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Rick & Olya Warden
Rick joined CCMUkraine in the Winter of 2001. He is originally from New York, and served as an elder and a home Bible study teacher in The Community Bible Church in Sag Harbor. Rick and Olya were married in January of 2005. The Lord opened the doors for Rick to teach English in a college and in schools in Simferopol, Ukraine which has been a venue for sharing the good news of the Gospel.
Music also has been instrumental in opening up doors of opportunity. Missionary work like song writing seems to be less about forming one’s pre-set plans and more about letting the Lord bear fruit in the form and method He desires. Although music presents many opportunities, Rick and Olya believe that a local church community should be the basis for other types of ministry work.

In 2005 the Lord opened the opportunity to purchase a building which they have been renovating for a meeting place. It will be used for teaching Bible studies, concerts, English clubs and for outreaches to senior citizens etc. If the Lord wills it may also be the location of a new church plant.

The Lord has been gradually opening up opportunities for discipleship. Many young men in Ukraine grow up with absentee fathers and this is something Rick is familiar with and an area of ministry that he has a heart for. As these doors remain open Rick and Olya desire to be faithful in the small things.

They are praying to see church plants in small villages where there is not a strong church base. They would like to help assist those with a heart for this type of work. In the meanwhile they are also helping Slavik and Mariana Bondarkov in ministry in nearby Yevpatoria. The vision for ministry in a nutshell is to abide in the Lord and bear fruit. To stay flexible, to keep a pilgrim’s heart, to depend on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, to honor God’s Word and to keep love supreme, these are all goals of their ministry.

~ Rick & Olya Warden serving with Calvary Chapel Mission: Ukraine ~