Good News from Ukraine!

I recently traveled to Ukraine, met with some of our courageous church partners, and celebrated a milestone for Operation Christmas Child—our 200 millionth shoebox gift. We praise God for the powerful ways He continues to use these gifts in the midst of a war to advance the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The news from Ukraine can be depressing. I want to encourage you with news about how our church partners in Ukraine are responding in Jesus' Name to meet the needs of their neighbors. One pastor told me that 80 percent of the relief work on the frontlines is being done by the churches. Someday when the war is over, we want people to remember that their help came from churches working in Jesus' Name.

Samaritan's Purse continues to deliver relief supplies through our church partners working on the frontlines. Since the war began a year ago, we have distributed 130 million pounds of food, plus thousands of wood stoves, solar lights, and other assistance. Our teams have helped 11.8 million Ukrainians. One pastor reported that his church is caring for 30,000 families every week. "You helped us in showing them Jesus Christ," he said. "The church has awakened. We've stopped being religious, and we've become real Christians. We are now ministering to strangers."

In Odessa, a port city across the Black Sea from Turkey, Samaritan's Purse set up what we call a "warming tent" where people can gather to escape from the cold and recharge their cellphones. But it's become much more than that—a spontaneous house of worship where more than 100 people gather to praise God. Ninety percent of them are new believers!

Another pastor said his congregation has grown from 200 to 2,000 during the war, "because people see us working."

To help Ukrainians find hope and strength amid the fighting, Samaritan's Purse is giving away a million Bibles. These Scriptures are treasures to the Ukrainians, who haven't forgotten how the Soviet Union tried to stamp out Christianity by branding Bibles as "anti-communist literature."

One pastor told me that his father had been a professor of communism, teaching that there is no such thing as God. The pastor spent several years working for the KGB to eliminate churches and Bibles. Now that he's come to know the Lord, he said, "My job is to make sure that Bibles are everywhere."

During the relentless shelling, many people are living hunched-up in what we might call "root cellars" below their damaged houses.

One woman we helped feed had spent three months in her cellar, living off canned vegetables and fruits. Yet she has not lost hope. "With God's help, the victory and peace will come," she said.

ON THE GROUND: For months, Samaritan's Purse worked in an undisclosed location in Ukraine—a liberated city just miles from the frontlines. Now, it's finally safe to share that story with the world.

Let's join her in praying for peace in Ukraine. Ask God to prepare the hearts of children enrolling in The Greatest Journey, the discipleship classes we offer for children who receive shoebox gifts. More than 400,000 children in Ukraine have made decisions for Christ through The Greatest Journey over the past 13 years.

Despite the war, churches in Ukraine are planning to offer The Greatest Journey lessons for 120,000 children this year. Around the world, we are working to teach millions more.

Bringing Relief to Alabama, Georgia, California

In mid-January, fierce tornadoes tore across the Southeast. Samaritan's Purse deployed Disaster Relief Units to Selma, Alabama, and Griffin, Georgia; plus another to flood-ravaged Merced County, California. This was the second time in two years Samaritan's Purse has worked in Selma.

As I write this, Samaritan's Purse teams in Florida are wrapping up five months of work in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. We are thankful for nearly 9,000 volunteers who have worked on 3,500 houses in southwestern Florida, and we praise God that we have seen more than 620 souls trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. At the same time, we are still rebuilding homes for storm survivors in Kentucky and Louisiana. Volunteers are the backbone of our U.S. Disaster Relief projects, and we always have opportunities for individuals and church groups to respond to God's call to help. Sign up at spvolunteer.org.

Thank you for your prayers and support for the work of Samaritan's Purse as we work to meet emergency needs around the world in the Name of Jesus Christ. May God bless you.

Sincerely,
Franklin Graham