Education without God's guidance and blessing rarely brings true pleasure. Most of us went to school without much enthusiasm, or more likely, quite reluctantly. Some people don't even want to remember those years. And the vast majority can not recall even a third of the information of what they learned there. 

Undoubtedly, the memory of the intimidating the Soviet education system played a significant role in shaping our attitudes to learning. Even now, in times of democracy and freedom, it is difficult to change the attitude to the educational process that built up over a period of decades.

But God can work miracles. Who, if not his children should be educated, intelligent, hard-working and diligent? Who, if not the children of God, should demonstrate in everything the perfection of our Father: His mind, His wisdom, His depth? Who, if not us, should set an example to others in the love of knowledge and learning, and the ability to apply them?

And that's what we prayed for on the second of September in Salvation Church: the right attitude to learning, the ability to serve the world while learning.

All ages of students were invited to go up onto the platform for the prayer for blessings on this school year. There were a lot of students. Almost half of the church, from beginning first graders and up, were starting at schools, universities and other educational institutions.

Our pastors Oleg Ovsy and Valery Antoniuk prayed. Oleg prayed for those in secular institutions: for academic success of our Christian students, for exemplary behavior and wisdom in bringing the Gospel to unbelieving teachers and friends. Valery prayed for the students pursuing Christian education: Sunday school pupils, and students in Christian colleges, universities and seminaries

We hope that with God's blessing today's Christians, including students from Salvation Church, will be able to overcome the stereotype of uneducated and ignorant people, and build a new intellectual and spiritual elite of Ukraine.