5 Expatriate agencies. Some such as Light in the East, SGA and many others faithfully served the persecuted church before 1989 and continue to do so

6 Indigenous agencies. There are now hundreds of Ukrainian agencies

7 Outreach challenges:

a) Students. CoMission, CCX(IFES), CCCI and others have developed campus ministries

b) Crimea. This highly russified region differs from the rest of Ukraine

c) Ukrainian Jews

d) The eastern part of the country has much less of an evangelical presence than the western part

e) Cults, in particular Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and eastern mystical groups, are gaining many converts

8 Christian media ministries

a) Bible ministries

b) Literature. There is a great need for Christian literature in Ukrainian

c) Radio and television. These are open for Christian programmes

d) The JESUS film is shown in Hungarian, Romanian, Russian and Ukrainian

Politics

For centuries Ukraine was dominated and fought over by a succession of powers.

Religion

The Church was severely persecuted under Communism.

Churches in Ukraine

Missionaries from Ukraine

906 in 16 agencies to 10 countries

Missionaries to Ukraine

463 in 70 agencies from 22 countries

click for legend

Geography

click to enlarge

Area 603,700 sq.km. A flat, fertile, forested plain with few natural boundaries.

Population (2000) 50,455,980 -0.38%AGR

Capital Kyiv (Kiev) 3.35 mill.

Peoples

Indo-European 97.7%.

Turkic/Altaic 1.2%.

Other 1.1%.

Literacy 99%. Official language Ukrainian, but Russian widely spoken. All languages 8. Languages with Scripture 3Bi 1NT 1por 1wip.

Economy

Rich in natural resources. HDI 0.721; 91^st/174. Public debt 13% of GNP. Income/person $1,040 (3.3% of USA).

Internet Links