We just finished visiting a few more schools, inviting students to the workshops.  We were permitted to perform live in the school foyers – which made for the best advertisement:)  No idea how many students will come for sign-ups today, but we’re optimistic!

I’m am currently working on getting our webcam connected for folks to pray and worship along with us!

It will be here –

http://dropc.am/p/awaken (link to separate page)

or here below live if you come back –

The YWAM team has arrived safely this week and settling in.  We are thankful that God has connected us with such a talented group of worshippers.  We have been praying with the team, planning and believing God to do some significant things in the hearts of many Ukrainians over the next month.

Our beautiful cliffs overlooking the Dnepr River – don’t lose a kid off these puppies.

This weekend we will connect our team here, with the foreigners and get set for launch on Tuesday the 21st @ 3:00pm!

We are able to accommodate visitors overnight if your youth group or worship team would like to travel to Rzhyshchiv to attend any of the evenings of worship, please contact me for potential accommodations!   We’re hearing of a few different ministries and Christians that anticipate coming and are hungry for God to awaken them to more of Him and His purposes.   Everyone is welcome.

Cool to see our posters on the official school bulletin boards.

I think it’s our uniqueness that makes working together so difficult.  I often want to do things myself, even if it takes longer.  I don’t want to engage your strange (to me) behavior, or thinking process.  I want speed, efficiency, and you slow me down.

God, in his mysterious wisdom has another plan.  He infuses passion (for Him) and determination (towards His purposes) into His people.  Then, he watches us collide.  We can choose to collide into something fractious and detrimental, or something wildly fruitful and compelling.

I’m learning that leadership, real Christ-like leadership, is about laying down your ambition to ‘finish’ stuff, and see the journey as opportunity.  Opportunity to invest into those crazy different people and make a difference.  To care more about the journey, and not be overly focused on the destination.

Jesus was fully focused on His mission to give His life as a ransom for all – yet He gave His life ‘in this life’ to His disciples – a bunch of rag tag nobodies.  God is cool like that.  He’s about sharing Himself.  I believe God is awakening hungry souls who want more out of this life than ‘eat, drink, sleep, repeat.’  We’re hopeful this summer will draw more souls into this journey.  If you feel as though you are far from God as you read this, you know what?  You’re actually not.

What does God really want?  I read this a few weeks ago and it really encouraged me.  “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and contrite heart”.  He doesn’t want your works, your efforts to ‘fix’ your life on your own terms.. He wants you to recognize your need.  That’s how far you are away from His presence, from peace, from rest, and eternal life.  Recognition, humility, surrender.  That’s the ‘offering’ He wants most from your life, because ultimately He already provided the complete righteousness and forgiveness we desperately long for.

Lord help us share ourselves like God shares Himself, no matter how important we think our mission is.  I think it’s how the Kingdom advances.

Here’s some photos from this furious week of preparation.   Our hearts continue to go out to family friends the DeLorme’s in Texas, who this past week tragically lost their 19yr daughter in an auto accident.  She was a candle lit for Christ, and we grieve with our friends.  Eternal perspective, nothing drives this home like death’s constant reminder.

These farm mechanic friends helped connect the new plows and I think enjoyed doing it.

Got our “Awaken” banner today, inviting folks to 2nd floor – starts in two weeks!

Inside a Ukrainian shop – farming equipment has an international smell, it’s a mix of grease, oil and tools.

Getting the tractors out and serviced for some area ministry.  Our friends from Kiev plan to come down with a team in the next two weeks, weather permitting, to bless the poorest of the poor by plowing up their gardens for spring planting.   Most Ukrainians here in the country live off the land and with the current economic crisis, getting their crops in has never been as vital as it is now.

I grew up on a farm in Eastern Ontario, started driving tractors and combines at the ripe age of 8.  I had to take them for a little spin before handing them over, the neighbors were quite perplexed as I drove around – I’m known as the foreigner in the neighborhood who can’t weld, make cement, and generally fix anything himself.   You are supposed to take specific courses and have a permit to drive a tractor here – but I couldn’t resist.  Hopefully they will let me plow a bit as well, get some better video then.

As a side note for the real farmers out there, the Belarus tractor had me baffled for 10 minutes.  Nothing made sense intuitively.  Funny how even tractors built over here reflect the unnecessary complexities which have evolved here from communistic thinking.  After switching to the New Holland, it was like stepping off the plane from Minsk to Canada.  Ah, home!