What makes a boy grow into a real man?

Vitalij began the “Wise Carpenter” ministry of JV in Ukraine 8 years ago with a vision of “A new generation of Ukrainian men who aspire to be people after God’s heart and become dedicated to their families, their church, and their country.” He equips men in local churches to invest in boys through carpentry clubs, where they learn to work with their hands and are mentored by Jesus, the wise carpenter.

In June, 100 of these boys gathered for a camp with 30 of their leaders. The central theme was “The Way of a Real Man” — how to live a worthy life that will not disappoint. On the first day, Pastor Alexander shared his testimony about how, at the age of 13, he listened to another voice, which led his path for 7 years into drugs, theft, and alcohol. He emphasized how important it was, at an early age, not to go down “crooked” roads but to choose God’s path.

Later that evening, drones flew over the camp in the direction of Kyiv. The defense forces could not shoot them down, and they exploded into apartment buildings in the capital, killing 17 people — including the boy whose father is in this photo.

The contrast was shocking — men fighting to save the lives of young boys while an enemy was trying to take those lives. The spiritual war and physical war have much in common and become even more intense when they are being waged at the same time. In the evening, all 100 boys, together with their mentors, prayed for the families affected by the attacks, for the military, and for every family that lost a family member that day.

Later in the week, a former club leader visited in his wheelchair. He was at camp last year but was later conscripted into the military and wounded on the front lines. His challenge to be courageous and live for Jesus no matter what the circumstances carried special weight because of the price he has personally paid.

Every afternoon, the boys worked to construct cars that they enthusiastically raced on the final day. But even more important was the construction going on in each of their hearts as they learned the lessons of God’s Word and the importance of standing for truth, no matter how difficult it is.

Thank you for making it possible for us to fight for boys to become real men through your gifts and prayers.