one sign of the growing danger and threat…and one more reminder of how desperately our help is needed right now.

Precious Ukrainian children are not exempt from the suffering that has gripped their nation. They’re too young to understand why they had to leave home, why there are always loud explosions nearby, and why the adults in their lives are so worried and scared. But they’re not too young to understand love. On his last trip to Ukraine Michael was able to show God’s love—and your love—to so many of these precious little ones. They are precious to God, and they are precious to us, and we are doing all we can to help them.

Despite the fighting and the danger—many of them have received death threats—a number of Ukrainian pastors have refused to flee. Instead, they’ve turned their churches into places of hope and refuge. Thousands of refugees are living in Sunday school classrooms and fellowship halls. We wanted to do something special for these precious and courageous men and their wives. Michael hosted a pastors’ conference for more than 100 of them, ministering to them and praying for them. You made it possible for us to bless these pastors and encourage them in their vital work.

The impact of continued and repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power system is taking a huge toll. Michael is in Ukraine as your voice of help and hope, and he is seeing much more widespread power outages than before. This is a life and death crisis because the brutal winter—when temperatures can drop to 20 below zero, and 20 inches of snow can fall in a single day—is about to start. Now more than ever, we must stand with the suffering people of Ukraine.

It’s hard to believe, but the war in Ukraine has been going on for more than eight months now. The terrible toll of the drawn-out conflict has created the largest humanitarian crisis of our lifetime. Millions of people in Ukraine have been driven from their homes, and many of them will never be able to return because those homes—and sometimes entire towns and villages—have been destroyed. They are in desperate need of help, and that’s why we’re working so hard to be God’s hands and feet of love in action to them.

I just heard from Michael in Ukraine, and what he is seeing is heartbreaking. The Ukrainian people are fighting a new war now—not with bullets and tanks and armies—but a war against cold and hunger. They urgently need more food, more blankets, and especially more generators…and I want to send word that we will provide them, but I can’t do that unless friends like you provide the resources so we can purchase and deliver what they need so much right now.

The escalation of Russian attacks on major Ukrainian cities this week has made being in the country even more dangerous. As you know, Michael is there right now with our latest delivery of food, blankets, and generators—not hiding in a bomb shelter, but heading where the fighting is heaviest, and the need is greatest. So, I’m asking you today to pray for him in a special way and for our whole team that is meeting the urgent needs of precious refugees who have lost everything.

Michael asked someone in Ukraine what they wanted most for Christmas. The shocking reply: food and warmth! More than 4,000,000 people in Ukraine who still have power have had it restricted to deal with the impact of the Russian attacks, and millions more have no power at all. They need the most basic necessities of life, and that is what we are joining hands together to provide for them.

Israeli Prime Minister Lapid responded to news reports of Iranian troops fighting with the Russians in Ukraine, saying this partnership puts “the whole world in danger.” He’s not wrong. What we are seeing unfolding in the tragedy in Ukraine is not limited to that war-torn country. Seeds are being sown that will produce a bitter harvest. And the plight of the precious people in Ukraine just keeps getting worse and worse.

A shocking news report this week revealed that Iranian Revolutionary Guard special forces have joined the Russian troops as “advisers” to help use the deadly drones purchased from Iran. These have been the main tool of Russian attacks in recent days, and it is believed that Iranian soldiers are flying the drones as they launch attacks on Ukraine. This is an outrageous reminder of the deadly threat Iran poses—not just to Israel, but to the entire Western world.

As Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid continue to intensify, there are now more than 1,000 towns and villages across the country without electrical power. While some of these places are in or near the war zones, many are much further away. The impact of these attacks will leave millions of people without reliable electricity…which means that millions of people will have no heat for the winter. This is a massive crisis, and we must respond.

The latest wave of drone and missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities far from the front lines of the battle are having a devastating impact. President Zelensky announced that 30% of the nation’s power stations have been destroyed in the last eight days. As a result, power outages and rolling blackouts across the country have become common. This is a deadly threat with the cold of winter fast approaching.

