June Newsletter

His real name is Andrei Shlyakov. I say ?real name? because most people know him simply as ?Chicago.? It all started a few years ago when the first American STINT team in Minsk ran across this young basketball fan who could talk of little else than Michael Jordan and the Bulls. It?s been a tradition among Americans here to make up nicknames for people we meet. In fact it?s almost necessary because so many Belarussians have the same names (in just a short time in Minsk you could meet four Yuri?s, three Ivan?s and five Andrei?s). So Andrei Shlyakov became Andrei ?Chicago,? and through the years simply ?Chicago.?

Chicago is a Radiophysics major in the Belarussian State University, and just graduated in June. Just like any graduating student around the world, he is ready to set out on his own and make his place in the world. But unlike most Belarussians, Chicago is about to embark upon a vocation that is far from the labs of the Radiophysics Department. He has just been accepted to join the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ to work full time in Belarus reaching students for Christ. Chicago knows that this is not necessarily the easy road, but he also knows that he himself was once without Christ, and that the benefits far outweigh the risks. And he can see this from his own life.

When he was in high school, Chicago met some Americans who in a summer camp introduced him to Christ. He saw that he was a sinner and in need of salvation, and he accepted God?s provision for that sin in the person of Jesus. Two years passed. He struggled. He had no Christian friends, and little direction for growth. Then in 1995 he met some people from the first STINT team who were able to build into him and give him the fellowship and direction he needed.

Chicago began to grow in his faith and naturally wanted to help others to know how to have a relationship with Christ. He became not just a follower but also a leader, and didn?t just let the ministry pour into him, but he began to minister to others as well.

When I arrived in Minsk last September, I found that all I had heard about Chicago was true. He was unceasing in his help in getting us settled in, and Chicago was the one who got out of bed and came to help me get another train ticket after I missed a train. It was Chicago who kept after me about getting the guys? Bible study started. And Chicago is the one who would see us off from the train platform anytime our team would take a trip.

But Chicago has done more than merely help us Americans during the past year. He has been a leader in our ministry here. He has shared his faith with other students, emceed our weekly meetings, and was even in charge of our April discipleship conference. Chicago is a perfect example of God bringing forth fruit from our ministry strategy for Belarus. The good news is that Chicago is not alone in his desire to serve as a full-time campus minister. Julia Seevenkova and Natasha Ribinskaya have also committed to reach students in Belarus. Natasha has been on the staff of Campus Crusade for a year, and Julia just graduated with Chicago.

It is Chicago?s friendship that has eased my culture shock and helped me to be able to see the Belarussian people as people, just like us. And it is Jesus Christ living in Andrei Shlyakov that has helped me to move into a foreign country and find a familiar kinship.

The future of ministry in this country is uncertain. Doors that were once open wide are quickly closing or are open no more. It is now more important than ever before that Belarussian nationals be equipped to minister to their countrymen. Chicago, Julia, and Natasha are the future of campus ministry in Belarus. It?s a bold and potentially frightening way to look at the future for a green university graduate who loves to talk basketball and play video games. But steps in faith are often unclear, but the One who guides our steps is faithful to see us through.

Pray for Chicago, Julia, and Natasha. Now is a big transition time in their lives that still holds many questions. Chicago may need to move to Kiev for a year for training, as there is no one in Minsk equipped to train him. Pray for the best training atmosphere for all three of these young staff so that they are able to train others in the future. Pray for them as well as they begin raising financial support, much in the same way I did, but imagine raising funds in a country that is impoverished and less than one percent are Christian. Pray that God will show Himself in a mighty way to these three through support raising.

These are exciting times for us Americans here as well. The summer project of 30+ Americans is about ready to return home and has seen a fruitful time, especially in the area of reaching male college students. Several students have indicated decisions for Christ and an interest in Bible study and fellowship next semester. The exam session for university students ends this week, and most students will go home for the summer. Praise God for these students who have come to know Him, and for the many other seeds that were planted!

For the bulk of the month of July, I will be at Lake Narach in northern Belarus helping lead a summer missions project for Belarussian students. The goal of this project is to give training in life and evangelism to the students who attend. Chad and I will be leading the evangelism part of the project, so pray that we will have wisdom in planning, and that we can challenge the students to share their faith.

NEWSLETTER.

June 1999