Annual review 2014-15

Stories

of Hope Written By You Annual Review 2014/15

Our Purpose We exist to identify and develop

young leaders in Europe, Russia and Central Asia, who will change people and places with the hope of

Jesus.

I started Innovista with £10, an office on a kitchen table and a small team of passionate young people.

15 years on, I am more convinced than ever that when a young leader gets a vision for local mission and the training and support they need, together we can see people and places changed by the hope of Jesus.

And because of you, we’re seeing it happen more and more.

“In your hands are the stories that you - our generous supporters are writing.”

In difficult places across Europe, Russia and Central Asia, leaders in their 20s and 30s are starting and expanding local mission initiatives that are changing lives.

Your support - your generosity and your prayers - is making this possible.

Whether they are leading local churches or launching new ministries, you are supporting young leaders to meet the needs of the people and places around them, bringing the hope that only comes from Jesus.

In your hands are the stories of people that you - our generous supporters are writing.

On behalf of each of them, thank you.

Jason Lane (front cover)

(International Director)

This story is made possible

by Jim and Sandra from Northern Ireland who give monthly to support young leaders in Central Asia.

“In our registered churches, there is always one government spy,” says one of Innovista’s team in Central Asia. “The problem is, no one knows who it is.”

In a country where sharing your faith is illegal, first-generation Christians are asking for help to develop new mission ideas that can be used by God, without being spotted by the government.

That’s why Innovista supporters have been helping Ziyba.

She is one of only 30 Christians in her city of 40,000 people.

Despite the odds, Ziyba had a dream to use her gifts and skills to improve the lives of young people and introduce them to the God who loves them.

Ziyba’s name and photo have been changed for security reasons.

Faced with the needs of children in her city, Ziyba wanted to start something for them. But she knew that she was unlikely to get the permission she needed from the community.

Overcoming the Odds Through our team on the ground, you have provided Ziyba with the encouragement she needed to pursue her vision to reach these children.

Then the phone call came.

“I got the permission! Can you believe it?”

Now, thanks to you, Ziyba is beginning to reach these children.

“I want to give children opportunities to be loved, accepted, understood and encouraged.”

As she builds trust with young people, she knows there will be opportunities to share the hope of the gospel with them.

“It’s easier to share our faith with young people - they’re not old enough to have been recruited as spies yet.”

Focusing

At one of these camps, a member of Pavlo’s team, Ivanka, befriended a girl called Oksana.

Oksana was openly cynical and made fun of those who followed Jesus. Like many Ukrainians in their early twenties, she was used to ignoring the church and its message.

Pavlo wants to see more people follow Jesus.

This story is made possible

by Marshfield Chapel, who are long-term supporters of Innovista, knowing that the most significant change takes place over time.

In his city of L’viv, Ukraine, young people are restlessly looking around for answers to life’s big questions. But they’re sceptical about Christianity.

They’re fed up with religious tradition and corruption, and they can’t see what Jesus has to offer them.

So Pavlo has planted a new church - one that focuses on communicating the hope of the gospel effectively to the emerging generation.

And Innovista supporters like you have been helping him do just that.

“The trainings were really practical,” says Pavlo. “I learnt that where we are and the people we want to reach should shape how we do mission. I got a lot of clarity and focus around what we should do and why we should do it.”

Now Pavlo and his team run summer camps. Because they’ve learnt that these camps give them a great opportunity to invite young people to live life as God designed it.

But over time, something changed.

Oksana became more open to hearing about Jesus. Ivanka began to meet with her to share her story.

Now, she is a changed person.

“Christ is her only hope and her salvation is only in him,” says Ivanka. Oksana is now part of a church team serving vulnerable children in L’viv.

For Ukrainians, the last year has been dominated by fear and uncertainty as the war in the east continues.

During 2014, over 4,700 people were killed in Ukraine. The economy collapsed and inflation went through the roof.

Ivanka

But there is hope being brought by young leaders.

Over the last three years, Pavlo’s small church has trebled in size to around 30 people, helped by his summer camps focus. In 2014, Oksana and four others made decisions to follow Jesus.

And the story will continue.

Your investment in Pavlo, just 33 years old, will continue to bear fruit for years to come. And because we develop leaders to develop others, Pavlo can equip more young leaders like Ivanka to have a bigger impact among young people in Ukraine.

Pavlo

“The trainings were really practical.

I learnt that where we are and the people we want to reach should shape how we do mission. I got a lot of clarity and focus around what we should do and why.” - Pavlo

Build a Team,

Build the Kingdom This story is made possible by families like the Pearces from Wales, who have helped sponsor Sergey through Innovista’s Sponsor a Leader programme.

“I need to spend time investing in others to help me, because we’ll reach more people as a team than just me on my own.”

- Sergey

Like many young people in Russia, Sergey was a drug addict.

It couldn’t last. After a few years, he almost gave up.

But after seven years of addiction, Sergey turned to Jesus and found freedom. He wanted others to experience this hope too.

Then you provided Sergey with training and one-to-one coaching.

So he set up a new mission initiative in 2011 in his home city of Omsk to reach addicts and those on the margins.

