Blog Post

HYC Novosibirsk: A Continuing Impact

Hope Worldwide • Jun 09, 2016

A year ago Anthony Herrera, a young student from Los Angeles, signed up for the Novosibirsk, Russia, HOPE Youth Corps. He doesn’t speak Russian, but he, along with a group of 15 non Russians, joined 40 teens and campus students from Russia and Ukraine (yes, you read that right… Russia AND Ukraine) for two weeks of service followed by one week of camp, in Siberia. It took faith and guts, but Anthony was game!

The group needed translators obviously, so everyone paired up with someone who could help with the language. Anthony joined a young Russian man named Makar Donskoy. They served orphans, the homeless, and veterans. They had fun, and they built a strong friendship over the three weeks. A few months later, Makar was baptized. We published that story a few months ago, about how the HOPE Youth Corps program played a big role in Makar’s transformation: Read the story here!

Anthony Herrera on the left and Makar Donskoy in the middle

In that article, Anthony wrote about how he and Makar went and shared their faith together. HOPE Youth Corps is a spiritual program. We serve, we pray, we have daily devotionals, discipleship groups, and yes, we share our faith! We try and follow the “whole gospel”

While out evangelizing for a Bible Talk in Lenin Square, Anthony and Makar reached out to a group of teen skaters who were smoking and drinking. They were not spiritual, but Anthony was very bold, and explained to them about Jesus (with Makar translating all this), and how he had himself turned away from his sinful life.

Out of that whole group, two young men came to church, but they were not very interested. One of them, however, told his brother about the Novosibirsk church, and his brother started going to church. He studied the Bible, and a week ago, Dima was baptized. Now his mother is studying the bible!

In Anthony’s own words, “ President Roosevelt said,” The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” If fear had conquered my mind, I wouldn’t have been able to advance God’s kingdom. Fear put Makar and me in a situation where we had to trust God. HOPE Youth Corps sometimes puts us in uncomfortable and unfamiliar situations, but the fear that we endure brings hope. I walked away from the Novosibirsk HYC knowing that this experience was so much more valuable than the money I had spent ! HOPE Youth Corps is an investment in other people’s lives, giving students a chance to see that their money is being spent in the most impacting way ! I know God is at times hard to see, but on HOPE Youth Corps, you see God, and you witness the way God intended the world to live. We now have a new brother in Christ. Please pray for his mother studying the Bible.
Amen, glory be to God!

“Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with man is possible with God.'" - Luke 18:27 NIV
“This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” - Isaiah 48:17 NIV

Next month Anthony is going to Croatia on the Zagreb HYC!

HOPE Youth Corps can change your life and other people’s lives. Sign up for one of our amazing programs:
https://www.hopeww.org/hyc

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