G r o z n y – Summer camps organised by Russian and American Baptists are helping war-traumatised Muslim children and young people from Chechnya to overcome their hatred. This was reported to the European Baptist Press Service (EBPS) by Julia Shetinska (Uzhur, Siberia), a co-worker during these retreats. At a recent 10-day retreat in the vicinity of Tuopse near the Black Sea, 66 boys and 15 girls between the ages of seven and 17 participated. Initially, the children had regarded their Russian supervisors as enemies. The children repeatedly attempted to test the devotion of their adult helpers. In one instance, a young man from Chechnya offered Mrs. Shetinska a drink from his opened pop can. He was pleasantly surprised to note that she did not refuse the offer. In order to help gain the trust of the campers, the Russian helpers learned Chechen folkdances.

Julia Shetinska notes that US-American supervisors are more readily accepted than Russian ones: "The war situation in Chechnya fully absorbs the children. They are aggressive, brimming with hatred and fear. Even small children do not spare with threats to kill others or slit their throats. In this tense situation God’s love is the only means for achieving true change. One young woman from Chechnya confessed that the camp retreat had robbed her of one of her most precious dreams. She had dreamt repeatedly of the opportunity to kill a Russian with her own hands."

Yet some Muslim young people have responded positively to the Gospel. At a camp a year ago two older girls became Christians. They were afterward thrown out of by their Muslim families and forced to go into hiding among their new Christian friends in Russia.