Read an interview by U.K. journalist Peter Wooding with Greg as he traveled this summer.

When you support School Without Walls, it’s more than an academic exercise. It’s support of a generation of godly, young national Christian leaders, who are ready to pick up the baton of faithfulness from the previous generation, and confront the realities of a changing society.

Even in the high-risk regions of the former Soviet Union, School Without Walls students are reaching out to the needy as the helping hands of Jesus.

School Without Walls students from Kabardino-Balkaria are no strangers to the violence that rocks their Northern Caucasus region.

In early spring, police killed a rebel leader in a shoot out on the streets of the capital city of Nalchik.

In July, School Without Walls students went to Makhachkala, Dagestan to hold an evangelistic summer camp for children in the community. A week after the students returned home, a pastor of one of Makhachkala’s largest evangelical churches was gunned down.

But, according to a recent report from Sergey, the School Without Walls coordinator in Kabardino-Balkaria, none of this has slowed down the students’ outreach and ministries in this region.

We have School Without Walls programs in Prokhladny and Nalchik. The School Without Walls students from Prokhladny regularly visit an orphanage, where they sing, tell the children about Christ and play soccer, volleyball, checkers, chess and other games with them. The students have also connected with the youth of the orphanage. Some of the children regularly read the Bible and pray. The students are accepted and liked by the children. Vadim, one of our School Without Walls students, has become friends with one boy. Vadim watches out for him, and recently bought him a new soccer uniform. The two of them now play soccer together, both wearing their new uniforms.

When the students drive up to the orphanage, one can often hear the joyful cry, “The Baptists have arrived!” and everyone runs out to meet the students.

School Without Walls students from Nalchik decided to take on missions work in the city of Tyrnyauz. For two years now, a small group of 12 believers has had no church leadership or support. These young leaders travel there to help out with Sunday morning services, encourage the believers and help them share the good news of Jesus in the community. This ministry is just beginning, but we have plans to develop it and reach many Balkars, who need Jesus.

Interested in supporting a School Without Walls student? Find out more here.

U.K. media consultant Peter Wooding interviewed Russian Ministries’ President Anita Deyneka about the late summer evangelistic summer camps that are running in the former Soviet Union. Many of these evangelistic summer camps are reaching children in difficult places such as Dagestan and Ingushetia.

As School Without Walls students and other young Next Generation Christian leaders  are busy running summer camps in more than hundred locations, help is urgently needed to complete their goal of reaching more than 5,000 needy children across the former Soviet Union.

“We’re looking for partners who would want to be part of this marvelous movement to help children who still face so many problems the turmoil in their countries and  from the legacy of communism,” said Russian Ministries President Anita Deyneka.

Already a month into the evangelistic summer camp program, Deyneka says help is urgently needed to reach the goal of impacting over 5,000 kids: “It has been magnificent so far,” explains Deyneka, ” with children coming to camp and responding to the counselors and staff, but what is  challenging is having enough funds.  With another month of summer camps to go, we need at least $75,000 to finish the summer strong. It costs just $50 per child to attend one week of camp—and every one of those dollars is an investment into a changed life.”

There are so many  children who come to camp from tragic backgrounds, children with alcoholic parents, street kids, orphans, children with disabilities, tuberculosis and HIV.  One of the toughest places where Russian Ministries is running camps right now is in Chechnya where all the children have known in their lives is war.

Deyneka says the impact on these vulnerable young lives goes far beyond summer camp: “That is one of the best aspects of the camps. It’s not just that one week, but our national co-workers, who lead the camps, keep a connection with the children. The camps build a bridge into a future of ongoing relationship with the children and their families and communities.  The children want to keep in touch, and so doors oepn.  The campers often return to their non-churched families and talk about camp and what they learned, and in some cases, parents have come to know the Lord and come to church.

