One Couple’s Choice to Stay, Welcome, Invite, and Love
If you could see the person who made this statement, the last thing you would think is that she or her husband are too old to see what God is doing in their Russian city with a predominantly Muslim population.
The statement comes from the recent newsletter of a vibrant Ukrainian-American couple who have now served for many years in Russia (RU) as church planters.
Dima and Lena (names changed for security) regularly send videos of new believers in their 20s at worship services, Bible studies, or baptisms from their exploding church plant in this region in the foothills of the Urals. They are finding that the young people in their city are hungry to find meaning in life, to understand the true heart of God, and what it means to know and love him. Many are studying the Bible in a growing number of small groups, many of which take place in Dima and Lena’s small, urban apartment.
But these young people don’t have to come to their apartment to encounter love and relational stories about Jesus, or their infectious joy. Dima can often be seen in the city center performing music in one town square sporting an open piano and enjoying conversation with anyone who stops by to listen or to chat.
And Lena is known in the local shopping mall as the hospitable woman who teaches master classes in cooking in that retail venue, introducing mall goers to Ukrainian as well as American dishes. Through her master classes, Lena has the privilege to engage in friendships with many local people.
Loving through community immersion
Dima and Lena have figured out that loving people in Jesus’ name starts with entering their world and being a part of a local community in a loving and generous way. This willingness to be in community spills into hospitality as both Dima and Lena are also quick to invite people into their home and invite them to talk about deeper issues of life, including views of God, a topic that many Muslim people do enjoy talking about.
Dima and Lena are not so much trying to control this movement of the Spirit as they are trying to discern where it is moving and seek to cultivate it and participate in it.
Church planting among an unreached people group is less about numbers and events and much more about individual relationships. For Dima and Lena, in this Post-Soviet Russian city, the sum effect has been a movement of the Spirit that is growing local, believing communities at a rapid pace.
That same relational approach is also how Dima and Lena continue to nurture the community that God is building in their city. They bring the same zest for life in Jesus to their discipleship of new believers. With many years of learning and serving under their belt, Dima and Lena are living examples that abundant life in Christ enables us to stay relevant and vibrant in relationship building for his glory.
They really want people to come and serve both short-term and long-term. It is still possible to receive a visa to go to Russia, but it’s also true that there is some elevated risk to come to a country where freedoms for citizens and visitors are greatly curtailed. Serving in Russia will stretch new cross-cultural workers to trust God in profound, new ways. It will require resilience and courage, and a deep confidence in God’s provision of both when you need it most.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
