By Craig Shrum
KHUST, Ukraine--Six WCG volunteers completed a two-month mission in Khust Aug. 3. Mission team members were Todd Couch, Carrie Fields, Douglas Hall, Kristy Henderson, Tonia Weik and myself.
We had post-mission meetings in England and gave a report to the Watford church, which commissioned us in prayer at the start of our journey to Ukraine in May.
God gave us many opportunities for evangelism in Khust, both formally and informally. Our work on the Ukraine Mission has always targeted young people, and this year we added several programs geared toward them.
Several times a week, we had Bible discussion groups, usually attended by four to six teens. Topics included prayer, friendship with God through Jesus Christ, and using the Bible as a guide for daily living.
Thursday evenings we had prayer meetings to ask for God's intervention in problems Ukraine faces.
The economy continues to worsen, with an inflation rate of 18 percent, and state workers (including teachers and doctors) have not received their regular salaries for eight months.
In addition to its economic problems, Ukraine is a country with great spiritual needs. After years of communism and atheism, people need something to believe in. Many times young people are not taught about God by their parents, because the parents themselves grew up in a godless society.
We prayed that a moderate speaker would be elected in parliament, rather than the communist candidates who were in the running. This prayer was answered.
We prayed for the healing of two girls' grandfathers who had undergone eye surgery. These prayers were also answered.
The greatest joy in these meetings was not the answers themselves, but the encouragement and faith that God's response brought to these young people, some of whom had not prayed before.
Also on Thursday evenings, we had English-Russian hymn sings. We taught the teens contemporary praise and worship songs in several languages. We used the hymn sing to teach them about our need to praise God, not only in song but also in how we live our lives. About 15 teens regularly attended the hymn sing.
On Friday afternoons, we had Christian video screenings for the teens. We showed the Matthew video as well as a video based on the life of Joseph.
Four days a week, we taught conversational English classes to 80 high school and junior high students. Our relationships with these students were the basis for the evangelism work we did this summer.
Twice, we conducted evangelism programs for our students. The programs included praise and worship, as well as exhortation. After the first evangelism program, we noticed that interest in the other Christian programs picked up.
One girl told Carrie: "I have been looking for God for a long time. You all have helped me find him." All mission team members used opportunities in class to discuss Jesus Christ and our belief in him.
A group of about six students has shown interest in continuing to meet for prayer and discussion after our mission team's departure. We and the Christians we know in Khust plan to support these young people in whatever ways we can.
Tonia and I returned to Ukraine Aug. 9 to follow up with these young people. In September, I traveled to eastern Ukraine to see about extending our mission programs there.
We're thankful to God for the work he's doing in Ukraine, for what he has taught us and for what he can and will do in the future. May he allow us in the WCG to continue to be a part of it.
KHUST BROTHERS--Three boys, all brothers, from
the Khust, Ukraine, church.
WCG VOLUNTEERS--Above photo, Todd Couch
teaches class. Below, Tonia Weik teaches students in
her English class.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998