Ukrainian Rap = klass.
We had a fun night last night hosting a Rap Concert for the area students. In spite of very little advertising and last minute planning, around 80 students came out to fill the old soviet theater. The 3 rappers were from Kiev, and did a great job engaging with the students. Check out the video clip!
The one rapper introduced himself and added, “American Poetry, this is rap!” I smiled and thought of my brief stint as a Run-DMC fan, that’s old school boyEEE! This was our September outreach, we’re planning one per month through the entire school year. A ton of new faces and lives we hope to impact with the love of God this year.
This youth culture loves rap. It’s still relatively new, it’s about expressing conviction, it’s about young people with a voice. In a culture that has seriously lost it’s way with alcoholism and corruption, a passionate declaration to live for God seems to be refreshing to the students. They cheer when the guys give their testimony. I came home last night and told Deb, “Somebody forgot to tell all these kids that they aren’t Christians.” Sure there is sin, the heart does not want to surrender naturally, but God is hope, and hope is a powerful influence here. Not sure what is next, maybe 80’s Hair Bands? Not sure if Deb would like me to grow my mullet out again, but it might be fun.
The Shurr gang meet the Crowe's in Ukraine - Fun!
Earlier this week we had Jamie and Melanie Shurr drive from Croatia with their 5 kids. Jamie was my youth pastor from Canada, we hadn’t seen each other for many years, it was serious time warp! It was a quick trip but we managed to pack in hours of discussion and mutual encouragement. So thankful for reconnecting, our kids had a blast too. Thanks guys for driving all that way!!
We’re now back into full swing work, both Deb and I have full plates for the next few weeks. Here’s a bullet list of things we’re doing and could use some prayer for:
– Deb is sharing this weekend at the Ladies monthly meeting.
– Deb’s health isn’t the greatest, some minor health issues could use some prayer.
– Noah is doing very well, but still has a bump that we’d love to see go away in the next 3-4 days or might need to go back to doctors for fluid extraction.
– Going to visit the Kiev private clinic soon to determine whether we’ll have the baby there or not.
– Cypress work is going well, very busy, finishing up Brooklyn Tabernacle’s new website.
– Wed night bible study still going weekly, 13th week and still in John chapter 5! Need more time to study!
– Leadership meetings are continuing, really desiring to see Ukrainians in our church filled with new passion for reaching the lost, and prayer.
– Cafe received $750 last week from two givers, thank you!! That keeps our guys working another couple of weeks and then we’ll need to buy kitchen equipment. Pray we get the gas hooked up before it gets cold!
Thanks for stopping in:)
Bruce & Deb
Awesome that the Shurr’s came for a visit! There must have been lots of laughter 🙂
Mullet? What about a perm? You looked so awesome with your curls hehe.
Rap=American Poetry?
I think those of us who read Robert Frost, Emily Dickenson and so many more might protest to such indulgence of the rapid growing impedance of knowledge that is so pushed upon the children of this era.
Example;
Are there no water-lilies, smooth as cream,
With long stems dripping crystal? Are there none
Like those white lilies, luminous and cool,
Plucked from some hemlock-darkened northern stream
By fair-haired swimmers, diving where the sun
Scarce warms the surface of the deepest pool?
Elinor Wylie
See you didn’t even need a dictionary to understand that poem, though I personally find it more fullfilling to have to flip through the dust warn pages of an old english dictionary.