At the end of the summer, OM Ukraine's sports team was asked to help with a church youth camp in the Vinnitsa region. Saron Mack and Anton, a volunteer from a local church, were requested to teach a daily class in ropes and rappelling (abseiling). After traveling many hours by train with several heavy bags full of ropes and equipment from another camp they were helping with, the team arrived in Vinnitsa and traveled by bus and on foot to the camp site, several kilometers away from the main roads.
On the first day, only a few timid people came for the class. However, after that the word spread quickly through the camp and each day more and more campers came to try their hand at rappelling. "God really answered prayers and blessed us with strength and safety during this class each day," said Saron, who was weak from an illness and was relying on God to provide for her needs. The class lasted anywhere from 4-6 hours each day, and it was interesting to see how people learned to overcome their fears and trust the ropes and God to keep them safe on the cliff.
Quite a few of those who were boastful at the foot of the cliff were suddenly scared and reluctant at the top. But, those with humility and a willingness to learn something new were able to enjoy the experience of sliding down the cliff face. The class was a blessing to the camp and added an element which challenged people to face their fears and overcome them with God's help. In these situations, one's faith becomes more real because one's life is literally on the line!
OM Ukraine plans to continue to provide this kind of experience for local churches in the future. If you're interested in helping with this kind of work, please contact the SportsLink office at office@sportslink.om.org.
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