{"id":3716,"date":"2014-02-21T08:03:18","date_gmt":"2014-02-21T06:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/?p=3716"},"modified":"2014-05-15T21:05:16","modified_gmt":"2014-05-15T18:05:16","slug":"ukraines-deadliest-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/ukraines-deadliest-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine’s Deadliest Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is Ukraine’s deadliest week of fighting probably since WWII! The week isn’t even over and the reports range from 70 to 100 dead!<\/p>\n

I’m not sure how to put into words what is happening in Ukraine. Every morning I wake up and immediately check the news praying that the situation has improved, but it hasn’t!<\/p>\n

\"dead<\/p>\n

This morning Christina (my wife) shared with a women’s group at a church we are visiting, she couldn’t hold back the tears as she described the violence and unnecessary taking of life in her home country.<\/span><\/p>\n

The conflict in Ukraine has escalated faster and farther this week than anyone could have guessed.<\/p>\n

It’ not just bricks<\/h4>\n

It’s not just bricks and clubs any more, bullets are now flying on the streets of Kyiv. \u00a0The interior minister finally admitted that police have been armed with combat weapons and authorized to use them.<\/p>\n

Of course there’s violence on both sides but after Christina and I watched the videos of protesters being shot<\/a> by police snipers<\/a>\u00a0we simply felt helpless and were overwhelmed with sadness for the Ukrainian people!<\/p>\n

It’s not just Kyiv<\/h4>\n

While the main action and violence is in Kyiv the crisis has spread country wide. Opposition groups have put of blockades on major highways around Ukraine trying to make sure that government reinforcements or “Titushkies”<\/a> can’t get through.<\/p>\n

This week there was violence in many of Ukraine’s larger cities including Odessa, where a group of Titushkies brutally attacked opposition protesters.<\/p>\n

Ukraine is in upheaval and every Ukrainian feels it. This morning I received a message from one of our ministries partners, he said that he is so broken up over what is going on that he doesn’t even feel that he will be able to get through his sermon on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Why are we here?<\/h4>\n

Watching Ukraine fall apart from a distance is heartbreaking. We wish we could be there and put our arms around our brothers and sisters to comfort them as their once peaceful homeland is turning into a war zone.<\/p>\n

But we can’t be there!<\/p>\n

For some reason God has placed us in the US for this time. Maybe in God’s providence he put us here for our own safety.<\/p>\n

Maybe God put us in the US so that we could be the voice of Ukraine in American churches! If that’s the case then that’s what we’ll do!<\/p>\n

What you can do<\/h4>\n

Although we feel helpless watching those youtube videos of protesters being knocked over by bullets there is something that we can do.<\/p>\n

We can pray!<\/p>\n

Christina and I invite you to join us in prayer and fasting for Ukraine this weekend.<\/p>\n

Fasting and prayer for Ukraine<\/h4>\n

I know that fasting isn’t something that most American Christians are used to doing but I also know that many of our brothers and sister in Ukraine will also be fasting this weekend and I believe it is important for us to stand with them and support them.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you can please take at least 15 minutes each day this weekend to specifically pray for peace in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

If you can fast, choose either Friday, Saturday or Sunday and let us know when you will be fasting. Christina and I will be fasting all day on Saturday, February 22nd.<\/p>\n

Question: Will you pray and fast with us and with many Ukrainian Christians for peace in Ukraine this weekend?<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is Ukraine’s deadliest week of fighting probably since WWII! The week isn’t even over and the reports range from 70 to 100 dead!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3717,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,193],"tags":[320,75,77],"class_list":["post-3716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ministry","category-ukraine-2","tag-euromaidan","tag-prayer","tag-ukraine"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/dead-in-kyiv.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3izZc-XW","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6279,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/bloodiest-days-of-euromaidan-revolution-remembered-in-ukraine\/","url_meta":{"origin":3716,"position":0},"title":"Bloodiest Days of EuroMaidan Revolution Remembered in Ukraine","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The eyes and ears of the world watched as protesters on Kyiv's Maidan Square pushed closer toward government buildings. Some holding wooden shields huddled together behind anything that would give them cover. Then shots began to ring and protesters fell limp to the ground spilling their blood on the streets.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New"","block_context":{"text":"New","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/new\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5068,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/bloody-ukraine-1-year-of-bloodshed\/","url_meta":{"origin":3716,"position":1},"title":"Bloody Ukraine -1 Year of Bloodshed","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"There are certain anniversaries you don't want to remember, this is one of them. One year ago today police started firing on unarmed protestors killing nearly 100 people. Below is what I wrote exactly one year ago. February 19, 2014 While you slept last night Ukraine turned bloody! Today was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ukraine"","block_context":{"text":"Ukraine","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ukraine-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bloody-ukraine1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2088,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/what-did-you-do-significant-last-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":3716,"position":2},"title":"CMI Leaders Meet in Carpathians","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"April 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This past week Christina and I traveled to Western Ukraine for a 3 day retreat with the CMI leadership team. Our goal was to specifically plan how we can more effectively train new leaders in churches in Ukraine and Moldova. One hurdle that many churches struggle with is the availability\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ministry"","block_context":{"text":"Ministry","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ministry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"CMI Administrators in Ukraine's Carpathian Mountains","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/69.89.31.195\/~sukofami\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/DSC07456.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/69.89.31.195\/~sukofami\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/DSC07456.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/69.89.31.195\/~sukofami\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/DSC07456.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3862,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/easter-comes-violently-in-ukraine\/","url_meta":{"origin":3716,"position":3},"title":"Easter Comes Violently in Ukraine","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"April 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Easter morning did not bring with it the typical beauty of painted eggs and little girls in new dresses for many people near the Eastern Ukraine town of Slavyansk. Instead they were met with the news of more violence in an early Easter morning shootout that left several dead. Shooting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ministry"","block_context":{"text":"Ministry","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ministry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ukraine_2888033k.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ukraine_2888033k.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ukraine_2888033k.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3811,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/is-this-war-russian-troops-on-ukraines-border\/","url_meta":{"origin":3716,"position":4},"title":"Is this War? Russian Troops on Ukraine’s Border","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"March 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Valdimir Putin caught us all off guard when his troops marched into Crimea and very quickly and somewhat quietly took over. What will happen now that the annexation of Crimea is pretty much complete? Will Putin go in and take another bite out of Eastern or Southern Ukraine? Unfortunately there\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Updates"","block_context":{"text":"General Updates","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/updates\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/war-ukraine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/war-ukraine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/war-ukraine.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5002,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/the-human-cost-in-ukraines-war\/","url_meta":{"origin":3716,"position":5},"title":"The Human Cost of Ukraine’s War","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"February 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Recently\u00a0UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra\u2019ad Al Hussein\u00a0released this statement concerning the War in Eastern Ukraine. \u201cBus stops and public transport, marketplaces, schools and kindergartens, hospitals and residential areas have become battlegrounds in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine \u2013 in clear breach of international humanitarian law\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ukraine"","block_context":{"text":"Ukraine","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ukraine-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/tagreuters.com2015binary_LYNXMPEB120JR-FILEDIMAGE-862x517.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/tagreuters.com2015binary_LYNXMPEB120JR-FILEDIMAGE-862x517.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/tagreuters.com2015binary_LYNXMPEB120JR-FILEDIMAGE-862x517.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3716"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3716\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3721,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3716\/revisions\/3721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}