8 March 2007

In the history of SIM, there is a long legacy of strong, pioneering missionary women. That legacy continues with two of SIM’s newest missionaries, Diana Penisoara (from Romania) and Lena Kalinouskaya (from Belarus).

Historically, these ladies’ home countries have not sent missionaries, but today the Church in Eastern Europe is commissioning these young women to serve on the African continent—Diana in Mozambique and Lena in Ethiopia.

Diana and Lena join the ranks with other pioneers working with SIM to fulfill Christ's mission in the world:

• Ethiopians and Nigerians laboring in South Sudan,
• Kenyan Christians visiting neighboring people groups with the Gospel, and
• Latin Americans making their home in Asia to share the Good News of Jesus' love.

As these men and women from different cultures join SIM, we reflect more clearly the whole body of Christ around the world, and our ministries are strengthened through this richness of cultural diversity. It is truly a privilege to partner with them.

From Romania to Mozambique: Diana's Story

As a teenager, Diana and her sister became the only Christians in their family of 10. Diana quickly started serving in ministry—working with gypsy children in a nearby village and visiting local churches with her youth group. Then God gave her a desire to go to other parts of the world with the Gospel. After three years of Bible school, she received a scholarship to spend a year in Africa.

At only 20 years old, having never flown on an airplane or been far from home, Diana joined SIM missionary Janice Peters in Lichinga, Mozambique, for a one-year, short-term assignment. "The year in Mozambique changed my life radically," Diana says. "God worked through me, but He also worked in my life."

Her first goal was to learn Portuguese. Her language tutor, 16-year-old Memoria, became a special friend who helped Diana "go beyond the culture, beyond color of skin." They began to study the Bible together. Memoria understood God's love for her and committed to follow Jesus.

Diana also started a children's club in her village, and when she left, nearly 80 children were attending each week. "I saw God working miracles," she said. "Many children believed in Jesus."

Diana plans to return to Lichinga for two years to continue ministry with children and youth. She also hopes to extend her work into neighboring villages.

Currently she is in Romania, sharing her Mozambique ministry with churches. "It is something new for Romanians to go to a country much poorer than Romania. ... It is something new for them to be sending missionaries out," she says, but she has been well received by her home church and several others who will pray for her and financially support her. She plans to return to Mozambique in March 2007.

Belarus' First Missionary: Lena's Journey to Ethiopia

A trained nurse and midwife, Lena Kalinouskaya comes from a city near Minsk, the capital of Belarus. As the first Belarusian to be sent as a missionary with SIM, Lena is supported by several churches in her home country.

Lena is one of five children, and she and her sister are the only believers. Her grandmother's prayer and support helped her believe in Jesus when she was 13. From the time of her conversion onwards, she desired to become a missionary. But she says, "At first I could only dream of doing anything like this, as we don't have any missionary organizations here in Belarus."

Lena trained as a nurse after high school. While working in a clinic where she was the only believer, she told a coworker about her desire to serve God. He brought her a book that listed medical opportunities abroad. Seeing so many openings in Africa, Lena saw the perfect combination of her profession and her calling. Not long after this, she enrolled in Bible college to pursue her dream of becoming a missionary.

Her pastor encouraged Lena to pursue ministry. She worked as a volunteer nurse in an orphanage and served in her church. Realizing that she would need to learn English to communicate better, she took language classes. When she enquired with SIM UK, they encouraged her to come and volunteer at their headquarters to improve her English and explore opportunities in mission.

Lena spent most of 2006 at the SIM UK headquarters, doing "everything—working in the kitchen, cleaning the guesthouse, cutting grass, crashing cars, getting the tractors stuck ... and learning English!"

"[God] has given me a passion to help the people who are suffering,” Lena says. In March, she will depart for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to join the team at the HOPE for AIDS Medan Clinic for one year. At this clinic which offers HIV and AIDS education and treatment, Lena will work with the Prevention of Transmission from Mother to Child (PMTCT) program.

Welcome

It is with great joy that we welcome these two Eastern European women to SIM. Please pray for them as they settle into their ministries. Pray for their safety, cultural adjustment, and for God to be glorified in their lives.