Ira (Kyiv)
When the full-scale war just started, we wanted to hope it would be over in a few weeks. Then we were praying it would be over by Easter. Now, we pray it will be over by the end of summer, but the time keeps stretching. According to the US Intelligence expectations, Russia is going to prolong the war and switch to a crawl in order to exhaust Ukraine and the rest of the world. Putin thinks that by winter, people will get tired of hearing about the war, and they will be annoyed with the inconvenience of the war (higher prices, food shortage, immigration crisis – all of this will impact the world, not just Ukraine). He hopes to get everything he wants, adding more nuclear war threats.

Please, pray for the world not to give up on Ukraine. If you look at the map, you will see how many European countries immediately depend on the outcome of the war on Ukraine. If Russia completely occupies the South of Ukraine, they will have a clear passage to “Transnistria,” the part of Moldova under Russian occupation since 1992, and a doorway to further occupation of Moldova. If Russia gets to the western border of Ukraine, it will not stop there. The Soviet Union occupied part of Poland in 1939, and Russia has been hinting at getting revenge on Poland for helping Ukraine. Since Belarus is de-facto a tool in the hands of Russia and its territory is used for attacks on Ukraine, it is only a matter of time until its territory is used to facilitate invasion in Lithuania. Latvia and Estonia already share a border with Russia – they were under Soviet occupation until the 1990s, and Russia has already made statements about the “poor treatment of Russian-speaking people there.”

As you can see, WWIII is only a matter of time if this is not stopped soon. Please, pray for deliverance and divine intervention.
Please, keep praying for Mariupol. Today, Azovstal suffered 34 air raids. It is bombed and shelled using all possible weapons from the land, sea, and air. There are over 1,000 Ukrainian defenders there, and hundreds of them are wounded without access to the medical care they need. May God’s mercy and power be with them.

Thank you for your prayers,
Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team

No news is sometimes good news….
A huge victory parade was expected in Moscow today. Instead there was a toned down parade with no victory speech, no declaration of war or talk of taking other countries.
Could this be an answer to so many people praying around the world?
Nevertheless, the war continues with bombs falling on the Eastern front, Odessa and Mykolaev. Let’s continue to pray…

From Rachel Tijuana, Mexico
There are 72 Ukrainian refugees left in the city of Tijuana waiting for their turn to get into the US. Today we hosted them at our YWAM campus and it was so special. The kids loved playing soccer, bouncing in a bouncy castle, having their faces painted and doing piñatas. Thankful to be able to bless these beautiful families today

Please pray also for the Ukrainian refugees in the Mexico City camp. Our 2 families have been there several weeks now as they wait for their applications to be approved. The camp had a surge of 500 refugees arrive there!

Thank you for your continued prayers

Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team

In the U.S. and many other countries this is a day to celebrate Mothers. We want to celebrate our own mothers and the mothers in Ukrqine.

Anya {Kyiv}
Happy Mother’s Day!
This special day let’s lift up mothers in Ukraine and Ukrainian mothers that had to leave the country, leave their husbands running for the safety of their children.
It is an unbearable burden to be a mother during the war. Even the Bible talks about a special hardship for pregnant and mothers of newborns during the war times. It is a different kind of pain to be able to protect your child, to be able to feed your child, to watch the fear of your child, to not be able to provide peace for your child.

Let’s pray today for the Ukrainian mothers.
Let’s pray today for the Ukrainian mothers of our soldiers. It is a different kind of pain to know that your son or daughter is giving up the right to stay alive for the sake of the country’s right for a future.
Let’s pray for mothers that already in these 70+ days have experienced loss of their children. In our culture we have a saying: it’s wrong for a parent to live beyond your child.
Let’s pray that the all compassionate Lord of Might comfort, strengthen, support, provide, give hope and help to Ukrainian mothers!!

The 9th of May is the big celebration in Moscow commemorating Russia’s victory in WW2. There are many expectations and fears of what might be proclaimed at this parade. The possibility of a declaration of war? This would allow for a conscription of young men into the army. It could formalize and takeover of the lands that have been taken by the Russian army. It can also mean a declaration of war on some of the other surrounding areas and even countries.
Let us pray for peace, for an end to the killing and senseless destruction of these cities. Many churches across the world are being encouraged to pray on this day, let’s join them in deep and fervent prayer.

Al Akimoff and the Slavic Minstries Team

A special call to prayer:
Call to pray together for peace on 8 May It is becoming increasingly clear through more and more channels that Monday, 9 May, may well become a crucial date in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Particularly in Eastern Europe, there is a growing rumour that Russia’s President Putin will officially declare war on Ukraine. Not only Ukraine, but also other countries in that region such as Poland, fear that this will have major consequences and that Putin will definitively set in motion his plans to conquer much more of Europe. There is a growing realisation that not much is needed to trigger a new war with global impact.

