Odessa, Ukraine… Never in my life would have guessed
I’d call this metro city on the Black Sea my home. We shop at a Russian grocery
store, walk on cobblestone streets, dodge tram cars, and often make grocery blunders (such as cream cheese instead of butter and baby food
instead of jam spread.) Oh the joys of the Russian language! =) I wake up in our rented 2
bedroom flat each morning, lace up my tennis shoes, and head out the door for a
run along the Black Sea. Then, after coffee and croissant of course, I head out
for the day working with CCX (pronounced S.S.Haw in Russian). This is a glimpse
into what my team is doing here…
CCX is a
college ministry. It is relational based, making my job description plain and
simple… Make friends with Students! Cool huh? This month is perfect for my God
given strengths. We go to universities, mingle, and invite students to hang out
and come to events with us. Sometimes we simply meet our new friends for coffee
dates or game nights. Sometimes we go to Opera’s (last week I saw Romeo &
Julliette) or go down to the beach and play our own music. We also run an English
club and Bible study during the week.
Even though
the people living in Odessa are Ukrainian and speak Russian, the University
students are made up mainly by International students. These 18-24 year olds
came from all over the world to study to become doctors and lawyers at one of
the many Universities around the city. So only a handful of our ‘crew’ we have
established is actually Ukrainian native. Our group is actually represented mainly
by the nations of Iraq, India, Lithuania, Israel, and Bulgaria.
As the
nations vary, the religions also vary ranging from Orthodox Christian, Hindu,
and Muslim. So how do we run a Jesus based Christian organization with non-
Christians? Simple. Christianity is a way of LIFE, not a religion. So that’s
exactly what we do… Wake up each morning and live lives of good example. College
students have extremely malleable minds. The last thing they need is another
thing demanded of them. They need real friends and people in their lives who
create lasting impact. THAT’s what we’re here to do. Having gone through
college myself and faced many of the same challenges, I have established
respect from them. Respect
leads to influence. Influence
changes Atmospheres.
Christianity
isn’t complicated. It’s all about seeking a relationship with our Father, and
being so radically changed that we desire to show others how they can have a
fulfilling life in Christ as well. We LOVE
each these students we meet. We confidently speak about our faith, but never
condemn their beliefs or force anything on them. That’s not how this ‘ministry’
thing works. Our job is to LOVE like Jesus did. THAT is what opens doors
for impact and ultimately change.
ran a program called ‘Photoquest’. It is a big picture and video scavenger hunt
competition. At the end, we meet and discuss the day, with a short message of
who we are, what we believe. My role for the day was to compile all of the
footage/ pictures into a presentation. Summary of the day: LAUGHTER. It was so
much fun.
Our student friends
are soon going to be doctors, dentists, and lawyers back in their homelands.
Talk about a huge impact on society! They potentially have the power to
influence their entire nation. Not a second goes by that I am not thankful to
be a part of their story. That’s what this is all about… These kids are on a
journey and writing a life story just like you and I are. My team is hopefully
the start of a new chapter in their book.
