Training young leaders to transform Eurasia for Christ

Transcription

1 Training young leaders to transform Eurasia for Christ SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS ANNUAL REPORT

2 God is using SWW to transform Eurasia for Christ! Dear Friend, It is my privilege to present you with the School Without Walls (SWW) Annual Report, which represents the impact we have made together during the past year through this strategic program. Sergey Rakhuba, President And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19 ESV Through faces, stories, and statistics, each page illustrates how your prayers and partnership enable our team of young leaders who are united by one strategic vision and passion to share the gospel with those in need of God s love and mercy. And each life impacted by the outreach of our SWW students, graduates, and Next Generation leaders is a powerful testimony to the many ways in which God is using your support to transform lives, communities, and nations. While we are greatly encouraged by all that has been accomplished through SWW this past year, we know that there is much more work to do to bring the gospel to those still in need and in despair. That s why I ask for your ongoing support as we launch a new year of training so more SWW students can answer God s call to proclaim Him in even the most remote and hostile regions of Eurasia. Thank you again for partnering with Mission Eurasia through your support of School Without Walls. Together we are training the Next Generation of Christian leaders to bring hope, healing, and salvation to people in need throughout Eurasia and Israel, one precious soul at a time! Gratefully, Alexandr Belev International Director School Without Walls (SWW) Dr. Michael Cherenkov Executive Director Mission Eurasia Field Ministries Denis Gorenkov Director Next Generation Professional Leaders Initiative (NGPLI) Sergey Rakhuba President 2 I found this program by the grace of God, and it was truly a miracle. I asked the Lord to show me how I could serve Him, and then I found SWW. From that day on, God has taught me so much. I ve learned a lot about my shortcomings, but God has also granted me the strength to change... For me, SWW is so important. I m so grateful for this ministry, and it is an honor to participate in it. SWW has changed my life! Izabella, SWW student, Georgia

3 God is transforming lives through SWW students and graduates Since 2004, Mission Eurasia has trained and equipped nearly 25,000 young men and women to share the Good News with others, even in the most hostile and remote regions of Eurasia like Central Asia, the North Caucasus, and Arctic Siberia. These SWW students and graduates are stepping beyond the walls of the church and planting seeds of faith in the hearts of hurting, at-risk children and youth through life-changing summer Bible camps. They re reaching out with the love and mercy of Christ to the poor, refugees, the sick, and the addicted. Because God continues to call young people to serve Him, your support makes it possible for these men and women to receive SWW training. Thank you for investing in this Next Generation of young leaders as they follow Christ s command to Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). School Without Walls At-A-Glance 61Belarus Ukraine 437 Moldova 43 Israel 90 Armenia 357 Russia Kazakhstan Georgia Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Mongolia Turkmenistan Azerbaijan Total Students 60 Tajikistan 1,759 COUNTRY STUDENTS GRADUATES LOCATIONS Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Georgia Israel Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Moldova Mongolia Russia Tajikistan Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan TOTALS 1, Total Graduates Your support in trained 1,759 young Christian leaders, through partnerships with 232 churches, in 65 cities and towns, and graduated 969 passionate believers who are serving God as He transforms lives across Eurasia! Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and per fect. Romans 12:2 ESV It s one thing to be a volunteer, but it s another thing to think about ministry in a more holistic sense when you re caring for children and leading a team of volunteers. I realized that my enthusiasm and limited knowledge of ministry weren t enough to help me lead. I needed strong support, which I found at SWW. The training events and experienced ministry leaders encouraged me and enriched my own ministry. I could clearly see my strengths and weaknesses, and this gave me new hope in God, because I realized that I couldn t do anything through my own strength. Alesya, SWW Student, Belarus 3

