History
"I want you to go to Ukraine" -
said God. "But where is that, Lord?"- was
respond.
That is so interesting that God is using people to accomplish His plans and so it happened in this case. In 1989 Chan Skalinder was sitting in his comfortable room when God spoke to him about Ukraine. It took five years to see it happen and in 1994 Chan, his wife Deb (Ukrainian born in Canada), Doreen Chavez and Michael Nenashev after visiting several cities in Ukraine started a Youth With A Mission base in city of Ternopil.
The only goal was to help rebirth the nation
of Ukraine by bringing full truth of Gospel and helping to
make disciples of Christ.
1994
Starting year as a YWAM base in Ternopil.
Short term mission teams were hosted, had a Go Festival. Coordinated
medical teams work with local hospitals. These teams came from
the States.
1995-1996
first Discipleship Training
School (DTS) held at the base, outreach to St .Petersburg,
Russia.
1996
Seven Ukrainian staff joined the
base, so our number was doubled. Hosted large outreach teams
from Hawaii and smaller once from other places. Started two
home groups with people that came to the Lord through the teams.
Praying about helping to plant a church. God starts speaking
about buying a building for the base.
1997
Second DTS led with outreach to Perm,
Russia. God has opened opportunity to work with Gypsy people
in the Trans-Carpathian region. Started a coffee-house ministry,
continued hosting outreach teams. Bible studies are handed
over to pastor and his family that came from Canada - a new
church was planted.
1998
Another DTS led with two outreach
teams, one to Perm, Russia another to Chepelare, Bulgaria.
More teams are coming, ministry to Roma (Gypsy) people continues,
also medical teams come to work there and help physically.
Coffee-house ministry and English classes are held.
1999
Process started in changing leadership
of the base. Skalinders are planning on going back home and
wanting to give leadership over to the locals. A mobile tour
to the USA, with a goal to raise finances and build relationships
with new people and strengthen the ones we have build before.
Another DTS held with an outreach to Perm, Russia. Ministry
to street kids is started as well as student center.
2000
Change of leadership, Chan and Deborah
Skalinder gave their leadership over to Sasha and Luda Volyanyk,
new leadership team was formed. At the same time two Pastors
of the church we helped to plant were giving their leadership
over to a Ukrainian couple as well. As every other year DTS
was held, two outreach teams go to Russia and Turkey. Also
we started a Crossroad Discipleship Training School for families
and "not-so-young" people. This school was the first
one in Russian language available to people in the former Soviet Union
countries.
2001
Coordinating outreach team work,
leading a DTS and CDTS, continuing work with the Roma people,
however Coffee-house, English classes and student ministry
were closed down. To make our work more effective and to have
healthy accountability, we decided to create ministry teams
rather than working individually.
2002
Actively involved in helping medical
team from "Operation Blessing" (CBN).
It was intensive work for two weeks that had an impact on people of
our town. Over six thousand people were served. Many people came to
the Lord or at least were exposed to God's love and care. As usually
DTS and CDTS were held. Street kids ministry began growing and developing.
2003
Another change in leadership, Sasha
and Luda Volyanyk made decision about going to the States and
joining Slavic Ministry there. They gave leadership over to
Doreen Chavez who was one of the founders of the base. DTS
and CDTS are led with outreaches to several places like Russia,
Uzbekistan, Mukachevo (town in Ukraine) and to Moldova.
2004
Doreen Chavez gave leadership of
the base over to the leadership team and went back to USA.
Sasha and Luda Volyanyk came back and joined the leadership
team. Towards the end of the year Sasha and Luda became base
directors again, leadership team changed. DTS and CDTS are
led with outreaches to Perm, Russia and to Mukachevo, Ukraine.
During all these years more people joined our ministry and a lot of them were trained and released to go to other countries to work on the mission field.
