Last summer I met Andrey Konkov, or as we knew him Drew, at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions building where I work. I remember Kristy Kennedy saying why don’t you join us for lunch and get to know Drew better. Little did I know that some of the seeds that Drew planted that day would help to ignite my new found passion for International Missions.

When I met Drew in the summer of 2013, he was a newlywed, having been married for only one month to Kristy. The met through the ministries of Campus Crusade for Christ themselves which makes for a good story in itself. Together they work with Campus Crusade for Christ in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, primarily with college students through the use of English Language Clubs and Sports Ministries. Often times he works hand in hand with our own International Mission Board missionaries that are also there.

When I put the math together that I was going to be in the same town where Drew lives for the mission trip I just completed, I dropped him a note to let him know I was coming. The first day of clinics I heard a familiar voice call my name, it was Drew. He came by to see me and drop some presents off for myself and some of my co-workers that he had worked with in the past. We worked out a time right then that we could get back together before I left.

My last night, Drew and his wife Kristy took me on a walk down the river front which I talked about in a previous blog posting  called Heading Home.

I was able to sit them down for a few moments in our hotel and asked them to tell everyone at home about their ministry and how we can be praying for them right now. Watch the video and please pray for Andrey and Kristy Konkov!