Call to prayer Encouraged by the Word of God and by leaders with a global ministry of proclamation and prophecy, we believe that as followers of Jesus Christ, as the Church, we must move in unity and prayerfully ask God to intervene in this situation. The Bible teaches us in several places that the prayer and faithfulness of God’s servants has influenced the course of history. Therefore, we call on all believers of all churches, this Sunday, 8 May, preferably during the worship service, to pray together for peace and that God will intervene in this situation. Let us ask God together to move the heart of President Putin, as he has done so many times in biblical history with kings and Pharaohs, so that he will not declare war on 9 May.

Prayer and fasting in addition, we want to encourage, stimulate and support Christians to pray and fast together in the coming time – to continue to pray together for peace, not only in Ukraine, but in all those places in the world where there is currently unrest, discontent, revolt and war. In the coming days we will set up a website for this purpose. Prayer In February, when the war in Ukraine began, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote a prayer for the country and its people. We are happy to offer this prayer, supplemented for the specific point of this letter, as a suggestion for the prayer on Sunday. Of course, every church, congregation and believer is free to give their own content to this moment of prayer for peace.

Prayer for peace God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. We pray for President Putin, who plays such an important role in this conflict. Will you move his heart, as you did with princes and rulers in history. Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen

This letter was prepared in consultation with various leaders and organisations. For the sake of completeness and the short time to set this up, it was decided not to include names. Opwekking Netherlands

Let’s join in this worldwide prayer effort and encourage our churches to join us.

Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team

Ira and Ivan (kyiv)
Russia keeps looting Ukraine. They have stolen over 100 tons of wheat from Luhansk region (and destroyed 30 tons of grain in Rubizhne, Luhansk region). This supply could have kept the region fed for almost 3 years. This cannibalic government wants to starve Ukrainians just as they did less than 100 years ago during the Holodomor (1932-1933). The farmers aren’t allowed to start the planting season in the occupied territories; their farming equipment is confiscated. Please, pray for God’s provision and protection.

Today, we started planting my grandma’s vegetable garden. Even though I usually enjoy it as it enables you to partake in this mystery of the planting and harvesting cycle, I felt some special awe this time. Our life is filled with more uncertainty than ever before. We don’t know how long the war will last. Thankfully, we are blessed with having more than enough food and having the rest of our needs covered today, but we don’t know what the fall or winter may bring.

That’s why I was praying as we were planting – praying for a good harvest and abundance (not only for us but for all of Ukraine), praying for those who starve today and may lack food in the future, praying for us to be aware of the needs of others and be ready to share what we have. Please, keep praying for good crops and wisdom in handling them.

Pray that famers will be able to sow their seed, that good weather will come this Spring. Pray for safety for farmers. Pray that ports can be opened on the Black Sea. Ukraine feeds many poor countries with the wheat, corn and sunflower oil it produces and exports through these ports.
Thank you for your prayesr,
Al Akimoff and the Slavic Minisstreis Team

Farmers have to wear bullet proof vests and helmets

Latest update from Ukraine
Teams are safe at the moment. Tonight couple places in Kyiv region were hit. Tomorrow part of the team are going to the East to see if they can make another humanitarian aid location. Please pray for their safety. 3 trucks of food heading their way, so all hands on deck to unload. Another volunteer is coming their way as well, driving a good reliable vehicle.
Please continue to pray for Mariupil –

Conditions of the remaining Ukrainian citizens in the Azovstal steel plant:
More than 500 people nursing injuries are still inside the vast industrial complex. Two hundred of them were in a critical condition. The health of the wounded was worsening due to a lack of medical assistance and unsanitary conditions. There was a “total lack of everything”, – whether food, water, or medication.
Thank you for praying with us. It means so much to our Y staff serving in Ukraine.

Japhin and Marie/Kyiv
Romania shares a border with Ukraine on the west side. From Day 1 of the war, Romania has responded to the needs of Ukraine and the Ukrainians.
Like us, they kept all their dreams, projects, and desires aside and jumped right into serving the people in need.
As the world is praying for Ukraine, we all should remember Romania and Poland as well. I picture these nations like the two men who held the hands of Moses to see victory. If not for Romania and Poland, we would have experienced many difficulties in maneuvering, aid, and refuge.
Marie and I got the privilege to go to Romania and see everything happening on the other end of the chain.
Our people in Kyiv drove to far north to evacuate people and sent them to YWAM Ternopil and they sent people on to Romania (and to the ends of the world). YWAM Cluj has been hosting people, helping them find homes, or find transportation further.
When I thought about what it would look like to host refugees, I thought of long rooms with beds next to each other. But I was wrong. They are hosting refugees in homes in which I would love to live. In homes, even their staff would love to live in.
The staff still live in rooms that can hardly fit their bed, but refugees live in 2 bedroom apartments with a big kitchen with a view—a beautiful symbol of selflessness.
I dont know what it is, but I sensed a different spirit among the people there. It was so refreshing to be around them. I felt they were genuine, and their words were filled with meaning and not just empty sounds.
We also got to meet a few of our friends there, all serving in Romania along with Ywam there.
If Romania’s helping hands fall, then Ukraine will suffer. So, remember Romania in your prayer. Minus the death, destruction, and violence, they are also heavily influenced by war

Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto
me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14

More than 500 children have been killed or injured since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine six weeks ago, Ukraine’s prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday, while the United Nations’ children’s agency Unicef said more than 5 million have been displaced amid an escalating humanitarian crisis and reports of alleged war.

In the midst of the shift in this war we are realizing that there is a priority in feeding and rescuing people. At the same time Ukrainians are faced with a number of other challenges. Farmers need to plant there spring plantings. People need to go back to work in order to get the country back on an economy that will sustain them. And children need an education.

So many schools have been destroyed and so many teachers have been displaced. Many of these children and teachers are now in the border countries surrounding Ukraine. Presently we are in talks regarding partnering with a group that has a wonderful vision and has embarked on taking on this challenge

The Education with Values Foundation, which has created over 30 educational institutions in Poland in recent years, is opening free kindergartens for children from Ukraine. We have currently 6 preschools operating in Warsaw (240 kids) with another yet to open. The goal is to create several dozen kindergartens in Poland. This will make it possible to create places for hundreds of children and guarantee many workplaces for many Ukrainian teachers. What is more, children will be able to learn in their native language. In two institutions we have also first primary school classes. We have created two groups in each kindergarten, to take care of 40-50 children in each place. We will provide them with care from 8 am to 5 pm on working days. Thanks to that their parents will be able to find a job. Some of the children have dysfunctions like dyslexia, dysgraphia or various types of social disabilities. They are also severely traumatized by the war. In each institution, we will create jobs for at least 4 Ukrainian teachers and 2 Polish who teach Polish and English language. Moreover, we would like to involve volunteers to help them. This will give many people the opportunity to take on specific tasks and can help them regain mental balance. We are looking for the possibility of financing food for these children

Will you pray for this wonderful project and the multiplication of it and many more like it? Will you partner with us to see this happen?

Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team

Mariupol
A prayer has been answered today, the evacuation of civilians trapped in the Avzostal steel factory. Around 100 mostly women and children were led out by the brokering of the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross.
They were taken to the nearby town on the Russian side of Donetsk called Bezimenne. There they are being supposedly given the choice to go to Russia or be turned over to the Ukrainian side tomorrow. More are expected to be led out tomorrow.

Pray that these people will be sent back as many have not been given that choice and are said to be held in filtering camps in Russia. There are reports that many are being sent off to remote parts of Russia.

Pray for the many soldiers that are still trapped in the steel plant, they vow to fight to the death. Pray for mercy, pray for life…

Pray also for the almost 100,000 people still stranded in the city of Mariupol. There is little food and water available to them and it has been almost two months of siege that that have been under.

Mykolaev
Our teams are venturing further out into the war zone
Yulia
It is Sunday and I want to share few pictures of people being blessed through all of you who support Ukraine. Kids, families, women, men, grandmas and grandpas.
These past two days we distributed more than 420 bags.
We are praying and getting ready to reach out to new areas of aid given. We are planing to go out to Zaporizhya a city 3 hours away from Mariupol. Please pray with us for God’s wisdom and open doors. We will bring more aid there (food, medicine and hygiene) and will look for opportunities to evacuate people from cities and villages around Mariupol.

Here are some pictures of them in Mykolaev region…

There have been many questions regarding the 9th of May, the annual celebration of the victory over the Nazis in WWII. There are reports coming out that Putin may now declare war with Ukraine on that day. So far it has been called an “operation.” A declaration of war gives Putin the ability to draft soldiers as well as to formally take over Donetsk and Luhansk.
There is much to pray over these next days, pray fervently, let’s not lose hope.

Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team

Odessa
In these last few days the bombing has shifted away from the surroundings of Kyiv to the Black Sea cities of Mykolaev and Odessa. Weeks ago, it seemed as though Odessa was on its way to conquest when storms and other strange things seemed to force the invading army back.

My heart sinks as I think of this beautiful old city being bombed, thinking of Kyiv had the same effect on me. We have spent a lot of investment personally in these cities. My family comes from this area as they lived in the Mykolaev region. One of my cousins hid in a basement for some time as the city was being bombed before she was rescued, her son is still there fighting for its liberation.

My wife Carolyn’s family were Germans brought to Crimea by Catherine the Great and lived and farmed there for several generations before immigrating to the U.S.

