In 11 short weeks, I hope to start my journey around the world serving as the hands and feet of Jesus. Because I am going to 11 different countries, I thought I’d start posting blogs each week about every country I am going to and why we are being pulled to serve there.
Logically, we should start with the first country I will be visiting – Ukraine.
Ukraine
Location: Eastern Europe
Language: Ukrainian & Russian
Population: 45 million
In 2016, Ukraine was ranked as the second-poorest country in Europe. About 60 percent of Ukrainian’s live below the poverty line. SIXTY-PERCENT!! To compare, the United States sits at about 14 percent.
There are over 100,000 children living in orphanages in Ukraine, and only 6,500 of those children are being adopted.
Ukraine is facing a human trafficking epidemic. Not only are Ukrainians at risk for being trapped into slavery in their own country, but Ukraine has also become a source country where traffickers are taking citizens of Ukraine to other countries around the world.
It is estimated that 75% of the population knows God, but only 37% attend some sort of service regularly.
Ukraine is filled with brokenness and pain BUT it is also filled with such amazing things! The country is filled with beautiful mountains and dense forests. Ukraine is home to SEVEN World Heritage sites.
I have to share that one of my favorite things I’ve learned is one of their McDonald’s locations is supposedly the third most visited McDonald’s in the world! I already have something in common with these people! Amazing.
Please join me in these next 11 weeks praying for the people of Ukraine. Ask Jesus to be with my squad and to use us to serve these people. Pray that our hearts would be filled with love and compassion for God’s daughters and sons in this region. Pray that his hand would be in everything we do and that we would share the Gospel with people who have never heard it before.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the great, beautiful country of Ukraine! Thank you for the amazing people that you have made and placed there. I pray that, even in this very moment, you begin to prepare the hearts of the people we are going to meet in August. You know their struggles and their thoughts – start stirring in their souls. Also, begin to prepare my squad for the encounters we will have in Ukraine. I pray for a REVIVAL! Use us as broken vessels to send your love into this hurting country. Lead us to the broken, the lost, and the hurting. Speak through us and use our hands and feet to serve your people. Guide us to the children who have never known their own mother and father so we can introduce them to their heavenly, perfect Father. May our month in Ukraine bring glory and honor to YOUR name! We love you.
Amen.
