We will be updating this page as new information becomes available.
Posted 6/8/22 - 3:33pm (GMT-4)
The following photos are of a believer’s home which was destroyed by Russian artillery in Rubizhne, Eastern Ukraine. It is hard to imagine how devastating it would be to find your home demolished into nothing but a big pile of rubble, with all your earthly possessions completely destroyed.
However, the hope of the Ukrainian believers does not rest upon their earthly possessions, and although it’s hard for them to see these things happen, the war with Russia is only drawing them closer unto the Lord. Amazingly, there have been a surge of requests for material from the believers everywhere, showing how desperately they need the Word in times of crisis.
The family of this home has not been hurt, and is now safely residing in the nearby country of Georgia.
Please continue to remember the believers in your prayers, especially those in the eastern regions of Ukraine.
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Posted 5/31/22 - 4:37pm (GMT-4)
There are hundreds of Ukrainian believers who are constantly in contact with our Office manager there. We are very thankful to all of you who are supporting VGR’s efforts, both prayerfully and financially, which truly has made testimonies like the following possible.
Greetings, Brother Ivan! May God bless you and your whole family and keep you strong, healthy, and undamaged to the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God for His grace and mercy in delivering my whole family and all the believers in our congregation from the clutches of death and set us on a large place away from the front lines. Thanks be to God for VGR's tremendous financial help that they gave to us in this critical time. May God fill all your needs according to His riches in the Glory of Christ Jesus. Also, our thanks to Brother Joseph and to all who prayed for us when we were staying in basements, in the cold, under the shellings, without electricity, without any water supply, without gas and, oftentimes, without any communication. I thank God that Brother Joseph made sure that we were not starving spiritually even in this time of hardship! We had Agapao Tablets in our basements, and we were constantly pressing Play. Whenever my Agapao Tablet would run out of power, we would turn on my daughter's Tablet. We have been doing our best to follow what Brother Joseph has been telling to the Bride in every issue of The Eagles Gathering Together letter. Those materials were and still are vitally important for us. They give strength to us each day! Me and almost all of my family are in Georgia now. We are trying to find housing and work so we can pay for housing and food. So far we have been using the money sent to us from VGR. We are also helped by my son, with whom we are staying. In Ukraine, there is no place for us to go back to. Our houses are destroyed, and the towns are uninhabitable. We pray for all who are now in danger and need. We believe that the Lord Jesus is with us every second of our lives. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! To Him all Glory and Praise and Thanksgiving!
Posted 5/12/22 - 11:41am (GMT-4)
Post Of Duty
We are thankful that our Ukraine distributor, Ivan Trubitsin, has been able to remain in the country and help provide both humanitarian help to believers, as well as Message materials. Orders have increased on many days to over 10 boxes of material mailed. As mentioned in a previous report, the demand for material has spiked, as believers are taking this opportunity to testify to others about how God sent a prophet with the Word of the Lord in these last days. The reception of the Message amongst previously non-believers has been wonderful, as many Ukrainians are now considering, more than ever before, what will happen to their soul once it leaves this earth. Thank you Brother Ivan for the work you are doing in Ukraine for the Lord and His people.
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Posted 5/11/22 - 10:25am (GMT-4)
Leaving the devastation of their country behind completely, a few Ukrainian believers put this video together expressing the joy they’ve now found in their new homes.
We are so thankful to the Lord that we can not only help believers like these escape a state of gruesome warfare, but restore happiness, fellowship, and safety to them and their families.
The sister who put this together also included the following dialog with her video:
This video is about how thankful we are to everyone who helped us to come here and met with us and helped us along the way!
Posted 5/10/22 - 2:31pm (GMT-4)
It would be hard for us to imagine how much the prayers from fellow believers mean when your life is at risk every day. There are believers from around Ukraine who are constantly sending their photos in, with notes of thanks for the prayers the Saints are putting forth for them. Please continue to remember these very needy believers when you speak to the Lord in prayer.
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Posted 5/3/22 - 9:05am (GMT-4)
Because the war in Ukraine is now primarily on the eastern border of the country, for many of the believers in other regions, life is returning back to normal...planting potatoes, cutting wood, and enjoying fellowship with other believers.
We are continuing to provide financial help to believers in Ukraine, as some of them have lost their jobs, or their house or apartment is destroyed, basically making them refugees inside of Ukraine.
