Support Ukraine!

I admit it. I am biased. I love Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. (I notice that I tend to love the people in every country I visit.)
 
I first met Pavel Unguryan, the youngest person (at that time) to be elected to the Ukrainian Parliament, when he came to visit me in San Diego. We later were privileged to speak to 1,000 persons, half of them elected officials, at the Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast in Kiev. A small delegation of us had the honor of a private meeting with Ivan Banakov, a boyhood friend of Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky, as we all know, would become President. Banakov ran Zelensky’s campaign for president, and became head of the nation’s Security Service and a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
Pavel Unguryan
Ivan Banakov
We have met with elected Ukrainian officials in Washington, DC on several occasions. We were to travel to Kiev last September to speak at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the overthrow of Communism. (We could not have imagined then that Communism would rear its ugly head and try to crush Ukraine once again.) We were assured by a person in the President’s political party, the Servant of the People, that on that trip, we would get to meet with President Zelensky. Due to Covid travel complications we were unable to go. We were to be in Washington, DC at a Ukrainian event just last month (but were unable to go the last minute).
 
Bottom line: I am biased. I love Ukraine and the Ukrainians. That being the case, I have had some interesting (and puzzling) conversations over the past three weeks.
Here is a cumulative amalgamation, or consolidation, of those conversations:

Them: But Zelensky is pro-abortion.
Me: Yes, that is true, and he is wrong on that issue. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Zelensky is pro-homosexual and supports same-sex “marriage.”
Me: Yes, that is true, and he is wrong on that issue. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Putin is anti-homosexual so-called “marriage” and supports one man-one woman marriage.
Me: Yes, that is true, and Putin is right on that one issue, but he is a thug and is killing anyone he can. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Putin is just trying to stand against the decadence of the West.
Me: Slaughtering men, women and children is a poor way to do it. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: Maybe God is judging Ukraine.
Me: I am stunned at how calloused Christians have become. Let me remind you of that when you are screaming for your loved ones as your house is being bombed. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: Maybe God is destroying Ukraine for violating God’s view of marriage.
Me: If that was the case, He would have begun with Amsterdam, The Netherlands where the first same-sex so-called “marriage” was performed. (We have been in the room where it happened.) Or he would have begun with Massachusetts, the first U.S. state to affirm that for which God destroyed Sodom. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: Maybe the Ukrainians provoked this.
Me: Russia is 28 times bigger than Ukraine. Putin has made it clear that he wants to grab nation after nation. Ukraine does not have any such goal. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Ukraine is not a democracy.
Me: You are wrong. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But the Russians are nice people too.
Me: I am sure they are. No argument there. But Putin is a murderous thug. It is Ukraine that is being viciously attacked, not the Russian people. Let’s keep the focus on the issue. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
Them: Can you believe that Senator Lindsey Graham said that Putin should be taken out!
Me: And the problem is…? For the sake of Russia and the entire world, may they be successful. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But the “main-stream media” is against Putin and for Ukraine. We don’t want to be with them.
Me: So what? Maybe they can be right on something once every hundred years. I am not concerned with what their view is. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But the globalists are against Putin and for Ukraine. We don’t want to be with them.
Me: I don’t care. Maybe they can be right on something for once. I am not concerned with what their view is. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But the U.S. put bio-weapons in Ukraine.
Me: They may have. They may not have. I don’t know. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Ukraine killed some Russians with those bio-weapons.
Me: You don’t know that, and neither do I. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Putin quoted the Bible, John 15:13 in his recent speech.
Me: Yes, even Satan quotes God’s Word when he needs to, to distort it (like Putin). BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Ukraine is corrupt.
Me: Well, it may well be, like many nations are, BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Ukraine has human trafficking.
Me: Human trafficking is evil, but tell me a nation that doesn’t have it. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
Them: But Tucker Carlson (and others) say that we should not care about Ukraine.
Me: Tucker Carlson is remarkably smart on every issue, except this one. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But what about OUR border.
Me: Our border should only allow persons in legally. That does not mean we can ignore the Ukrainians. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Putin is a nationalist, standing against the globalists.
Me: Putin is no “nationalist.” He does not respect other nations. He does not respect Ukraine’s sovereignty. Furthermore he has made it very clear he wants to reestablish the former Soviet Union. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But Zelensky said that Justin Trudeau is a “model” for nations.
Me: Zelensky is wrong to believe that. Trudeau is a tyrant. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But we should not defend Ukraine’s airspace.
Me: NATO nations are “next door.” If we would assist them, they could do it. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But that could launch us into WWIII.
Me: I don’t know how to break it to you, but we are already IN WWIII. You think WWIII will begin with tanks, planes and guns? You are wrong. WWIII began with cyber and economic warfare. That began some time ago. We are already IN that era. Russian and China (and others) are doing everything they can against the U.S. Look what Russia did to the Eastern one-third of our nation regarding a pipeline. Look at the Russian hacking. That is done to create chaos and destroy. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.

