
REACHING THE WORLD THROUGH
OVERSEAS COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIPS
Meet Benson, Endashaw, Yemesrach, Katherina and
Vitaliy...
Last summer a representative from Overseas Council International (OCI) met with The Chapel’s Missions Board and talked about a cornerstone of OCI’s ministry — student scholarships. By supporting the students’ education, we effectively build up the church around the world and fulfill the Great Commission - by developing Christian leaders. Each biblically trained leader will, on average, positively impact the lives of thousands of believers and non-believers in their lifetime of ministry. Since nearly 80,000 people come to Christ each day in the non-Western world, the need for qualified, effective Christian leaders is enormous. OCI graduates enter the Kingdom’s harvest fields as capable pastors, teachers, evangelists, missionaries, and lay leaders.
After reviewing student testimonies from schools in Central African Republic, Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, Nigeria, and Brazil. The Chapel’s Missions Board approved support for the following five students. Their testimonies reveal an incredible dedication and desire to serve God and be faithful to Him.
Benson Amani lives in Kenya and attends Nairobi International School of Theology. He gave his life to Christ in high school. He founded the Global Mercy for Eternal Life Outreach, which provides outreach training in local churches. Their outreach combines house-to-house evangelism, seminars, crusades, revival meetings, follow-up, and discipleship classes. Kenya still has many tribes who have not heard the name of Jesus. Benson will be a missionary to reach out to those in Kenya and the rest of the world.
Endashaw Negash Belda lives in Ethiopia and attends the Evangelical Theological College. He grew up in the countryside with people who practice witchcraft and worship trees, stones and rivers. His own grandmother was a witchdoctor. A friend told him about Christ when he was seven years old, but he didn’t commit his life to Christ until high school. After high school, Endashaw felt God’s calling to serve as a full-time minister. In addition to his studies, he continues to serve in his local church as a teacher, preacher, and sometimes a singer. His church currently has no qualified leader, so he plans to serve there full-time after graduation.
Yemesrach Gashaw Haileab also lives in Ethiopia and attends ETC. Her parents were members of the Communist party and they did not talk about God. She searched for answers until grade six when she became friends with a Protestant girl. After hearing the Gospel she finally felt that she had her questions answered! She began to pray, but she couldn’t go to church because of her parents. When the Communist party fell, her parents decided to get out of politics. They also wanted to learn more about God. Eventually the whole family committed their lives to Christ. Her parents, the former members of the Communist party, now serve in the church. Yemesrach has worked with the worship team, youth, and children’s ministries at her church, as well as the Prison Fellowship Ministry of Ethiopia. She is studying to be a missionary so she can help people know Christ and see lives changed for the better.
Katherina Krivchikova lives in the Ukraine and attends the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary. She was born in Tadzhikistan, one of the former USSR Republics. She had a turbulent childhood, and turned to the church just to find some good friendships. She also found her very best friend, Jesus Christ. Tragic circumstances left her in a homeless situation. With no where else to go, she turned to her church family. They knew of her strong willingness to serve Jesus Christ and to minister to others, so they sent her to UETS. There she heard a message in summer school about having a close relationship with God as her Father. She had finally found a family and a father who would not reject or abandon her! Her desire is to be involved in missions and to tell others that they also can have this wonderful fellowship with God.
Vitaliy Nackul also lives in the Ukraine and attends UETS. His father is a senior pastor at one of the largest evangelical churches in Russia. He was born in a Christian family and accepted Christ at age ten, but it wasn’t until later that he understood God as more than the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He finally understood that God was his father, too. When he initially applied to UETS he also had the option of moving to Warsaw to work there. After prayerful consideration he decided to finish his schooling so he can return to work full-time in his father’s church.