Short Term Mission Teams

An integral part of our ministry is bringing short term mission teams to Ukraine from the USA. Encouraging the local believers, stregthening the established mission and bringing natural and spiritual resources are a few of the benefits of these teams.

Since February of 1998, we have hosted many teams to Ukraine. Pictured below are some of the team photos of those groups and what the emphasis of ministry was.

Pictured at right is the first team I was a member of to Ukraine, October 1995. Our group conducted evangelistic services in the city of Poltava and in the end, a church was planted from the fruit of the meetings.

Little did I know that God would use this particular trip to touch my heart and from that, my focus of ministry would turn entirely to Ukraine.

Team members from the USA were Pastor James and Temple Lloyd of Illinois, Richie Crain of Indiana, Joe and Beverly Niehus, Steve Vancil, Dennis Yarborough and myself from Oklahoma.

Pictured at left is the second group organized by FAI that went to Pereyaslav, Ukraine in the fall of 1998. Distributing food to under privileged familes and evangelism was the main focus of this team.

Team members were: Joe Niehus, David Tinney, Leonard Noel, Rev. Randy Clark, John Bogle, Harlan & Denise Trewin, C.D. & Kay Gentry. Interpreters were Sergey, Ruslan and Anya.

This picture was taken the last morning of the trip, standing in front of what was affectionately called, "The Pereyaslav Hilton Hotel."

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A photo of of the November 2002 team. They ministered in Chernihiv, conducting a 5 night Beleiver's Conference and Leadership Seminar. Over 100 people made first time confessions of faith and more than 75 people testified of receiving healing from various diseases and ailments.

Team members are, sitting, front row: Vladimir Gurinenko (interpreter from Russia), Sarah Sherman, Tanya Kikalenko (interpreter from Kiev) and Barry Reed. Standing, 2nd row: Rita Sherman, Nadya Bilonozhko, Sharon Williams and Hildie Sergeant. Rear: Debi Olive, Bruce Sergeant, Anatoliy Bilonozhko and Brian Moomey.

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Pictured to the left is the team from Grove, Oklahoma that ministered in Konotop and Slavutich city in June of 2003. During the day, the teams ministered to children as clowns in both cities. In the evening, services were held in the local churches that sponsored the team.

Pictured, from left to right:David Tinney,Bogdana (interpreter), Stan Crawford, Nadya & Anatoliy Belonozhko, Randy & Mary Williams and Vlad (intrepreter). Kneeling, Ellise Crawford and Judy Tinney. Not pictured was Audrey Crawford and Tanya Kikalenko (interpreter).

The group is standing in front of a sign that indicates Chernobyl is staight ahead (about 20 miles).

August, 2003, found another FAI team ministering in two cities, Nikolayiv and Kherson.

Pictured are,(back row) Rita Sherman, Oleg (assistant pastor);(middle row) Sarah Sherman, Tanya Kikalenko(interpreter), Pastor Oksana, Pastor Anatoliy Bilonozhko, (front row) Barry Reed, Julia (pastor's assistant), David Tinney, Sveta Kofanova (intepreter), and Julia (keyboard player).

Team member Rita Sherman shares her thoughts about the ministry in these two cities:

"On Sunday morning, we traveled south by van for about seven hours to the city of Nikolayev. We arrived late in the evening and met with their lovely and vivacious pastor, Oksana. Along with five other workers from Kiev, she planted this church just last October. She has much insight into the spiritual atmosphere of the city."

"The people in this church know that dance is warfare. One of the interesting things they did was to write their problems on paper, throw them on the floor in front of the stage and dance on them!! There were some powerful times in worship and also just waiting before the Lord. The church entered a new level of worship and intercession."

"After three days in Nikolayev, we traveled further south to Kherson. It was good to see old friends! We had been there in February and had seen God bring about a breakthrough for them.As in Nikolayev, there were afternoon business seminars and evening “faith building” services. Another very special thing in Kherson, was when Sveta, one of our translators, was given opportunity to share a message with the people. It had spiritual encouragement and healing for the hearts of the people."

Pictured at the left is the team from November, 2003, that traveled to Smila and Simferopol. Back row, from left to right, Joe Lehman, Pastor Anton Letvin, Rex Brace and Barry Reed. Front row, left to right is David Tinney, Sveta Kofanova, Kathy Brace, Pastor Nadya Belonozhko and Tanya Kikalenko.

This photo was taken in Alushta, which is on the south side of the Crimean peninsula. We had traveled here to view the Black Sea, later that weekend, Joe Lehman and Barry Reed conducted services in the Embassy of God church that is in Alushta.

Ministry opportunites..

We would like to extend an invitation to you to accompany us to Ukraine. You will see first hand how the Lord is moving in this former Soviet nation, that many are saying is the "epicenter of the Holy Spirit moving in the earth."