Cradling both the Bible Belt of the former Soviet Union and ground zero of the horrible Chernobyl disaster, Ukraine is a country with a vibrant faith and deep hurts.

Almost since EGM’s inception, Ukrainian church leaders have fervently invited EGM to come alongside and partner in their life-giving work with children. We are so thankful that God is now providing the resources to make their dream, and ours, come to fruition.

In January 2007, Igor and Natasha Fridrikh joined the EGM family.  A Ukraine-born national Christian leader, Igor is based in the neighboring country of Belarus.  Igor serves as the Eastern Europe Resource Team Director, supporting and encouraging the EGM ministry partners throughout the region.  In this role, God has used Igor and Natasha to facilitate the start-up of the ministry in Ukraine.

In April 2008, the founding meeting of the EGM-Ukraine board took place in the capital city of Kiev.  Representatives of several large evangelical denominations were present at the meeting and a group of ten men and women were confirmed as members of the board of directors for the new organization.  EGM-Ukraine has recently hired a director for the ministry.  We look forward to hearing more about how this ministry will effect the children of Ukraine.

In February of 2009, EGM-Ukraine hired their first director. Michael Lozovoi will lead this newly founded team in ministering to the children and families of Ukraine. 

Testimonies

Here's what children's ministry leaders are saying about the start of the EGM ministry in Ukraine:

Michael Lozovoi is the director of the children's ministry in a large Baptist church in Eastern Ukraine and has served 8 years in village day camp ministry.  When asked about whether or not Ukraine needs an EGM ministry, he said, "Ukraine needs the ministry of EGM like Ukraine needs air.  Some of our children's workers don't even have paper and a pencil.  Others have many resources available to them.  And there are many in between.  Mission groups that have come to our country have come with a specific program to offer.  But they work independently from one another.  I believe that EGM will be able to help us take the ministry to children in our churches to a new level of unity and effectiveness."

 

Nadezhda Kuprijonok has been involved in children's work since 1991 and is currently the director of the children's ministry for all of Ukraine's registered Baptist churches.  She said, "Many have come and gone.  You have said you will stay and help us over the long term.  Until now, we've not had the unique way that EGM operates.  The children of Ukraine are hungry for nutritional spiritual food.  Children's workers are the cooks preparing this food.  Most children's workers here know how to prepare basic food for their children, but they lack the training to be professional cooks that can produce healthy meals that are a delicacy to those who are eating.  Those who have come before you have helped us with certain aspects of the ministry, but there are many gaps and critical needs.  Those of us who have more experience in children's work are able to see that the curriculum materials presently available lack depth and are not of sufficient quality to satisfy the teacher who is really interested in transformational ministry.  My vision for EGM is that we will be able to provide in-depth training and resources that will meet those needs."  She also said, "Children's workers can work across denominational lines where other church leaders may be hesitant to do so.  We can be the ones to open the doors for our churches to work together."