As announced in a previous post, we have been receiving a surge of requests for Message material throughout the country, as the believers not only want to be replenished with supplies, but want to take advantage of the opportunity the Lord has presented to witness to others during this time of crisis.
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Posted 4/27/22 - 10:33am (GMT-4)
The war in Ukraine has all but stopped the distribution of Message materials within their country. We have been reluctant to mail anything, as we did not know if it would reach its destination, or if the recipient would be there to receive it.
However, Brother Ivan Trubitsin now reports that there is a growing flow of orders both from churches and individuals. There seems to be a strong desire to witness to unbelieving neighbors that haven't heard of the Message. The war has changed the minds of the Ukrainian people at least in some measure, and many are thinking more of their Eternal destination than the pleasures of this world. They realize their life can end quickly at any moment.
We know all things are working together for the good of the Ukrainian Bride, and we are believing that through this crisis, God could be calling the last Elected ones into the fold. Please, pray for the Ukrainian believers who have remained in the country, and their burden to reach those who are still away from the Lord.
Posted 4/26/22 - 4:02pm (GMT-4)
We just received this update from one of our representatives in Europe:
Russia has not been able to make any real breakthroughs in the war. The battlefronts are still about the same as they have been during last couple weeks. The believers in the city of Rubizhne, which is located in the midst of the battlefield, have all fled. The only route of escape for them has been ironically to flee into Russia, as the city is less than 100 miles from the Russian border. The believers of Georgian origin have fled southward to be with their families there.
We have heard that Rubizhne is now in ruins. Brother Ivan Trubitsin, our office representative in Ukraine, has remained in Pavlograd, helping the believers there and around Ukraine with humanitarian needs. He is also communicating with those who are wanting to escape into the Western Countries, and helping to coordinate the logistics needed in order to do that. Although at the moment, we are actually seeing a flow of people back into Ukraine, especially those in the Kiev and Chernihiv regions.
Brother Ivan has told us that every night the alarms with sirens are echoing throughout the city. Some missiles have been launched into Pavlograd, but their damage this far has been small. Brother Ivan is observing the situation and his van is full of diesel, with more canisters filled with fuel in order to flee without stopping if that becomes necessary. However, it seems that Ukraine is able to resist the Russian attacks, as they are receiving heavy arms day by day.
Please remember the believers in your prayers.
Posted 4/19/22 - 11:22am (GMT-4)
Hearty Christian greetings from those who remained in Chernigov! May Our Lord reward every brother and sister who carried us in the hands of prayer during this troubled, difficult, dangerous time! The Lord warmed and nourished us, and saved our lives and property. Special appreciation and blessings to Brother Joseph and his team for providing us with Agapao tablets with the Word of Life!!!! During the most terrible attacks, This Word was for us God in flesh, whose Hand we held. We just pressed the “play” button and the fear went away, comfort and healing came. The Word of the Lord was a Hiding Place for us! It brought into our hearts Peace, Tranquility, Hope. Glory and gratitude to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! God be with all of you till we meet! Shalom!
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Posted 4/12/22 - 8:42am (GMT-4)
In the time of desperation seems to be when barriers of indifferences are broken. The war in Ukraine has caused believers from around the country to come together and help one another, regardless of what church they attend. It has been a blessing for us to see how outside pressures can bring such unity amongst Message believers.
Brother Ivan and his wife
Brother Ivan distributing Agapao tablets
Brother Ivan Trubitsin, our office manager in Ukraine, has stayed in Ukraine, faithful at his post of duty. He is in constant communication with our contacts around the country, and is accommodating them with the essential funds they need.
Shown below are just a few of the families around the country who have sent their pictures in to us.
We are so grateful to contribute well over $55,000 directly towards helping relocate the believers to the country of their choice, provide temporary lodging and food, and with whatever other humanitarian needs they have.
Please continue to remember our brothers and sisters in your prayers.
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Posted 4/12/22 - 2:02pm (GMT-4)
“Heaven is rejoicing” as the first baptismal service took place for the Ukrainian believers in Norway. Through all the tragedies they have suffered through recently, we know it often takes distress for us to dig deep and examine how our lives are measuring up before the Lord. For truly, through mountain tops or valleys, through sunshine or sorrow, we know that all things work together to them who love His appearing.
