Inna Prokopchuk leads a ministry for at-risk children in Ukraine.
When did you trust Christ?
I decided to follow Christ when I was 19 years old. I was lost after my parents got divorced, and since I was a young teenager, I hung around some kids who were a bad influence on me. I drank alcohol and was addicted to painkillers, but I still attended church from time to time during my childhood. When I was 18, I almost died from an overdose. I didn’t see the point of living anymore. Yet, God changed my life when I went to church on Christmas Eve in 2006 and listened to the nativity story. I had heard the story many times before, but this time I really listened. That night I decided to follow Jesus. I realised He was the only one who could help me to be free.
What have been the defining moments of your Christian walk?
After I decided to follow Christ, I went to a summer camp in Ukraine. I visited one of my cousins, Anya. She was serving in a ministry for kids who were at risk. She amazed me with her passion and love for Christ. I started to help her with the ministry, and I got involved in it with my whole heart. I prayed all summer long and decided that this was the place where God wanted me to be, so I moved to Ukraine and started to work with kids full-time. Recently, the full-scale war in Ukraine has been a defining season in my faith, making me trust the Lord more and understand my dependence on Him.
What do you hope to gain from participating?
The Forum is the place where I can learn more about God, how to be a better leader, and how to serve people well. Through the Forum, I hope to gain knowledge about leadership and development from experienced people who love God and who are actively involved in ministry.
What is your ministry?
I am leading the teen ministry in my church. We have weekly meetings where we read the Bible, play, and build friendships. Also, I am part of the team for "Hangout," a ministry for young adults, where we have monthly meetings for people between twenty and forty from church and non-Christians. In my job, I lead young people from Ukraine, primarily non-Christians, when they spend a year in our organisation as volunteers. I lead a team of mentors for the volunteers, organise different events and meetings, and have regular personal meetings with them during and after the year.
What is your leadership role or what were your past leadership roles?
I have ministered to at-risk kids through a summer camp ministry. I have also worked with kids in several villages and in an orphanage.
Why should someone invest in your ministry?
I think that it is very important to reach kids when they are young so they will get to know Christ and choose to follow Him. When we influence the younger generation, God will change their lives, and through that, the whole country can be changed. I want to serve kids because God reached out to me when I was younger, and I needed His help.
