KIEV, UKRAINE (ANS): As pro-Russian Viktor Yanu-kovych emerged as victor in Ukraine’s presidential election, Russian Ministries said they were even more determined to mobilise the next generation of Christian leaders in the former Soviet country.
“We’ll continue to train national leaders despite any political implications. It could be more difficult. It could be more restrictive. We would have to be more proactive and creative to equip the national leaders,” said Russian Ministries senior vice president Sergey Rakhuba. Before the election Mr Rakhuba said there was concern among the evangelical Christian community if Yanukovych came to power: “Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the Party of Regions, has spoken out in the past against the evangelical church, saying that all priorities should be given to the Orthodox church because he wants the whole nation to follow this tradition,” he explains. But Russian Ministries believes the hope of Ukraine lies strongly with emerging young Christian leaders they are training and equipping through Schools Without Walls and other leadership training.
“We help people to grow and reach deep into their communities. We evangelise, equip and mobilise next generation men and women to become light in darkness and to bring hope to humanly hopeless situations,” Mr Rakhuba added.
This was demonstrated last Christmas when Schools Without Walls students and graduates, along with national evangelical churches, took part in a unique Christmas outreach to 10,000 orphans, street children and at-risk kids. As part of Project Hope: the Great Gift Exchange gift-filled shoeboxes, along with children’s Bibles, were distributed across the far reaches of Ukraine and Russia. And at each distribution these young emerging leaders creatively presented the good news of Jesus’ birth.
Following on from that Next Generation Christians are already preparing for Russian Ministries’ Easter outreach, called the Gift of Life. They will be busy working alongside churches to put on outreach events to orphans, street children and other at-risk kids in needy families. “In spite of any political or economic changes, Russian Ministries remains committed to equipping the next generation of Christian leaders to push forward with the Gospel and advance God’s kingdom in Ukraine and the rest of the former Soviet Union,” concluded Mr Sergey. Russian Ministries works in eight countries in the former Soviet Union including Ukraine. Yanukovych’s inauguration was scheduled for February 25
March 1, 2010 Vol 68 Issue 7