Them: But the U.S. should not put boots on the ground.
Me: Fine. Don’t. In fact, on the ground, the Ukrainians can likely win the war. It is in the air that the Russians are pounding Ukraine. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: We’ll, you are just being “pastoral.” (That was actually said to me!)
Me: Are you kidding me?!? I am being a person. I am viewing people as God views people. I care about people. They are being slaughtered. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
Them: Maybe we can reason with Putin.
Me: Surely you must be kidding. Anyone who bombs maternity wards, recognized routes of evacuation and nuclear plants, is a madman. You cannot reason with madmen. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: Maybe our U.S. CIA actually did the bombing of the nuclear plants.
Me: I am beyond words. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.

Them: But Zelensky is bombing his own people.
Me: That is probably the dumbest idea I've ever heard. BUT, WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But we should use diplomacy.
Me: Agreed. But maybe you should have been beating that drum six months ago. Who would lead in diplomacy? Biden? What did he do? He did way too little, way too late and he is way too weak. I agree that we need aggressive diplomacy – Donald Trump style. But we don’t have it. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: But we have no American national security interests in Ukraine.
Me: You won’t say that after Putin gobbles up another European country or two.
WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.

Them: Well, I don’t think Putin has the military capacity to attack any more nations.
Me: Talk to me about that if you lived in one of the surrounding nations, close to the Ukrainian border. But, WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.

Them: But we can’t get into a war because Biden to too weak to execute a war.
Me: That is undoubtedly true, and I would add, he is too weak to execute a peace. But, WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.

Them: But they are not part of NATO, so we have no obligation to be involved.
Me: You have apparently forgotten that the U.S. signed an agreement with Ukraine in 1994 saying that if they would get rid of their 1,900 nuclear warheads, we would respect their national sovereignty and defend them. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.

Them: Why all the anti-Russia hysteria?
Me: Maybe because Russia is murdering innocents. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: Well, for some reason everyone is falling all over themselves regarding Zelensky, saying he is “Churchillian.”
Me: Zelensky, with all his flaws, weaknesses and lack of experience, has given stunning leadership to his nation in time of war. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTYHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
 
Them: Maybe Biden’s meeting that he announced nine days out will help.
Me: While you and I sit here it total comfort, there are around 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 who are displaced within the country, with no housing, no food, no water, no warmth in winter, and another 2,500,000 who crossed the border without husbands, dads and sons. You sit here wanting to discuss it while they die. God help us! WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO SAVE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY PUTIN AND THE RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, AND WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE SO LITTLE TIME LEFT.
I think you get the picture. The issue is clear. People are being injured and many are being killed. We cannot sit by. I do not understand how it is possible that some Christians have become so calloused to the pain of so many. We can’t simply philosophize about this crisis. We must act.
 
Well Versed ministry, which funds the World Prayer Network, raised nearly $40,000 to partner with City of Destiny, which is working with several other organizations to feed Ukrainians coming into Poland. We raised around $60,000 for the Jewish Agency, to try to get Jews out of Ukraine to Israel. We forwarded every cent that was sent to us.
 
We are now partnering with Pavel (Pavlo) Unguryan and Bishop Oleksandr Rudynets (who oversees 1,300 charismatic churches in Ukraine). They are both heavily involved in desperately trying to provide housing, food, water, clothing, and medical needs to so many. I talked to my good friend Pavel a few days ago. I have never heard him sound so exhausted. I talked with Oleksandr (whom my son-in-law has known for decades). At one point he was on the verge of tears.
 
We must help them. Regardless of all the geo-political complexities, we must do something. Quickly. Help us help them. Please.
Dr. Jim Garlow
CEO/Founder
Well Versed


Rosemary Schindler Garlow
Co-Founder
Well Versed


www.WellVersedWorld.org

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