Russia is using more and more kamikaze drones in attacks on Ukraine…drones they got from Iran on the cheap. Authorities say they are paying just $20,000 each for the drones packed with explosives. That compares to about $2,000,000 for a cruise missile. Russia has purchased thousands of these deadly weapons from Iran, and they are using them indiscriminately on Ukraine’s civilian population, including targeting the capital city of Kyiv repeatedly. This is yet another escalation in the deadly war that has now dragged on for almost eight months.

When your pastor went to the pulpit yesterday morning, I’m pretty sure he wasn’t worried about death threats made against him. But that’s what hundreds of Ukrainian pastors had to face—not just when they went to church but every day. And these aren’t just empty words—a pastor in Russian-occupied Mariupol was kidnapped from his home by armed gunman this past week. We are reaching out to these courageous leaders who have refused to flee, and Michael and I will be hosting a special conference for them when we go in November with our next delivery of food, generators, and emergency supplies. I can’t think of a better way for us to show God’s love in action.

Russia has unleashed a new wave of deadly attacks, using kamikaze drones packed with explosives that they got from Iran in their strikes on Ukraine’s civilian population. That’s where Michael is going in just a few days, despite the risks, to minister to the hurting people of Ukraine. No other American minister has been to the front lines more and thanks to your help, this next trip will bring us to 3,000,000 pounds of food and supplies delivered! What a powerful witness of Christian
love in action.

The news this week from Ukraine has been grim. Despite some success on the battlefields, the massive Russian attacks on civilian targets, especially the power grid, have left the people far from the front lines scrambling to prepare for what is to come. Already power is out or being restricted in many places, and it is getting much harder to find food and other essentials for life. Our help right now matters so much—not just to the people of Ukraine, but to Jewish people everywhere, echoing all around the world with an unmistakable voice of Christian love.

The latest round of Russian attacks, aimed at Ukraine’s power generating and transmission system, has had devastating results. Coupled with earlier damage, it is believed that some 60% of Ukraine’s power grid is not functioning right now. This is a deadly threat, and it is being done on purpose for that very reason. That makes our delivery of generators along with the food and emergency supplies even more important.

Commenting on Russian threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, President Biden remarked that the world faces the “prospect of Armageddon” and a threat of nuclear war not seen since the Cuban missile crisis more than 60 years ago. Though Ukraine is far away, and it’s easy to think the horrible situation there doesn’t impact us, it does…and that means we need to be praying—and working—to help those in need.

A leading Russian political scientist this week issued a report highlighting the toll the war is taking on both Ukraine and Russia. His dismal conclusion was that there is almost no chance for a peaceful settlement. As the war nears the eight-month mark, the impact on the people of Ukraine is staggering…and we must not fail to do all we can to help these precious people who have lost so much and been left with so little.

The recent success of the Ukrainian military in pushing back Russia’s invasion has given some people hope that the fighting will end soon. But even as we continue to pray for peace, I am left with this question: what if those prayers were answered? There would still be millions of Ukrainians who have no home they can return to…millions who have lost everything they owned except what they could carry. These precious people need our help today, and they will need our help tomorrow.

Over the weekend, Russian artillery attacked eight different regions in Ukraine in just 24 hours. Though the Ukrainian troops have made some progress reclaiming territory lost in the initial wave of attacks, the power of Russia’s military can be unleashed at any time…and it is, with the Ukrainian people paying the price. There aren’t any safe places in Ukraine right now, but thanks to the love and generosity of friends like you, there are places people can go for help.

Reports this week indicated that Russia has stepped up use in the southern part of Ukraine of the Shahed-136 military drones they got from Iran. Some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war has already ravaged this region, driving millions from their homes and leaving complete destruction behind. The strategic partnership between Iran and Russia is not just a threat to Ukraine, but to Israel as well. We must continue to do all that we can to help the suffering people who are facing this great evil.

The announcement that Russia is annexing the four partly or mostly occupied regions of eastern Ukraine following a referendum that supposedly expressed the desire of the people living there to join Russia is the most dangerous thing that’s happened in Ukraine so far. Russia will claim any attacks by Ukrainian forces as an act of aggression against their homeland, thus justifying an even harsher military response. It is not by accident that prominent Russian officials have been talking so much about using nuclear weapons. This is a crisis moment, and the people of Ukraine urgently need your prayers…and your help.

