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8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday June 10, 2003 oi Fatlaer's Day Ltun June S4La urierl4neý 878-2881 Southside Commun ity Church pastor Jack Ninaber (third from right) recently took a group of a dozen local teens, inciud- ing, ln part, (from left) Na t ash a Nickel, Erie Helliweil, Joel Lazarski, Steve Miller, -Victoria Nickel, Shawn Lovering and A n d reaw Dempeter on a memmcra ble excursion to Kiev, Ukraine ln Aril. The two-wek tnpl wus an eye- opening exp.- rienc for the Mfton youth. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Tnip to Kiev an eye-opener for youth group By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion Jt's a very different country. One where teachers need quadruple their salary to afford an apart- ment. One where hopelessness seemns to be the nonn. One where North Amnericans are idolized. For a group el 12 Millton high scheel students, a recent trip to Kiev in the Ukraine %v as an eye- opener -te say the least. They iseni as a youth group trom Milton's South Side Community Church for just over two weeks in April. Their goal'? To bring a messag~e of hope t0 lives that Al too often see nothing but dreariness. The students brought their message in a truly North American way - with a high-tech multi- media presentation, inciuding live music per- formed by a band formed from students in the youth group. The group of grade 10, 1l and 12 students per- formed at fine different sehools. and did 26 pre- sentations. -We liad three lecuses,' saiil youth pastor Jack Ninaber. "lnvest in yourselt. proteci yourself and find something to helieve in.- The message was ofle tbey tel lt e iithin Ukraine desperaiely needed te bear. The greup urged the Ukrainian students teo 1(- tedt theinseives, addressing ilrugs and ether uinhealthy lilestyle choices sncb as drinking and smoking. -Ail the teens were drinking and smoking,.flot realiLittg how harniful it is. It epened their eycs -they were shocked to see everyone in (our) group doesn't drink and smoke. Mr. Ninaber said. 'We tried te encourage them 10 make posi- tive decisions." The group wasn'î allowed 10 blaîantly make their Christian views known in the presentations, -so we left it ai finding something 10 believe in," Mr. Ninaher said. adding that if Ukrainian stu- dents approachied them aller the presentaten. then ihey were able to share their personal beliefs. Mr. Ninaber said the Ukrainian students ssere receptive Io the message, particularly becaLîse they looked up to the Canadian teens. "The kids loeked aI us se higbix'. Es ervulhere the (Citadian students) turned. ibey ssanted tibeir_ autograpbls:* he said. He added thai 001 everything they saw in Kiev was negative. Tbey were paoticularly struck by how disciplined the Ukrainian students were. and the amount of respect they showed their teachers. The Milton studenîs partnered with Global 180 - a group that had been unknown 10 theni until about five months before they went overseas. Last November, Global 180 went 10 South Side Community Cburch 10 do a presentation for the youth group. Il was a match made in heaven. The students aI South Side were impressed ss 1h the group's vision fer their generation. and Global 180 just lhappened te be tooking for a rock band to Iras c it - sometbiîîg a group et students ai lihe churcb had already lernued. -Heie ssas an îîppertunity 10 take a pe)sîtse me.ssage of hope 10 the kids in Ukraine. (Global I180) needed ibis type of' înusic, and wse lîad tl already,- Mr. Ninaber said. The '18)' stands for the groîîp desire to sec a -changing of the generatien 180 degrees," Mi-, Ninaber said. Ste'lîaiie TfIîu'ae,î canel 6e ai/ted ut st/îiesset,î 'ilfenîïýaîiadmamîIî-amýpioi.î ot. 5,6&7:30pmPI h dlEaryWeekEMm 5.6&7:3p Pli 1nlFadWâ6kn R n n .kP:ý ý