“The community also sees these young Christians who care about the children and care enough to organize the camps. This leads to all sorts of wonderful paths for the future not only for  the children but also the communities. The camps are a great blessing in themselves but the ripples afterward are just amazing in the ongoing impact in the lives of the children.”

With more than ten years of Russian Ministries’ summer camp ministry, many of those that were children from the beginning, now come back each year camp counselors, and then become involved School Without Walls as students at Russian Ministries’ non-formal training program that provides Christian discipleship and leadership.

But help is desperately needed now to ensure this legacy continues. To find out how you can help send a child to camp, click here www.russian-ministries.org and click on the donate now tab.

This ministry post is based on a report from the national Ukrainian staff of Russian Ministries’ in-country affiliate, the Association for Spiritual Renewal, just outside of Kiev in Irpen, Ukraine.

The Association for Spiritual Renewal (ASR) is thanking God for His work at the first international School Without Walls festival, which ran from June 17-20 along the Azov Sea in Ukraine.

The festival attracted 520 young Next Generation Christian leaders from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the U.S. and India. The festival’s theme-”Time to Live, Time to Serve”-was designed to motivate a younger generation of Christians to pursue ministry and wholeheartedly serve God.

At the four-day festival, people from a variety of evangelical churches as well as different cultures learned and worshiped together as Christ’s body.

“It was wonderful to hear how God, through His church, is doing great things in different countries! I hope that a new day will dawn in each of our countries,” observed Andrei, a musician from Zaporozhye, Ukraine.

The packed festival schedule featured general sessions with expert speakers such as Russian Ministries’ Senior Vice-President Sergey Rakhuba, Michael Cherenkov and Yuri Sipko, and testimonies, project and ministry presentations and workshops. The worship team for Irpen Bible Church led worship each morning and evening, and two Christian music groups, Near Heaven and New Day, performed late night concerts.

Workshops covered relevant topics such as the use of media in the church, sports evangelism, short-term missions and extreme youth camps.

“I gained many ideas for ministry and spreading the gospel. The festival encouraged me, and now I want to serve God with new energy and inspiration. This was a time of encouragement, and I hope there are more festivals like this,” shared Svetlana from Belarus.

Evening sessions focused on different themes each night. The first night focused on an Evening of Praise, the second night was an Evening of Discovery and the closing program was an Evening of Commitment.

During the Evening of Praise, these young leaders were encouraged to worship God in simplicity and freedom, without boundaries. During the Evening of Discovery, speakers from different countries and regions talked about their ministries, and shared some of the problems and difficulties as well as the blessings they encounter as they follow Christ.

Special speakers from Central Asia shared how difficult it is today to follow Christ in their countries. They told about the persecution they face not only from authorities, but also from their families. “Thank you School Without Walls. Thank you, that you love our churches, pray for us and support us. I believe that Ukraine is a blessed country, that the Lord is using in our time to serve others,” shared a participant from Central Asia.

During the Evening of Commitment, speakers declared that the Next Generation of young Christians is a powerful tool for spreading God’s Word throughout the world.

National evangelist Andrey Bondarenko challenged participants to renew their commitment to ministry to God and to a dying world. More than 70 young people renewed their commitments to follow Jesus, and leaders laid hands on them and blessed them in their choice to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

As the weekend ended, the ethnic violence that began Thursday in the southern city of Osh spread to Kyrgyzstan’s second largest province, Jala-Abad. The prime target of these attacks has been Uzbek minorities who live in Kyrgyzstan. According to local news reports, mobs were setting fire to Uzbek homes and businesses. Around 75,000 people have fled into neighboring Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s government has turned to Russia for help in quelling the violence that is ripping apart its country. Moscow promised to send paratroopers, mainly to protect its military base near the capital city of Bishkek. The U.S. also has a military base outside of Bishkek, which has been a conduit of supplies for the war in Afghanistan.

On Monday morning, Russian Ministries received news from its national affiliate, the Association for Spiritual Renewal (ASR), in Ukraine that the situation in Kyrgyzstan is rapidly deteriorating.

