Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham took to social media to support a global prayer event organized by Ukraine’s churches and pastors to seek peace from Russia’s invasion.
“I’m grateful for the churches & pastors across Ukraine & how they’re ministering to their communities during these dark days. The Baptist Union of Ukraine put out this urgent request for prayer over the next 2 days. They’re asking every Christian worldwide to pray,” Graham wrote regarding the prayer event scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
One church leader in Ukraine told our team that his biggest fear is that if they’re occupied they will not be able to worship freely. He said death would be better than to be told they could not openly talk of God. May we all have that same conviction! God bless & protect them.
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) March 8, 2022
Graham noted that at least one church leader in Ukraine is concerned about losing his freedom of worship if Russian President Vladimir Putin is successful in taking over the nation.
“One church leader in Ukraine told our team that his biggest fear is that if they’re occupied they will not be able to worship freely. He said death would be better than to be told they could not openly talk of God. May we all have that same conviction! God bless & protect them,” he added on Twitter.
Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse non-profit has already started setting up an emergency hospital in Ukraine to help those injured in the conflict. “Once operational, it will have the capacity for 14 major surgeries a day,” the organization stated on Twitter on Monday.
We are in the process of setting up our Emergency Field Hospital in #Ukraine. Once operational, it will have the capacity for 14 major surgeries a day. Read the latest here. https://t.co/OdfHcpbHL4
— Samaritan's Purse (@SamaritansPurse) March 7, 2022
“Ukrainian families are hurting and in desperate need of physical aid and prayer during this difficult time,” Graham said in a statement regarding the emergency hospital. “We are deploying life-saving medical care to aid people who are suffering. We want to meet the needs of these families in their darkest moments while pointing them to the light and hope of Jesus Christ.”
The organization has long-operated in Ukraine, with more than 3,200 churches participating in its past programs, including its popular Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes.
In addition to Ukraine, the statement reported that Samaritan’s Purse “has additional disaster response specialists on the ground in Poland, Romania, and Moldova, and we plan to send a smaller medical clinic bound for Moldova on an additional flight this week.”
Graham has long advocated prayer regarding the events in Russia and Ukraine, sometimes facing strong controversy. Liberals on Twitter attacked prominent Graham in February after he asked his followers to pray that war between Russia and Ukraine would be avoided.
“Pray for President Putin today. This may sound like a strange request, but we need to pray that God would work in his heart so that war could be avoided at all cost,” Graham wrote. “May God give wisdom to the leaders involved in these talks & negotiations, as well as those advising them.”
Pray for President Putin today. This may sound like a strange request, but we need to pray that God would work in his heart so that war could be avoided at all cost. May God give wisdom to the leaders involved in these talks & negotiations, as well as those advising them.
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) February 18, 2022
The Daily Wire noted the post was immediately met with backlash from left-wing Twitter users who took the tweet out of context:
“Franklin Graham praying for Putin and not for Biden tells you all you need to know about Franklin Graham,” the left-wing USA singers tweeted in response.
Franklin Graham praying for Putin and not for Biden tells you all you need to know about Franklin Graham.
— The USA Singers (@TheUSASingers) February 19, 2022
“Trump-loving evangelist Franklin Graham just told his followers: ‘Pray for President Putin today.’ Unreal,” Democratic activist and politician Jon Cooper tweeted.
Trump-loving evangelist Franklin Graham just told his followers: “Pray for President Putin today.”
Unreal.
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) February 19, 2022