Stories in the Missional Journey of Bruce & Deborah Crowe

Belarus Update

Bill, his daughter Cheraya, Deb and i in Kiev exploring potential creative spaces.

This week we had the privilege of hosting some friends from Texas from our board.  Making future plans for ministry and projects.  We’ve merged our leadership team and now have an amazing group of mature, caring, and spiritually minded folks – feel very blessed!

This past week we hosted a widows outreach at Lighthouse Cafe – here’s a little video update!

YFM students graduated this weekend, here are some of the girls. Sorry you couldn’t be there Adrienne 😉

I’m in Minsk now, spent the past few days in meetings.  The weather is sunny and warm – a stark contrast to the 3 months of rain, fog and generally dreary weather.

In the center of Minsk hundreds of youth gather and play volleyball in large circles down by the river.  It was picturesque.

I’m amazed at how youthful Minsk is – I’m convinced it’s the youngest capital city in Europe, but I haven’t the facts to back that up.  When I walk around the City though as I did this morning, it’s hard not to feel old.  That represents some significant Kingdom opportunity.  God is working in Belarus, there is an emerging movement of youth and Kingdom growth potential – despite the efforts by many forces to contain it.

We’re making some changes in our ministry, tying up some historical ministries that served so well in the past, but have lost steam over the past few years.  It’s encouraging to see how God ebbs and flows in human history, seasons, movements, partnerships – I’m looking forward to making new history for the Kingdom in the Russian speaking world, and doing that with more friends and partners.  Doing stuff alone is not fun.

Downtown Minsk – this central area is where we hope to host another worship event – in the background is the arena we are hoping for (pray!).

 

Katya serves in many neat ways in Belarus. Can’t be too specific.

When in Belarus, you must eat beef, we missed good beef in Ukraine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids haven’t been in an Orthodox church in a long time, so they found it really surreal – Abigail asked me, “Daddy, is this where a princess lives?”.

My seminary course is reaching it’s first quarter close.  I’ll be flying to California for 10 days of seminars and learning.  Will be meeting my fellow cohort, 30 or so from around the world.

Missing Deb and the kids. I hear the little girls are sick.  So thankful for a loving wife who bears the weight of family while I’m serving in this capacity.  This past weekend we rented a boat from a friend and took the kids on the Dnepr, to the old church on the island.

It’s been challenging as the first quarter is all about taking inventory of our experiences, assessing our values and convictions in new light, and proactively planning each ourselves our next two years of course selection relating to globalization, leadership, culture etc.  I never imagined I would be reading this much, but really enjoying the content and finding refreshing ways to approach challenges before me already.

Back in Ukraine

Great news!  A ministry south of us that does programming business and other creative ministries donated our Lighthouse Sign!  A Ukrainian mission partner donated it!  How cool.  Love how God is working in Ukraine.

We’ve toured a few potential creative spaces in Kiev, but nothing that fits our vision and budget yet. We’re considering a few different business models, and still praying through this.  One idea is an event space, like for receptions, concerts, conference – with a coffee shop area that would open during rental.

We also want a few offices for combination English, creative, music things as well as possible start-up partnerships.  Like with Lighthouse, everything we put our hands to we want to all possible to create synergy in mission and business – to sustain and not ‘need’ western hand outs continually.  So many great ideas, talented people, surely God can guide us to producing a sustainable model in Kiev which could double as a place of missional community – My dream is to see these platforms emerge across the Russian speaking world.  We have the armies of youth around us, we just need God’s blessing – pray!

Thanks for checking in!

Bruce & Deb

1 Comment

  1. mom crowe

    so good and encouraging to read, I will be praying for God’s direction in all that you and so many others are doing over there. We need it here! XX

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