Planning for Awana Summer Camp in Ukraine

This month we are pleased to share with you an update from Awana Romania Missionary Adi Stanciu. He and his team recently completed a trip to Ukraine to take humanitarian aid and money to the Association of Romanian Baptist Churches, and to help leaders there and at other churches plan a summer youth camp. Below is his report.

On this trip we visited three churches where we met with young people. They are studying the Alpha Course for young people, and we were happy to see their interest in study, knowledge and spiritual growth. I also found that almost every young person is involved in service, both in the church and outside, through evangelization programs or humanitarian projects to help refugees.

During this time I also met with the leader responsible for the work with the children in this region. He told me that before the pandemic they used to organize children’s camps and would like to resume this project. He asked for my help in supporting the organization of a camp this summer, where around 200 children are expected to participate. The theme of the camp will be focused on the effect of technology on the lives of young people, and we will find a title and determine the subjects for studies and seminars.

We are in discussions to establish the date, the location and then to establish the program and theme of the camp. This leader’s request is to support them both financially and with leaders from Romania to lead the camp. It’s a new opportunity, and I’ve already started looking for funds and leaders from the Awana program to go to Ukraine with me.

One thing that caught my attention was that these people did not stop serving both through humanitarian and spiritual aid in the localities and churches where they belong. Every time we visited them, and they told us about what they were doing, they did not complain about the fatigue, nor the lack of goods necessary for life, nor the hardships they were going through. I found out that not only they are involved in helping refugees, but so are their wives and children.

Their lives are always in constant turmoil, exposed to major risks, threatened almost every day by bomb/missile alarms and not very good news from the font. They have never complained about the electricity going out, about the high costs of fuel and utilities, that their children go to school alternatively (one week online, one week physically at school). Their incomes are small (around $200 per month), but the Lord takes care of them. I always talk about opportunities and how God works things out.

But a big disappointment for them is that many of the spiritual leaders and church members have gone abroad, and those who have remained are in great demand. They are by no means thinking of giving up what they are doing. On the contrary, they are looking at other emerging opportunities and resources. In this sense, they continued to ask us to support them both financially, but especially with leaders who will help in the camps this summer.

I am very thankful to you that with your support I was able to finish this mission in Ukraine. Every time, I come encouraged by what is happening there and motivated to continue helping.

What follows this summer? The preparation of the camps, the mobilization of Romanian leaders to help in the camps, fundraising and the coordination of these projects are a priority for me. That’s why I ask for your continued support through prayer and any financial support that can bring a major change in the lives of children, young people and leaders in Ukraine.

God bless you,
Adrian Stanciu