Last week we left the 4 youngest with my parents for the week, and boarded a plane for British Columbia.  Our visit to Canada’s furthermost western Province was a double blessing as we caught up with family and saw the most incredible views (when the sun was out).

We’ve since driven to Victoria, BC, hopped on a 3hr fast ferry to Seattle, and have been spending time with our new friends.

The church at Lake Samm is in Bellevue, the birthplace of Microsoft.  It’s pastored by Curt Brunk, the brother of Dave Brunk, founder of Christ for the Nations in Minsk and the ministries we are helping to lead.

Jan Brunk, Dave’s wife also lives here now and is surrounded by an army of servants, caring and missional families.  On Saturday evening all of the Brunk kids (in their 20’s) flew and drove in to meet for a special gathering with our family.  It marked the 2yr anniversary of Dave’s passing.  Our kids were able to meet and hear some stories of the Brunk kids, who have experienced a lot of the same upbringing culturally.

We’ve been hosted by a sweet family, the Lee’s, who have given us their Honda Van for our running about the Seattle area, as well as feeding us like kings.  Also so encouraged to meet some of the Brunk’s closest of friends, supporters and family.  There’s a real sense here that our merciful God has connected our families, for the purpose of pushing ahead, not losing ground, and fueling the work of the Kingdom in the former Soviet Union.

Finding a community with this sort of history and respect for pioneering movements is humbling, exciting, sobering – Jesus is at work, His heart advancing through His people.

Thank you Kesia Lee for the great Photo!

It’s becoming clearer.  We are called, as a ministry and family, to connect and fuel mission.  To champion and encourage others with vision and humility to see Jesus touch hearts.

We have been blessed and challenged by a legacy donor a few days ago with a matching $15k gift.  This means that if we can raise $15k (by June 1), we will have infused, or rather God will have infused, $30k towards logistical needs for MIR – of which are many!

The cool news, is that today a generous family donated $5k towards this matching pledge.  So without even telling anyone about this pledge yet, we only need $10k before June 1.

This will be a significant help this coming year with all the projects and needs before us – please pray for this!

If you’d like to help us towards this matching pledge, please click here!
*all gifts are tax deductible.

At Lake Samm, the church took an offering to sponsor the upcoming new (and original) Worship Album that Yan and the guys are producing in Minsk.  If you read our blog, you know how excited we are about this project and looking forward to making it available across social media and engaging the youth with some powerful new music.   If you’d like to help fund the outreach / concert phase of this, you can visit the MIR site for more info.

We also have our first couple potential students for YFM, Bronywn manned the table in the foyer with bracelets and stickers.  We met some fellow CFN graduates and also YWAM folk as well.

Friday night, at 10pm, in the main sanctuary, there was a youth gathering of Russian speaking youth gathering for worship and prayer.  It was incredible.  To walk in from the street, outside Seattle of all places, and to walk into the presence of God, the same presence we feel and experience 1000’s of miles away in Ukraine and Russia.  I thought to myself, “How many english speaking youth are gathered on a Friday evening from 10p-12a for meeting with Jesus?”  God is raising up this generation, I’m telling you, it’s something legitimate.  We felt at home in that moment, like a fish back in the water – these are the people God has called us to serve.

Tomorrow we meet with a cool family that has been to Kiev and already looked into possibilities of starting a Coffee Shop/Restaurant in the past.

We’re also meeting with the Charity accountant who’s also a family friend of the Brunks.   I’m enjoying not only meeting incredible personalities and people that love Jesus, but also have a tremendous amount of practicality and wisdom.

Bronwyn led an English/Russian worship song at the end of our luncheon – sweet!

We fly out Tuesday to Toronto, grab our 4 littles, and start our 2 day driving trek to Texas for our next weekend.  We are stopping at Memphis to see our good friends who we miss – and hope to also see a few more folks along the way!

Thanks for checking in, praying for us and the work of the Kingdom in the Russian speaking world!

Bruce & Deb