Category: Bruce Posts (Page 106 of 211)

With all the excitement around the student workshops and evening worship (our 18th begins tonight), thought a little update on the actual Cafe is in order.

Dema, Sveta and our students (including Bronwyn) have done a stellar job keeping things moving.  We’ve had increased business with the Americans here obviously, but also more students are coming through the afternoons, and our lunches and dinners are really peaking.   We’re averaging around 300-400 visitors per week, which is back up to our pre-Christmas numbers.   The Hrvnya is still hurting, and our prices although increased to balance some of the inflation, are still not high enough to make a profit.  However, we are paying our staff, paying for our products, and only falling short monthly about $500 (if nothing breaks, which is mostly for utilities and taxes).

Last week we had an emergency Coffee Machine service call from Kiev, our system sounded like it was about to explode – fortunately, it just needed to be cleaned and $200 later (took the guy 6hrs to tear it all down and clean) it’s humming along again.   The cost of keeping caffeine flowing 🙂

With the summer here, and it being our first spring/summer, there’s a lot of excitement in the air when the weather is warm.  People come in with more smiles, and we’re pumping out the ice cream like it’s going out of style.  Our main ice cream offering is a banana split and our signature ‘lighthouse sundae’.  See below for a little video how it’s made.. in super speed by Sveta.

We are still looking for cones.. we’ve got to start selling regular ice cream cones.. but it’s surprising (shouldn’t be!) how challenging it can be to find quality, crunchy, and tasty cones here.. oh, and affordable!

We still don’t have gas, nor pizza.  We’re weekly contacting the ‘permit’ department in another town, which was supposed to provide us with the documents (we paid 2,000hrv for them legally) a month ago.  I know Dima calls regularly, and its always ‘soon, soon’.  Supposedly the final step in this 2yr saga, but we’re so busy right now it’s not bothering me – I’d be happy to run the summer without pizza and continue to refine what we do offer – which isn’t much, but has us on our toes, particularly without a cook.

The reputation of the Cafe among families, mom’s, and tourists is catching on more and more.  Yesterday 5 huge lumbering hunters came in, rifles and backpacks.. I was a bit nervous at first because they were wearing some camo, but soon realized they were just a bunch of young boys in adult bodies – they all ordered ice cream, then espresso to wash it down 🙂  We have several requests for birthday parties – people want to reserve our Cafe or spaces – which we aren’t doing.  We don’t want to interrupt the regular customers, but when it’s slow we have been letting them come early and hold down some tables – it’s a favorite among 8-10yr old little girls – they come and stay for hours..  it’s cute, but also really loud and messy.  The parents are always very cordial and thankful for our staff and facilities.

Generally we are extremely happy with the Cafe, the customers, the friends we are making weekly.  Our staff is still being stretched and find it hard already to implement new routines.. the death of business if we don’t remain agile.   It’s amazing how quickly we get ‘set’ in our ways and like our rhythms.  Lord help us always to want to grow, learn and not find solitude in mediocrity.    I think that is just a Kingdom principle, applies to family, church, business, personal growth.. hockey!

We hope to finally wrestle Pepsi into giving us promised tables and chairs for our deck.  It’s frustrating that I can’t seem to get any help when it’s an American company.. I’ve tried contacting the US offices, then Kiev.. they seem to only help the Kiev cafes and don’t help the smaller towns – shame on you Pepsi for ignoring the little guys!   Write your local Pepsi congressman.

Unrelated to the Cafe, but she sure is my sweet little thing.

We have a bit set aside for some benches on the deck, but if Pepsi doesn’t come through, we may ask our friends to partner with us and get some furniture out there – we would love to host some concerts out there before the group leaves, and generally use this space more now that the weather is great – such a prime location, more folks to draw in and meet.

We’re extremely thankful for those supporting $25/mo, which is only a couple friends at the moment but makes such a difference for us.   If you’d be able to join our Cafe supporters, we’d very much accept your help!   You can give one time or monthly via Paypal on our Donation Page – I think some people assume we have everything we need, but the reality is we also live month to month like most of you, especially this last year, trusting God for personal needs, mixed right in with this Cafe – God continues to provide, but it’s oft’ overwhelming and keeps us in prayer.   No contribution is too small to make a difference.

