Month: July 2013

Our new La Cimbali coffee machine!  How can I explain the joy of another important piece in place for the Lighthouse Cafe?  Some things have taken a couple years, other things months.  Nothing has come easily or quickly.  We’re still not there, but at least it smells like a coffee house now!

Picture L-R Dema, Roma (sold us the machine), myself, Shane and Sergei setting up and asking questions about the machine.

Think Fiddler on the Roof.. when Mertel gets his new sewing machine.  The town is a buzz, folks want to see it, touch it, the first in the town.   The town’s Rabbi even stops in and offers a blessing on his ‘new arrival’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn2og_PDsVA

The past two weeks have been filled with trials.  Customs changed their rules and I was finally check-mated with my truck – I have 2 weeks to export back to US or face large fines.  Getting all our documents in order and racing down to the Black Sea this week to say good-bye to our faithful truck.  It’s served us well.   Not only the cost to ship it back is steep, but having to now look for a winter vehicle for our family is something we didn’t anticipate.  The cost of vehicles here are 40-50% higher than the states.

Broderic, we thought, could take his DL test in Texas without me, but now learning I have to fly over to sign a piece of paper – many more costly documents, taxes, pieces of equipment needed…  I find myself kneeling and surrendering situations and needs a lot more than I used to, sometimes I don’t want to get up.  It’s so nice to cast our cares upon Him, knowing that our Great God does in fact care, know and love each of us.

This is a picture of the new backhoe my dad just bought for the farm (Canada).  If you look in the background, you’ll see a red tractor and grain buggy.  That is what Broderic will spend the next month driving.. go my son!

I will update more later, but wanted to share our excitement about our coffee machine!  Our Cypress office here is moving along steadily.  Been working full days here with the guys on a few projects, seeing some neat doors open that will help us at least pay for their salaries.  Between the Cafe things rolling along (building deck, contracting with vendors, pushing on docs) and then US side of things with business, the days are flying by.

I confess to my wife regularly that I can no longer do my life on my own.  You ever feel like that?  I’m not talking the encouragement or help of others – obviously anything we step out and do we need to work together to accomplish things of significance.   I’m talking about going beyond what we can naturally do, organize, envision and execute.  I’m at a place where my natural talent or ability can no longer sustain me.  The needs are more than I can meet without divine intervention.  It’s uncomfortable, because many of us like to maintain a sense of control and stability.  It’s adventurous, but it’s crushing at times.  I feel overwhelmed, but not in a depressing sense.  I pray the Lord would continue to teach me, and all of us that step out in faith to come regularly for spiritual strength.  To come to His life giving Word.  To sit and rest in His peace.  It’s too late to turn back to Kansas, this is the real deal and we need you Lord!  Come to Him, go now!!

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. – Isaiah 40:29

Deb is amazing and a joy to see at the end of the day.  Kids continue to sprout, and Abbey is no longer a baby.  The days are warm and pleasant right now, the town is a bustle.  I hear some Ukrainian lady shouting downstairs in the Cafe, someone must have left the door open – better go.

Look forward to Skyping our church body in Texas this Sunday.  One of these days they will create a hologram module so we can hop in and out the screen.  I’d walk around and give everyone a big hug.

Bruce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d9oInUarxU

Last night our town once again gathered for Kupala.  Kupala is an ancient, mythological festival centering around a larger bonfire which single men jump over (to prove they are brave), hunting of ferns in the forest (to find their true love), and young maidens adorning wreaths which they release into the water (which can be caught by those brave young lads).

Walking into the festivities.

Like many of our own western holidays (eg. easter, valentines day), these are rooted in pagan history, adapted throughout history by religion, sprinkled with modern day commercialism and gobbled up by the masses.

I’m convinced the real reason for these events lies in our design.  We are social creatures.  If the starbucks culture has taught us anything, its that we prefer to be out from behind desks, computers, vehicles, and around our kind.  Why do we so enjoy large sporting events, concerts and even gathering as believers on a Sunday?  It’s cool to see 100’s gather in our town, in freedom, kids walking with their parents (most have just one kid), cotton candy, jumping slide, and the smell of fresh naturally grilled pork (sashleek).  It’s healthy, especially within a culture that tends to hide itself in tiny apartments and dingy bars.

I feel a growing sadness for this culture.  They’ve been through so much.   Their land has been pillaged, their government is a brood of thugs.  What should be a rich tradition of agrarian family centered culture (our town is over 700yrs old!), is instead a strange mixture of pagan, and shallow western adaptation.  Whether the average Ukrainian realizes it or not, the soviets, in their 70yrs, robbed this people of a sense of identity, and you feel it at these events.  What they elevate as history, or tradition, is a selective salad bowl of nonsense, rooted in nothing that would motivate, elevate or educate them towards a greater good.  Behind the smiling faces is a wandering culture, individualistic, surviving, tired.

Would God raise up young men and women of purpose in this part of the world?  A generation that know their God, and walk with Him?  A generation enthused for God and His Kingdom culture.  How attractive, how inspiring, what light would shine from that generation.  How excellently it would dispel the darkness and ignorance.

We don’t need religion, we need a spiritual revolution.  We need an awakening.  We need you O Light of the Nations!  – Isaiah 49:6

Bruce & Deborah
Missionaries | Ukraine