Dear Friends,
Undoubtedly you have been following current international events. It is imperative that we pray for our dear brothers and sisters in Eastern Europe, in Ukraine, and in Russia. The challenges that come with open conflict are horrendous. We have thousands of members in that region of the world. They need our prayers and support in every possible way. Please keep them and their families in your prayers as we pray for peace in this world so that the three angels’ messages can go to every home and heart in these last days of earth’s history. Please pray for our pastors, church members, leaders, students, and the institutions in Ukraine—including our educational institution of higher learning at Bucha about an hour from Kyiv, our wonderful clinic/medical center in downtown Kyiv, our publishing house on the union compound, our dynamic Adventist Media Center, the Ukrainian Union headquarters in Kyiv, the various conference headquarters, hundreds of churches, and numerous schools.
Having lived in that general region for some years and having visited our dear church members in many places of the Euro-Asia Division including Ukraine, my heart goes out to them. They are faithful and dedicated Seventh-day Adventists. Please pray for their courage and Christian witness during these very difficult times. May God’s presence and strength be palpable to each one of them and infuse them with peace as He leads them through this trying situation. His precious promises are always sure such as Isaiah 26:3, Isaiah 41:10, 13, and Joshua 1:9.
Today, nearly 300 employees at the Seventh-day Adventist world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, met on Zoom for a special Town Hall Prayer Session. We stand ready to assist in any way we can to help the Euro-Asia Division, which includes Ukraine. We will assist with moral support, advice, prayers, and financial assistance. ADRA is currently looking at ways to provide humanitarian relief in the country, as well as for those facing refugee status.
Of course, the church is powerless in its human ability to make any measurable changes in the current situation, but we have all power available to us through prayer, and we lean completely on the Almighty God to intervene to stop the bloodshed and restore peace.
The Euro-Asia Division has sent out a special announcement to all church members throughout the division territory to join together in a united prayer session at 7 p.m. beginning today, Feb. 24 through March 4. In addition, this Sabbath, February 26 will be a day of fasting and prayer across that vast division's territory. I invite you, as a world church family, to join our precious brothers and sisters in the Euro-Asia Division in this special time of prayer, as we pray for peace and for God's Spirit to control the situation.
In addition, please hold up our people in China who are facing increasing restrictions, our members in Myanmar who face repression, our thousands of members in South Sudan who face a coming famine, our thousands of members in Ethiopia who face conflict, and many other places around the world experiencing difficulties. Certainly, these are signs of Christ’s soon return.
We need to implore the Lord through prayer for peace and encouragement for our precious church members in the Euro-Asia Division and worldwide. May the Lord bring healing and peace to all the challenging settings around the world. We know that Jesus is coming soon! What a blessed hope we have as we rest securely in His hands. Thank you for your prayers.
Ted N.C. Wilson, President
Seventh-day Adventist Church