In southern and eastern parts of Ukraine being held by Russian forces, an “election” is being held on whether they should officially become part of Russia. The outcome of the “voting” is not in doubt. The numbers that are reported will certainly show overwhelming support for the proposal. What those who braved the danger to vote actually wanted will not matter. This is nothing less than a political escalation of war, and it could quickly lead to an expansion of the military war, with Russia pouring even more troops into the beleaguered country. Putin is using every means at his disposal to win the war, and the Ukrainian people are paying the highest price. Please pray for them today, and know that we are standing with them, taking help to those who need it most.

Most of us worry a lot more about losing weight than about whether there will be anything to eat or not. The truth is we take food for granted. But the people of Ukraine don’t have that luxury right now. Many of them have lost everything, and the store shelves are empty. That’s why your love and generosity are so important. Together we are reaching out to them in Christian love and providing what they need most. Together we are giving them both help and hope in an hour of need.

The food, medicine, and emergency supplies your love and generous support are sending into Ukraine—we’ve now delivered more than 2,000,000 pounds of food!—are touching hearts and lives. The help is vital. Many of these precious people are completely dependent on the help of others to survive. They’ve lost everything in the war. But the hope you provide is just as important, and we thank you for being part of this great outreach of Christian love.

On my last trip to Ukraine, I heard from several people about the work God is doing in their lives. Someone told me that while he had always viewed God as an indefinite spiritual concept, now he has seen God acting in physical ways in the real way, and he believes God is real. That story is being repeated again and again across Ukraine, and it is thanks to our wonderfully generous friends and partners who are truly being the hands and feet of God’s love to hurting hearts.

We just took our 40th truckload of food and supplies into Ukraine…that’s 2,000,000 pounds of food! I’m so thankful for every friend who has helped make this possible. But there are so many people in need that even thousands of pounds of food are passed out almost as quickly as we can unload it. Our partner church in Odesa is helping 1,500 people every day. You are truly making a difference with your support. God bless you for caring for “the least of these.”

The food that your love and generosity are providing in Ukraine means so much to these precious people. They simply have nowhere else to turn for help. Even those who have money, and sadly many do not, cannot buy food when there is nothing in the stores. But together we are showing them God’s love in action and meeting their urgent needs in this hour of crisis and danger.

More than on any of his previous trips, Michael has seen people in panic on this visit to Ukraine. As the war continues, people are getting more desperate. And they’re getting less help. The truth is that very few are willing to go into the war zones to bring food, medicine, warm clothing, blankets, and generators. They say it’s too dangerous. Michael’s question is, “How soon can we come back?” He’ll be leaving Ukraine shortly, but his heart is staying behind. Winter is coming soon, and without power for heat, people will die unless we respond.

The U.S. State Department has warned U.S. citizens not to travel to Ukraine. Michael went anyway. He is in Ukraine right now as your ambassador of hope and help, delivering another huge shipment of food and emergency supplies. He said, “The Jerusalem Prayer Team has been helping in Ukraine for over a decade, especially impoverished Holocaust survivors and Jewish orphans. I will not turn my back on them now.”

This week the United Nations released a horrifying report that the Russians have been sending thousands of Ukrainian children out of the country to be adopted and raised in Russia. I’ve seen these precious children, given them candy bars, and prayed with them. They deserve the chance to grow up in their own country—and they and all the people of Ukraine need our help so much.

Michael rode from Poland into Ukraine on truck number 40, part of a massive convoy delivering the food your love and generosity have made possible. Please pray for our entire team as they make this trip deep into the country. Very few people are providing relief in the war zone, but your love and compassion are making a difference for those who need help the most right now.

This week Russia is conducting a massive military exercise called Vostok 2022, which includes thousands of troops from China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua, and Syria. The danger of the war in Ukraine spreading is real, and the people of Ukraine are in urgent need of our help because of all they have endured.

The ongoing fighting around the largest nuclear power plant in Europe is a grim threat to more than just the people of Ukraine. When the plant was disconnected from the power grid briefly last week, the threat of a meltdown came terrifyingly close to becoming reality. The fighting may be far away, but the implications touch us all…and we each have a role to play in the response.

