Prayer Focus

FEBC Russia has been supporting and giving a platform to a married couple in Russia who started a non-profit organization that provides assistance to the most needy, including the homeless, orphans, children with disabilities, the suicidal, and poor families. Please pray for Kristina and her husband as they continue to serve the most needy, who are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis.

“Why was I born, if my whole life is going to be like this?” Anastasia’s mother began drinking after getting divorced and never stopped; and Anastasia and her sisters were even put into an orphanage for a time. Anastasia reached out to an FEBC Russia counselor for help. The counselor told her about God’s love His care for her, and Anastasia accepted Jesus. Now she participates in a Bible study run by the counselor and writes to her every day to say “good morning” and “good night” and to tell her about her day. “I know what it’s like to have a family now.” Please pray for young people who come from difficult home situations. There are many social orphans in Russia, young people and children whose parents are addicts and are unable to care for them.

Anna has been seeing a psychiatrist and has been taking antidepressants, but was worried because she was becoming dependent on them, and the doses kept increasing. As she spoke with the counselor, she gave her life to Jesus, and was filled with relief and a hope for a better future. Please pray for listeners who are suffering from severe depression. Though outside help can be beneficial, may they learn that true change can only be found through Christ.

Anna asked for prayer because she had been having panic attacks for the last 2 years. Her mother had died in front of her and had suffered terribly, and Anna had turned to the occult for “help” with her pain and for her other life issues. Anna turned to Jesus during the call and repented. Please pray for listeners who have turned to the occult for answers, a common occurrence in Ukraine. May they learn that they can turn to Jesus instead.

“Your radio station makes me feel like I’m not alone,” said Zhanna, from the Leningrad region of Russia. “I live in a small city in Russia and there are very few Christians here have relationships with. But your program makes up for it. God is using it to support me and grow my faith.” Please pray for Zhanna and others like her who do not have access to a Christian community to meet with. The broadcasts and the communications online with other listeners and FEBC counselors are sometimes the only interactions they are able to have with other Christians on a regular basis.

Alcoholism is destroying lives in Russia and Ukraine. People are drunk for days or even weeks at a time, and their families and their lives are falling apart. Tatyana from Ukraine called our helpline in tears. She was a university student and was just coming off a two-week binge. She saw no hope for change. During the call she accepted Jesus and received prayer for freedom, thanking the counselors, this time with tears of joy. Please pray for Tatyana and others who are suffering from addiction to alcohol, that they may come to know Christ and find freedom from their addictions.

Ruslan from Ukraine turned to our counselors for help: his younger brother started drinking, following the footsteps of his parents, and he wanted to know what to do. Please pray for the love of Christ to permeate families and provide freedom and healing.

Nina, an elderly woman, called our helpline in tears. She lives alone in a house with bad heating because of the shelling and feels helpless. The counselor talked with Nina about God’s protection and she accepted Jesus. After that she was able to calm down and stop crying; she was hearing for the first time that God loves her, hears her prayers, and is able to protect her. Please pray for the elderly who are lonely and vulnerable in the war zone in Ukraine. The shelling left many people in subpar housing, and the elderly often have no one to help them.

Maria couldn’t communicate well with her children: “I am always scolding them, and I have even cursed at them!” She was crying as she told this to the counselor in Ukraine. “I need help. I want to change.” The counselor walked Maria through repentance before God and prayed through some past hurts that were making it hard for Maria to behave lovingly to her husband and children. Please pray for Maria and those like her who have never had the chance to learn how to have healthy, loving relationships.

Andrew from St. Petersburg works as a volunteer in a hospital. “It’s like I am able to drop my burden when I watch you, all of a sudden I am animated and alive. It’s like all of me is being replenished, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Each day before going to the hospital now, I pray. I never used to do that before.” Please pray for those who are serving in high stress environments. Pray that God shows them that their strength is found only in Him.

“I thought I was a believer before, but after watching your broadcasts, I’ve started actually praying directly to God more often. God has been helping me and my family through your broadcasts, even though some of them are Muslims. I pray to Jesus with some of them and they don’t mind, because they want to pray to the God that Eugene (an FEBC Russia broadcaster) believes in.” Please pray for the Muslims in Central Asia who need to hear about the love of Jesus. Islam is actually the second most common religion in Russia, with over 14 million Muslims in Russia.

“My husband and I watch your broadcasts together. He is not a believer, but after your broadcasts, I am able to talk with him about what we just heard. I think the day is coming soon when my husband will also believe in God!” Please pray with Irina for the salvation of her husband and the many other Russians who are being introduced to the Gospel through these broadcasts.

“My aunt died from the coronavirus. Ever since then, I’ve been having nightmares; I was even thinking of taking my own life until I found your broadcasts.” Please pray for Bogdan and people like him who are afraid and alone and are in need of God’s comfort.

