This update is coordinated and released with Grace Ministries International (GMI). GMI is the sending agency for some of the faculty and leaders of the TMAI school in Ukraine.
As the war in Ukraine continues, please see below for updates and ways to pray for our brothers and sisters in need.
Civilians Are Still in Danger
- A rocket recently hit the home of one TMAI staff member. “Praise God they were in a bomb shelter and they were not hurt.”
- Another graduate and pastor‘s church building in Maripul was bombed and part of the roof collapsed into the sanctuary. Maripul continues to face heavy shelling.
- One Ukrainian pastor has not checked in with our missionaries in 3 days. Pray for safety for him and his family.
- Another staff member living in northern Ukraine recently reported, “[There is] a lot of artillery fire near us right now. We’re sitting in the basement. We are praying. We trust in the Lord. Thank you for your prayers.”
Men Are Still in Ministry
Our GMI/TMAI missionaries are still in-country and serving the Ukrainian people. They are working to maintain communication with their network of seminary graduates and church leaders ministering around the country.
One Ukrainian TMAI staff member and pastor recently wrote about his decision to stay:
“The internet is so bad, so I can’t stay in touch all the time. We are doing well. We have already got used to living with the sound of gunshots… [Some] were ready to send a car for us, but we decided to stay for now. Last night we prayed about it with the family… We saw that we were more in favor of staying for now. Most of our church has not left yet either. We are also surrounded by unbelieving neighbors who are not going anywhere. Against this background, it is also difficult for my congregation to make the decision to move out. Almost everyone on our street knows that we are believers and that I am a pastor. I suppose that with time… our decision may change, but for now, this is how it is. Please pray for God’s guidance in our future decisions…I believe that absolutely nothing happens without God’s perfect plan. Thank you for your many prayers!”
Help Is Coming from the Church in Germany
Amidst this horrible situation, GMI missionaries and TMAI’s Training Center based in Berlin have coordinated several deliveries of humanitarian aid to churches in Ukraine. Remarkably, God has provided safe passage for these drivers as they’ve personally driven from Germany into Ukraine.
The latest deliveries have provided Ukrainian churches with over 10,000 pounds of goods including several tons of food, hundreds of books, thousands of Ukrainian gospel tracts, some computers, and a generator.
This aid has encouraged the believers who are still ministering the gospel inside Ukraine. One Ukrainian TMAI professor in western Ukraine recently wrote:
“The last two days have been difficult, but they have brought much joy in ministering to those who [are] in need today. We received aid from Germany… and today we have distributed everything.
First, we distributed what was needed in our city, including distribution to individual families that we help.
This morning the remaining aid was handed over to two more churches, which also help the refugees… [Additionally, a TMAI faculty member] and a group of believers from our church took aid to a [building] where 100 orphans are living (from several months to 12 years old). The orphans are from Kharkov.
A group of brothers from our church went…to meet another [vehicle] with humanitarian aid from Germany. We hope to give it away as soon as possible.
As usual, at four o’clock we had a church prayer time with our members and with refugees who are staying at our church… we pray that people will come and hear the gospel.”
Amazingly, some of the Christians who received these resources have even driven extra supplies deeper into Ukraine to help those in hostile territories such as Kyiv and a city on Ukraine’s eastern border. Through all of this, God has provided safe passage.
From Tuesday, March 15:
“God has answered our prayers! The brother who met us in [undisclosed city], West Ukraine, to receive the supplies has safely arrived in the East. He drove into a territory where there is heavy fighting. So, a safe arrival was not something to be taken for granted. Some brothers who have undertaken similar trips before him never returned. These trips are extremely dangerous…Please continue to pray for these brothers who put their lives on the line to make these trips to the believers in war-torn territories.”
By God’s grace, these relief operations are still underway.
A recent update reads, “Pray… that the relief supplies and the literature will strengthen the hearts of the believers. Pray that many unbelievers will be reached with the gospel.”
Thank you for your prayers,
The Master’s Academy International
Grace Ministries International