Blessings to you all out there –

Bruce

Last night we started back up our evenings of worship for the week.  The 2nd floor was full with about 40 believers from our town, Kiev and Khargalyk.  Collins did a wonderful job creating a relaxed atmosphere – it’s one thing I really appreciate about these times of worship – nothing is rushed, our only expectation is to lift up worship to our King.

For about 20 minutes everyone took pen in hand and wrote a letter to God.  It fit the moment, a form of prayer – and practice that helps us assimilate our desires and burdens.  After this we ended up having a really joyous final few songs – it’s cool when the people of God lift up a heavenly roar, unrehearsed, unplanned, just expression of praise.

I know some of you are following online, and hope that you have been blessed by what God is doing here, and something translates through the low quality camera 🙂

This is our final week of workshops, we’re busy planning now a final event where we can bless the students and continue to connect with more through creative arts and friendship.  We’re also going to try to rehearse a bit in the bigger cultural building downtown, and praying about a final 1 or 2 evenings of worship in the center of town, as this building holds over 200 and would be really amazing to have all that have attended at some point, gather and worship in this venue.

We’ll be posting more on the facebook group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/awaken2015/ – It’s been cool to correspond with various believers this way, in and out of our region.

Weather is amazing, but still not warm enough for folks to hang out at beach – I think that will be another venue we could play and do some outreach before the group leaves.  We’re pretty booked up between now and June 12 (when they leave), between Kiev outreaches, and other towns on the weekends.  I do want to see the team transition to some concerts as well through the Cafe.

Please continue to pray God will awaken the church, and those seeking after truth to find freedom and peace through Christ.  I know my own heart has been awakened to His presence, and it is good!

Bruce & Deb

This past week we continued to host creative workshops at the Cafe.   Some of the classes had very little attendance due to holiday week and a lot of students home for holidays.  May is definitely not the best month to plan events in Ukraine – there are literally holidays every week it seems.

The smaller classes have actually made for some more focused tutoring and relationship building.   My favorite class to ‘hear’ is the vocal lesson class.  Anywhere from 10-20 participate and Liz is an excellent instructor.  She has them doing all sorts of collective training exercises and practically learning a few songs as a choir.  I can’t wait to hear their final performance.

We’ll be hosting a showcase event on the 19th or 20th, where all Awaken students can come, see the paintings, hear some songs and the team will perform a bit.  We hope to share some testimonies as well, and deposit some truth into their hearts in a meaningful way – please pray for this!  We were blessed with a few donations this past week that allows us to provide a custom ‘awaken’ t-shirt to each student as well – I know they will really love that.

Our evening worship and prayer have been really good.  Each night a different group has come.  Last night I wasn’t sure if anyone would come as it was rainy, colder, and the start of another long weekend.  Yet, another mixed group came for some worship and prayer.  It was a shorter evening as we prayed for the Myers family, who just left this morning back to the US.  They were here for the first month only, the rest of the team (7 adults and one child) will remain for the 2nd month.   We have only one full week left of classes and evening worship.  I’m leaning towards mixing up the last week of worship and prayer to be something more public, perhaps even out on our Cafe deck – It’s been a wonderful time of focused prayer and personal ‘filling’ through worship, but there comes a point after 12 or so evenings that you really want to turn outward and proclaim more in public.  Please pray for this too!

The next few weeks we’re praying and asking the Lord to lead the team.  We desire to strengthen/bless the local body, both here in Rz and in Khargalyk where many folks have come from during our evenings and even workshops.   This weekend we’re all going to Khargalyk to worship with the Calvary Chapel there.  The following Sunday night we’ll be doing evening worship and prayer there as well as some evangelism/concert with their church (dates TBD).

We’ll then be looking to spread out in and around RZ, worshipping/playing in the parks during market days each week, and joining various home groups and studies from primarily the two churches here that have been involved.   We’re considering a worship ‘workshop’ for area musicians and singers specifically for practical training and engagement in their local assemblies.  Please pray for continued unity and for vision/passion among the indigenous body here.  It’s been so cool to mix and match various groups, ages and churches – in the context of simple worship.  It’s so easy to get huddled in comfortable groups and the body of Christ being so small in number here, organic type gatherings really strengthens the faith of everyone, especially new believers.

We also have some out of area outreaches you can pray with us about.  One is possibly a small team going with another ministry down to Dnipropetrovsk, which is down towards the front of the battle in the south east of Ukraine.  The purpose would be to encourage the Soldiers and military personnel – as well as possibly some concerts.    Another is connecting with YWAM Kiev base for worship and encouragement of their team/students in a couple weeks over a weekend – which would also include city evangelism which the team is itching to do more of.

