Ukraine (MNN) — Refugees escaping from Ukraine describe Russian soldiers firing on civilians. Thousands remain trapped in besieged cities as the Russian invasion enters a third week.
Aid agencies say humanitarian help is most urgently needed in Mariupol, where 400,000 people have been trapped for more than a week with no food, water or power. The city council said the port had come under fresh air strikes on Thursday morning, a day after Moscow bombed what Ukraine called a functioning maternity hospital there.
No one needs words of hope more than people in a war zone. TWR, or TransWorld Radio, increases its reach by adding a second transmitter in Eastern Europe.
See all of TWR’s Ukraine updates here.
“Radio has taken on new importance in these times because when internet or digital media gets shut down or destroyed in certain areas, we can still broadcast messages of hope,” says Frank Stephenson, Communications Director for TWR Europe.
TWR is broadcasting to people in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Adding a second transmitter strengthens the signal, helping more people hear the Gospel programs.
“We have different programs that are meant to provide encouragement, meant to point to God as being the source of comfort.”
Two programs provide hope in the Ukrainian language, while local partners produce another two Russian programs.
“It’s a hopeless situation [when] we look at the news; it’s horrific. What can we do? We shouldn’t be paralyzed with fear; no, we should speak true hope – that people can come to know the God of comfort, the Prince of Peace,” Stephenson says.
“That’s what we want to do with our programs.”
Ask God to protect the man in this photo, TWR’s Ukraine director. He remains in danger, digging trenches by day and returning to the rest of his family in the evening.
(Photo, caption courtesy of TWR)
Ask the Lord to bring peace, fortitude, and encouragement to believers in Ukraine. They face life-threatening conditions daily but continue to share Christ with their countrymen.
Giving is another way to help. TWR created this Ukraine-Russia crisis fund because supporting ministry partners on the ground, developing programming, finding additional ways to get the Gospel on the air, and interacting with listeners will be much more challenging and costlier amid the upheaval.
“We all have our ways to help practically and in prayer. Let’s do both. Let’s let the Lord give us wisdom if we don’t know exactly how we can do it, and let’s be open and courageous in what we do,” Stephenson says.
Header and story images courtesy of TWR.
