My name is Eduard Nikitin. I would like to tell you a little about meself as well as what I do. I would also like to ask that you pray for me and my ministry in "Youth With A Mission" - (YWAM). I am 26 years old. I was born on 26 August in the city of Kolpino, near St.Petersburg. My mother married and divorced six times and her husbands beat me often for small mistakes I made. Because of the abuse and my strong-will and independence I left home at the age of 8 and started living on the streets in attics and basements. I continued to study and finished 9th grade and went on to college and received a degree in cold metal mechanics or as maintenance man. Of course, street life was not easy, in order to survive I turned to stealing and other criminal activities. I saw many evil things around me and ended up with a group of Fascists. In 1996 I organized a group of 5 people for a robbery that also included bodily harm. However we got caught by the police. While I was awaiting trial in 1998 I was living in a Christian shelter called "Life" where I heard about Jesus Christ and saw His love, mercy and goodness through the workers. The most important thing that I learned was to have hope and goals in my life. I repented and received Jesus in my heart. I started reading the Bible and learned a lot from God's Word. Knowing the law I was expecting to spend 3 - 7 years in prison. So when I testified at my trial I told them about my new found faith in God, what God meant to me, and how He had changed my life and that whether or not I went to prison I would tell others about my faith. However to my surprise a miracle happened!!! They set me free!!!!!

My brothers in "YWAM" in 1998 helped me with a place to live, food and asked me to help in their ministry "Rainbows of Hope", working with street children. I helped in this ministry for one and-a-half years and during this time they told me about a missionary program called - "Discipleship Training School" - (DTS). Of course the school cost money and I had none, but I had a strong desire to do this school. Some of friends in the mission told me "if it's God's will that you do the school, He will provide the money for you". I prayed and that's what happened!!! God provided me with everything that I needed for the school and I finished it in 1999 in Moscow. I carried on working in the mission in Moscow, serving on the base where needed while I grew spiritually. I led some evangelism groups and also did some administration work. God spoke to me that I would work with street children and teenagers with problems in the future. Starting in 2001 I began working with the "YWAM" base in St.Petersburg, there I worked with the mercy ministry "Convoy of Hope", "The Barnabas Project" street kids ministry, as well as some office work. After three years I felt like it was my time to move forward, to grow more in the Lord.

However even during the DTS I began to see the need in Russia and started here in Rostov-On-Don where I am presently serving and living. I began to seriously plan this ministry in January of 2005 and began the actual "The Open Zone" project in May of the same year. The project consists of three parts: 1) working with children and teenagers from dysfunctional families. 2) Care for the elderly and disabled. 3) Development of services in church.

In May 2005 I began to put into practice the first practical steps for the projects implementation. The ministry to street children, it's purpose: to assist the restoration of healthy families in order to stop the growth of social orphans. "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my father in heaven" - (Matthew 18: 10). At the moment 6 churches in Rostov-On-Don and the Rostov region are taking part in the project. We visit the children bringing them food and fellowship and when needed medicine and things for personal hygiene. This has opened the doors for us to worship God with them and to teach them biblical principles. We have the opportunity to offer baths to the children and give bible lessons in the "Salvation Army" building. The children are found in underground passages, parks and even in graveyards. During the day the children beg, steal, sniff glue and other chemical substances. At night they spend time in the basements, heating systems, and attics. They are often subject to the threat of abuse from different people. The children gradually fellowship with us, analyze their deeds, recognize their own wrong, and agree with the necessity to forgive their parents in everything, who they blamed for their own failures. From the start of "The Open Zone" project till now some of teenagers have repented, some of them have returned home. In the future we plan to open a day-centre for children, where they can eat, shower, wash their clothes, learn how to do useful, healthy things, and also receive psychological, social and educational help.

Working here, in "YWAM" base in Rostov-On-Don as a full-time staff member, means that I need to find my support from friends and other Christians - prayer and financial support. To be able to live and have my needs met I need $350 US per month. This amount would cover my rent, food, transport, medical, and all other personal needs. I would like to ask you to pray about either supporting me each month to help pay a part of these costs, or to become a prayer partner in my ministry to others.

Please, if you'd like to send your support for our ministry with street kids, please let us know somehow when (the date), how much and for what needs you'd like to send it. E-Mail: <theopenzone@ywamrostov.org>

If God leads you to send me some money here are the details how you can do it:
All support check should be postal mailed to:
Accounting Department
PO Box 3000
Garden Valley
TX 75771-3000
USA
**VERY IMPORTANT** All support checks should be made you to YWAM.
Please do NOT write my name on the check - anywhere.
Please enclose a separate note with my full name on it (Eduard Nikitin with YWAM Rostov, Russia).