Deb’s parents, Neil & Noline Rhodes.

This past week Deb and spent a week in Celebration, Florida with our 2 littlest girls, visiting Deb’s parents.  This past season, her dad has been recovering from surgery and a victory over cancer.

It was several years since has been with her parents and siblings.  They visited Disney together, which is right next door, and I was able to get some quiet and write curriculum.  My head and heart is full as God continues to bless, connect and urges us towards the fall and a new chapter.

One of the highlights for everyone was the pure, joyful, unbelief of Abigail when she saw Disney mountain.  The innocence engulfed in imagination.  I wasn’t there, but the grandparents enjoyed the moment, and softy Neil got choked up.

I think as believers, we are moved by imagery that points us forward to a day when we will fix our eyes on the substance of our faith – something and someone greater than our wildest dreams.

Thankful for the time there, and for my parents in Canada as well for watching the rest of the crew (and all the family that also put my boys to work as well!).

In other family news, Brent and Broderic have been working on the farm.  Broderic is getting ready to head to London, Ontario for custom harvesting peas.  He is praying about returning to Ukraine, or rather Minsk in the fall for continued studies with our program.  He’d be a delight to have, but we encourage him ultimately to pursue what God is forming in His heart.  Are these arrows supposed to fly back?  I hope some of them do! 🙂

Speaking of arrows, our spitfire Bronwyn was blessed with work this summer at Life Center, and has been putting in many hours cleaning, stuffing envelopes and whatever else the staff of +40 need.

The Church is hosting a Worship Conference this weekend, some folks from Bethel and several other musicians – she’ll be in her glory.. if she’s not cleaning and serving behind the scenes.  We’re so thankful for the Stocks, pastors of the church and parents of Deb’s brother’s wife.. say that 5 times fast – for giving her this opportunity and legal way to earn some US cash.  She’ll be heading to Minsk as well for fall YFM.

We have 9 days left before we pack up, fly back to Ukraine.  We hit the ground running with a crew of student interns for July/August – we have several new folks coming to serve alongside our students, and pour themselves and the love of God in their journey.  Please pray for this, we are asking God to give us a refreshing atmosphere of grace, love, community and places where the Holy Spirit can speak and grow us all.

God has been connecting, speaking, I want to write more, but I will leave this blog post as a family update and bid you all adieu!  I do want to mention however that we are still accepting applications for YFM (english speaking), next month we begin recruiting for Russian/Ukrainian speaking.  If you know any youth that might be interested in our missions course, it’s $3,500, all inclusive (except ticket) and includes:

  • Tuition
  • Housing
  • Food
  • Fall Lecture Phase (many international speakers coming!!)
  • Spring Mission Phase
  • A lot of Coffee.

Send young people here for more – click here

We are needing some sponsors to help bless financially those students who are very poor, that have passion for Christ but no way to raise the funds – even $50 is a huge step forward – click here

We’ve received already 4 pledges for the full scholarship (named after the CFN Minsk late founder Dave Brunk), so that is a huge start!

Our first worship album, called, “Immerse” (in Russian) is almost finished, will release for free to Russian speaking world for free.  It’s sounding amazing, when it comes out help us by purchasing it in iTunes – you won’t understand it, but it will bless you!

For a sample visit our Mir Music page – click here

Missing our Ukrainian & Belorussian family, thankful for those that hold the rope on this side of the pond, we love you!

Bruce & Deb