But with an estimated 20,000 drug addicts in Omsk, Sergey was overwhelmed by the amount of work to do.

He grew exhausted, sometimes going without sleep or food as he tried to meet the needs of everyone around him.

He learnt the importance of building a team, and he learnt how to do it.

He said, “I’m starting to understand that I need to spend time investing in others to help me, because we’ll reach more people as a team than just me on my own.”

So he started to build a team of people who shared his passion to reach those on the margins. He invested in their development, as you have invested in his. Soon, Sergey had a team of five.

Sergey Some of them, like Sergey, were former drug addicts.

They knew where to find the users and the dealers. They understood their problems and their pain.

They listened to stories of drug addicts, and told them their own stories of freedom.

They spent time with dealers - their old friends - and shared the gospel with them.

One day, as they searched the streets looking for people to help, one of Sergey’s team met Tolik, sleeping in a construction site.

Without a mum, Tolik had ran away from his alcoholic Dad, aged just 10.

Now 20, Tolik had spent his youth either living in orphanages or on the streets.

Initially suspicious of their motives, Tolik began to welcome the love that he received from Sergey’s team, and made a decision to follow Jesus.

Now the team, together with the local church, have helped Tolik find temporary accommodation and parttime work.

“I’ve taken a new approach to mission by having team-mates,” says Sergey.

“I see God touches the hearts of people like Tolik and I feel that there is hope.”

To sponsor a leader like Sergey, visit www.innovista.org/sponsor

more

Some Stories You’re Writing

Austria: You gave a scholarship for Laura (26) to join mission leaders from 12 countries at Leading for Life in Vienna. She returned to Romania with a plan to become a better leader and has now been invited onto the leadership board of her church.

UK: Living in the Barton estate, Innovista’s Thrive initiative helped seven young leaders start a weekly kids club in their own community.

72 children came last year and Police reported a 31% drop in anti-social behaviour!

Ireland: Your support helped Freda and Denise focus their church mission team onto the elderly people living in their community who were lonely and eating poorly. They’ve started cooking classes to help their community connect with each other, and the church.

Moldova: It’s estimated that over 25,000 Moldovans are victims of human trafficking every year. Your support has trained Serghei and other leaders of the Beginning of Life team, who help young people in schools to become aware of trafficking and discover God’s plan for their life.

Ukraine: Katya came to us with a vision to use music to share God’s hope. When protests erupted in Kiev, broadcast worldwide, Katya (25) took the opportunity to sing worship songs on the main stage in Independence Square in front of thousands.

“I said to myself, ‘Who will do this if not me?‘“

Russia: Dmitry wanted to see his youth group share their faith. But they resisted. Dmitry used the leadership training you provided to plan new outreach events for the youth group to invite their friends to. “They became more open and more able to freely share the gospel. They’re not scared to bring their friends to these events.”

Central Asia: At an Innovista workshop, we looked at the Bible story of Nehemiah with underground church leaders, to help them apply biblical models of leadership to mission. It was the first time some leaders had heard this story - it’s only recently that the Bible in their language was translated, and they hadn’t got to this bit yet!

“Jesus told us to make disciples of all nations, which is precisely what Innovista is doing today with young leaders, while at the same time keeping their supporters very well informed as to what is happening. It is a real partnership.” - Peter and Ruth Parson, London

“From the bottom of my heart I am thanking the many people who are supporting us ...

I am overwhelmed with joy that we have here good workers.

They just need the tools which you are giving.” - Innovista Team, Central Asia

“I support Innovista because their method of building up indigenous leaders in the church is a wise and sensitive way to share the gospel.” - Peter Jones, Gateshead

Pass it on!

Enjoy this? Pass it on to someone you know and get your replacement copy by emailing robin@innovista.org

“The outlook of the young people we’re reaching is starting to change because we are more focused.

What I’ve learned will shape me for life, not just for now.”

- Dave, 25, Ireland

“Our relationships as a team have improved, which has brought us joy and more fruit in our mission.” - Dasha, 33, Ukraine

Income

Your prayers, your time, and your generosity last year enabled 1,002 young leaders to be equipped to lead local mission - that’s more in one year than at any other point in our 15 year history!

If you would like to help equip more young leaders, please contact Robin on +44 (0)1865 788355 or at robin.peake@innovista.org

Thank you.

This is a provisional summary of Innovista International’s financial activities for the year ended 31 December 2014. Full audited accounts will be available from the office on request.

Expenditure

£390,410

£350,727

(2013: £303,459)

(2013: £300,695)

47

%

Individuals

33%

88

%

Developing 1,002 young leaders for mission (2013: 941)

Trusts and Foundations

9% Churches 4% Local Government 4% Earned 3% Other donations

11% Raising prayer and financial support

1% Governance

In 2014

your support equipped

1,002

young leaders in 10 countries for local mission

Innovista

Meridian House, Sandy Lane West Oxford, OX4 6LB, UK

Andriy

T. +44 (0)1865 788350 W. www.innovista.org E. info@innovista.org Innovista International is a charity registered in England and Wales no. 1108679