Ukraine

We Are Stronger When We Are Together

At the end of June we had a Tutor course in Donetsk where we trained 10 people from our long-term partner church union - The Word of Life Union. Our partnership started in 2001 when two ladies, Tatiana Kostenko and Oxana Khomenchuk, and a brother, Igor Valeyev, were trained as tutors. The first two years Natasha Ignatieva and other tutors from Natasha's team went to Donnetsk to help them train people. Since then we trained three more trainers for them, but even with a team of five they are not coping with immense need to equip people they have. So this Tutor Course was organized.

This group was one of the most intelligent and skillful in the whole history of Children Mission. Probably because of the fact that several of them are teachers in schools and colleges, or because they are all mature in the Lord or just that they were at the right place at the right time. When it's God's will, one can see the reality of Holy Spirit working in the lives of people.

There are now two French-speaking ladies in our CM team of tutors! One of them, Sveta, from Gorlovka, Donetsk region, feels that the Lord is calling her to be a missionary in France. She is looking forward to network with Petra College people who work in French-speaking Africa. She also wants to have our trainings materials in French!

Another lady I'd like you to meet is Inga from the town of Dokuchayevsk. She was one of the first people trained in their Word of Life Union back in 2002. She teaches chemistry at the mining college, she is a people's deputy in the local council, and a leader of children's ministry in the local congregation. They have not just Sunday school for kids, but also Bible clubs on Saturdays, summer camp and - amazing - organize annual Children's Party in the central square of the town for several years already! The most glorious part of the Party is that children and parents come, hear about God and sing children's Christian songs right behind the monument to Lenin which still stands on that central square!!! Our God is great!

Similar stories can be told about almost everybody - each story is different in a way, but similar as well because all of themeshare the dream God gave Children Mission – to help each child in CIS become friends with Jesus and grow in relationship with Him.

So now this team is planning two Connecting Courses – one in Donetsk and one of the cities in Donetsk region, and three Module 2 courses - in Donetsk, Lugansk and Simferopol, Crimea. Their 'normal' group size is 30 to 40 people because the Union has about 220 churches in Donetsk region and 100 in Lugansk region!

Please give praises to the Lord for such wonderful new people in our Children Mission team! They are open to participate in different training, for their Union and outside their Union! Real spirit of love and partnership for God's glory and to reach His goals for children of Ukraine!

Pray for the planned courses that start in October and for the Christian camp they as a team will hold in August for 18 days!

Lyudmila Bryn,
Executive Director for CMI

15 July 2011

All materials on the subject "Ukraine":

• Children Mission took part in the Annual Expo for children’s workers
• I’ve got an adult friend!
• We Are Stronger When We Are Together
• “Our lives changed, not just our ministries!”
• Module 1 in Lugansk
• We managed to make friends with kids without bribing them with sweets or gifts…