JIBC has been working in Ukraine through the New Life Baptist Churches in the town of Cherkassy and in the village of Chygyryn since 2004.  The partnership has focused on English clubs held initially at the local churches, and more recently in several public schools.  Games and other activities were used in the classes to practice English speaking skills and more importantly to build relationships with the students.  Many of those relationships have continued for nearly 20 years through written correspondence and online communication.

Since COVID in 2021 and the war with Russia since 2022, it has been impossible to travel to Ukraine; however, JIBC has provided significant financial and prayer support to the New Life Churches.  The churches’ geographical locations have spared them of physical damage due to the fighting.

Mark Livengood has been the primary leader of the Ukrainian ministry.  He will be traveling to the country of Slovakia in August.  There he will be teaching English at a New Life Church campus recently established there.  He will be working with several friends and former English students from Ukraine.