The Team

Zhenya – Regional Director YFC Samara

Artyom – Youth Ministry Co-Ordinator

Olga – Children at Risk Co-Ordinator

The team have been through a number of challenges in the last 12 months. Finances have been scarce, but God’s work has been abundant. Praise God that we moved from an expensive office to a rent-free accommodation – courtesy of the Presbyterian church in Samara. Our team has gone from 10 to 3 full-time staff. But the number of volunteers has risen as the paid staff have had to leave.

Kids at Risk Work

We have 4 day centres and a number of fantastic volunteers doing an incredible job with the children at risk of Samara. We have heard many stories of how God is using our team to make an incredible difference to childrens’ lives. Many of the kids we see every day are living with alcoholic and sometimes abusive parents. Our team reach out in love and mercy to help these little ones who have done so little to deserve their suffering.

Youth Work

Artyom is working in a number of local schools, running social clubs.  Openly sharing the good news of the Gospel is not permitted in Russia – but Artyom and his team work tirelessly to make conections with the young people. Waiting patiently for the opportunity to respond when the young people ask “why do you care about us?” This gives the team their opportunity to invite them to church or camps. Last year 35 young people came to know Jesus as their savior through our camps program.

Leadership Training

One of our volunteer’s Slave recently ran a conference in the city of Ufa. 12 young people came to a saving faith in Christ as a result of it.