Dana Keller - A Heart for Orphans
On November 19, BIEM’s Board of Directors came to an exciting decision. After lengthy discussion with a young missionary applicant, the Board enthusiastically appointed Dana Keller as a BIEM missionary to orphan children in Ukraine.
One of the exciting things about this application is that Dana (an Eastern European name pronounced “DAH-nuh”) is the eldest daughter of our seasoned missionaries Vitaly and Alexandra Keller. As such, she grew up, not only in a Christian home, but in a home where she regularly saw her parents ministering to others and engaging them with the Gospel.
Her early years
Dana says, “I think I was around 10 years old—maybe a little younger—when I came to the conclusion that I want a personal relationship with God.” She talked with her father, who made sure she understood the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. Assured that Dana truly believed and had placed her faith in the Savior, Vitaly had the privilege of baptizing her along with several others at their next baptism service.
Right away, Dana embraced her Christian faith in a personal way, not just something that she observed in her parents’ lives.
“My mom tells stories of how, when I was little, we would go to a playground, and I would tell the other kids and their moms about God. Those other moms would walk over to my mom and be like, “Your daughter is trying to convert us or something.”
As Dana grew and matured, she often joined her parents in street evangelism and other outreaches, where she benefited from learning by their example.
Bible college & beyond
Currently, Dana is in the U.S. attending her last year of Bible college. But no one should think she’s content just to absorb information when there is hands-on work to be done. Even before the war, Ukraine supported a huge number of children in orphanages. Now, the war has only multiplied the number of kids without parents who need the Gospel.
A special advantage for Dana is that ministry to orphans runs in her family. For many years, her uncle has been active directing camps for orphans in Ukraine. “So, I’ve had very easy access to his camps for orphans during summers and winters. I went and just felt that this is where I feel most needed.”
Because Turkey invited Ukrainian orphanages that were close to the warfront to relocate to Turkey for safety, Dana traveled there with a ministry team to evangelize among the children. This experience confirmed in Dana’s mind that this is the sort of mission field she wanted to work in, not just temporarily but full-time.
As part of her Bible college training, Dana did her internship in a prison for troubled youth, and she declares she especially enjoyed that experience. However, Because of cultural differences, she notes, “I really like to work with youth, but with American youth it’s so different. I don’t understand them. I don’t understand their struggles and their jokes….” So, even though she appreciated that experience in an American correctional facility, that outreach pointed her thoughts back to the lands of her upbringing: “I can do the most in Ukraine or Russia, because I know their culture. I know how they grew up.”
Looking ahead…
Asked whether she might have trouble using her time effectively as a single missionary, she states, “I can’t sit still, so I like structure in my life. I like to have a schedule. Usually on free days I create my own schedule, because if I didn’t have a schedule I wouldn’t be as productive. I can’t sit still.”
Will Dana miss America when she eventually heads back overseas as a missionary? She replies, “The more time I spend in America, the more I understand that I don’t want to stay in America. It’s a wonderful country you have, but I love my own country. And I know I could get too comfortable here. I don’t want to do that. I don’t think God is calling me to be comfortable.”
Dana expects to graduate from Bible college in the spring of 2025 and hopes to be on the mission field by the summer of 2026. She is already contacting churches and says, “If churches would like to contact me, I would love to share my vision and plans over the phone or by Zoom. I would also come and visit if they are located within 2-3 hours from Lancaster, PA.” Churches may contact her via email: DanaKellerRu@gmail.com.