The announcement this week of a massive increase in Russia’s military personnel sparked fears among analysts that Russia is planning for the war in Ukraine to drag on into winter and even beyond. As bad as what’s already happened has been, what is coming next may be even worse, and we must continue to respond.

On Wednesday Ukraine had its Independence Day, marking their separation from the Soviet Union in 1991. The Russians “celebrated” the day by attacking civilian targets, including a train station, leaving dozens killed and injured. The awful human toll of this war is beyond belief, and we must do all we can to help.

The news this week that Chinese troops are going to Russia for joint military exercises was a stark reminder of the ways war can spread. The largest wars the world has ever seen started with localized conflicts that dragged into another country. It is also a reminder of the overwhelming force being directed not just at the military forces but also at the people of Ukraine. They need our help now more than ever.

It was 180 days ago that the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. At the time almost no one expected the fighting to be still going on half a year later. But today the bombs are still falling, the artillery shells are still being fired, and civilian as well as military targets are still being hit. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country, but millions more are living as refugees inside Ukraine. Our six City of Refuge storehouses in the eastern and southern parts of the country where the fighting is heaviest are a vital resource to thousands of people who have no other place to turn for help. Please understand how deeply we appreciate every friend and partner who has made this massive aid outreach possible…and please understand that the needs continue.

A staggering United Nations report this week revealed the scope of the humanitarian crisis where nearly 18 million people are in need of aid. “Millions of people across the country have endured months of intense hostilities without adequate access to food, water, health care, education, protection and other essential services,” the report said. “Massive destruction of civilian infrastructure has left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without their homes or livelihoods.” We must continue to do all we can to help respond to this massive humanitarian crisis.

Though it’s still very hot here, and it feels like summer will never end, we are now less than two months away from the average first frost date in parts of Ukraine. For those refugees who have no electricity, the coming of winter is a deadly threat. The brutal Ukrainian winters can easily see the temperatures reach twenty below zero. That’s why we’re adding diesel generators and coats and blankets to our next shipments of relief supplies.

Russia and Ukraine each blamed the other for the shelling of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe this week. Thankfully, none of the reactors or radiation storage areas were hit. But it highlights the grave danger the war poses, and the grave danger facing the Ukrainian people day after day. Though the war is far away from us, it is still impacting our lives, and we must do our part to help those who are suffering so very much.

Ukrainian officials revealed this week that the already battered power grid may take another hit if Russian troops follow through with disconnecting the nuclear power plant they have occupied. This would leave even less power available to suffering Ukrainians, and while it isn’t winter yet, very soon the lack of heat will become a literal matter of life and death as the cold descends. All of this is on top of the lack of food and other basic necessities of life. For millions of Ukrainian refugees, we are the light of hope…and we must keep that light shining brightly.

Location authenticated video released this week showed Russian military vehicles and troops operating at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The risks of a catastrophe due to an accidental or intentional explosion there are beyond description—but the invaders simply don’t seem to care. The toll that the war is taking on the people of Ukraine is tragic, and rather than getting better, the threats continue to grow. We must keep on doing all we can to help meet the needs of those who are suffering right now.

The terror masters in Iran have sent word to their proxies to strike Israel…and hundreds of rockets have been fired at innocent Jewish men, women, and children. We’re responding to meet the needs there just as we have done for years each time war breaks out. But the same thing is happening in Ukraine, where it is Russian rockets falling. Tens of thousands of people have been left without power, food, and the basic necessities of life. That’s why on our next trip to Ukraine in a few weeks, we’re going to take diesel generators and winter clothing, as well as food.

A report this week from a Ukrainian soldier fighting to defend the eastern town of Pisky revealed that the Russians are firing more than 6,000 rockets and artillery shells at the Ukrainian forces every single day. By some estimates, up to 1,000 Ukrainians are being killed or wounded every day in attacks across the country. Things are not much better for civilians who are facing hunger along with danger. We are reaching out to them in love thanks to the help of our generous friends and partners.

