September 2024

 Hello, my dear friends!

I am currently in the process of balance my schedule, because these 2 months have been very busy with events, tasks, meetings and arranging life in a new place. I want to apologize for not sending you a prayer letter and writing to you for so long. I felt very tired, but happy, because I really see how God is leading here.

September started with a wedding in our new team. Ira (staff) and Zhenya (support volunteer) got married. It was a very beautiful wedding, with all our volunteers present, as well as some non-believing students. For many youth it was the first experience of a Christian wedding. Thank God for new families.

Then there was an all-Ukrainian conference for volunteers and staff from all Campuses. It was held near Kyiv, so we went there together with our volunteers. It was so amazing to see newly Jesus followers students from all cities of Ukraine there, who already this year themselves dream of bringing the Gospel to students. I really love the Campus for its movement, for the fact that after repentance, students take on the DNA of evangelism and discipleship, and become a part of God's mission themselves.

After returning, an active life in Odesa began. We agreed with one university to prepare and deliver a lecture for 2-3 year students about the student years when they can choose the right values ​​for ourselves, a good community, be proactive both in studies and in volunteering. It was the first time that students did not come to us, but we could talk about our movement at the university level. About 70 students were present. Please pray for further contact with them so that most of them start attending our events and we can have meetings with us.

We also started Bible groups for our volunteers. We decided to make such a format, meet every Monday and start a group with communication with the whole community in order to maintain unity, then divide into 2 subgroups. Since we have volunteers in the movement who have recently repented, we are studying "The Gospel-Centered Life" with them, and there are mature volunteers, so for them we have chosen the material "Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change". We hope that this format will be able to help everyone in their spiritual growth and deeper knowledge of God.

In addition, we had the first event for non-believing students. They had a picnic by the sea, where they invited students from last year and new ones. Atmosphere was very cozy and fun. It turned out that two student had a birthday, and one girl just decided to bring a cake, which turned out to be very appropriate. It was a real holiday!

Discipleship

Among the incredibly joyful news that happened during this time for me is that I have 3 disciple girls, whom I will mentor during this year. This is really some very cool gift from God! All of them want to serve God, and are looking for any opportunities for this. I am glad that we can learn a lot from each other. I will tell you little by little about each of them in prayer letters.

Today I will start with Tanya.

Tanya

Tanya was a volunteer at the Campus in Lviv, but a year ago she decided to move to Odesa to help volunteers here, while there were no staff. She is very brave. Tanya is thinking and praying about joining our mission this year. Now she is in our team as a support volunteer for 40 hours. Also, Tanya will have disciple girl, whom recently followed Jesus and needs help in spiritual growth. And I will try to help Tanya decide on a mission, discipleship and new challenges for her. Please remember Tanya and her newly converted student Olya in your prayers.

New skills

As a team, we decided to take a course of first aid. It is impossible without this now, every Ukrainian must be able to stop bleeding, apply a tourniquet, and tampon a wound. During this course, we were able to hear the theory, rules, and then hone our new knowledge in practice.

Prayer needs:

- For university students in Odesa, so that we can have further contact with them and tell the Gospel

- You can rejoice and bless the new family of Zhenya and Ira

- For the spiritual growth and ministry of our volunteers

- For my student Tanya and her further path in the mission, as well as her discipleship of Olya

- For the newly converted girl Olya and her rooting in faith and life in God

- For wisdom and strength for me in ministry, for balance in service, rest and personal life

In fact, I am very grateful to God that I can be where I am. I truly feel how God leads, how He supports me, how much He loves and how much He does.

I am so grateful to you that even though I was gone for almost 2 months you continued to support me, pray for me and the ministry and be a part of it all. Thank God for everyone💛

Blessings💫