Category: Bruce Posts (Page 125 of 211)

To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world. ~ Karl Barth

This morning believers gathered in the public square for prayer and patriotic singing.  Most of the gathered were from the Baptist Church, with a sprinkling of the other churches.  A handful of passerby’s stopped and listened for portions of the hour.

Andrei Murzin our friend from Kiev came and shared what God is doing in Ukraine. He’s been very involved with the Kiev Maiden Christian outreaches.

While it didn’t attract hundreds, it was an important public step for Christianity which in these parts is limited to the strict Orthodox form and inside the four walls of the church.

Afterwards church leaders in our town gathered to discuss continued efforts to awaken the people of our town to God. It was decided to hold another such gathering this coming Sunday.

It’s interesting how Christians in various denominations view public prayer and perhaps prayer in general.  Is it a monologue, or a dialogue?  Is it most effective in short bursts or long passionate pleas?

“Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers which cannot be refused.”  ~ Charles Spurgeon

I don’t think God cares much for forms,  whether we stand, sing, shout or say ‘amen’ at the right moment.  He looks to the heart, for sincerity, faith and passion.  I hope regardless of the formats these services hold, God hears our prayers, and the community awakens to the spiritual realities around them.  God is not dead, and the fear surrounding the political tensions can work to draw hearts to Him for real comfort.

The gospel is so simple, isn’t it?  God wants a relationship with you and I.  We need to lay down our weapons of rebellion and surrender in faith.  We need to remind ourselves here that neighboring countries, nor their leaders are the greatest enemy- our true enemy is not with flesh and blood (Eph 6:12).  God through His Son done has completed our rescue, won our victory from the real enemy 2000yrs ago on the Cross.

We have to make sure we don’t overly complicate the simple act of coming to Him.

I pray that in the coming weeks, regardless of the political situation that we as the church will embody this simple message – clearly caring, sharing and living in a manner worthy of the simple, but powerful gospel message.

Thanks for checking in,

Bruce & Deb

Thank you Jason Parks at the Picton Gazette for putting together a piece on our family & Ukraine.  You can view it online here – http://issuu.com/pictongazette/docs/picton_gazette_mar20

Tomorrow morning during the largest open market day, local Christians will gather in the center for public prayer.  Many cities in Ukraine are starting to do the same thing.  In some ways, it feels as though there is a spiritual revolution taking place alongside the political one.  Our town is very traditional Orthodox, and our particular Orthodox Church aligns with the Russian branch.

Here’s a quick video of the hymns being practiced tonight.

Today we finalized Deb and the kids ‘registration’ in our house.  We’re finally finished!  Our entire family is permanent residents of Ukraine.  While in Khargalyk we also visited the Fire Inspector.   Tensions are quite high there with ‘rumors of war’, and he informed us they actually have an underground shelter on premises that goes down quite deep.  I asked if I could see it, he said, ‘yes, but not now.’

I have also connected with the City of Kilgore offices and intend to try and do a Mayor Skype between the sister cities.  It’s been over a year since our last one.

I’m continuing to plan to fly to Rostov, Russia April 12-18th to teach at a Bible School there.  We were originally planning to drive, however uncertain how safe that will be as the school is located just north of Sochi, and very close to the Crimea activity.   Pray with us that we’ll get visas, the invitations have yet to be authorized on the Russian side.

Thanks for checking in, we’re always encouraged by random emails and hello’s from our friends and family.  We’re all doing great.

Sincerely,

Bruce & Deb

Everyone here has the situation in Crimea in mind.  However, life must go on and we’re pressing hard to get this Cafe open before the weather warms up.  Here’s a snapshot of activity today in a number of areas – both Natasha and Alyosha were in different towns penetrating the corruption and suffocating bureaucracy!

• Met last night with the leaders of the Baptist Church in town.  They are planning an open-air preaching and prayer time in the center of town, during the highest traffic time at the market.  The mayor just gave approval!  This will take place Friday 8-10am!  We’ve invited Andrei Murzin our friend in Kiev to come and share what God is doing among the churches in Kiev, as well as share the gospel.   There will be several Ukrainian believers asked to pray publicly – God give boldness and let your spirit convict hearts!

