How can we give an update without including our little monkey Abbey! She still doesn’t walk more than 3-4 steps, stops and praises herself. Love them baby girls!

It was 5yrs ago this week that we moved to Ukraine from Texas.  A few pictures from this week.  We said good-bye to Deb’s parents (and Jesse!).  They were here for 3 weeks, we had a great time.  This past month has been full of family visiting other missionary folks as well.  Deb’s parents, Shane’s mom, Priscilla’s folks for a few days, and Cheryl’s parents too.

Cheryl’s parents were visiting from Canada and her father was struck by a vehicle in Kiev.  He ended up in hospital with a broken femur.  To make matters worse, he’s also battling cancer which heightened the injury and situation.  After a week of waiting and last minute arranging, he was flown in a leer jet back to Canada via the insurance company – accompanied by Canadian medial staff.  Cheryl flew ahead of them in preparation for their return in Saskatoon.  His name is Blake.

Clark taking Noah for a spin. We brought this little ATV over from Texas. It’s 6yrs old and still clicking along somehow, minus some parts both stolen and broken!

Off to Cherkassy tomorrow with Igor.  We’re visiting our friends at eKreative, a development company similar to Cypress our business in Texas.  They’ve been helping us on a few projects.  It’s 2hrs south of Rz.   Our Cypress office is mostly finished on the 2nd floor of the Cafe.  We’re hoping that we can start using it this June, doing some support and smaller type jobs to help the guys in Texas and create some jobs here in town.

Speaking of the Cafe, we haven’t heard anything for weeks.  Ukraine has all but shut down over holidays and just getting back on its feet.

Our needs are two-fold, document and equipment, and they both represent another $8-10k of investment.

Documents Needed: ($4-5k)

• Gas meter installed by gas company (now on 5 months waiting)
• Local Business Permit (supposed to take 2 weeks, now on 9 weeks)
• Fire Dept Doc (paid 50%, but can’t finish until business permit in hand)
• Electricity Meter changed from house to business (same as above)
• Inspection Permit (for food sales).. no idea what this will take.

Equipment Needed: ($3-4k)

• Coffee Machine (hoping to lease with coffee vendor)
• Freezer
• Fridge
• Vacuum & Cleaning Supplies
• Start up ‘stuff’ like first month (snacks, drinks, pizza stuff).

Geega, or Deb’s mom Noline, her first game of pool – she was a shark!

We are aiming to open the Cafe for “Coffee” only asap, maybe as early as June or July at latest.  If we can get things organized and ironed out we can just add the Pizza portion once gas is situated.  Even if gas is turned on sooner than I think, I believe it will be wise for us to just get open with some minimal offerings.. doing it all it going to be just too overwhelming I think (to do well anyway).  The town is so ready for this, it’s going to be so cool!  I think we need a soft serve ice cream machine.  They are about $1000 and wow, how great would that be, we’d be the only ones around with that – and I’d get really fat.

Our first meeting downtown this past Sunday. Pretty relaxed, Coffee and snacks, we had one visitor. Teaching Martin how to run sound! Time for Ukrainians to step up and take hold of what God desires to do here.

Thanks for checking in, especially if you bow your heart and lift us up – we need the Lord’s strength and endurance to keep moving forward with joy.

Oh also please remember us in prayer for our personal documents.  We’re still working through Deb and kids Permanent Residency.  It was chugging along nicely until they wanted a bunch of new things that required us sending things to the US and back.  We also found an error in Broderic’s passport and had to replace it.  That has slowed things down and now all Debs medical documents completed 3 months ago must be redone.. it’s like chasing your tail I tell you!  Broderic and Bron went to Kiev today to get medical things done for their residence.. next the 4 little ones.. fortunately Abbey I don’t think will need these things.. yeah for being born in Ukraine!  – Bruce

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Very good interview / debate with Rob Bell and Andrew Wilson.  If you are a Christian and take your faith seriously, take a listen.  This is a major cultural battle in the church today and Andrew Wilson does a great job helping Rob Bell see that being ‘relevant’ at the cost of being a heretic is a ridiculous place to be.

I wrote a short article on this topic if you enjoyed this video that explains another approach to tackling similar error.  Click here to read.

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This past weekend Ukraine celebrated Easter.  Spring is in full force with grass growing, trees in blossom, tractors in the fields, and sneezing in our house.