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Posted 4/6/22 - 2:03pm (GMT-4)
Having the brothers in the European countries greet the Ukrainian refugees has been wonderful; the accommodations we’ve been able to provide them by helping with their food, water, transportation, and housing has been an honor and blessing; the one-on-one fellowship with them has been absolutely “precious”…but there is nothing in this world that can comfort their hearts in such a trialsome time, like hearing the Voice of God to our generation speak to them.
Recently, a Church service was prepared especially for the Ukrainian believers. After the VGR brothers greeted the congregation and laid a platform for the Message, the tape was projected on a screen in the Russian language, in sync with Brother Branham speaking, so everyone could follow along. By the end of the service, the lingering worries vanished, and their cups were overflowing with the blessings of the Lord and His assurance that “all is well”, as these eagles rejoiced around the Spiritual Food for our day.
Posted 4/5/22 - 9:10am (GMT-4)
During their departure from Ukraine, a few of the believers’ tablets were left behind, or broken. Our team from Europe was there to replenish their Spiritual Food in due season, with new Russian/Ukrainian Agapao tablets.
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Posted 4/4/22 - 4:03pm (GMT-4)
The relief effort in Ukraine continues as we are helping Ukrainian believers travel from their invaded homes to the destination in Europe of their choosing. For those trapped in Ukraine, our office manager is still able transfer money to them so they can obtain the essential food, water, and shelter they need. As of today, we have sent over $50,000 to directly aid our brothers and sisters. And, we are making coordinated efforts to help believers who are endangered, to stay at other believers’ homes in safer regions, like Brother Andrew Izbash, pastor of the Kiev church.
Please continue in prayer for these precious believers.
This family crossed from Ukraine to Romania by river boat, in route to Germany
Ukrainian believers with believers in Germany
Ukrainian believers with believers in Germany
Ukrainian and Italian believers
Ukrainian believers in Romania
Ukrainian believers in Germany
Ukrainian believers in route to Norway.
Posted 3/30/22 - 8:03am (GMT-4)
As refugees continue to pour out of Ukraine for other European countries, there are brothers and sisters on the ground to meet them as they arrive at their new homes. Although there is a language barrier in many cases, there could not be a more loving welcome for our refugee brothers and sisters than what a group of Message believers can give.
These are a few of the pictures and videos as the refugees are greeted by those of like precious faith.
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Posted 3/21/22 - 2:03pm (GMT-4)
Many more Ukrainians are now getting settled in many of the European countries. Here are songs of praise as the Norwegian and Ukrainian believers have come together to thank the Lord for His Mercy and Grace.
Posted 3/17/22 - 1:50pm (GMT-4)
Brothers and Sisters,
The first group of Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Norway! Our representatives were there to greet them and help make all the accommodations they need to get settled in their new homes. They said the believers were so excited and so thankful to the Lord to be in this safe, beautiful country. It is easy to see the joy in their hearts, by the expressions on each of their faces.
Many more believers from Ukraine are scheduled to arrive in Norway today.
We feel so humbled and honored to take these precious saints by the hand each step of the way, from their leveled cities and bomb-shelters in Ukraine, through the European states, all the way to their new home in this beautiful country of Norway. Truly, even a cold drink of water for them does not go unnoticed by the Lord. We thank Him for this precious opportunity.
Please continue to remember these believers, and all the Ukrainian believers in your prayers, as we continue the effort to help them in any way we possibly can.
God bless you,
Brother Joseph Branham
Posted 3/16/22 - 9:38am (GMT-4)
Prayer request from Ukraine
Greetings to all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! First of all we want to thank all the brothers and sisters for their prayers! The Lord certainly answers them. He leads each of us in a special way. We face many trials along the way. But God helps us to overcome them. We believe this, so we ask you to especially mention in prayer the believers from the city of Rubizhne, Luhansk region. They are having a really difficult time right now. There has been fierce fighting in the city for a very long time, with no electricity or water. Our brothers and sisters in Christ there really need us to pray for them! We believe that the Lord will not abandon them and will glorify Himself in them! May our Heavenly Father be with you all!
Posted 3/14/22 - 11:56am (GMT-4)
We just received this report from the pastor in the Chernigov area.
Shalom!
