In Western Ukraine, Easter is a time filled with many traditions, church services, rituals, and fasts. However, ultimately our hope is that students in Ukraine would know that these different traditions point to Jesus Christ!
From March 12-15, 2018, the Kyiv team of CCX Ukraine saw especially clearly how God united the city’s team of students and volunteers and used them to actively preach the Gospel at two universities.
Five years ago, CCX Ukraine introduced a new project– Mission Week. Many different events take place for five days on university campuses, and all events are focused on discussions of frequently asked questions about Christianity. Christian students want and are ready to talk about such topics with their groupmates and friends.
This year’sproject WHATIF…? Pursued these goals: to tell, share and explain why we are Christians, who Jesus Christ is, and what His teaching is all about.
CCX Ukraine ministry began as a result of InterVarsity USA outreach programs to Ukraine in early 90-s. Groups of American students were coming for a short mission trips under the Global Project program. Some of them became our first staff and mentored the next generation of Ukrainian leadership. Below is the story of David Wehrle, one of the first IV students to come to Ukraine.
"I joined the Global Project to Kiev in 1990 because of my wife’s influence. It was following our Freshman (first) year in college.
The first day of the week-long project WHAT IF…?ended. Words, photos or even videos cannot convey the atmosphere and emotions of the day.
On Monday we held lectures at 3 universities. SerhiyGula, a lawyer and the chairman of the NGO “No bribery!” gave a lecture on the topic "The Origin of Corruption and Ways to Deal with It" at the National Law University.
Is there a place for Christianity in Ukrainian universities, and if so, how will Christians get access? Where does the boundary between the secular and the religious lie in the education system? In a podium discussion called "Christianity at the University: Limits of the Possible" held on January 26, 2018 at the Institute of Religious Sciences St. Thomas Aquinas, in Kiev, the representatives of various denominations and educational institutions sought the balance between moral, spiritual and secular development of an individual.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, new and independent Ukraine opened its doors to preaching the Gospel. For CCX, which operated in those days, this collapse was only an impetus for the magnification of its activities, but not the commencement of work. After all, since 1989, the American student organization InterVarsity (still a partner of CCX) participated in so-called "academic exchanges" in Kyiv, Nizhyn, Mykolaiv, Gorlivka, and other cities. American and Ukrainian students were already working hard preaching the Gospel to students.
A few weeks ago we finished our biggest winter project - ‘Back To The Future’ camp and we would like to share with you our joy!
The number of students was surprisingly high and reached 70 students! Which is more than in our last summer camp. We were both happy and challenged as small groups were quite large and we always want to give opportunities to participate to everyone.
The sixth annual All-Ukrainian Christian student conference SALT2018 took place in the village Kapitanivka, not far from Kyiv on January 29 – February 04, 2018. This year’s SALT conference continues the tradition of previous conferences, offering students quality and unique material from competent speakers.
The theme of the conference “Mindful Christianity in the Post-truth Era” reflected two main tendencies of modern life. The aim of SALT 2018 was to help modern Christian students to cope with these.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted.
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
(Psalm 46:6,10)
Today's Christian student is expected not only do well in studies, but also learn foreign languages, work in the evenings, look good, do sports, run pages in at least two social networks, build good relationships with their family, friends and with people of the opposite sex.
