Estonian Joins Our Campus Ministry

This January, Lord willing, Piret (pictured at left with her sister) will join our staff team to receive much needed training. Piret is a 25-year-old Estonian gal who desires to come and learn how to lead a campus ministry so she can help start one in Estonia! Piret is leaving her job as a successful auditor to be trained in ministry. It's an exciting opportunity but she needs our prayers and resources.

Could you briefly introduce yourself?
My name is Piret and I am 25 years old young woman from Estonia—a country in North-East Europe.

How did you become a Christian?
I become Christian when I was about twelve in Christian Children's camp, but during my teenage years I didn't grow spiritually and I actually stopped walking with God for some time. I started my walk with God again when I was 20, started to go to Church choir, got baptized and joined Navigators weekly Bible Study in Estonia with one American missionary couple.

What was life like for you in Estonia?
After getting my diploma in university my life was pretty good. I was active in church, growing spiritually, having a good job. Everything in my life seemed good, but deep in my heart I didn't have peace and I was not satisfied. I wanted to serve God with all my heart, more than anything. I felt like I put too much energy to my job and all the things that benefit the world. I wanted to serve God more, full time. So I quit my job and dedicated myself totally to God's purposes for my life and His Kingdom.

Why did you want to come to America?
Coming to America was an opportunity that God put on my way of growing spiritually and getting some good experience in Christian ministry. I came here to learn, experience, and deepen my relationship with God.

What do you hope to learn here?
I hope to get practical experience of full-time ministry, learn how to work in team, grow and be example to others. One day I wish to start something like that in Estonia or be part of that happening. I really feel that there is so much to do in Estonia and there are so many needs that need to be met. I want to encourage Estonians to read more Bible, attend Bible Studies, pray and just serve God with all their heart. Only God knows what His plans for me are, I just have to give Him my heart and trust Him and not lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3: 5-6).

What has it been like for you here so far?
My life here has been good I have already learned so many things. People here are very nice and caring. I have a good host family with whom I stay and wonderful team of Navigators here in Kent State University. I meet different people all the time and get to know the ones I have already met. God has been merciful to me and He is walking by my side every day.

What ministry opportunities do you see at Kent State?
I want to share with students here my life and my experience and all the wonderful things God has done in my life. I also see an opportunity to reach out for international students and share my faith with them and encourage them to walk with God day by day and discover all the wonderful things about him. I would like to build up relationships with international students, start Bible Study, and help them to discover God's Word. I really believe that international students, as strangers in another country, really need that. I think I understand them, because I am also not in my home country.

What are your long-term plans?
My long-term plan is to totally dedicate myself to full time ministry. I would like to go home to Estonia and start youth ministry or be part of a team doing that in Estonia. All is in God's hands and I trust Him with all my heart.

How can we pray for you?
You can pray that with the help of God and Christians around me I could start international students ministry here in Kent State University and learn from my time here as much as possible. You could pray that God would guide me the way He has done so far and that one day I would have a team around me who would like to have effect in Estonian Christian community, whose dream would be to share about Christ to people around us, especially young people.