Recently, a family from the Chelyabinsk Church emigrated to Australia. Sergey, Vikka and Matthew Kalmykov had been involved in various ministries and leadership of the Chelyabinsk Church for over 10 years. We prayed for them as they left for Australia to find a place to worship and serve. As it turned out, a new church plant was soon launching near Brisbane, very close to their new home. God’s providence at work.
Leaders from the Chelyabinsk Church are now helping plant a church in Australia almost 8,000 miles away! When developing young leaders we may never know where God might lead them to serve. The church here helped this family grow as leaders and although they are not serving in Chelyabinsk. As they are serving cross-culturally, Sergey, Vikka and Matthew are now considered the first “missionaries” from the church.
Please pray for the new Journey Church near Brisbane that launched February 1, 2009 and the new Russian missionaries helping in service. Pray also for new leaders continuing to be developed, willing to learn and serve wherever God leads.
Check out the Australian website at www.journeychurch.com.au.
Russian Leadership Development Project #42.30480
Kangaroos & the Kalmykov’s
Russia Goes “Down Under”
Meet Gina Shaner:
Mission Intern
It will be 17 years this April that Mark Shaner brought a small group of youth to Chelyabinsk. That first visit set into motion a chain of events that began the Chelyabinsk Church.
In February, Gina Shaner, Mark’s daughter, joined our family and will be living with us for three months to serve a mission internship. Gina graduated from Anderson University in 2007 and plans to attend Asbury Seminary to begin a Master’s in Intercultural Studies later this year. We are so glad to have this opportunity to partner with Gina as she serves with our family and the Russian church.
Follow Gina’s online journal at
This Website Created and Maintained by Dwayne & Kara Goldman