Hi, we're Juan Marcos and Lena Radziwiluk. We minister in the United States.
Juan Marcos: Creation of digital content for evangelism and discipleship.
Lena: Missionary Care in hospitality for missionaries in transit.
Learn more about the ministry in the United States.
From a Curious Child to a Life of Missions: My Journey of Faith
I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know about Jesus. Growing up in a missionary family, faith was woven into the fabric of my daily life. But knowing about Jesus and truly following Him are two very different things. My journey took me across continents, through moments of deep surrender, and into a calling that would shape my entire life.
It all started when I was just two and a half years old. One evening, I bombarded my mom with endless questions about heaven. What is it like? How do we get there? Can anyone go? Her answers stirred something inside me, and that night, with a child’s simple yet profound faith, I accepted Jesus as my Savior.
But following Christ isn’t just about a single moment—it’s a lifelong journey of saying "yes" to Him. At nine years old, during a summer camp with Word of Life in Argentina, I felt God calling me to be a missionary. I didn’t know where, when, or how, but I knew one thing: my life would belong to Him.
Then, everything changed. In 1992, our family moved to Ukraine, where my father directed the WOL ministry. A new country, a new language, and an entirely different world awaited me. It was in those years that my faith was tested and strengthened. After high school, I studied at the Word of Life Bible Institute in Argentina, and during those four years, God confirmed what I had decided as a child—missions wasn’t just something I wanted to do; it was what I was created for.
Returning to Ukraine as a missionary was both exciting and humbling. That same year, God wrote another chapter in my story—I met Lena. We married in 2002, and together, we embarked on a life of ministry, raising two incredible children, Esteban and Gracia, along the way.
For 12 years, Ukraine was our home, until God redirected our steps to Spain, where we served for another 11 years. Now, He has led us to Hudson, Florida, a new mission field with new opportunities to serve Him. The journey has been full of unexpected turns, but one thing has never changed—God’s faithfulness.
And this is just the beginning…
From Chernobyl to a Life of Faith: My Journey to Christ
I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. In fact, for much of my early life, I had never even heard the gospel. My childhood was marked by uncertainty, shaped by an event that changed my family’s life forever—the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
Both of my parents worked at the Chernobyl Nuclear Station, and when the disaster struck, our entire world was turned upside down. We were evacuated to Kiyv, leaving behind everything familiar. It was a time of fear and unknowns, but looking back, I see how God was already writing my story.
In Kiev, something unexpected happened. I was invited to a Bible study—just a simple gathering of people reading God’s Word. I had never experienced anything like it. The more I listened, the more I realized that this wasn’t just another story; it was the truth my heart had been searching for. It was there, in that small group, that I gave my life to Jesus and accepted Him as my Savior.
But God wasn’t just working in my life—one by one, He drew the rest of my family to Himself as well. The faith that had taken root in me began to transform our home.
Then, during a summer camp, I sensed God calling me to something more. Missions. Ministry. A life fully devoted to Him. I didn’t know what it would look like, but I knew I had to say **yes**. That decision led me to the Word of Life Bible Institute in 1999, where I spent a year studying and growing in my faith.
After finishing my time at the Bible Institute, I returned to Ukraine—thinking I was simply going back home. But God had another plan waiting for me. It was there that I met Juan Marcos, the man who would become my husband and ministry partner.
From that moment on, our journey together began—a journey of faith, of serving the Lord side by side, and of following Him wherever He leads.
And the story is still unfolding…
Address:
Juan Marcos Radziwiluk
Word of Life United States
PO Box 600
Schroon Lake, NY 12870
Word of Life Fellowship - Donations
PO Box 600
Schroon Lake, NY 12870
Call us at 518-494-6000, option 5, to give with a credit card, debit card, or check. You can also call us if you have any questions.
If you have any questions or comments email us at donations@wol.org.
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