Our country has been in a state of war for more than 6 months now and it seems to get only worse from day to day. Here and there we hear the news from the battle field, appeals to participate and help on the east in whatever way we can. We constantly pray for our country and support our troops. And we are also “having shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Eph 6)
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Our students need the Gospel. We do not know what the next day will bring us, we do not know where our young guys will be and we do not know what their eternity will be like. As never before I realize my personal responsibility to bring the Gospel of peace to students of Odessa.
This is our team of staff this year. Our former student, Katya Kornienko, joined the ministry full-time. God has been faithful and gave her both the calling and finances so that she could do evangelism and discipleship ministry.
Alyona Ivanova was invited to participate in the Expedition Program. She will devote this year of her life to work with local churches in Poltava, Zhytomyr (Ukraine),Romania and Bulgaria to train young people from churches to share the Gospel and launch spiritual movements. We are pleased to know that Ukraine is not only receiving missionaries but we are also sending them right now!
We also sent our brother, our new staff to serve in the east of Ukraine in the army. Roma went on staff this year. He was sent to minister to students in Dnepropetrovsk. But in July he was called to Ukrainian army and he decided to answer the call. Right mow he is being trained and he has 27 young soldiers under his command (what a mission filed!!!!). From day to day, they will be sent to the battle field. For Roma this is the ability not only to defend the homeland but also to witness to the guys who are going to fight alongside him.
This semester we have put the emphasis on evangelism. Our vision: "By the end of this semester we want to share the Gospel with 300 students from Odessa universities. And we want every staff and student leader to have new disciples”.
This semester, God gave me three lovely gifts - Alyona, Katya and Alina for mentoring. I want to help these girls grow in God, conformed to His image, and to grow in their skills of ministry. We will be praying and sharing the Gospel so that each of them has new disciples this year.
