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by Kevin Miller
For David Sanders, a retired USAF officer from Moseley, Virginia, the idea of traveling to Moscow in 1995 was like walking into enemy territory.
Throughout his military career, David had been on the front lines defending the world against the influences of communism.
But now he felt God calling him to travel to Russia as part of Josh McDowell’s Operation Carelift ministry.
Even though Russia was no longer communist or “the enemy,” David still struggled with the idea of going there.
God Changes David's Heart
However, he wasn’t there for long before God began to change his heart, to the point that by the time David left, he couldn’t wait to go back.
One thing in particular that attracted David to this ministry venture was how open the Russian people were to the gospel, especially the children. The first time David shared the gospel in a school classroom, 16 out of 22 children accepted Christ, as did their teacher. The same pattern repeated itself four more times that day.
“Brother, I was hooked for life,” David says.
Since that first trip, David has travelled to the former Soviet Union thirteen times. Each time David goes, it’s as part of a team of up to 300 people that provides critical humanitarian aid to orphanages, boarding schools, hospitals, invalid societies and youth prisons. The aid opens the doors for ministry, allowing the volunteers to give lasting hope to the children and their caregivers by meeting them face-to-face and sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Volunteered at their Warehouse
David started out with Operation Carelift by volunteering at their warehouse in Lancaster, PA. Each fall, thousands of volunteers descend on the warehouse for two weeks to package between 15 and 25 shipping containers of items that are scarce or difficult to find in Russia and its surrounding republics. These items include clothing, seeds, school supplies and Christian literature.
On his first visit to the warehouse, David only lasted three days. The following year, however, he stayed for a week. On the way back home, David began to feel God calling him to help deliver the items rather than just package them. That request seemed to sit well with David.
“I wanted to see where this stuff was going and the process of delivery,” he says. “I don’t like hit and run evangelism.”
Partnering with Locals
Obviously, David was satisfied with what he observed in Russia. He noted that the ministry made a point of partnering with local pastors, missionaries and Christian workers. This ensured that the goods were distributed fairly and that there was ongoing ministry after the Operation Carelift team left. Operation Carelift's activities also gave credibility to local ministries, helping to raise their profile and facilitate their growth.
“We basically go in and open the door for the local pastor,” says David.
Ten years after his initial involvement, David is Affiliate Staff Coordinator for the ministry. That means he and his wife are in charge of coordinating the activities of over 100 affiliate and field volunteers across the United States. It’s an enormous job, but David enjoys every minute of it. Needless to say, he’s come a long way from his initial trepidation about even entering Russia.
“It’s a life-changing experience. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be doing this.”
If you would like to learn more about how you can participate in Operation Carelift by either volunteering at the warehouse or traveling to the former Soviet Union to distribute the goods, please contact David by clicking here or click here to visit their website.
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Kevin Miller is a freelance writer, editor and educator from Abbotsford, BC, Canada. Over the past several years, he has written, co-written and contributed to 26 books, both fiction and non-fiction. He has also written dozens of articles for web sites, magazines and newspapers, including Faith Today, BC Christian News and Maranatha News. Learn more about Kevin by clicking here to visit his website.