4 The Ministry Scope Of Mission Eurasia 75,200 Gift of Hope boxes annuallly Ukraine 25,000 Russia 36,000 Belarus 3,760 Kyrgystan 2,000 Georgia 1,000 Mongolia The most effective features of School Without Walls include its flexibility and innovative approach. These features enable young leaders in almost all of the post-soviet countries of Eurasia to receive effective training in some of the most diverse contexts. Aleksander Zigalenko, Euro-Asian Accrediting Association, President, Director of Kremenchug Theological College and Seminary, Ukraine

5 SWW evangelical impact in SWW GOSPEL IMPACT IN * People impacted: 1,239,990 Churches involved/impacted: 232 Communities impacted: 577 Copies of Scriptures distributed by SWW students/grads: 676,000 Bible studies/home groups started: 71 Refugees and others impacted by I Care Refugee Assistance Program: 480,000 Children/youth reached through Gift of Hope outreach: 75,210 Children in need, orphans, and youth reached through Summer Bible Camps (113 camps in 14 countries) *We are grateful for a number of partnerships which have made these ministries possible. 8,780 Your support of School Without Walls (SWW) is training and equipping Next Generation Leaders to impact the lives of those who hunger and hurt, and who do not know hope or the plans that God has for all of us. School Without Walls serves as a bridge between the church and society, classroom lectures and ministry outreach. Every young leader trained through this program can expertly fulfill his mission through his ministry, profession, or calling. Dr. Roman Soloviy, Director of EAAA Research Center Where others turn away, our SWW students remain faithful to share the gospel with hearts that have been prepared by God to receive Him. Thank you for your prayers and support that are being used by God to transform lives across Eurasia! School Without Walls is a timely response to the church s need for a relevant form of education that is focused on youth and practical outreach ministries. Dr. Yaroslav Pyzh, President, Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary 5

6 Ministries in which our students are engaged: Family Ministry: Bible camps for children (under 12) Bible camps for teenagers (12-17) Children s ministry (under 12) Ministry to teenagers (12-17) Work with neglected and street children Work with orphans and social orphans Family ministry (mentoring and counseling) Ministry in orphanages Ministry to women who have decided to have an abortion and those who have had abortions Ministry to single mothers Youth Ministry: Bible camps for young people Sports ministry Christian youth meetings and clubs Extreme camps for young people Social ministry and ministry to at-risk groups: Charity Ministry to homeless people Ministry to refugees and victims of war Ministry to victims of natural disasters Ministry to people with addictions Ministering to people with disabilities Ministering to people with HIV and their children Ministering to elderly people Gift of Hope project Prison ministry (men, women, and juveniles) Environmental projects Evangelism and missions: Personal evangelism Support of long-term missionaries Long-term missions (missionaries) Gospel/Christian literature distribution Children s evangelistic literature distribution Church planting Chaplain ministry (army, police, medical institutions) Education and spiritual formation: Home church groups Number of home groups that were started Spiritual development and counseling Mentoring/Leadership Teaching in educational institutions Healthy lifestyle presentations in schools Training seminars Other: Ministry through mass media (audio and video broadcasting on the internet, websites, blogs etc) Christian media ministry, journalism, articles Ministry through drama Music ministry Ministry through other arts (painting, dancing etc) Administration Organization and operations management Prayer ministry Ministry to Holocaust victims Repatriation 6 Through the SWW training they receive, our young leaders are equipped with the biblical foundation and skills they need to develop and lead the strategic ministry initiatives listed above and transform their nations and communities for Christ.