For a number of weeks now, various observers have declared that Russia is about to run out of something—soldiers, tanks, bombs, or artillery shells—that will curtail or even end the fighting. Yet this week brings the sad news from Ukraine that rather than lessening them, the Russians have intensified their attacks. More Ukrainian cities and civilian targets are being hit day after day. And as hard as it is to believe, things are getting even worse in that war-torn country. Our teams on the ground are doing everything they can to meet one of the largest humanitarian disasters in the modern era. As long as the fighting continues, we will keep touching the lives of precious people in need.

It’s not just the freedom of the Jewish people in Ukraine that Russia is threatening. The Russian government has ordered the Jewish Agency to stop operations…to stop helping Jewish people who want to immigrate to Israel. While it is not certain what caused this action, some indications are that it is in retaliation for Israel’s support of Ukraine. Whatever the reason, it is a real problem for Russian Jews and yet another indicator of how serious the threats in the region have become.

The government of Ukraine released a shocking report this week that nearly 200 churches, synagogues, and mosques have been destroyed by the Russians during their indiscriminate attacks. The attacks of the Russians are not just directed at Ukraine’s military. Instead, they often hit civilian targets, and even houses of worship and prayer are not exempt. This brutal reality highlights the vital importance of our work in Ukraine as we shine a bright light of hope and help to hurting hearts.

We’ve gotten reports from our team on the ground in Kharkiv that the city, which had been relatively quiet for weeks now, has been rocked by a series of heavy Russian artillery and rocket attacks. The renewed attacks came the same week that Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement to allow grain to be exported. Some people thought the deal was a hopeful sign that the fighting would abate, but the renewed attacks proved otherwise. Please continue to pray for our courageous team members who are working in the most dangerous parts of Ukraine to distribute the help your generosity has provided.k region of Ukraine—where the fiercest fighting is happening right now. This is our commitment, to go where we are most needed. Our storehouses are providing truly lifesaving help to people in urgent need. Friends like you make this and all of our work in Ukraine possible.

One of the trucks loaded with 20 tons of food and emergency supplies we sent out this week went to the Donetsk region of Ukraine—where the fiercest fighting is happening right now. This is our commitment, to go where we are most needed. Our storehouses are providing truly lifesaving help to people in urgent need. Friends like you make this and all of our work in Ukraine possible.

This week we’ll deliver three more trucks loaded with 20 tons of food each. This brings us to one million pounds of food delivered—not to the border areas, but deep inside the country of Ukraine. Our City of Refuge storehouses are located in the east and south of the country, the very places facing the most severe attacks. There are men, women, and children alive today because of the food and supplies friends like you made possible for us to take to them. You are making a huge difference…and as wonderful as everything that’s been done so far has been, we’re still going full speed ahead. This is not a place to stop. It’s a wonderful place to start the next outreach of love and compassion to the people of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin rarely leaves his country, but this week he traveled to Tehran to meet the mullahs who rule Iran. U.S. intelligence has already revealed that Iran is providing drones for Russia to use in Ukraine. Deeper ties between Russia and Iran are a dangerous sign for Ukraine…and for Israel. The radicals who run Iran have made no secret of their aims to attack Israel, and Russia has plenty of advanced military gear that Iran could use. This meeting highlights the vital importance of our work, both for Ukraine and for Israel as well.

Satellite imagery has detected that some 1400 bodies were buried in a mass cemetery in Mariupol, Ukraine, where bitter fighting with Russian forces dragged on for weeks. No one knows how many of these people were civilians. No one knows the names that go with each new grave. But the families of those who were lost are grieving, and those who remain alive are still in desperate need of assistance.

The Russian missile attack on the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia this week—far from the fighting in the east and south of the country—highlighted the grim truth that there is no safe place anywhere in Ukraine. Yet despite the dangers, our teams on the ground at our City of Refuge storehouses continue to provide help and hope…thanks to the compassion and generosity of friends like you. The needs continue, and even though we have already done so much, we must do more.

The news this week that Iran is planning to send hundreds of surveillance and combat drones to Russia for use in Ukraine is a grim reminder of the deadly threats facing the Ukrainian people…and a grim reminder of the threat posed by Iran. These same drones are a constant threat to Israel as well, and the willingness of Iran to send so many to Russia is a stark statement of their capacity to spread death and destruction. In the face of this evil, we must continue to do all we can to help the suffering people of Ukraine.

