Kiev, Ukraine | Building where conference this week was held for youth – 5th floor.. attic.
Spring is in the air, snow melted, and plenty of mud if you’d like us to send you some? Bronwyn returns tonight after a 6 month DTS with YWAM. We’re all excited to hear of her adventures and what God is doing in her life.
Arriving just a few hours before her is Andrew Beach, a young man that attended last years Spring Break group from Texas. He’s coming for the week to serve with the music students on his college break.
Deb and I fly out to Minsk on Wednesday for 4 days. Several critical meetings with our friends and fellow leaders as we chart this next season together. It’s new role for us and we ask for prayer. Sharing Sunday as well with the church.
The Bible School, for example, which has functioned now for 20yrs, is unable to continue in its current form. It has provided tuition free study, only requiring $150-200 per month for room & board. God has sustained the College through the years (since mid 90s!) from renting parts of the commercial property the ministry owns. With businesses closing continually in this economic collapse, this model has vanished and there aren’t funds available for this type of model. Over the past year specifically, it’s been a few generous donors keeping the College open.
Please watch this video if you haven’t yet. It gives visuals and explains some of things we are working through now. The video is a bit old as we were just praying then about involvement. I have accepted the position of International Director with MIR Ministries since then, which is the US charity that owns the property and guiding decisions.
Please pray that we hear from God together this week, we move in faith, and unity. Some precious families involved, passionate, those serving within it are gifted and not doing it as a regular job. This school has been an engine producing spiritual life and changing culture around it. The church, the youth events, and many other worship projects have been possible because the school has been an anchor in Minsk – a center of activity, a unifying community. The Kingdom of God has advanced through this vehicle, and I don’t believe it’s days are finished, but changes are needed.
We’ll also be submitting applications for 1yr multi-entry visas for Belarus. Several steps for this in both Belarus and Ukraine.
Can you spot Brent in the black shirt? That’s my shirt! Usually you hear of girls taking the moms clothes… Not here.. my sons and daughter (Bronwyn!) all steal mine!
This past week I visited a youth missions week with our friends at Steiger International. We took a truck full, including Brent. I was a guest small group leader, and taught on the importance of learning early the centrality of the Cross (as a place of freedom and victory).
My favorite part of the day (it’s a 5 day conference), was watching a couple of our Club 180 students really connect with the Lord, specifically during a 45 minute quiet time. Seeing young hearts, eyes closed, hands open, and tears running down their face is truly the most incredible joy. To know God the Father is speaking, touching, healing, wow.
Please pray for Brent. He’s in a critical place in his life too. It was unplanned to leave him there, he asked if he could remain at the conference with some friends from Kharaglyk. He’s such an amazing young man (a little bias here), but needs to encounter the Lord in more meaningful ways. He’s really into fitness, and lacks close friends here that will be an encouragement to his spiritual growth. Language continues to be an obstacle, but God has big plans for this guy if he will keep moving towards the Lord.
These are the core leaders of Steiger here in Ukraine – they will visit Rzhyschiv for a small retreat this month. It’s been so encouraging to get to know them, and begin to partner more together. They are doing great things for the advancement of Christ among youth in Ukraine. Pray for them!
We met with the European leader Luke (striped grey shirt), missionary since 2002 now in Poland, neat guy. It seems almost all their leaders are professional musicians, like Luke, who’ve traveled the world using music for Christ. We discussed deeper partnerships, and they are very interested in establishing coffee shops like Lighthouse, and have ventured down that path a number of times, only to pull back and reconsider timing and calling as a ministry.
They are excellent at creative events, mobilizing young people in evangelism and worship. We are going to continue praying for direction. I think we may plant a Cafe with Steiger soon, if the Lord provides. We already have the location in Ukraine, along the Russian border in a City called Sumy. God is definitely speaking and orchestrating. We move by faith.. I type by faith!
Clark needed a photo with his mom for woman’s day 🙂
March is a huge month for us, with several teams passing through, travel, and end of month incredible opportunity with this band from France coming. We’ve received approval and reserved rental of the Culture House building, seats 370. We have done all of this in faith, without any of the funds for the concert.
We’ll be bringing in full concert/stage equipment from Kiev, and will cost around $2k for everything. To bring the Gospel and the presence of God into the lives of +200 students who have never heard or felt the power of Christ – it’s going to be incredible.
Thank you for praying and staying in touch. Fun fact, around 10-20 people read our blog per today, and when we post on Facebook, usually +100 read it. With the amount of media we all digest, I am thankful anyone even clicks… your simple clicks, they are connections, communication, prayer, resources, then the Kingdom keeps moving ahead together.
Thank you for staying connected, for lifting our spirits in prayer. Please don’t hesitate to email us any prayer requests or family updates – we would love to stay connected with you too.
Love you all –
Bruce & Deb