7 God is using NGPLI to transform society Though it was once prohibited in the Soviet Union for Christians to pursue careers of influence, today more believers than ever are working as teachers, doctors, lawyers, business leaders, and in the fields of science and technology. Thanks to your support of our Next Generation Professional Leaders Initiative (NGPLI), we are actively training and equipping young professionals to share their faith in the workplace with clients, colleagues, patients, students, and co-workers, and their eternal impact has been profound. NGPLI OUTREACH AT-A-GLANCE: Young Professionals Who Received NGPLI Training: 10,200 In , you helped train 10,200 Next Generation leaders, each of whom is committed to sow the seeds that will lead the people they serve to a personal relationship with Jesus. Partnering Churches: 472 Training Seminars: 10 Conferences: 15 Forums/Roundtables: 6 Global Leadership Summit: 1 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 ESV PROFESSIONAL AREAS REPRESENTED: Medical/Healthcare: 3,000 Education: 2,040 Law: 1,590 Business: 2,550 Science And Technology: 1,020 TOTAL PROFESSIONALS: 10,200 The forum in Bishkek touched me deeply, and I was freed from the guilt I used to feel because I didn t think I could serve God through my job. It also helped me understand that work is an opportunity for ministry, and along with working hard, I also need to stand by my values, even if it s detrimental to me professionally. My colleagues recognize me as a disciple of Christ... because of my work ethic and interactions with them. The forum also helped to further establish my belief that my main focus should be people, because God has given them great value. When I realized this, I started growing professionally. Alia, Math Teacher, Kyrgyzstan 7

8 God is transforming lives through His Word Your support makes it possible for Mission Eurasia to publish Bibles and other Scripture resources that our SWW students and Next Generation leaders use to reach people who are facing extreme challenges such as war, addiction, terminal illness, and persecution for their faith. God s Word has never been more in need or more in demand than it is now throughout the Eurasia. We thank God for your partnership that has allowed our SWW students and partners to distribute 676,000 Scripture pieces in Eurasia and Israel, touching the lives of as many as 2.7 million people. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 ESV SCRIPTURE OUTREACH IN UKRAINE: Bringing Hope to People in Crisis The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has created a humanitarian crisis that continues to affect millions of innocent men, women, and children. Our SWW students and graduates are making a difference in a great many of these lives through the distribution of food and other aid, and also through compassionate outreach that includes prayer and the sharing of specially prepared Bibles and Scripture pieces. With support from friends like you and valued partners, our teams distributed 108,950 Bibles and other Scripture pieces in the Russian and Ukrainian languages to bring hope and reconciliation to people of all ages who have been shattered by war. SCRIPTURES DISTRIBUTED IN : Evangelistic Calendars: 15,000 Gospel Of Luke: 4,000 The Greatest Stories Of Hope: 70,000 Hope Magazine: 25,000 New Testaments: 32,000 Noah s Ark Magazine: 64,000 Gospel Of John: 466,000 TOTALS 676,000 IN 14 COUN TRIES 8 One of the most important things I left behind in Donetsk was my Bible, since it was large and difficult to bring. During our final months in Donetsk, we used to read it every day because it brought God s comfort to us during that difficult time. So we were very sorry to leave it behind. But once one of the pastors asked what we needed most. When I said we needed a Bible, I was amazed and overjoyed when he immediately placed a Bible into my hands. I just could not hold back my tears. Thank you for giving us hope through God s Word. Natalia, displaced by war in Ukraine

9 God is using SWW to transform young lives Through your generous support, SWW is actively reaching out to some of the most vulnerable children and youth throughout Eurasia, planting the seeds of faith in young hearts. For most of the children we serve, hunger and hardship are the norm, and heightened political, economic, religious, and humanitarian crises continue to threaten their health and well-being on a daily basis. Gift of Hope Outreach This year, your kindness and compassion toward the children of Eurasia provided special gift boxes and children s storybook Bibles to 75,210 precious kids. Each Gift of Hope that our SWW students and graduates and Next Generation Christian leaders placed in each child s hands came with a loving invitation to experience the hope and healing of Jesus. We thank God for your partnership with us to plant the seeds of faith in so many young hearts. GIFT OF HOPE DISTRIBUTION RUSSIA 36,000 UKRAINE 25,000 MOLDOVA 7,050 BELARUS 3,760 KYRGYZSTAN 2,000 GEORGIA 1,000 MONGOLIA 400 TOTALS 75,210 Number of Scripture pieces delivered to children in need through Gift of Hope: 101,260 But Jesus said, Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:14 ESV My mother died of cancer when I was nine, and my dad is a migrant worker in Russia. I take care of my little brother, Edik. Sometimes we don t have enough food and clothing. We often feel very hopeless. For Christmas, a young man named Alexey who lives in our apartment building invited my brother and me to a Christmas gathering at his church. Everyone there was so kind, and I really liked learning about God. Alexey gave us Gift of Hope boxes and our own copy of 101 Favorite Bible Stories. I believe that Jesus gives real hope and meaning to my life. Now, Alexey and I read Bible stories together almost every day! I want to start going to church regularly, and I am going to invite my father to go with me. 12-year- old Tigran 9