Dear brothers and sisters! With great appreciation, I speak to you, on behalf of the believers in the city of Chernigov and the city of Ostra, for your prayer support, in such a difficult time for us. Oh-oh! How good is the Lord Jesus. He does not leave us without consolation. His Word in the Bible and the Spoken Word through the Messenger Brother Branham brings faith and encouragement to our hearts during the trial.
We continue waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ and we are looking forward to His return. So far, none of our brothers and sisters have been harmed. Glory be to Jesus Christ.
Posted 3/10/22 - 5:05pm (GMT-5)
We are already receiving feedback from grateful believers in Ukraine. This is one that really blessed our hearts:
Dear VGR Brothers and Sisters,
Your participation and your prayers are so precious to us. We can see God's Love projected to the believers in Ukraine. We are very happy that the needs of Brothers and Sisters will be filled up. We live in the center of Ukraine, and the situation is more or less peaceful here. All our needs have been taken care of. Let the other believers, who are experiencing hardships now, have the privilege of using this opportunity.
We are learning what it is "when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay!"
The Lord Jesus bless you with all of His blessings!
We love you. God's grace be with you ever.
Posted 3/9/22 - 5:53pm (GMT-5)
We are receiving multiple reports on the status of Ukrainian believers from our representatives both in the country and in bordering countries. Here is a recent report on Chernigov, which is home to several believers and a Message church:
Chernigov is more or less held hostage by Russian soldiers. Though most fighting takes place outside the city, the going out and coming into the city is very dangerous. Inside the city it is relatively peaceful. Most residents in the city have ‘summer gardens’ with simple cabins outside the city in villages, but it’s not safe to relocate there either. All the believers really would like to leave, but can’t. They need to take care of their elderly relatives (who may not all be believers), not all have cars, Russian and Ukrainian bandits shoot down people on the transit routes to rob them, public transportation is chaotic… they literally need to be rescued.
There is one believing family who has a shelter in Chernigov with limited food supplies. Again, it is a logistical problem.
There 2 believing families who may be ‘eligible’ for evacuation, but do not have vehicles, do not know how to drive, and one is disabled with leg problems.
I imagine border guards are willing to negotiate the regulations of men age 18-60 prohibited to leave the country and would consider an exit fee for the sake of taking care of this disabled brother. In the case of refused border crossings, or if the finances for border crossing is too high, I’m just wondering if we have any humanitarian reliefs in the relatively safe regions of Western Ukraine / Lviv area, near the border, so they can try to cross again into the EU. Is it possible for housing/lodging for a stopover here?
Also, we have heard of a Polish farmer driving with his tractor into Ukrainian territory and picking up refugees at a rendezvous point and returning into Poland (where there is no fence.) This is something we will look into.
This is just one very recent report, of hundreds of other reports we have been receiving. We are doing everything we can to find solutions for these precious believers, and by His Grace, we’ve been able to help many with humanitarian aids, even amongst such adverse, chaotic conditions.
The believers in Ukraine certainly need our continued prayers.
God bless you,
Brother Joseph
Posted 3/8/22 - 10:43am (GMT-5)
Dear Brothers and Sisters! I am the grandmother of the girls who gave their testimony from Kharkiv. Our Lord has heard our prayers and has begun to work, to deliver them from the clutches of death. I ask that you continue to pray for them now as the Lord is paving the way. I am also asking you to pray for us in Rubizhne, Luhansk Region, that the shelling would stop. We are standing with the Word, He shall deliver us from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover us with his feathers, and under His wings shalt we trust. His Truth shall be the shield and the buckler. We love Him, and we are giving thanks to Him for everything!
Posted 3/4/22 - 4:36pm (GMT-5)
We have been able to help multiple refugee families from Ukraine with housing, food and drinks, and fellowship. Our representatives from Holland, Poland, Romania, and other parts of Europe are now personally meeting many of the believers at the borders, greeting them with all the accommodations we can provide.
We are also continuing to help those who remain in Ukraine with humanitarian needs as much as possible.
This is a photo of precious Ukrainian believers who have just crossed over into Romania.
Posted 3/3/22 - 9:36am (GMT-5)
Chernihiv
Many of the young believers have left Chernhiv and are headed to the western border, or have already crossed it. The older generation of believers, and at least one young sister and her baby are staying there in the city.
The city is getting ready to fight the Russian army in the streets. They’ve made many Molotov cocktail bottles in preparation for this.
