Dear Friends and Prayer Partners
We are living through what are the most troubled times for a generation. To those old enough to remember, like me, it is a repeat of the 1930s and a serious threat of a third world war!
‘Mad Vlad’ Putin is at war with Ukraine but threatening all who will oppose him. Like Hitler, who occupied parts of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and the rest in March 1939 – and because no-one stopped him, he then divided Poland between himself and Stalin in September 1939, quickly expanding into France, Holland and Belgium – if Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, he will go on to attack the Baltic States, Poland or even Finland. This is not speculation; this is according to Putin and his spokespeople in the Russia media space. If, after taking Crimea and Donbas/Lugansk in 2014 he had been stopped, he would not have attacked Kyiv in 2022!
My next evangelism in October is a stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan – an area almost 100% Moslem, yet the pastors supporting us are converted Moslems themselves! This needs massive prayer and financial support – the more difficult the region, the more prayer and finance it requires. This year a large part of our finance and my evangelistic effort has been to reach the Moslem areas!
Statistics show that Christians are now the most persecuted minority worldwide – but in 2025 a spiritual revival is growing. Young people, especially men, are reading the Bible and starting to attend church. In Iran it is estimated that there are possibly one million secret believers! It is confirmed that thousands are turning from Islam to Christ in Algeria, Egypt, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan and even in Saudi Arabia. Where I am working in Central Asia and the Caucasus there is beginning a revival – hundreds, thousands turning from Islam to Christ.
I have just returned from the most powerful meetings of my life, firstly at an All-Central Asia Youth Conference, SOZO, held for 3 days in Almaty, Kazakhstan, August 20-22, then evangelism on Sunday 24th. Coming out of 20 years’ extreme persecution, revival is breaking through and the Holy Spirit came down! Thank you for supporting in prayer and finance! Costs were high – but the result, (below) money could never buy!
‘SOZO’ (Greek: to save, deliver and make whole) is a Central Asian initiative to set young converts on fire for Jesus and to raise the next generation of leaders. 1500 young people registered to attend this year’s conference, primarily from the Central Asian ‘Stan’ countries – buses were organised to bring them in and cheap accommodation arranged. In total delegates came from 356 churches, 89 cities – and 22 countries worldwide were represented.100 young people dedicated themselves to the Lord as evangelists. In all the years of SOZO, they have never seen such hunger for God – to receive from Him and to serve Him.
What affected me is that in Central Asia, out of 100 people, only 2 will have had fathers who were actively present in their lives; but to break with Islam and become a Christian brings the ire of both relatives and the community – with severe beatings to ‘save the soul’ lost from Islam because of Christ. In any Kazakh congregation, 50% are secret Christians for fear of their families.
And it was in this context that the Conference began with a message on the ‘Forgotten Commandment’ – Exodus 20:20 – honour your father and mother that it may go well with you. The speaker (and host of the conference) came from such a dysfunctional family and such a community and has learnt the power of forgiveness. He then shared photos of the Christian leaders who have come alongside him and fathered him in the faith. I followed this with a powerful message drawn from my own life’s experience, how I have known God as Father throughout my 93 years, not just in the good times, but in difficulty, trouble and trials, especially in that communist prison where I experienced, first the depths of despair under interrogation and torture, then the Glory of God as I have never known in any church. I shared the price I have had to pay, the price my family has had to pay, and my desire to be as a father to this young generation in Central Asia. This set the whole conference alight with the Fire and the Power of God, until they said, they had never experienced God’s Glory as they did during these few days together this summer.
I had to have a special permit to speak, and the main organiser was banned from being on the platform – but God is unstoppable. For 20 years public witness and worship in Kazakhstan have been prohibited, even on their own church territory. But on the closing night, loudspeakers were set up and 1500 young people filled the open outdoor space to worship and sing the Glory of God!
Many End-Time Biblical prophecies are being fulfilled now: wars, floods, earthquakes, political unrest, financial turmoil. Possibly the Antichrist is already living here? And the ‘mark of the beast’, the mark of Antichrist, could be introduced for buying and selling at any time. What is happening in Russia, China and the USA are likely to precipitate first the revelation of Antichrist, then Christ’s Return.
But Joel 2 reveals that there is a final harvest – that’s why I am so busy, and we desperately need a massive increase in every level of support and finance. Jesus said, “Go out and compel them to come in!” The Spirit and the Bride say come, Rev 22:17, yes, but we must go out and tell them!
David
All my life, I’ve set out to prove who Jesus is, His power, His authority. My life is a demonstration of the truth, the power of God’s Word. And now, aged 93, I still haven’t reached the limits of God’s power. I will not stop evangelising. Our mission work continues in Ukraine. In the heart of Kyiv, we gather in prayer, believing for peace. We also bring vital humanitarian aid to those in desperate need – food, supplies, and comfort for the suffering, along with the message of salvation that transforms lives.
Your partnership is what makes this work possible. Every gift you give brings hope to the hopeless. Every donation brings healing and strength. Every act of generosity shines the light of Christ in the darkest of places. Will you stand with us? Together, we can bring both practical relief and eternal hope to the people of Ukraine.