What would be my goal as an English teacher in Ukraine?

Your primary goal is to reach the people in your classes through friendship evangelism.

“Friendship evangelism” is a phrase that means evangelism through friendship.  It is evangelism, not through churches, crusades, or door-to-door, but rather through a growing relationship between two friends.  As you develop friendship with your students, they will open up to you and you will find lots of opportunities for sharing Christ in meaningful ways.

Do I have to preach in class?

No.  Classroom time is used for teaching English, and we do not preach to our students during class time.  There may be some opportunities to share about God in the classroom, but most of them will come outside the class setting.

Do I have to speak a foreign language?

No!  It’s not necessary to speak a foreign language.  We speak English only in the classroom.  This encourages our students to try harder to speak English (instead of constantly reverting back to their native tongue), and eventually helps them learn to think in English.  We provide introductory English classes with a translator for the first week as they learn the very basics, but after that it’s English only.  While this sounds intimidating, we have been doing it for years and it works very well.

Are families welcome?

Yes.  COI welcomes families to this program.  Families are often very effective in this ministry.

Is this a paid position?

No.  Teachers raise their own financial support to serve on the mission field.  COI can help you with materials and coaching for fundraising.  Support is generally contributed by friends, family, home churches, and others who believe in your ministry.  Contributions send directly to COI are tax deductible for your supporters.

Will I be alone?

No.  You will serve at the English School in Ukraine with other teachers and full-time mission staff.  You will be under the direct supervision of the ESL Director and the Site Director, as well as the general supervision of the Executive Director.

What does a typical week look like?

A typical week will include preparing for and teaching classes, teacher and staff meetings, and other ministry opportunities such as orphanage visits, ministry at a soup kitchen, church, Bible studies, worship times, etc.  You will also have time for setting up one-on-one or small group activities with your students.

You will teach 2-3 classes for a total of 4.5 classroom hours per class each week.  Classes are held in the evenings.  Afternoons are usually busy with lesson planning, meetings, and other ministries, depending on the day.  Mornings are generally free to be used for evangelism, prep time, or personal time.  We do have a morning meeting once a week.

What about passports and visas?

U.S. and Canadian citizens must present a passport for entry into Ukraine.  Visas are no longer required for U.S. and Canadians visiting for less than 90 days.  Citizens of all other countries are responsible for determining if visas are necessary for their time in Ukraine and for obtaining all required travel documents.

Nearly all teachers will be in Ukraine for longer than 90 days, and will therefore require a visa.  Visas currently cost $131 for U.S. citizens, and are good for up to 5 years.

After you are accepted for COI’s Teach to Reach program we will send you all the information and documents necessary for obtaining your Ukrainian visa.