March 5, 2012

We’re off to Kiev tomorrow to finally purchase the kitchen equipment.  It’s taken a while to compare ‘apples to apples’ with another company, and now arrange to make the deposit into the companies account.. always a bit unnerving, fortunately it’s only a 50% deposit.

We’re told that the cabinets will then arrive (stainless steel) in two weeks, followed by the Pizza oven and stove top by end of March.  We’re safely still 2 months away from being functional, and even longer before we could open to the public.  Besides needing tables and chairs, here’s a list of remaining items we need to pray continue progressing:

– Land transfer from private residential to business: this has been approved by the city counsel last week, but could take several months to process.

– Gas and Electric document changes.  After the land has finally been re-zoned, we can apply to upgrade and change the current utilities.  This will cost about $2,000 I am told in all but will give us the amount of gas and higher level of electric power which will be essential.

– Cappuccino machine and suppliers.  We have set aside $2k of the kitchen budget for the purchase of the coffee machine.  There are many vendors that lease the machines to you if you sign up to sell their coffee.  Need to investigate this some more, but didn’t want to rush that decision until the kitchen is completed and we can focus.

Brent decided to take a picture of what I look like most evenings as I work on my Mac with Cypress.

I have been encouraged by the community support since returning from Canada this Christmas.  Shop owners, the Mayor, Police Chief, and neighbors are all aware of the ‘coming’ cafe.  I realize for most westerners the progress seems to be taking forever, but trust me, things are moving along at a Ukrainian clip, and the fact that there’s something

coming at all is encouraging for this town.  In a way, I’m glad it’s taking quite a while to complete.  It’s giving us all time and reason to communicate what our motivations are for this place, and show ourselves to be people of action, not just talk.  Parents especially seem to be grateful for something wholesome, it’s starting to make me a bit nervous to think we may end up with a packed cafe full of 10yr olds, but that wouldn’t be a bad thing when you think of the Kingdom of God.

Deb is now 8 months pregnant!  In four weeks or less we’ll have little Abbey (what we are calling her so far!).  Deb is slowing down a bit, and needing to more.  We have still several trips to Kiev in preparation for the delivery, including an eye doctor appointment tomorrow.  We have no idea why, but she is required to get her eyes tested before the doctors will sign off on a natural birth.  Random.  Ukraine.

Business (Cypress Interactive) has taken up a lot of my time since returning.   While my family is supported by a wonderful church in Texas (Crossroads Community Church), I continue to look towards the world of business to help advance Kingdom work here.  It’s not been easy trying to balance what we have on our plates, and often something suffers for lack of attention here in Ukraine, or in America that I’ responsible for.

Please pray that we’d be faithful with the things God entrusts us with, and also to let go of things when we need to, and trust Him.  Please pray that God builds a sustainable team in Texas/US with the vision needed to remain profitable.  We have so many of the right pieces I believe, but not quite there.

100% healed, Noah the monkey.

Several have asked how Noah is doing after his fall.  He’s 100% back to normal, praise God for that.

This past Sunday our church hosted another men’s breakfast.  Great group of guys.  A couple unbelievers came, and then came to church the next day.  I believe God’s heart is to raise up a generation of real men.  Men that walk in holiness and integrity.  What a light these men could be.  We talked about our thought life, and challenged one another to purity of the mind, where it all starts.

Not even going to go into the circus that is my Residence Permit.  Ask you to pray that we’ll get all of our documents needed and for favor among the layers of bureaucracy.

Tucker turns 9 and goes bowling with his friends in Kiev.

Prayer Points –

– Cafe land / utility documents
– For Deb & our baby girl coming April 1 or sooner!
– Generation of young men raised up for God
– Permanent Residence approval soon!

Sincerely,

Bruce & Deb