10 God is using SWW to transform young lives The SWW leadership training program is filling a strategic need by equipping Christian young people in three areas of critical importance: building Christian character, developing leadership skills, and equipping them for outreach ministries in their communities. The educational program closely links understanding Jesus gospel message and following His example by serving those He met. This quality program needs our support. Dr. John A. Bernbaum President, BEAM, Inc. (Business & Education as Mission) Former President, Russian-American Christian University Summer Bible Camps Your faithful prayers and support made it possible for our SWW students, graduates, and Next Generation Christian leaders to organize and lead 113 life-changing summer Bible camps for 8,780 children across Eurasia this past summer. Through these life-changing camps, boys and girls experienced hope, healing, and transformation that are only found in Jesus and His message of salvation and redemption. In addition, Mission Eurasia hosted three Empower training events for 510 leaders this past year which were designed to equip our School Without Walls students and graduates and other young leaders to lead effective summer Bible camps. As a result of Empower, a total of 191 summer Bible camps took place in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Georgia, impacting 18,450 children and youth with the gospel. SUMMER BIBLE CAMPS COUNTRY CAMPS PARTICIPANTS Azerbaijan Armenia Belarus Georgia Israel Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Moldova Mongolia Russia 24 1,790 Tajikistan 10 1,030 Turkmenistan 2 40 Uzbekistan Ukraine 21 1,630 TOTAL 113 8, This summer was my very first time at camp. I will never forget singing worship songs in the evenings and studying Bible lessons at camp. I could feel that God was with me. While reading the New Testament at camp, I realized that the Bible talks about everything important in life. It doesn t matter if people ask, Where is God? Now, I know that He lives in my heart. 15-year-old Katya, Moldova

11 God is transforming lives in war-torn Ukraine SWW students deliver help and hope through the I Care Refugee Assistance Program As many as 480,000 refugees and displaced people received assistance through I Care this past year that included food, clothing, shoes, personal care items, and even wheelchairs. In addition to these gifts of humanitarian aid, our SWW students and graduates offered Bibles and other Scripture pieces and prayed with and for those men, women, and children who continue to suffer hunger, homelessness, joblessness, and uncertainty in the face of ongoing violence. Thank you for your support of SWW s ongoing outreaches that are providing help and healing to a great many Ukrainian people and others affected by the conflict. If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. Isaiah 58:10 ESV It is terrible to think about what would have happened to our family if you hadn t come to us. We recently met another Christian family that moved to our village, and we became friends with them. Now we help each other and share our food when there is little to eat. Thank you for introducing us to God, bringing us the Bible, and providing food for us! Nina, from Donetsk, Ukraine 11

12 12 Homes for the Homeless

13 Restoring homes for refugee families Ongoing shelling attacks in eastern Ukraine have damaged and destroyed thousands of homes, leaving many families with nowhere to live, even in the bitterly cold winter months. But thanks to your faithful partnership and the help of Good News Church in Slavyansk, we are using our Homes for the Homeless project to restore houses for hurting families and provide repairs for apartment buildings that are home to dozens of other refugee families. We are also using this project to provide jobs for refugees, who are using the tools you help supply to build these homes and provide repair services for their hurting neighbors. During the past year, our SWW students, graduates, and other volunteers repaired the roofs of many homes in eastern Ukraine that were damaged in the ongoing fighting. We also provided desperately needed roof and interior repairs for several apartment buildings. In total, we estimate that you helped us serve approximately 1,233 people in need through Homes for the Homeless in the past year alone! 13

