“The flower of youth never appears more beautiful than when it
bends toward the sun of righteousness.”
-Matthew Henry
Few understand the importance of their youth. It is the time when one begins to mold themselves into the person that they will be. The traits that are adopted in youth often stay with a person for the rest of their life. In order to be molded, one must be pliable. This pliability is found almost exclusively in adolescence.
In Ukraine, there is a force of darkness. It has taken the culture, destroying family, government, morality, and hope. This darkness has a great influence on the youth of the nation. It sways them towards worldliness and sin. It strives to keep them from the relationship of the loving Father.
This is why Immanuel Youth Center is needed. Every year, around 1,500 youth will attend a trade school or high school in Rzhyshchiv. Many of these students have never heard the gospel. They know nothing of the hope, joy, and love that rests in God. They do not realize that he desires a relationship with them and a life of growing and sanctification. It is our goal to teach these students of this alternative lifestyle. To bring these students the good news.
Immanuel will be a safe and clean place for any student that comes in the doors. The sex, drugs, and alcohol that are so common in the dorms and streets will not have a presence here. Instead of learning to live for the world and themselves students will be taught to glorify God and to put others before themselves.
Here we will host multiple youth groups and events, teach classes, provide discipleship, and simply have a place to hang out. It will be a light to the community, influencing the youth so that they may go out and teach others of the good news that they have heard. It is just one small way that God is working in Ukraine.
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Shane and Jemimah Paxa moved to Ukraine from Australia in 2010 just after being married. Their ministry in Rzhyshchiv has been primarily focused on youth. They have hosted multiple youth groups for the students in the trade schools as well as the locals for a number of years. It had been a long-standing dream of theirs to open a youth center.
Stone and Morgan Davidson left college after their freshman year to serve Ukraine. In January of 2017 they moved to Ukraine. At first, they worked with the Renewal Center and helped at their church and with youth. It was not long, though, before they began to look for more places to serve. In the summer they began a kids’ club for students ages 10-13. They also saw the need for a youth center in Rzhyshchiv.
The Davidsons had been living in Ukraine for just four months when the Paxa’s returned from furlough. Upon meeting, the common dream for a youth center as well as the possibility for a partnership was envisioned. Before long, they had purchased property in the center of land and begun the project. Now, they work together to host and run two youth groups with a local man named Dima. This is the leadership team of Immanuel Youth Center.
