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AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic
World News

Pray politics doesn't worsen deadly freeze, urge missionaries

Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall have led to more than 20 deaths people, predominantly in central, south eastern and eastern Europe.

Joel Colon, who is a missionary at OC International along with his Irena Savochka-Colon in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, said his main prayer request would be that there isn't another disagreement over gas supplies in Europe.

He told Premier: "Italy, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia - all of them heat primarily with gas and so just to make sure that, in terms of politically, there are no major issues so that those people can keep the flow of gas going."

A number of disputes between Russia - which exports significant quantities of gas - and Ukraine in recent years over gas prices has threatened supplies to numerous nations.

In the latest spell of cold weather, eight people were killed in Italy during the weekend, while two men died in Poland on Saturday as temperatures dropped to -30 degrees Celsius.

Planes have been grounded and there have been weather-related accidents on the roads.

The movement of Arctic air south and increasingly strong winds could see snowfall across of the UK towards the end of the week, with snow showers expected in northern Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North York Moor and possibly Norfolk.

Asked how churches in Kiev are responding, Irena Colon said: "Many churches, if they have any transportation, they try to help, especially the elderly people that have no transport; they pick them up or take them to places where they need to go because it's really cold to go outside."

Joel added: "The community at large and the churches especially are sensitive to the needs of people, especially the homeless.

"They do have several areas where people can donate things like coats or other clothing and they are distributed or available for people who may need them, especially at these times."

Meanwhile, emergency measures have been declared across nine areas of central and southern Serbia after roads were blocked and villages cut off by fresh snow and polar temperatures.

More than 120 people were evacuated overnight in southern Serbia, where snowdrifts reaching three metres high had developed, emergency officials said.

Boats have been banned by Serbian authorities from using the Danube and Sava rivers, due to icy and windy conditions.

Click here to listen to Joel and Irena speaking with Premier's Alex Williams:

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