I was told that Russia made a list of Jewish people after they began the war against Ukraine, which they call the de-Nazification of Ukraine, and accused the president of Ukraine (who is Jewish) of being a Nazi. Now they are using that list to crack down on people fleeing the country. This is a deadly threat, and we are increasing our efforts to help as many people as possible to escape before it’s too late…but we can’t do it without you. I was named after my great grandfather, Rabbi Mikel Katz-Nelson, who was burned to death in his synagogue with 2,000 Jews. The cantor rabbi was the grandfather of the ninth president of Israel, Shimon Peres, who was our chairman of Friends of Zion until his death. Because of what I am seeing and hearing, my great fear is that another pogrom is coming. Tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Jews could be killed. We’ve got to get them out of Ukraine to Israel before it’s too late.

This week brought news of an increase in Russian missile and artillery attacks on towns in eastern Ukraine. As Russian troops continue to grind their way forward, leaving death and destruction in their wake, the toll on the Ukrainian people grows ever higher…and their needs grow ever greater. So many friends have helped us do so much to meet these needs, but we can’t stop now when things are getting worse. We must do all we can to help, and we can’t do that without you.

Yesterday we celebrated the birthday of America, and I couldn’t help thinking of the people from other countries who did so much to help the colonies become a nation. From France, from Spain, from across Europe, people came to join the fight for freedom. As I thought of that, I thought about how you and I are helping the people of Ukraine as they fight against the Russian invasion of their country. The help that we are providing means so much to them, and I wanted you to know how grateful we are that you have made it all possible.

Like you, I’ve been to stores and shopping malls lots of times. Never once in all those trips have I worried about the mall being hit by a missile attack. But that’s what happened in Ukraine this week when at least 20 people were killed when Russian rockets hit the mall in Kremenchuk in central Ukraine. This was just after Michael left the country, and it is yet another grim reminder of the toll the war is taking on the Ukrainian people…and a reminder of why our work is so vitally important right now.

Michael met this young boy who had found part of a rocket (based on the construction and size it is believed these rockets are being fired by Syrian mercenaries that the Russians have brought in to fight against Ukraine) in the backyard of his home. The war in Ukraine has no battle lines or safe places…it rages not just at military targets and installations, but at homes, businesses, and civilians as well. This is why our help is so urgently needed right now, and thanks to your love and support, we are there with the help these precious people need.

All across eastern Ukraine, you find shrapnel, unexploded rockets, and even land mines. There aren’t any safe places in Ukraine right now. Even after the fighting finally stops, the people there are going to spend years cleaning up and rebuilding from the destruction. But today they aren’t thinking about that…they’re wondering where the next meal will come from. Thanks to friends like you, we’re delivering food and supplies and making a real difference when they need it most.

In a small Ukrainian village that had been occupied by Russian troops before they were driven back, Michael met a group of young children. They have endured great hardship, yet they still smile. What has happened to them and so many others is awful, but thanks to the help of our friends and partners, we were able to provide them with food, supplies, and even small gifts to make their lives better. This is truly reaching “the least of these” in Christian love.

Michael met this precious 95-year-old lady who has been living in a bomb shelter just three miles from Ukraine’s border with Russia. She has been jammed in that shelter with more than 100 other people, and they’ve been there for four months now. Despite all she has endured, she has not given up hope. And thanks to the love and generosity of our friends and partners, we’ve been able to provide food and supplies for her and so many others. But there is still so much that needs to be done.

The news from Ukraine this week has been grim indeed. The reports I’ve gotten from Michael on the ground in the eastern part of the country where the war is raging most confirm what the media is saying. The people of Ukraine are suffering greatly because of the war, and the war has taken a turn for the worse for them. We must do all we can to help. That’s why Michael has been in the country to deliver the food you provided…and why we must continue to reach out in love while there is still time.

We can’t give you the full details for security reasons, as things continue to get worse in Ukraine, but tomorrow Michael Evans will be very close to the Russian border, delivering another load of food and supplies to people who desperately need them. Please pray for him and our whole team on this dangerous trip. And please continue to help us so that we can keep on delivering the help and hope the people of Ukraine so desperately need right now.