Odessa has a spiritual historical dimension that bears telling. At the turn of the century a young man named Ivan Voronaev immigrated to the U.S. He found himself in the midst of a revival that had started in a little church on a street named Azusa in Los Angeles.

This encounter introduced him to the New Testament power and leading of the Holy Spirit, which led him to return to Ukraine with this message of revival. He came to Odessa. He began to share this message with the Ukrainian people and they responded with repentance and a welcome for God to be among them.

In the few short years that he preached, taught and sent out disciples, over 17,000 people were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. My grandfather was one of those. He was one of the first to respond to leave his home to take the gospel to Russia where he too saw the whole village he went to respond to the message and receive salvation.

It was shortly after this revival that Voronaev and his wife were arrested and sent to the gulag where he died. His wife fulfilled her sentence of 25 years. My grandfather too was arrested and sent to prison but was miraculously released and began his 25 year journey across the Soviet Union, Central Asia and China. In the next years Stalin removed millions of Ukrainians and spread them out across the whole of the Soviet Union to Siberia, the far east, the Caucasus and beyond. Little did he realize that he was helping to spread the revival to all of these places. It was these disciples of Voronaev that became the foundation of what we came to know as the underground church of Russia. At the same time Stalin replaced the Ukrainians with millions of Russians that has created the problem that we are facing today and the reason why there are breakaway regions all across the former Soviet Union.

Ukraine has been the spiritual center of Eastern Europe. It is estimated that 70% of the evangelical churches in Russia today have Ukrainian pastors. Ukrainian churches can be found all over the former Soviet Union. In fact they can be found all across Europe, the U.S. and the world. We have many Ukrainians in YWAM spread around the world.

So, you can maybe see why we Ukrainians cry when we see the news these days. When we see our beautiful old cities like Odessa and Kyiv being bombed. The city of my mother and her family being literally totally wiped off the face of the earth.
You can maybe understand why we feel that this is spiritual warfare from the enemy who is not pleased with the spiritual history of these places.

Will you join us in earnest prayer these next few days and weeks? Pray that this senseless killing will stop. These are young boys that are dying every day in both armies. Pray for the many thousands still under siege in Mykolaev without food and water. Pray for our young disciples today who are sacrificially going into these places rescuing people and taking food and supplies to them. Pray for miracles.

Al Akimoff and YWAM Slavic Ministries Team

MAKSIM (KYIV)
Back on the road to reach new villages and lonely people!
Together with the Youth with a Mission Kyiv team, we went to the Ivankovsky district closer to the Chernobyl zone in order to tell people about God’s love and congratulate them on Easter.
Our team was able to distribute 200 food bags to poor and lonely people. During the trip, we visited 6 villages, a nursing home where there were 30 single women, a rehabilitation center and large families.

Visiting villages and entering houses, we met various people who told about their experiences during the invasion of Russian soldiers.
Their stories make us cry, and their houses testify to the aggression of Russian invaders. The house where grandmother and grandfather live was destroyed by the blast and the roof of their house was torn off, and the fragments from the shells destroyed the ceiling, and when it rains, they get wet.
They are unable to repair this house with their resources and rely on God and the help of other people who can come to make a roof and walls or help financially.
It is very painful to look into the eyes of people who have no houses and property left, these grandmothers are forced to live in the basement (cellar) of their house in their old age and ask for help in food and the construction of their houses.
One Grandmother, who is 88 years old, said that she was born during the war, when German soldiers came, they stroked the heads of small children and gave them sweets, and today the soldiers came and they are worse than the Germans, they broke into houses and robbed everyone, mocking and killing people and children …
There were tears in the eyes of this grandmother, we prayed that God would console her kind heart. Many people in villages do not have the opportunity to buy food, medicine, diapers. Every grocery bag we gave was a special gift for them.

Thank you Youth with a Mission Kyiv and Yulia Kens for your support in God’s work. Our trip was very long and hard.
While distributing food to people, we prayed that God would give them hope that their houses would be rebuilt and God’s peace would come to Ukraine!
Looking back, I see that it was a good time of service, we were able to help those who really needed food, medicine, tools, gasoline.
I want to say more thanks to God for every person who prays and supports God’s work.

Leaders in Ukraine
“Please pray for our vehicles. After 2 months of rough driving, there is a lot of repairs that need to be done. So we had another van that broke down on the way into Kyiv. Please pray for more vehicles and finances for the repairs. Please pray for safety for our drivers, we need vans and cars to be reliable and our people to be safe and not be stuck in dangerous places.”

As the war continues the biggest request these days from the Ukainians is that they not be forgotten. Please continue to hold them up in your prayers.

We will continue to let you know of the needs and praise reports coming from inside Ukraine and the border areas but we will not be doing this on a daily basis.
We will be sharing three or four days a week. This will allow us to give you more indepth reports.

Al Akimoff and the Slavic Ministries Team