ASR also received a communication from the national director of Evangelism Explosion in Kyrgyzstan that described shooting, violent mobs and closed businesses and stores. The national director also reported that believers are trying to help those affected by the violence.

Russian Ministries, ASR and national Christian leaders in Central Asia are developing strategic ministries that will help advance God’s work in this region.

Read more about the unrest in Kyrgyzstan.

Anastasia (pictured at right) is wheelchair bound, and childhood rheumatoid poly-arthritis has gnarled her hands. But this gifted young woman joyfully serves God and uses her art for His glory. Pamela’s watercolors express the joys and trials of life. She has captured the joy of a young Russian girl for us in the print we’re offering.

When you give to our evangelistic summer camps, you’ll help
• at-risk children whose homes are orphanages and state-run institutions,
• special needs children in Zaporozhye, Ukraine,
• mothers and children living with HIV/AIDS in Moldova and
• children who live in the difficult-to-reach regions of Central Asia and the Northern Caucasus.

A $50 gift will help send one child to one week of summer camp, and give him or her a Bible or Christian literature.

A gift of $100 will double your impact, and give two children a week at summer camp and place a Bible or Christian literature into their hands.

An investment of $200 will give four children the opportunity to meet Jesus at one of our evangelistic summer camps, and $300 will help send six children to camp. A gift of $400 will help send eight children to camp, and each of these children will receive a Bible and/or Christian literature especially geared for him or her.

An even greater investment of $500 or $1000 will help send 10 or 20 children to one of these life-changing summer camps.

When you give online to our evangelistic summer camp ministry, your gift can start making a difference in the lives of children in the countries of the former Soviet Union.

Read about our evangelistic summer camp ministry in the Northern Caucasus region of Russia.

From July 31-August 7, join Russian Ministries at Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference, where you’ll meet Gennady Terkun, national ministry director in the Northern Caucasus, and hear how God changed his life as . . .

“a conscious slave of the devil and an influential criminal.”

These words don’t fit with the man who is speaking them. Today, Gennady Terkun is more likely to share a Christmas present with a needy child, or baptize young people who have chosen to follow Jesus in the Northern Caucasus than to choose to do evil.

Flashback to 1987, when perestroika was just beginning, and a younger Gennady sat in a prison, where he exercised a cult-like hold over the other prisoners. About that time, some Christians came to the prison and shared the gospel with the prisoners.

“I was enraged,” recalls Gennady. “Their preaching about Christ was destroying my authority and cult practices.” He shot off an angry letter, intent on destroying the believers and their faith.

His letter made its way to one of the Christians who had come to the prison, and that began a two-year correspondence between Gennady and this bold believer.

“Gradually, the simple truth of the Good News found its way into my heart,” Gennady says. In 1991, Gennady made another conscious choice: to follow Jesus and point other prisoners to Him.

No longer imprisoned in sin, Gennady began Bible studies in prison and met Next Generation Christians from the Association for Spiritual Renewal (ASR-Russian Ministries’ national partner). “One of them became my mentor, and helped me with advice, resources and a vision for ministry.”

By God’s grace, Gennady’s prison sentence was shortened by five years, and he was released in 1996. “The day after my release,” Gennady points out, “I attended an ASR training seminar in Krasnodar.” Gennady began traveling throughout the region, sharing the good news of Jesus.

Gennady also received training in church-planting at Project-250 seminars-Russian Ministries’ early training for young Next Generation Christians in the former Soviet Union.

Ten years ago, Gennady moved to Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia and began overseeing the ministry in North and South Ossetia, Chechnya and Ingushetia.

In the course of these ten years, God has used Gennady and his wife, Vera, in strategic, far-reaching ministries from aid and counseling in the aftermath of the 2004 Beslan public school terrorist attack, to ongoing bridge building to Muslim families and their children at evangelistic summer camps, to regular trips to the volatile regions of Chechnya, South Ossetia and Ingushetia for children’s events such as summer camp follow up and special seasonal events.

