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One Child + One Week of Summer Camp = One Changed Life Each summer, children and teenagers from at-risk families, intact families and orphanages are involved in Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camp ministry. Campers are from Orthodox or Muslim families or homes where there is no faith at all. Here are two stories from two very different summer camps. One camp is in the thriving, peaceful city of Zaporozhye, Ukraine; the other camp is in the war-weary treacherous city of Grozny, Chechnya. But these two summer camps share one common goal: to help campers discover God’s love, learn from His Word and grow in their faith. Under Pursuit When Maxim’s best friend Dmitry invited him to play volleyball at a so-called sports club, Maxim went along, if only to escape the tensions at home created by his father’s drinking. As he played volleyball and got to know the other teenagers, Maxim was intrigued that a lot of them said they were followers of Jesus. After the first game, one of the leaders struck up a conversation with Maxim’s friend Dmitry—and Maxim listened in. “Some of the questions the guy asked Dmitry stuck in my head. Questions about spending my time purposely and about God,” recalls Maxim. “I kept coming to those volleyball games almost every time they played. Once after a game, everyone received Christmas presents.” As attracted as he was to Christianity, Maxim still had some doubts and questions. That summer, Maxim attended Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camp in Zaporozhye, Ukraine, and the more Maxim saw Christians in action, the more convinced he was of their sincere faith. “[My new friends] were happy, educated, talented, creative and athletic,” says Maxim, “but during our Bible study times, they discussed life in a way I did not hear before from young people. I also saw that they could have fun without alcohol and other drugs.” God was drawing Maxim closer to His kingdom. When Maxim returned home from camp, he visited the church in which his new friends were involved. “Several visits later, I simply had no choice but to trust Jesus and repent before God in front of all my new friends. Everybody was so happy with me and I felt that I was accepted into a large family.” Maxim also is quick to share that his friend Dmitry trusted Christ as well. Looking back, Maxim reflects, “I can’t imagine what would have had happened to me if I didn’t go to that volleyball game or camp last summer.” From Despair to Hope The republic of Chechnya desperately needs the peace and hope of Jesus. That is what motivates the team from Vladikavkaz, Northern Ossetia to travel to Grozny, Chechnya each summer to hold an evangelistic summer camp for children and teenagers in that war-torn city. Many of the children who participate in this camp have experienced the horrors of war, and have lost close relatives and parents in the fighting. Shaip’s parents were killed in the ongoing Chechen conflict. He watched a bomb blow up his house. He saw people with legs blown off, and grief-stricken mothers cradling their dead children. He saw brutal soldiers and drunken killers. For a while, Shaip lived in ruined buildings and hid from dogs and strangers. Shaip now lives with his aunt, but the horrors of conflict still linger. When he arrived at the camp in Grozny, he was extremely cautious and refused to participate. He also rejected any affection and care from his counselors. Slowly, Shaip began to warm up to the other campers and his counselors. On the third day of camp, he told his counselors about his parents. As the camp came to a close, Shaip said that he would be looking forward to camp next summer, but during the year he would write letters to his counselors, and to his heavenly Father. This summer Russian Ministries would like to send at least 5,000 children and teenagers across the former Soviet Union to an evangelistic summer camp. There they can discover God’s love, learn from His Word and grow in their faith. |
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One Child + One Week of Summer Camp = One Changed Life. You can be a part of this eternal equation with a gift to help send children and teenagers to a life-changing week of summer camp. For each $50 gift you give, one child or teenager will have opportunity to participate in summer camp.
Click on the donate now tab to make your gift. |
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