In the context of a small town, where relationships are key, we’ve been thankful this team ‘gets it’, that people are not gospel fodder.  God’s mandate is not to simply speak to unknown masses on the street in ‘shot gun’ style, but to build bridges, trust and showcase the life of Jesus through love and message.  This often takes time, building reputation in a hard to reach part of the world, stumped in traditions of men.   A short term team that comes to aid, support and strengthen the existing long term efforts is always the best approach I think.  While it may not seem that ‘exciting’ to the starry eyed, passionate short term tripper, we have witnessed significant encouragement in many hearts, and their gifts/love for God have made a difference on this first month of ministry through the Cafe/2nd Floor.

Thankful, and enthusiastic for the 2nd month as continued ministry desires evolve personally, and fall partnerships come together.   We’d love to see more Kingdom resources flow through our little town, strengthening hope, vision and passion for God’s desires among the emerging body of faith.

Please pray for our family as we feel led to pray and work towards a possible 2-3 month Russian stint, somewhere.  We want to emerge our family in Russian culture and language.  We aren’t intending to move to Russia at this time, but believe God is leading us to pray about something radical (for us) potentially even this year still.   We feel burdened to trust Him for much more than we see – for a network of like minded believers and disciple – makers to emerge, sending teams back and forth, growing the influence of Jesus Kingdom – a missional community.. we’re not sure if that will be specifically through YWAM, or a combination of something new and a partnership with them, but we definitely feel a unity and peace about working with our friends that God has brought into our lives.

We can see the Cafe being the building block from which continued discipleship and ministry (inside and outside of Ukraine) takes place.  May He supply all the needs and receive all the glory!

Enough for now.   I know I write too much, but remember I write this for our children and a history of God’s work on this journey of faith as much anything.

Bruce & Deb

“When I forget the gospel I become dependent on the smiles and evaluation of others.”  – Timothy Keller

What motivates you?  I’ve been thinking more lately about legacy.  Asking myself, ” is what I’m occupied with today is going to leave a lasting result for tomorrow?”.  I think it’s a good question to be continually asking ourselves.

I have 8 kids.  Lent arrows, potential world changers, massive eaters.  Nothing moves me like when I think about my children.  Business and ministry efforts pale in comparison to the intrinsic value they hold in my heart.   What is the best gift I can give them?   I think it’s a legitimate legacy.

This past week a missionary passed away from cancer he caught while living for years in Chernobyl radiation area of Belarus.  He knew the risks.  He along with his wife and young kids advanced the Kingdom through many amazing avenues, leaving behind a treasure of a legacy.  Many lives impacted by his faith and love for others.   Most importantly, his children inherited a legacy in their dad of one that believed fully in this life.

I want to run into eternity.  I don’t want to limp, or gasp into the next life.  I want to throw off the shackles of this flesh and broken world in victory.  Too many of us are concerned about what others think.  We are, as Tim Keller suggests, more impacted at times by the acceptance of others than the acceptance of God thru the Gospel.  This, I believe, incapacitates us from walking in faith toward God, stepping out and trusting Him implicitly – simply because we fear what others might think.

Faith moves God’s heart.  He loves to lead us into deep water, to places desolate of clarity or light – teaching us to cling to His hand and trust when logic or natural wisdom seem lost.   If we are overwhelmed with what others think in these moments or seasons, we allow fear to dominate our decisions.

Our motivations matter.  If we are convinced that Christ crucified has made us completely accepted  before God, our legacy will be that of God’s grace through all our efforts.  If we are moved by the appraisal of men, our legacy will be limited to things ‘we’ accomplished by the strength of the flesh.  It’s who we are, and why we ‘do’ that matters.

God give us an enduring legacy for our children.  At home, at work, at play.  A legacy that is motivated not in pleasing others, but in gratitude for God’s amazing grace!  A legacy of God’s greatness through the Gospel – that He bled and died for a unjust sinner.  Thank you God the news is still great!

I have a feeling that if my children are moved by the reality of God’s grace and presence in my life, and not my human accomplishments, I will have given them the greatest gift.

Great to meet with Kyle and Oxona from Kiev YWAM Base – finally got them out to the Lighthouse Cafe to show them what we’ve been up to, and discuss things we could partner together with in the future.