Saturday, February 22, 2014

A Big Victory for Ukraine...But Many Things Still to be Decided

A very big victory for Ukraine today. The president Viktor Yanukovych seemed to have disappeared this morning and all riot police as well. The opposition gained control of Kyiv's center and the government buildings there. Later the Ukrainian parliament voted to impeach Yanukovych effectively removing him as the president of Ukraine. This is what many people in Ukraine wanted and probably one of the few things that could really stop the violence.
Things are peaceful now in Kyiv but still very tense. The president has fled to Kharkiv a eastern city in Ukraine, and some are saying a Russian stronghold where Yanukovych has many more allies. He said he is the rightfully elected President and that everything in Kyiv was a coup and done by bandits and is not willing to go quietly, so it is interesting how things will play out. Also it is very important to see how Russia will react. Yanukovych was their guy and now with the olympics ending who knows where Russia will focus it's attention. Keep in mind that Russia controls much of the energy resources for Ukraine and can turn off that supply as it wishes. Some eastern and more pro-russian cities and regions are already talking about splitting from Ukraine if constitutional order isn't restored.
It is a huge victory, but a lot of things can still go wrong. Please pray that there won't be any senseless fighting as power is restored and new leaders chosen. Pray also that the new leaders will be good, honest, and have the people's best interests in mind. Pray for the hundreds of families who lost loved ones in the fighting in Kyiv. Also pray that Ukraine will stay united and not have any fighting between East and West. Altogether, it is a good day for Ukraine. The people here in L'viv, and in most of the country, feel that it is a victory for them and that things will be better now. Thanks everyone for your prayers and support and please continue to pray for Ukraine as there is still a lot to be done here and many things can still go wrong. I hope and pray that the worst is over and that it is all uphill from here for Ukraine! Thanks again and God bless!!! (about the pictures: You can see in the first picture protesters guarding the now empty presidential buildings keeping them safe from vandalizing and looting. The protesters said the buildings are the people's again and they will protect it until the new president comes there. You can see some members of parliament cheering in the second picture after voting to remove Yanukovych from office.)

Friday, February 21, 2014

A Very Tough Week for Ukraine

This week's death toll, last I heard, was at 77, but many think it will be higher. It is a sad week for Ukraine and for many families who lost loved ones in this senseless fighting, but there is hope here. Hope for a better government, a better country, and a better future. Already the Ukrainian parliament is voting to return to the constitution of 2004 under which the president has less power. The current president, Viktor Yanukovych changed the constitution when he took office giving himself more power and the parliament less. Also the government agreed to pull back its riot police and agreed to early presidential elections in December of this year.
Everyone is just hoping this is enough to end the madness and the fighting. Some think it might not be enough...I hope it is and that the fighting will stop. Also some people think these concessions are just a ploy to allow Yanukovych's government to bring in more troops, and many are distrustful of anything he is promising. Already some of my American friends are packing to go home and some who were planning to return didn't. Please continue to pray for Ukraine. I hope you will take a few minutes of your day to do so, and also I encourage you to watch the news and some videos about what is happening here so you will understand better because I can't explain it as well as some of the pictures and videos can. Thanks again everyone for your prayers and support and if you have any questions just ask.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Worst violence in 70 years...

Yesterday we saw in Ukraine the worst violence in 70 years. It was the deadline for the protesters to leave all buildings and stop all protesting.
The Ukrainian riot police attacked the protest camp with water cannons, stun grenades, and some say live ammunition. If any of you are watching the news it really does look like a war zone. Please pray for Ukraine and for the people of Ukraine, and that this will not continue to escalate, but a peaceful solution will be found. Click here for a video that shows more about yesterday and explains a little about this revolution. Thanks for your prayers and support. For those of you worried about me just remember that most of this fighting is in Kiev and I am completely safe. Please continue to keep Ukraine in your prayers!

Friday, February 7, 2014

Update on the Situation in Ukraine

Protests are still going strong here in the capital city of Kiev. There are still many reports on a daily basis, some of them alarming and some of them just plain sad, but hard to know which side is telling the truth. Some reports by the police make the anti-goverment groups to appear as right-wing fanatics setting off bombs and such and murdering people, however the reports from normal people are that things aren't happening like the police say. Anyways, it's still very tense and still unclear how things will turn out here.
One positive step was that the anti-protest laws that I mentioned in a previous post were overturned so that is a good thing. Another area of debate at the moment is amnesty for the protesters who have been arrested. The president signed a bill saying they would be granted amnesty if all the protesters leave the government buildings they are occupying but they are unwilling to do that and don't trust the government to keep its word. I will continue to watch how things will unfold here, and pass it along to you all as best I can. Please keep praying for the people here and the situation in Ukraine as it is still very unstable. As for me like I said don't worry, I am in L'viv not Kiev, and it is still calm where I am living. Just mostly life as usual here, which included two very cold weeks at almost -20 C most of the time. Now things a are a bit warmer and the snow is melting so I'm just dodging falling ice and snow (not really but still should be careful). I am busy helping where I can with some ministries and with English and possibly helping the Trinity church I am currently working with a church-plant in a different area of the city. More to come on that later when I can explain it in more detail. Thanks everyone for your interest in Ukraine, and in the work we are doing here. Encouraging to have many people say that they read the blog and are glad to hear I am doing ok. Thanks for your continued prayers and support. More updates to come! God bless.