God-Stories: Ukraine Bound

Hello there, friends, fellow sojourners, and the casually curious.

Ever notice how quickly the wind changes direction? How suddenly, something you thought you were moving towards turns out to be something behind you, and instead, you are caught up with a different destination in sight?

Early last semester, I was presented with a heart’s-desire dream, as my dearly beloved crew of fellow-Christ seekers at Missouri State University’s Chi Alpha geared up to launch our assembly of domestic and international missions trips. One of our four international summer trips was a pioneer missions trip to Europe, and I was asked to help co-lead this. Our original destination was set towards Wales, but through a variety of circumstances, our journey has taken a few new turns. But plot twists don’t surprise the Author of the narrative. The testimony of what came next is an only-God story. I’d love to encourage you by sharing the ways we are seeing God work, and invite you to be a part.

Part way through Spring semester, we unexpectedly found our small band of fiercely devoted college students as a missions team without a place to serve. As as last resort, I was able to meet with our national missions director, who put us in contact with 4 close missionary contacts of his, located all over Europe. Within 24 hours, we had an enthusiastic response from missionaries in Ukraine. As the details unfolded, we discovered they just had a team drop the very timeframe of our original trip dates. Not only were they so eager and willing to bring us into their work in Ukraine, but they already had every detail lined up for us. God could not have orchestrated this opportunity more perfectly.

When we will arrive in Ukraine, our first assignment will be serving Ukrainian college students for a week-long training camp with the international version of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries (Students for Christ). Here, the students will be learning about discipleship, how to lead small group Bible studies for their peers, and be equipped to share the gospel on their campuses! We will get to learn with them, help teach lesson segments, and come along side the directors of this camp to help assist them in speaking to the young people of Ukraine with a heart for the Lord. Europe broadly has been very closed off to to the Gospel, so the fact that we get to meet and work with Ukrainian brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage and equip them is an amazing door into what God is doing. Secondly, will also have the opportunity to go to a kids camp for 600 orphans and special needs kids. This is a camp run by the Ukrainian government, but they have given the directors amazing favor, and we will get to teach about Jesus and the Bible as a means of giving the kids moral lessons. Some of the translators we will be working with even attended these camps as children, and are now serving the Lord in their local churches. These children are considered outcasts and cast offs, so we get to spend time intentionally showing them the love, care, and attention. We will do this through skits, crafts, teaching activities, going on beach-side adventures, and much more!

The waves of call and opportunity are still churning, and all of us on the team still have things to work towards to make this possible. So far, I have $1,800 committed towards my trip, and have $900 more to raise before we leave June 17. God has done amazing things so far, but I would be wrong not to recognize the continued need to still lean on others. Would you be willing to join me, and help make this a reality? If you so feel it impressed on your heart, you can give here: https://msuchialpha.wufoo.com/forms/m1agtd2n0jx7smb/. Every little bit truly adds up, but even if all you can give is prayer, this is such a powerful gift. If you could join the efforts of myself and this team, either through your giving or through prayers, I would be so grateful.

One moment, we were a small group of college students with plans to go to one european country for a few weeks, then we were a team without a location. And then, God guided us to new a place with a real need that had just opened up. On this new journey, would you care to journey on with me? I’d love to know if you would join me, and I can’t wait to see what destined opportunities the Lord draws other stories into the tapestry of His grand narrative!