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My name is Sergei Saponenko. I was born in 1966 in Belarus, and from the minute I was born, I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. I cannot move my arms or legs, speaking is difficult, and I cannot write or feed myself, so I have learned everything verbally. In 1988 I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. In 1996, I got a computer, and at first, I was able to type with my nose, but now I can press the keys with a long stick, called a wand, strapped to my head. I have written hundreds of songs and many books. In 2008 I came to the United Stated and married Tamara, and in 2011 our daughter Daniella was born.
In 2017 under Connect International I created a mission called Empowered by Weaknesses. The purpose of creating this mission was to evangelize in Belarus and other countries that were once a part of the USSR.
In Belarus, local Christians from protestant communities do not have access to evangelical schools. Because I am well-known in Belarus as a writer with a disability, many doors of evangelical schools have opened to me and I have been able to help people cope with their difficulties.
Since May 2017 I have been to many cities in Belarus and other eastern European countries attending numerous meetings, where I have shared my testimony, poems, and songs with people. At these meetings, with the help of my friends, I tell everyone about how the Lord has changed my life. I visit orphanages, boarding schools, universities, colleges, and other institutions, where I give out small presents to orphans and people with special needs, so that they can see the love of Christ through actions.
This past spring of 2019, I visited four countries of the former USSR, where I held 51 evangelical meetings in 14 different cities in one month.
I am pleased to say that young men and women in universities and colleges welcomed our ministry. At every meeting, only after a few minutes I would see tears in many of the students eyes. After the end of the meetings, a line would form to come talk and meet with me. The students would hug me and thank me. I heard many say “Thank you for telling us about God, that we can always talk to Him, and that He always hears and answers our prayers. I used to believe in some sort of distant God until now.” I am grateful for the honor and privilege of telling students about the Lord. I pray that these seeds we have sown will continue to grow and bear good fruit.
The people with disabilities and the students at boarding schools for orphans that we met understood the phrase Empowered by Weakness. They would surround us and thank us for coming, saying that the most important thing in life was for us to come back again. We explained to the kids how wonderful it is to have Christ in our hearts, and as they listened, many of them smiled and sometimes cried. Praise God!
In the two years of the Empowered by Weakness ministry, more than 180 events have been held, which were attended by tens of thousands of people. It brings me joy that the Lord has used my weakness for His purpose. If you feel called in your heart, please support this ministry for the work of the Lord. Thank you all and God bless!
If you want to support my ministry to orphans and people with special needs in the countries of the former USSR, please click on this link, or click on the words «DONATE» below (you will go to the site of the «Connect International» mission, which serves as an intermediary for the funds of my ministry «Empowered by weaknesses»). All donations are tax deductible for US residents.
God bless each of you!