A Life Changing Experience!

God Sightings in Ukraine in 2005

"What happened during the eight day, 24-hour camp for teens from the Babyn and Hoscha areas, including a large number of teens who were orphans or from some extremely difficult situations, was the work of God.

We started with 76 teens who barely knew each other and broke them into 10 small groups. Groups were lead by an adult and a teen who already knew Christ. As the week progressed, we began to see friendships develop as teens who, at first, barely spoke with one another, turned into pairs or small groups of three and four that began making plans for getting together after the camp.

I was blessed the most when I got to see the results of God's work as 39 of the 66 non-Christians that came to that camp, accepted Christ in repentance with others recommitting their lives. I also saw young Christians forming a support system to help these new believers.

Once again God blessed the mission teams from Converge MidAtlantic and He established His kingdom forever in the hearts of many teens." ~ Jay Fields, Beulah Baptist Church, Finleyville, PA

"Tonya, an alcoholic, prostitute and the mother of one son, Sasha, 12, and caretaker for another boy, Vitalia, invited us into her home in a broken down brick building with no running water or electricity except what is stolen from the building next door via an electrical cord out a window; the walls were taped and boarded together and the ceiling was crumbing, but it was their home.

How did this all happen to such a woman with a son who, despite the neglect and abuse he lives with each day, still loves to play games, quote scripture and sing the Christian songs during the weekly Bible classes that are provided in the church basement?

Eleven years ago, Tonya was a happy young wife and mother. When Sasha was one year old, his father was run over by a car and killed. Tonya had no means of support and began drinking to drown her sorrow and prostituting herself for money. She shared how the people in the village judge her and have never offered help." ~ Sandi Peterson, Converge MidAtlantic Mercy Ministries

When the first visit to Ukraine took place over 14 years ago, Truett Lawson, Executive Minister of the Minnesota Baptist Conference, stepped out in faith that this was the direction God wanted him to go. But even in his vision of what might come, he never guessed how much God would really do, not just for the Baptists in Ukraine but for those in America who would join in sister church relationships.

Given the climate in Communist Russia just 18 years ago and the tyranny suffered by the Ukrainian Baptists, it is an act of God Himself that what was once just a dream, is now a reoccurring dream come true. It's a dream that has become a movement growing by leaps and bounds across the Baptist General Conference.

What is sistering?

• Sistering is the core strategy of the Love Lift for Ukraine movement.
• Sistering is a partnership between an Converge MidAtlantic and Ukrainian church with alignment on the denominational, church-to-church, believer-to-believer and community-to-community levels. This alignment gives it its impact and credibility to the ministry in its context in Ukraine.
• Sistering has both the strengths of career missions and short-term missions: a long-range strategy with short-term energy; and as such, is a formidable power for God in the communities where it is unleashed.
• Sistering relationships begin with familiarity in exchange of greeting and cordiality as pastors meet and match, eventually leading to shared needs and mutual support and, finally, ending in the possibility of partnered ministry or joined ventures for God and faith between Converge MidAtlantic and Ukraine church.

Ukraine and US churches that enter a sistering relationship must view one another as equal partners in ministry, both moving in tandem in the pursuit of building mutual, shared relationships for the purpose of bringing Jesus Christ to the un-churched, to those who have never even heard His name before in a country so newly made open to us all.

Converge MidAtlantic alone has 10 churches that have, or are building, sister church relationships. These include (US church/Ukraine city): Mentor Baptist/Kostopil; FBC Glenarden/Dubravitsa; Lakewood Baptist/Mlyniv, FBC New Castle/Babintsi; Berean Baptist and Fite Memorial/Ripki; FBC Greenhills/Radiviliv, Christ Community Fredonia/Rivne, Beulah Baptist/Babyn and The Journey State College/Nitisin. We also have a very active Mercy Ministry, led by Sandi Peterson, that reaches out to women and children in Ukraine who live in orphanages, sanitariums and hospitals. Exploration of new relationships will be made available to all who travel with either of the Vision Team trips, led by Dan Peterson, being offered in 2006. There are 100 churches in the Rivne region that desire sister church relationships with American churches! They need YOU!

Please Plan to Join Us in 2006 for this Life-Changing Experience!

In 2006 for the first time, we are offering a short-term mission to Ukraine in the Spring leaving March 22 and returning home on April 3rd.

This trip provides an opportunity for participation in the presentation of Marriage and Family Conferences to a people who want to learn more about enriching their relationships, but who have few resources or teachers.

As part of the Vision Team effort, we'll offer US pastors and lay leaders the opportunity to get acquainted with Ukraine pastors who are hoping to meet a U.S. pastor for the purpose of establishing a sister church relationship.

Finally, for those in established sister church relationships, you'll have an opportunity to spend some quality leisure time with your host church, making plans for the summer, getting to know your friends in a new way.

There are two 2007 summer short-term mission opportunities. The first leaves July 18th and returns on July 31st. The second leaves on July 25th and returns August 7th. Both trips offer the possibility of participation in Children’s and Youth Day Camps and Men’s and Women’s Ministries. The Summer Vision Team, for those seeking more information concerning involvement with a sister church in Ukraine, will travel July 18th through July 31st.

The days and hours are packed full of activities for all the teams! Combining with their sister-church leaders and families, they will present week-long day camps for children, juniors and teens; seminars for men and women on marriage and family; minister to shut-ins and the elderly; visit orphanages; and witness person-to-person about how God works in the lives of His people.

Love Lift for Ukraine works to ensure the reality of 2 Corinthians 8:13-15: "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be quality. At the present time, your plenty will supply what they need so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: 'He who gathered much did not have too much and he who gathered little did not have too little.'"

This is not just an exchange of material goods, but a very real and developing set of personal relationships across the miles through communication, shared prayer needs and more throughout the year. Materials are now ready for those desiring to register for either the 2006 Spring or Summer Love Lift for Ukraine short term missions. Both the Spring and Summer brochures and their registration forms are available on the website. For more information email Anna@bgcmideast.com or contact Converge MidAtlantic office at 330.757.7970.