• 

  Abbey sporting her ‘back-ack’ as she tags along today to the store for bread.

  Gas documents were taken to another city today for an ‘approval’ by another government office.  We were told it should cost about $75, but then it jumped to $500 today.   After more discussion, an agreed $350 was settled upon if the approval was delivered next week.

• The Gas ‘registration course’ will cost only $50, however when we attempted to find out more information and schedule this, we were told to call back later because the man in charge was in the process of getting drunk with his friends.

• Fire Department regional inspector has signed a document that is allowing us until the end of the year to complete some more documents.  This is a blessing as they could have fined us for a number of things (eg. not having enough fire extinguishers) which we can now address.  We have another company now coming next week to outline what we need to do.

• Tomorrow, Broderic, Bronwyn, Deb and I have to travel to nearby town to finalize permanent residents (signatures).  We thought Broderic would have to redo his when he turns 17, but we just found out it’s 18 so a big relief we have over a year to not worry about this.

• We are going for Debs first checkup in Kiev next week.  Here we go again!

• This week an article will be coming out in the Picton Gazette (for those Canadian readers!).  With the crisis in Ukraine/Crimea, I was asked to share my perspective as well as a brief history on our families journey to Ukraine.  I’m really encouraged to be able to share some of that, I know half the county as I was raised there, and I’m related to the other half.

Bruce & Deb

Today Deb and the kids received their Ukrainian permanent residence!  This means we’ll be able to exit/enter the country without worrying about visas or the changing laws surrounding them.   Thank you Natasha for all your help!

I was joking with Deb that we might be the only ones rejoicing in this.  “Hey look, we have permanent residence in a country on the brink of war with Russia!”  Nonetheless, it’s taken almost 3yrs to get these documents for our family.  We’re sowing our family into this culture (which includes Russia) and believe God has us here long term, as He allows and provides.

Below are a couple cute photos the kids received from school today.  They give you a taste for the Ukrainian culture, particularly the Cossack (think Canadian Mountie + 500yrs).

Tomorrow we meet with Ukraine Teen Challenge to attempt completion of their website.  I’m trying to tie up several loose ends in the programming world, this is one of them that will be nice to complete, for them and us.  We’d love to be fully focused on the Cafe this summer, it’s obviously going to take a lot of time and energy once opened – it will open!

We continue to read/hear about many problems to the south in Crimea.  We’ve noticed in the western media an apathy creeping in.  I’m not sure that plays in the favor of Ukraine’s desire for independence.  With a looming ‘referendum’ vote this Sunday, March 16th, we’re anticipating continued escalating tension there.  The general feeling seems to be that Crimea is lost from Ukraine, particularly without any outside help.  I feel for the troops stuck inside their camps, prisoners in what they thought was their own country.

Today the Kiev Post posted this – http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine-abroad/parubiy-ukraine-now-faces-the-threat-of-a-full-scale-invasion-339133.html – how much of this is true is uncertain, but it sure motivates prayer and a fresh trust in the Lord.  If we didn’t believe God has led us to this place, at this time, we would be hi-tailing it out of here until things stabilized.

Kiev remains peaceful.  The center of Kiev has regular prayer for the nation from the stage at Maiden, as well as families/children throughout the center.  I was reading in Acts several places where the Jews incited the crowds, hired mobs and generally pressured their enemy through propaganda.  See Acts 17:5, or 13:50 for examples.  It is sad that Crimea and the rest of the Eastern part of the country can’t personally witness the actual state of the Ukrainian capital.  I think they would be shocked by the positive feeling, national pride and hope emitting through the faces of the people.

I’m not sure how long that hope will last in light of the Russian occupation of Crimea.  No doubt there is, and has been a divide in this country for a long time – but I suspect the overwhelming majority are seeking for peaceful resolution.  We pray for peace, but realize freedom, on earth at least, is never free.  If we’re experiencing it, it came at great cost at some point.

I’m thankful we can rest in knowing our freedom, regardless of our nationality has been secured through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  What a cost in God sacrificing that which was most dearest to Him – and what a gift in return which we each receive, not through striving, but by faith alone.

Thanks for checking in and praying for us in this time –

Bruce & Deb