The kids had a little egg hunt in the yard.  Leading up to Sunday, Deb and the kids each gave up something for an entire month as a way to better appreciate the concept of sacrifice.  For the kids, it was giving up juice – they could only drink water and milk.  Bronwyn went all month without sugar, as did Deborah.  I’m not sure if Broderic went all out crazy like the two ladies but I think he also attempted a sugarless month.  I didn’t participate in the crazy events, although I did suffer from secondary effects of it.

This week we’ve had 5 students from the US staying with us.  They stayed back for a week as the rest of the team went back stateside.  All bible school students, Deb and I have enjoyed the crew.  It brought us back to the days at CFNI where we met.  Their whole lives ahead of them, embarking out into life with nervous excitement, green as a four leaf clover and simple believing faith.  It was fun to chat and relive some of  our own testimony – we’re old now to them, amazing – we feel 21, life just happens doesn’t it?

Yesterday we took the guys and our family to the first Cricket match in Khargalyk.  Yes, cricket!  The only think I could tell you about cricket before we moved here was that the English gentlemen played is whilst their gowned ladies sat under umbrellas and drank lemonade, eating cucumber sandwiches.  Since moving however, and being alongside Australian cricket fanatics, we’ve been introduced to it a bit more.  I’ve even played a few quick games, swinging away and running in circles.   Here are a few pictures from the event.  This is a labor of love by Wayne in Khargalyk, a fellow missionary and pastor.  He loves the game, and has found opportunity to get involved introducing the game in Ukraine, among several Indian friends and teams from around the area.  It’s been a great way to build relationships and become salt and light in the community for them – their mayor even came out and watched a bit.   Crazy foreigners.

Been working up at the cafe this week with Tom and Alyosha Kurliko.  We’re getting close to finishing the office upstairs on the 2nd floor.  It feels good making progress of some kind while we wait on documents.  Still no word, but I’m itching to see this thing open this summer.  Deb and I were talking the other day about possibly opening earlier just with coffee  – it could mean we could open without gas which may be a while still, and allow us to hone in on the coffee part of the business.  We think ‘coffee and pizza’ and they really are two different business models.  Maybe smart, once we can officially open, to open with coffee and desserts and get that going well before introducing pizza.  We’ll see.  I’ve been thinking even an ice cream soft serve maching would be enough reason to open, it doesn’t exist in our town  – but I fear I would live off it, we love ice cream!

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Enjoyed having the team from Colorado this week.  They are now off to Western Ukraine.  It’s encouraging being around believers isn’t it?  Their joy, their passion for God, their humor.  Often groups that travel on short term trips focus too much on ‘doing’, and forget that simply ‘being’ can have the most lasting influence.

The next time you’re on a short term trip, consider this reality.  You are encouraging believers simply by being yourself.  Whether you are swinging a hammer or standing in front of an audience, remember that your sincere love for God dwarfs all other acts of ministry.

Thanks for encouraging us, you are welcome back anytime!

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Last night we gathered with several area churches, missionaries, and visiting short-term group from the US.  We were able to rent the town’s new Cultural House, a fully equipped theater like building that seats up to 300.  Around 100 attended as we enjoyed a variety of music, worship, and encouragement.

I think the highlight was our Ukrainian friend from Kiev Slava, he both entertained and blessed the group with his unique style, and more importantly sincere passion for God.  I think he’s like a Ukrainian Christian Bob Dylan:)

We were really glad to see our friends from Staiki come and sing a few songs. Artum the keyboard player is very gifted composer and reminds me of my brother Troy, tender heart for God.

I pray the believers locally were encouraged.

I was refreshed and would like to see us host some more of these events through the year, bringing in area Christian talent and elevating Jesus Christ.

John Valentine from NYC leads in worship – in Russian!

Pray for Luba, she is the young lady in charge of the building – she works for the town.  She’s helped us host several outreaches downtown, and last night she worked the sound.  She has been exposed to the gospel and God’s love several times, and last night I believe the evening touched her heart.  May God win her heart and create an incredible testimony in her life.

This sunday I visited the Baptist church in town. They have about 30 members, one of them sitting in front of me sporting a tatoo from his past. Reminded me of God’s power to save.

Perspective – the Baptist sound system, remember tape decks?

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