We finally found the perfect space for our Kiev Evangelism Center! In the last month, the shabby old building where our studios are currently located had both a flood and a fire. Please pray that the purchase will go smoothly and that we will have enough finances to make it into an effective center for evangelism in Eurasia. We will have to organize the space inside – build the studios, working spaces, etc.

While listening to a program, Ludmila wrote, “How can I believe in the God you are talking about? I want to understand how to believe in Jesus, who forgives sins. I want Him to forgive me, too.” Please pray for people who are hearing the Good News and are finding freedom for the first time.

“I started listening to your program because I liked the host, but I got upset when he started talking about God. I responded angrily in the comments and stopped watching for a few months. When I came back, I was surprised how warmly the regular viewers and the host treated me; no one was upset or holding a grudge. I’m beginning to realize that Christians aren’t as narrow-minded as I thought.” Please pray for people like Vyacheslav in Russia as God works on their hearts to remove anger and hurt they may have towards the Church and towards God.

Listeners were invited to visit the studio in Ukraine for the birthday of one of our hosts, Max. One listener came from out of town, though he wasn’t a Christian, because he liked the friendliness of the hosts on the program. He said he felt the same family atmosphere in the studio. Please pray for our new listeners who are hearing the Good News and are experiencing the love found in Christ.

“My son went to the army in December and was blown up the next day. He woke up with his face contorted, it was neurological damage. He’s been in the hospital for 3 months, but his face is still not fully healed. Just before he was going to be transferred for further treatment a patient in the hospital came down with the coronavirus and the hospital was quarantined. I am in despair. How can I trust God in this situation?” Please keep this mother and her son in your prayers, as she struggles to trust God to protect and heal her son.

“I try to find peace, but it never lasts. As I was listening to one of your programs about how we can be changed, I had tears in my eyes. Your words pierced me right in the heart.” As our counselors prayed with Alla for peace, she turned to Jesus and accepted him into her heart. “I feel peaceful at last, thank you.” Please pray for the many listeners who are receiving prayer and turning to Christ through our phone helpline in Ukraine.

Sergei called the helpline from prison. He had heard about God but didn’t believe that God could actually change him—he smokes and swears. After talking with the counselor, he repented and said that would call back to talk more; he is excited to change. Please pray for Sergei to sincerely dedicate his life to Jesus, and for other prisoners to be touched by the love and power of God through hearing the Good News through our programs and prison ministries.

Ruslan started listening to FEBC Ukraine a year and a half ago. “You became the only station I listened to. I now have a different view of the world and life in general thanks to your radio station!”

Alexander from Zelenograd, Russia was born with cerebral palsy and has been wheelchair bound his entire life. He is mostly confined to his apartment, where he lives alone, and he wrote to Epigraph, a program that looks at literature from a Christian perspective, to talk about loneliness: “The only escape I have is reading books, but sometimes I just don’t have anyone to talk with. Your program gives me hope, and, believe it or not, a taste of actual happiness. I now know that there are other people who believe in God like me, and they can find Him in literature too. Your program allows me to temporarily forget about my disability, it’s like I become real! Thank you for that.” Please pray for Alexander and others who are lonely and alone to find hope in living relationships, both with God and the believers around them.

Inna, a broadcaster in FEBC Ukraine would often meet with listeners before the quarantine. They started talking online and eventually met in person to talk about God and so that Inna could share her testimony. Please pray for listeners who are just reaching out to God and for the hosts who take the time to pour into their lives.

Irina lives in the Russian-occupied area and writes that evangelical churches are forbidden there. “I’m glad that we can at least get our spiritual bread on the radio. I’m thankful that God has not abandoned us!” Please pray for believers in occupied areas of Ukraine where they are often persecuted.

Lydia called the helpline in Ukraine because her daughters had both taken up drinking to deal with their problems. During the conversation, Lydia decided to “start with herself” and turned to God in prayer. She accepted Jesus and said she would continue to pray for her daughters. Please pray for listeners who are turning to Jesus in their crises.

After listening to a program, Valentina wanted to accept Jesus, so she called a counselor to talk. “I feel so light now. Thank you!” Valentina was looking forward to being able to attend a local church where she had friends. Please pray for Valentina and other listeners whose hearts are opened to the Lord through various types of programs and who are getting connected to churches.

“My daughter and I have been stuck at home together for almost two months now because of the quarantine and your broadcasts are helping keep us from going crazy. When my daughter is misbehaving, I just think about what your advice would be and I have a better idea of what to do.” Please pray for families like Vasily and his daughter Carolina from Russia who are learning how to live together in the light of Jesus’ Gospel. Pray that God heals broken and hurting families, even when the situation may seem hopeless.