Dear Friend,
I just returned from Ukraine after spending time with Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains and Samaritan’s Purse teams ministering on the ground. The situation in this country is heartbreaking. I witnessed so much suffering, grief, and hopelessness—but I also saw the power of the Gospel at work in the hearts of men, women, and children.
There’s no other message that can bring eternal hope in a literal war zone, and it was an honor to watch Americans and Ukrainians alike share the “hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” (Titus 1:2, ESV). Your prayers and support make this all possible, and we are humbled to see what God is doing in Ukraine—and around the world—through this ministry.
Rapid Response Team: Sharing Peace in the Midst of War
In conversation after conversation, our chaplains listened with compassion to hurting Ukrainians, shared the Gospel, and saw many people respond by placing their trust in Jesus Christ.
At the Samaritan’s Purse Emergency Field Hospital, chaplains met Fedir, who had witnessed much of the fighting in his hometown. He was thankful his family was already safely abroad, but he was deeply traumatized by what he had experienced. Fedir poured out his story to the chaplains, and they asked about his faith.
He had stopped attending church years ago, but he listened as they shared the Good News in his native language. When they finished, Fedir enthusiastically prayed to receive Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. His anxiety lifted in “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NKJV).
As other patients were waiting to be treated in the hospital, one of our chaplains sat down to talk with them. They shared harrowing stories of escape and survival—and of loved ones still in danger near the frontlines. One woman asked the chaplain to pray for her, and after he did, he took the opportunity to share the Gospel. She longed to know the peace and love that came from a relationship with Jesus Christ, and sitting outside the field hospital, she prayed in repentance and faith to invite Him to be her Lord and Savior.
Even in the midst of this terrible war zone, God is healing and restoring lives—and we give Him all the glory!
TV Specials and Livestreams: Easter Evangelism
While I was in Ukraine, I recorded a special Easter sermon celebrating our Lord’s resurrection.
>>Watch the Easter message from Ukraine
A Ukrainian choir made up of Christians from many different churches performed several powerful songs, and the program aired on Fox News, several other outlets, and even over the internet on Easter Sunday.
This program—along with my father’s final message, The Cross and The Resurrection; a new round of Gospel TV spots; and a special Good Friday livestream from my son Will—reached millions of people in the U.S. and around the world. We’re grateful for each person who heard the Good News of Jesus Christ over the last few weeks. Please pray that many will come to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).
God Loves You Tour: Good News for the UK
As you read this, I’m getting ready to begin the God Loves You Tour in the United Kingdom. Believers all across the U.K. have been preparing for these evangelistic events, and their excitement is such an encouragement—especially in a nation that has become so saturated by secularism.
Thousands have attended Christian Life and Witness Course classes so they can be equipped to share their faith with others, including as prayer volunteers at the events. Pray for those who will serve in each city and for every person they will minister to.
The first stop is Liverpool, commonly known as one of the U.K.’s most religious cities. Sadly, for many people there, religion is just a matter of tradition—without any real relationship with Jesus Christ. Sheffield is home to a massive student population, many of whom come from countries largely closed to evangelism like Somalia, Yemen, and Pakistan. The other two cities on the tour are Newport, one of the most deprived communities in Wales, and London, one of the wealthiest cities in the world.
It’s my prayer that people from every walk of life will attend the God Loves You Tour, listen to the Gospel with an open heart, and leave changed by the message of “redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24, ESV).
Prayer for Our Nation
America is in desperate need of our prayers as well. The U.S.—once a beacon of freedom, religious liberty, and Biblical values for the rest of the world—is sinking deeper and deeper into godlessness. Open hostility toward the truth of God’s Word seems to grow stronger all the time in every area of society.
At this time of year when we celebrate our mothers, many of our nation’s leaders can’t even define what a woman is! I was especially discouraged by recent news surrounding a leading newspaper’s Woman of the Year, a biological man who himself endorses an agenda that ignores basic science. Equally shocking was Lia Thomas—another biological man—winning an NCAA women’s Division I national title in swimming.
These headlines—and so many like them—should be a wake-up call to believers. There is so much confusion and darkness around us, and it’s leading people away from their only hope: Jesus Christ. It’s more important than ever that we pray fervently for our country and that we share the truth: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15, ESV).
That’s why I’m joining believers like you in six U.S. cities this fall for the God Loves You Tour. I want to share a straightforward Gospel message with people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Please begin lifting up these evangelistic events to the Lord. Preparations are already underway, and we appreciate your prayers for guidance.
Thank you for your heart to share God’s love and truth in every corner of the world. Your prayers and support help reach countless people with the hope of the Gospel, which they desperately need.
May God richly bless you,
Franklin Graham
President
