Mission history
In the early 2000s, Taras Sen’, a young missionary from Western Ukraine who had just graduated from a Bible Institute, moved to Eastern Ukraine with his family to follow a call in his heart to serve people in city of Sverdlovsk (Luhansk area). Before the brake of the war in eastern Ukraine, he was actively involved in evangelism with a team of missionaries who came to help from different regions of Ukraine. One of these ministers who was actively helping and supporting the ministry was Maxim Drozhzhin and his wife Galina. They did street evangelism, helped the needy, published special evangelistic wall calendars and school copybooks that had a text of prayer on the back. They also produced the first edition of a special evangelistic newspaper “Christ Is the Answer”.
Taras Sen’ gave Bible lectures at various educational institutions in different towns of Luhansk region and recorded Christian TV programs for a local TV channel. The beginning of the war in eastern Ukraine changed the usual way of life of a young evangelist and their team. A new page in the history Christ is the answer Ministries began to be written.
In 2014, the country was shaken by the beginning of the war. Many people faced unemployment, poverty and hunger. During this period, the most vulnerable groups, who could not leave the war zone, suffered the most. Seeing the enormous need in this region, Taras Sen’ and Maxim Drozhzhin were eager to help those in need.
The ministers were sharing the love of God through acts of charity responding to physical needs of the people, distributing humanitarian aid, supporting orphans, widows and those who lived below the poverty line.
Taras Sen’ and Maxim Drozhzhin decided to found the ministry “Christ is the answer” to help as many people in need in eastern Ukraine as possible, sharing the Good News by word and by deed.
The ministry continued to grow and the Gospel was reaching more and more people. Later, other Christians, who were also eager to help those in need and to bring God’s love to this world, began to join their team. The ministry began to expand spreading to other regions of Ukraine, as well as beyond its borders.
Mission history
2005
Taras Sen’, a young missionary, began to give lectures at educational institutions of Luhansk region.
2006-2007
Beginning of recording of Christian programs for local TV stations of eastern Ukraine. Beginning of broadcast of these programs on the CNL Christian channel.
2008
First evangelistic wall calendars were printed.
First edition of the Christian newspaper “Christ is the answer” was published.
2012
Printing of school copybooks with prayer on the back.
2014
Beginning of ministry of helping people affected by war in eastern Ukraine.
“Christ is the answer” Ministries was founded.
First CITA missionaries began the ministry of street evangelism and services for children in various regions of Ukraine.
Oleg Churilov, a minister from Mykolaiv, joined CITA ministry team.
2015
Andriy Vasenda, a minister from Ternopil, became part of CITA ministry team.
2016
CITA Ministries Director Taras Sen’ started Christ is the Answer Church and a media center in city of Rivne.
Beginning of Taras Sen’s program “That’s What the Bible Says” on Rivne, Khmelnytsky and Zhytomyr TV channels.
Start of the first free eye clinic in Rivne.
First annual conference of the Christ is the Answer team in the Carpathian Mountains.
2017
Pastor Sergiy Tyurikov, a missionary from Murafa, Kharkiv Region, joined CITA Ministries.
Victor Hrystyuk, CITA Assistant Director in Rivne, became part of the CITA Ministries team.
The first evangelistic billboards were installed in Rivne.
Production of the first programs “Christ is the answer” and “Christ saves” on Rivne TV channel.
2018
Beginning of evangelistic charity camps in the Carpathian Mountains.
Installation of first evangelistic tents with Christian evangelistic materials on the central streets of Ukrainian cities.
Oleksiy Samokhin, a missionary from the village of Novopetrivs’ke (Mykolaiv region), joined CITA Ministries.
2019
Missionaries Viktor Pavlyshyn from Nova Odesa (Mykolaiv region), Oleksiy Ivanov from Rubizhne (Luhansk region) and Olexander Prokopovych from Rivne joined the ministry team.
Launch of “That’s What the Bible Says” program on Ternopil TV channel.
Creation of new tools for conducting children’s street evangelism.
2020
Opening of CITA Ministries branch in Kyiv.
Beginning of partnership and cooperation with the Zamu Youth Mission in Kenya (Mombasa).
Support for a family-type orphanage in southeastern Nepal.
Missionaries Andriy Kovalenko from Prechystivka (Donetsk region), Danyil Golubev from Rubizhne (Luhansk region) and Yuri Simonov from Rivne joined CITA Ministries team.
Beginning of cooperation with the Kyiv Bible Institute
2021
Prison ministry Chaplain Gennady Golota from Mykolaiv joined CITA Ministries.
First missionary trip of the Ukrainian team to Ethiopia.
Opening of a branch of the CITA Ministries Media Center in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.
First edition of the newspaper “Christ is the Answer” in the Amharic language in Ethiopia.
Beginning of production of a Christian board game “Questions for communication” in Russian, Ukrainian, English and Amharic.
2022
Holding the third crusade in Ethiopia in February
Being actively involved into helping victims of the Russia-Ukrainian war
Launching a missionary center and local church in Addis-Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
The first trip to the countries of Latin America
CITA expanded its activities to 11 countries
Opening of a media department in India
Holding the fourth crusade in Ethiopia in December
Missionaries from Zaporozhye Ivan Kalev and Igor Pimenov joined the cooperation with the CITA
Broadcasting of the “Good News” programs on the national TV of Mongolia.
A missionary from New Odesa, Yulia Dunduk, joined the Ministry.
Missionaries from Rivne, Andriy Kadubets and Mykola Cheremushkin, joined the Ministry.
Charity eye clinics were held for the first time in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
2023
Conducting the Fifth Crusade in Ethiopia in February
The beginning of distribution of calendars in Latin America
CITA missionaries received chaplaincy certificates
Holding the first eye clinic in Kyrgyzstan.
The sixth, seventh and eighth crusades were held in Ethiopia in May, October and December.
Charity eye clinics were held for the first time in Pakistan and Vietnam.
The Ministry team visited El Salvador and Nicaragua for the first time.
The first eye clinic was held in India.
During the year, 13 churches were opened in Ethiopia and 3 churches in India.
Four mission schools were held in Ethiopia and three in India.
The Ministry released a new game called “Bible Alias”.
The local radio station “Respect” began broadcasting Taras Sen’s original programs.
Missionaries opened a new children’s club in the Mykolaiv region.
The first eye clinic was held in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.
In Ternopil, missionaries started a ministry to the wives of fallen and severely wounded soldiers.
CITA extended its activities to 20 countries.
2024
The ministry in Vietnam was launched
CITA held its ninth and tenth crusades in Ethiopia (February, July)
CITA evangelistic tents launched in Germany
CITA launches ministry in Papua New Guinea
Mission releases game for couples
Tent ministry covers all regions of Ukraine
10 more churches planted in Ethiopia