From July 31-August 7, you can meet Gennady Terkun at Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference in beautiful western Michigan. Gennady will share more of his story of faith as well as the latest news from his ministry. Joining Gennady will be Anita Deyneka, president of Russian Ministries, and Greg Yoder, weekly anchor for Mission Network News.

Plan to have a vacation with a purpose this summer and join Russian Ministries at Maranatha.

Contact Maranatha directly for more information. Be sure to register for Week 6.

See you by the lake!

Read how Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camp ministry is helping to bring gospel peace and hope to Chechnya this summer.

Click here to read a Christianity Today article that features Gennady Terkun.

Foreign leaders who planned to attend Sunday’s parade included French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Hu Jin Tao. Kyrgyzstan was represented by the head of its interim government, and other leaders from Central Asian countries also attended the showcase in Moscow.

Some observers felt that the Victory Day invitation to world leaders communicated Russia’s desire to strengthen its presence on the global stage.

Victory Day celebrations often have been marred by terrorist attacks, and Sunday was no exception as a bomb exploded in Dagestan near a Russian military base in this Northern Caucasus region.

Russian Ministries encourages Christians worldwide to continue to pray for stability and peace in this region of Russia and in the countries of Central Asia.

Lasting victory and peace, however, will be proclaimed this summer as at-risk children and troubled teenagers hear of Jesus’ victory over sin and death at Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camps across the former Soviet Union.

This month, a faithful and generous ministry partner has presented Russian Ministries with a matching grant challenge of $15,000 for the evangelistic summer camp ministry.

That means that your investment in the evangelistic summer camp ministry will go even further in helping to send children and teenagers to life-changing summer camps.

• $50 will help give one child one week at summer camp and place a Bible or Christian literature into the hands of that child.
• $100 will double your impact, and give two children the opportunity to meet Jesus at one of our evangelistic summer camps.
• $150 will help send three children to camp.
• $200 will help send four children to camp and provide Bibles and Christian literature for them.
• An even greater investment of $500 or $1,000 will help send ten or twenty children and teenagers to a life-changing week of summer camp.

As a special thank-you for your gift, you will receive a print of original artwork by a Russian Christian artist, Anastasia. Anastasia not only was orphaned as a young child but also copes with a physical disability. Neither has stopped Anastasia from using her artistic talent for God’s glory.

Help us meet the matching challenge today with an online donation to the evangelistic summer camp ministry.

If you’re on Facebook, you can also join the evangelistic summer camp cause.

From 3,000 gifts to four times that number in its second season of ministry, Gift of Life-Russian Ministries’ Easter outreach and gift distribution-brought the good news of Jesus’ resurrection to orphans, hurting children and teenagers.

In all, 13,190 gifts and Bibles/Christian literature were given away this Easter season. The gift boxes for the children included candy, toys and children’s Bibles. Teenagers received a special edition of the Gospel of Mark that included testimonies from young people, who have discovered new life in Christ. This Easter, 34 national evangelical churches and 30 organizations and business in the Zaporozhye region also support the Gift of Life project.

On April 23, an orphanage in Volnyansk, Ukraine, welcomed a music group, amateur and professional soccer players and clowns as young Next Generation Christians from the THEME youth club in nearby Zaporozhye arrived to share Resurrection hope and joy with the 150 orphans there.

“Looking into the younger children’s eyes, you see a sincerity that will all too soon be marred by disillusionment, and possible anger and resentment,” related one young Christian leader.

“But those who have not yet lost hope seek in us faithful friends, whom they can see more often than just Christmas and Easter,” continues this young leader. “Some children did not want us to go . . . . Lord willing, we will visit them again. As Christ said, ‘And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name, welcomes me.’ ” (Matthew 18:5)

Seasonal outreaches such as Gift of Life at Easter, or Project Hope at Christmas are some of the many ways School Without Walls students and other young Next Generation Christian leaders connect with needy children and at-risk teenagers throughout the year.

