16-year-old Zakhar lives in a small village in the Zaporozhye region of Ukraine, where his grandmother is raising him on her own. 

About a year ago, Zakhar began to attend the local church. Dealing with behavioural issues associated with developmental delays from his childhood, Zakhar was pleasantly surprised to find people who accepted and loved him there. Some of the church representatives noticed Zakhar was really trying to learn about God and make an effort to get rid of bad habits. 

Then, Zakhar had the opportunity to attend camp with other Christian children and develop his communication skills. He was given a Spark magazine and taught about the redemptive love of Jesus. The Holy Spirit softened Zakhar’s heart, and while love and compassion felt foreign to him, he learned to openly share his heart with people. Zakhar has overcome inner barriers, exchanging confusion and emptiness for knowledge about the deep love of the Saviour.

And Zakhar isn't the only one. In an update from our partner organization, Mission Eurasia, we heard that “camp season is coming to an end, but more than 3,000 children and adolescents have heard the Good News preached and received Spark magazines. Young leaders are growing spiritually, becoming a new generation of ministers for the Kingdom of God.”