Some Ukrainian GSM cell stations seem to have been replaced with Russian ones.
Pavlograd
It has been again peaceful in Pavlograd. There is no fighting so near that they could hear it. Looks like our Ukrainian distributor, his family, and our office there is safe thus far. We have spoken with him about the possibility to get to safety in other countries, but now it is safer in Pavlograd than on the roads trying to reach Moldova, which would be the closest country to them. He could not cross the border because he is under 60 years old, and the enlistment is for all 18 to 60-year-old men.
Kharkiv
Still under heavy attack. Some believers have left, while others have chosen to stay.
Melitopol, Mariupol, Voznesensk, and Nikolaev
These cities are likewise under heavy attack from Russia. All the believers we know of are staying indoors until things settle.
Kyiv Bortnichi (this is a neighborhood where many believers live)
Several of these families have left and are headed towards the western border.
We have not received one report of any believer being hurt as of today, Praise the Lord.
Although the banks in Ukraine and the U.S. say the channels for money transfers between the countries are open, we are experiencing delays in wiring money through. However, we can still at this time send wires within Ukraine, and thus are doing so to support the believers.
Posted 2/26/22 - 9:36am (GMT-5)
Chernihiv under attack
Russian troops are using these GRAD rocket launchers in an attack to capture Chernihiv. The believers were gathered to hear a Message Tape when the shooting started.
The brothers and sisters are asking for your immediate prayers.
Posted 2/25/22 - 7:26pm (GMT-5)
We received new reports that the believers in
Chernihiv
are safe at the moment, although there has been heavy fighting close by the city. The Russian troops seem to be heading towards Kiev.
The same with the
Pavlograd
area. There the Russian army has kept the Ukrainian troops busy, but they are not interested to make real progress towards Pavlograd.
Kiev
seems to be the goal for most all of the Russian forces now. Russian soldiers are almost at the government headquarters, but at the same time, the Ukrainian forces are likewise gathering together from all over Ukraine, to fight for Kiev. It looks like the Russian troops have not been able to achieve all they wanted to do as quick as planned and the resistance in Ukraine is growing stronger. Only the Lord knows how this will end up. Russia says they are ready for negotiations immediately after the Ukrainian troops lay down their weapons, but at this time, the Ukrainians are not willing to do that.
Please continue in prayer for the Ukrainian believers.
Posted 2/24/22 - 3:05pm (GMT-5)
Russia has launched a full-scale military attack on Ukraine. The believers in Ukraine desperately need our prayers.
We have been in contact with believers in Kiev, Donetsk, Chernigov, Pavlograd, and many other parts of Ukraine. Thus far, we have no reports of any believers that have been hurt.
We received a report that the
Believers in Donetsk
have maintained normality for the most part, although this area has been practically a war zone since 2014. There has been a Russian-military draft and mobilization of men, ages 18-55, but thus far no believers have been drafted, as far as we know. Some of the Ukrainian believers living in Donetsk have either moved to Russia, or other parts of Ukraine. However, many who have their houses there in Donetsk just can’t leave everything behind. The Donetsk church is still in operation, although about 100 out of the 200 in the congregation has moved out of the region since this local crisis started, in 2014.
As for the believers in
Chernihiv
, Russian tanks have stopped at the north side of the city. Some believers went to homes outside of the city. Bus traffic from Chernihiv to Kiev has stopped. Credit cards in this area do not work anymore.
There have been several explosions in the
capital city of Kiev
, as Russian armed forces are apparently targeting Ukraine military installations and Air Force bases. Many of the believers there have, or are trying to head west, or are staying in their homes/bomb shelters.
There are many rumors of an invasion to
Mariupol and Odessa
, which are the main port cities in Ukraine, after they lost Crimea to Russia.
In
Luhansk
, there are only about 4 to 6 believers left that we can verify. There are small churches and groups around this area, but we do not have contact with them at the moment. Some of them moved to Russia, or other parts of Ukraine, or some of the brothers also work in European Union countries since 2014, when Russia gained occupation of Crimea.
Russia is an Orthodox country and fights against Pentecostal movements in general, which places our brothers and sisters at great risk, in the natural. However, we know His Angels are encamped about each of the believers there, and the voice of our prophet is echoing at this very moment, assuring them that our Lord Jesus will never leave them nor forsake them.
These precious saints would certainly appreciate your prayers.