On Sunday, nine Anglican Youthworks staff fly to Russia to lead state-run summer camps for children.
Summer camps are a major part of life for Russian children, says Mark Lawler, coordinator of traineeships in Youthworks' camping division.
"In Russian culture it's normal for children to go away to summer camp for weeks at a time," he says.
Over five million Russian children will attend 3,000 state-run `pioneer camps’ during the summer season, a tradition which has strong links to the nation's Communist history.
“Since the collapse of communism, the Russian culture has been emptied of its identity," Mark says.
"The younger generation has nothing to direct their worldview, and that to us says "there are people crying out for Jesus'."
The team will work alongside Russian staff at a camp outside St Petersburg, participating in activities, sports and craft.
The team will also run seminars on dental hygiene, relationships and drug/alcohol abuse.
Youthworks is partnering with Kids Outreach International (KOI), an organisation given government permission to supply the camps with Christian staff, who present the gospel and promote Bible reading.
The Youthworks team has raised $2,000, which will to used to distribute Russian Bibles.
Mark says the students are expecting challenges communicating with a significant language barrier and getting used to a northern Summer, where the sun sometimes stays up until 2am.
However KOl ‘s director Kari Lehelma (pictured with the team) has also told the team that lives can be changed by "building relationships with Russian kids `one at a time’".
"Part of this trip is to get the team to grow into an understanding of mission," says Mark. "They're growing and maturing in each part of the process."
The average age of the team is 21, six of whom are completing a camping ministry traineeship with Youthworks.
"Because they're working in campsites for Youthworks here, they're using that experience to benefit another culture."
