“Our Home” Lifestyle Center & Medical-Missionary School is an institution located in natural setting of central Ukraine, operated by lay Seventh-day Adventist church people. It started with a small group of young people under leadership of Dr. Anna Slepenchuk, a dentist at that time, in 1997. They prayed and dreamed about a health center and God answered there prayers in several years.
Medical Missionary School
The medical-missionary school started in 1999 as a training center for lay people. Its goal is to prepare missionaries, who would spread the Gospel through health ministry. There are various classes in the curriculum on personal spiritual growth, health (massage, hydrotherapy, natural remedies) and evangelism. Educational program includes 4 hours of work and 4 hours of study a day, combining physical, mental and spiritual for balanced character development.
Agriculture is the ABC of education and character development; therefore students at “Our Home” have a privilege of cultivating the soil. A large variety of vegetables, grains and beans are grown for the institution’s use.
More than 500 people from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaidzhan, Mongolia and other countries of former USSR have graduated from the school. They filled different positions of service in the Lord’s vineyard in local congregations and also Conference, Union and Division levels. Following Christ’s method graduates serve to people’s needs, gain their confidence and point to the Great Physician and Savior Jesus Christ.
Lifestyle Center
The lifestyle center began its operation in 2002 and nearly 3000 patients have been there by summer of 2006. Operating on New Start program principles, it attracts many people from former USSR countries. In fact people wait for 6 months to come to “Our Home”! The center accommodates up to 40 patients at a time and provides a high level of service.
Warm, friendly and spiritual atmosphere of “Our Home” justifies its name for many. Some patients have come there for several times not only to receive physical, but also spiritual healing. Morning devotionals, prayers before treatments, medical examinations, and spirit-filled life of therapists have led may a patient to Jesus Christ, the Great Healer. .
Of course physical health factor is a key one for patients too. Lifestyle changes helped many to achieve optimal health. Delicious vegetarian meals of “Our Home” are famous all over Ukraine and Russia. Its cooks have been invited to spiritual convocations, like Mark Finley’s satellite program in Kiev, Field schools for lay people in Ukraine to prepare meals for attendees. A recipe book, published by the institution, became very famous and now the 2nd book is being published to meet the interest of people.
“Our Home” is constantly growing. Starting with 20 staff workers in 2002, it’s doubled their number by 2006. Many young people are attracted by the institution and they dedicate their lives to the ministry there. Hastening of the Second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ through health ministry has become their reality! May the Lord multiply such ministries all over the world!