14 Overview of the I Care Refugee Assistance Program Your generous support of the I Care program enabled our SWW students and graduates to mobilize volunteers from our dedicated partner churches and reach approximately 480,000 people in need this past year. Thank you for helping us continue to shine the light of Christ into the lives of so many people who are desperate for the eternal hope that only comes through salvation. Your support has helped to provide: Relief Aid Distribution: 2.4 million meals, 2,200 wheelchairs, 30,685 pounds of clothing Scripture Distribution: 108,950 copies of Bibles, New Testaments, and other Scripture versions Training Seminars for Local Pastors: 460 pastors trained, and 10,230 refugees impacted Gifts of Hope for Children: 25,000 children impacted Homes for the Homeless: 1,233 people in need impacted Reconciliation Seminars for Russian and Ukrainian Pastors, and Other Ministry Leaders: 400 pastors and ministry leaders trained 14 When war broke out in their village, Tatyana and her two young daughters fled to a neighboring village. There SWW students brought them humanitarian aid, copies of Scripture, and warm clothing for the winter. Tatyana, whose husband Vitaly had been previously killed in the fighting, shared how I Care impacted her life: Realizing that my life was falling into an abyss of hopelessness, I decided to read the New Testament that the SWW students gave me. I got so caught up in what I was reading, that I couldn t stop! I also started praying for peace for my country, and prosperity, not only for my family, but throughout the world. And then God started communicating with me through the positive changes He brought about in my life. I believe that He will take care of us.

15 The Bread of Life Bakery Project SWW students deliver fresh bread and Bibles to struggling families In the spring of 2016, Mission Eurasia responded to the devastating economic and humanitarian challenges facing war-torn Ukraine by opening our first Bread of Life bakery in the frontline city of Maryinka, where 6,000 people continue to struggle. Since then, a second bakery has opened in Maryinka, as well as one in Dobropolye. As a result, this past year your generous support has made it possible to distribute 360,000 loaves of fresh bread to people in need, to provide jobs for many local people, and, most importantly, to share the gospel with the unreached. Our SWW students and graduates distribute the bread along with our specially designed Scripture pieces. Consequently, many people are coming to know Christ, and the local churches in Maryinka and Dobropolye have been steadily growing. We are grateful to God for opening the doors for a fourth bakery to open soon in Myrnograd, another town on the frontlines of eastern Ukraine. The Bread of Life Bakery Project has already impacted the lives of 81,000 refugees and other hurting people with food for the body and Scripture for the soul. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35 ESV Svetlana s transformation. After the war broke out, Svetlana s family fled to Maryinka. Desperate to feed her family, Svetlana inquired about work at our Bread of Life bakery, but there weren t any open positions. The staff invited her to serve as a volunteer distributing bread to people in great need and, in return, she would receive a free loaf of bread. She began delivering bread on a daily basis and the free loaves of bread she received were such a blessing for her and her children. While volunteering at the bakery, Svetlana heard a lot about God, and the staff even gave her a Bible, along with a children s Bible for her kids. Soon, Svetlana and her children started attending the local church, and later, she accepted Christ into her heart. Today, Svetlana continues to work at the bakery because she wants to serve her Heavenly Father. 15

16 Our Mission To train, equip, and mobilize Christian leadership throughout Eurasia, who will engage in indigenous evangelism, church-planting, holistic ministries, and church growth by developing creative and strategic ministries and by facilitating partnerships between nationals and Western Christians. In the United States: P.O. Box 496 Wheaton, IL Phone: (630) FAX: (630) In Canada: P.O. Box 901 Vernon, BC V1T 6M8 Web: