International Leadership Academy in Belarus | Our ministry

Svetlana Karpik

- My wife goes to the Pentecostals. - tells Sasha, - she is very good, but I am a beast. That is why God does not allow me to go there with my wife.

Sasha was drunk.

- This is a question who does not let you go with your wife - God or devil, - I replied.

- I have everything: a car, my job, a house, but no aim in life. What church do you go to?

- To a protestant one. God is not in a church but in the hearts of those people who believe in Him as their Savior and invited Him into their lives.

- I love my wife very much and want to go with her to the church and to listen to what she listens to, but I do not have any time or power to do this.

- God loves you too, Sasha. He not just wanted to die for you on the cross, but He died. And rose from the dead that you may have eternal life. He demonstrated His love.

- I want to come to God but vodka keeps me.

- Come as you are. God will forgive you and deliver from your addiction.

The next bus stop was mine. This was the end of our talk.

Ludmilla Bogdevich

This week I was able to witness about Christ to one girl. Her name was Inna, she was 21. We were going from Grodno to Minsk on one train. I am so grateful to God that He opened the girl’s heart to listen to me. In the beginning she told me about her childhood. She used to play computer games too much and she had nightmares. I told her that there is the spiritual world and it affects us. Then I asked her if she believed in God Who created all. She was not sure:

- I do not know exactly but there must be something.

- Do you want me to tell you about God? - I asked.

- Yes.

I started my story on the basis of the “Four spiritual laws”. When I came to making a decision I felt that I should not ask her to make any decision right then on the train. She needed time to consider her life. She was listening very carefully. I believe God will open her spiritual eyes. We just sow, but God is He Who grows.

Stepan Prokopuk

When I had my ministry in Vileyka I decided to have a walk after the service. I saw a man working in the garden not far from the church. I greeted and came up to him:

- Do you not rest on Sunday?

- I know I am sinning, but all work and I work.

- Why do we always look at the others? - asked I myself, - it would be better to have a rest on this day, to read the Bible, to think of the truth, to go to the church - to have fellowship with God.

- I know, - answered the man and looked down.

- I am sorry, I did not want to hurt you. I just want to tell you that rest would do good for your body.

We continued talking. We talked of the church too. I said, that even if we regularly attend the church but do not have Christ in our heart we are lost.

In the end I wanted to give him “The four spiritual laws” but he said he had many books. I did not insist.

Igor Brusko

I prayed God to send me people willing to listen about Him. At the college we had been given coins of paper which we had to give to non Christians. On one side of the coin there was John 3:16 and on the other - a question “What after your death?”

I ran into a girl, whom I offered a coin. I asked her if she ever asked such a question and tried to answer it. She nodded, but said that she was not sure if eternity existed. I told her a little about my faith and how I received Christ. The girl asket many questions and God gave me wisdom to answer them. I took “The four spiritual laws” and presented the God’s plan of salvation to the girl.

After saying good-buy I returned to the girl and asked if I might pray for her.

- Why? - she asked but then added, - you may pray.

I pray for that girl. May God reveal Himself to her and give hope.

Alik Amanulin

On a Friday after classes we began to speak about God to the passengers on a train. Among them there were to elderly women and a man. They were talking about religion and it was easy to join their conversation.

One of the women was Orthodox and new much about God. She read the Bible. When we started asking questions she understood who we were and called us sectarians. But after a half of hour they had a different opinion about us, the man praised us: “It is so good that you believe.”

Our main topic was God’s grace and importance of faith. The women tried to prove that you can be justified by good works. We talked much on the topic.

In the end they thanked us.

Diana Zolotukhina

I was in the town of Rogachev on weekend. When I was leaving the rail way station after having bought a ticket to Minsk a man came up to me and asked for 300 roubles. I saw that the man was drunk and I thought he was asking for money to get more alcohol. But he said he needed money for a ticket. Suddenly he started to tell me about his family and problems in his life.

His wife was living immorally, he had a son whom he loved very much. Now the man lives with his parents and his son - with his mother. That is why Vassily began also to drink and his life became miserable.

I replied that one sin leads to another. If you do not stop you perish. Vassily said that he could not pray but in the evenings he prays as he can. Then he added:

- I do not know but God kept me safe many times. Many of my friends died but I am still alive.

- God loves you, - I replied, - He constantly shows Himself to you. Through all situations He says you: «Consider your life. Turn to Me!»

- Are you a believer? - suddenly he asked, - are you sure that your family life will be OK?

- Yes, I am sure, because I trust in God. I know that the Lord wants only good to His children who ask Him to help.

I offered the man to buy a ticket for him. He said that he did not need any ticket to Zhlobin but if I gave him one thousand roubles to get a ticket from Zhlobin to Gomel he would pray for me.

I replied:

- I will not give you a thousand but 200. God is giving this money to you. Spend the money wisely. Do not get alcohol. God is watching you. Remember that your son and your parents are waiting for you. They need you.

Vassily thanked me for the money and gave me his phone number. He asked me to call him.

- Please, call me, Diana. And I will remember what you said me.

Svetlana Karpik

I met a man from a town of Ossovo. His name was Dima. He was 28.

On a Friday we went to the pasture together to get a horse. I said him:

- Dima, do you know, God loves you. These are not just empty words. He demonstrated His love, He died for you and me and rose from the dead that we might raise from the dead with Him.

- Sveta, do you want to teach me? You are too young. You know so few.

- I am small, but I am 27. I could see much in my life.

- I hope you are not joking. I thought you are 20. I was at the services in the church and know all this.

- I do not doubt that you know. I just want to remind you. One day you will be standing before God and give account for your life. Are you prepared to do this?

- My best years are over.

- God does not count your years. They do not matter for Him. If you come to God you will have a very long life, eternal life.

- You do not know how wicked I am.

- I was wicked too, but God forgave me.

Dima kept silence then said:

- Sveta, you are too young. You do not know life yet.

After these words we parted.

Diana Zolotukhina

On a Friday I visited my home. I went for a walk. I was meditating and praying. After a while I saw a man staring at me. I continued walking but he caught me and asked for permission to introduce himself to me. I was confused, it was unusual to speak to a man in the street, but thought “why not? It was a good chance to tell him about God.” His name was Alexander. He was about 35-38. He said that he was on a business trip. He had a wife and two children. I was aware what was his purpose with me, but he did not know whom he met.

Alexander asked me to show the town. I told him that I am a student at the Bible college.

- This does not mean anything for me, - Alexander said.

- Later on he said that he misunderstood the name of the college. But this was a good reason to start a serious conversation. I asked him if he believed in God. He said: 50/50. I tried to find our the reason for such a faith. Afterwards I told him about two kinds of faith - saving and questionable ones. I shortly told him about the Good News. When I said that Jesus died for me, Alexander corrected me: “Jesus died not only for you but for all.”

- Yes, He died for all people, but now I am speaking about myself. I received His sacrifice. I believe in Jesus as my personal Savior. Many people do not consider and receive Him as their Lord and He is not their Savior.

I liked that the man disagreed with me, corrected, agreed, discussed. This meant he was thinking. We talked about other things, about attending the church, about temptations, end times etc.

I knew he did not understand everything, or he did not want to understand. He wanted me to give him my phone number or address. When I asked him what for he said maybe we could sin together.

- I do not want to sin, - I replied.

- What do you do when temptations come, - insisted he.

- You must fight them, but not give up, - I replied very seriously.

- Maybe you are right, - he agreed.

In the end he said that he learned a lesson from out talk. I want to hope that it is so. I pray that the seed I planted into his heart God will grow.