In just a few weeks, Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camps begin all across the former Soviet Union.

School Without Walls students and graduates not only initiate this outreach but also mobilize their churches and other young Christian leaders to be a  part of the summer camp ministry.

Russian Ministries would like to help send at least 5,000 children and teenagers to a life-changing week of summer camp. One child + one week of summer camp = one changed life.

Be a part of this divine math today with a secure online gift to Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camps. A gift of $50 will help send one child to camp and provide one Bible/Christian literature, a $100 gift will help send two children to camp and provide Bibles/Christian literature for them and a gift of $200 will provide the same for four children. Make a secure online gift today.

Join Russian Ministries on Facebook and become part of the summer camp Cause.

A generation in the smoldering Northern Caucasus (about 900 miles north of Moscow) is growing up with destruction, suicide bombers, intense conflicts and the lure of extremists to join their violent cause.

There is also a generation-a new generation-in the Northern Caucasus that is intentional in bringing peace, reconciliation and gospel hope to children and teenagers in Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and South Ossetia.

From Russian Ministries’ regional ministry center in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, young Next Generation Christian leaders are positioned for strategic outreach that includes the evangelistic summer camp ministry.

Last summer, as if to underscore the violence in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, a suicide bomber exploded in the center of the city the day the team of Next Generation Christians arrived from Vladikavkaz to hold camp for the children of Chechnya.

Five days later, rumors flew throughout the city that three landmines had been planted in the main marketplace, where camp staff purchased food for the campers every day. By God’s grace, the landmines were discovered in time, and no one was hurt.

“Throughout camp,” said Alexander, the camp coordinator, “two feelings never left me-a feeling of sincere joy at how God brought us close to these children, and the second feeling that would not leave me was that we were on the territory of the enemy for human souls.”

Alexander was confident that the seeds of gospel peace and hope that were planted in the hearts of the children would bring about fruit. Gennady, Russian Ministries’ national ministry leader in the Northern Caucasus region, added to Alexander’s thoughts, “Maybe we won’t see the fruits of the seeds planted by us, but those who come after us will not plant, but harvest.”

Through God’s grace these gospel seeds are taking root. In a short letter to his counselor, young Mosvar wrote:

“This was my first time at camp! We have a very poor family, and my mom says that we can’t expect anything good from other people, and that we should do everything ourselves. I fight with everyone. But it was awesome at camp. I loved all of the leaders. At home, I sing songs from camp, and my mom laughs and says, ‘What did they do with you? You are glowing!’ I really hope that you come back. Don’t be afraid. I will protect you!”

You can help these young Next Generation Christian leaders in the Northern Caucasus, all across Russia and the other countries in the former Soviet Union plant and harvest the peaceable fruit of righteousness this summer!

• $50 will help give one child one life-changing week at summer camp and place a Bible or Christian literature into the hands of that child.

• $100 will double your impact, and give two children the opportunity to meet Jesus at one of Russian Ministries’ evangelistic summer camps in the Northern Caucasus as well as other regions throughout Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.

• $150 will help send three children to camp; and a gift of $200 will help give four children a week of summer camp.

• An even greater investment of $500 will help send ten children and teenagers to these evangelistic summer camps, where they will discover peace with God.

Make your investment in peace today with an online gift to the summer camp ministry.

As you partner with us in this effective ministry, we’re confident that God will help us send at least 5,000 children and teenagers to summer camp, where they can discover God’s love and build friendships with compassionate young Next Generation Christians, whose own lives have been transformed by the gospel.

Are you on Facebook? If so, join our evangelistic summer camp cause.

The pictures in this post were taken at last summer’s evangelistic summer camp in Chechnya, where young Next Generation Christian leaders are making a difference for Christ.