Tomorrow is the presidential election in Ukraine.  Eighteen candidates have been nominated, but the big three are Victor Yushchenko (incumbent), Yulia Tymoshenko and Victor Yanukovych (pictured below).  The first round of voting will reduce the number for a second round of voting.

Although we shouldn’t make political comments, as non-Ukrainian citizens, our

concern is naturally for the good of the country and for freedom in ministry.  From a strictly religious point-of-view we observe that 1)  Yushchenko has not harmed freedom of religion, but has not been able to do all he intended; 2) Tymoshenko has a track record of tolerance toward protestant churches and initiated laws that reinstated some of the rights of protestant churches; 3) Yanukovych seems to favor a return to an Orthodox Church monopoly, much like that in Russia today.

Please pray that upcoming election would bring a better future for Ukraine and that the Word of God be preached freely among people.

Warmly,

Rich and Cheri