Abbey loves her little sister. I asked her to keep the kitten away from Claire.. she I came back in the room to this pose.

After 10 full days of sore throats coughing, fevers and everything in between our family is starting to stabilize!   What a ride.  I can’t remember a time since moving to Ukraine that such a sustained sickness took hold of me.  It sure makes you appreciate the days you feel even semi-normal!

I ventured into the world of men for the first time today.  It was pretty much the way I left it.  Still no signs of winter settling in.  The days are so short though, you have about 2-3 hrs after lunch before the sun sets – maybe an exaggeration, but it sure feels way too short.

The moment I stepped outside I received a call from a friend that the local police wanted to see me.  Turns out our skate-boarding posse upset a local business owner and we had to go and talk with them.  We have GOT TO get a team out here in the spring to build a small skate park on our downtown property – please!!!  Come before my boys end up in jail! 🙂

Dema proud of his creation – Broderic photobomb.

The cafe has been increasing in customers and sales weekly.  We sold 194 coffee drinks last week.  I was curious and searched online for some data on the average coffee shop in the US.  Around 230 cups per day seems to be a solid average in the big cities.  I can’t imagine taking our weekly volume and squeezing it into one day.  I can’t imagine being able to charge more than $1.50 for a latte either – man Starbucks must be making a killing.  The average American by the way drinks 3.2 cups of coffee per day.  Slow down there fellas.

Anyway, I can’t express the feeling of seeing 30-40 folks come in daily, stay for hours.  So many young moms and their kids getting out of the house!  Today we saw the town’s former ‘lawyer’ and his wife, I’ve known them a bit for years and had invited many times.. finally came and complimented all we’ve done.   Getting to know more people, and encouraging our small team to pray for folks and let our work bring glory to God.

The Ukrainian currency has lost even more against the dollar this week, the highest it has every been (15:1).  To give you an idea, when we moved here 6.5 yrs ago, it was 5:1, then it stabilized at 8:1 for over 4yrs.  Then, last year when the revolution began and war came in the south, it tumbled to 12:1 for a brief season.. since then, ever few months it’s continually losing ground.

Think about that for a moment, and it will give you a feel for what the country is feeling.  Ukraine doesn’t produce a lot by itself, most of it’s goods are imported from meat, dairy, and everything in between.  The buying power has lost almost 50% in one year!  It is ranked dead last in the WORLD for the most devalued currency over the past 12 months.   So the man making an already dismal $400 US per month (which is great for here in the smaller towns), can now only purchase just over $200 worth of goods monthly.  Nobody is getting raises, if anything people are losing their jobs as the government reforms.

Sveta and Bron have become good friends and work together when the boss allows.

Today I learned of the local orphanages fate.  In January it will close it’s doors.  The 6 remaining children will be sent to various places.  The government can’t afford to keep all these smaller orphanages open.  It’s too  bad because even though fostering is much better, many will just end up getting put in larger, less personal orphanages.  This is the situation of a country on the brink of economic collapse.

EDsuite crew in Texas at lunch. David, Joel, Sam (bearded lumberjacks), Rachel and Justin.

Thankful for many things.  Thankful that during this past 10 days I had an amazing group of guys in Texas that ‘getr done’ and require very little of me day to day.  This has been a huge answer to prayer as many of you know.  To be able to ‘be here’ more mentally/spiritually/physically.. so thankful and looking forward to a new year already with fresh vision.

We are planning a trip to the US/Canada in Jan, more on that very soon.  I ask that you please pray for this, for wisdom and the Lord to guide our steps through various opportunities.   I feel it’s time to get out and share our story a bit more – what God is doing here, and what I believe He is asking us to do that goes beyond the phase 1 of this Coffee Shop.

Bruce & Deb

Everyday is dress up day!

Our family has been hit hard with flu/cold the past week.  The hacking and coughing can be heard from room to room – Last night I thought I was living in a nursing home.. without nurses.

Speaking of hacking, there has been a major attack over the past 2 weeks on websites and servers that host a particular, but very popular CMS (content management system).  It is estimated that up to 15 million possible sites were both vulnerable and effectively compromised during this period.  Our company in the US hosts over 200 websites, and keeping them secure and running 24/7 is in these times, a very stressful thing.

I don’t get hackers.  They are evil.  They are cowards.  Businesses like ours across the world have a hard enough time without external forces trying to destroy us.  We’re just regular folks, with kids, diapers to buy, and hopes to build something for our families future. The constant onslaught of malicious technology efforts is something that most folks don’t see – but it’s real, it’s complicated, and doesn’t seem to be getting better.

I don’t doubt that eventually, the internet itself will be taken down, overwhelmed via malicious scripts – would that be a terrible thing?  For the global economy of course.. but for regular families?  If we go a day without internet in our house we all re-introduce ourselves.

Our sweet Claire – already a month old.

In other news, http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/nato-s-stoltenberg-says-russia-moves-troop-closer-to-ukraine-border/510630.html – Russia is adding numbers to their western border.  This is sparking concern on the Ukrainian side, and the new president here Poreshenko has ordered more back up reserves to strategic cities in that area – this winter is not going to be without tension.  I pray that is all the political games produce.  We are happy to hear that Alyosha here has been granted 18 days vacation from the army where he serves as cook.  Something tells me that may be cut short if things continue to escalate as they are.

The Russian backed Ukrainians have staged elections for their ‘new region’… going against the countries actual elections that took place last week.

We are praying this week specifically for direction on a few things –

– New Year Plans
– My Truck
– Cafe Gas (met again this morning with chief, he’s approved installing our new meter this coming Monday… however can’t turn it ‘on’ until another piece comes in December, but at least it could be all ‘ready’ for that piece).

We have also added hot dogs, sandwiches, and just in today … ICE CREAM to our menu!   Once I feel a bit better and can taste again, we will be designing and testing our 2-3 main ice cream desserts which will include a traditional Ice Cream Sundae, and a Banana Split – both of which are totally new for our area.   Just in time for winter… we’ll be ready for the summer 🙂

Thanks for checking in!

Bruce

I grew up watching Cheers. It was a show my parents used to watch regularly on Thursday nights. It wasn’t until later in life that I understood the theme song, which most of us could sing in our sleep.

Life has taught us this; Everyone wants to be accepted, a place where you are welcome and folks know you by name.

It’s been challenging 2 months with the opening of the Lighthouse Cafe.  For most of our readers it will be difficult to explain the realities we are facing economically and culturally.  The challenges are more than just layers of bureaucracy and corruption.  There are very real cultural challenges.  Going ‘out’ in these smaller towns and villages means going to the bar and finding refuge in the bottom of a cheap bottle of vodka.  Vodka is cheaper to put in your car than antifreeze.

http://youtu.be/38ef9aBIplY

Here’s a little video I made this week.  I need to get some more live shots but have admittedly been shy to take photo/videos of folks until they are more comfortable.  Some folks however have been asking to be posted on our facebook page – which we encourage you to ‘like’ if you haven’t already!

We’re not in the big city, and paying more than $1.00 for a coffee for many is unheard of.  However for a good section of the community it’s quickly become a haven, and I believe a place of hope.  Hope that this country doesn’t have to settle for cheap vodka.  I’m not on an anti-alcohol crusade, but in this country it’s hard to deny the effects of it.

A cup of coffee isn’t going to save anyone’s soul, but it’s an immediate alternative in our town to reckless behavior and drowning sorrows.  The Lighthouse Cafe, I think, is creating a new culture and atmosphere of respect – where meaningful conversations and genuine relationships are forged.

Some of the other bar owners in town mocked at the idea of a non-alcoholic place.  Granted, they are making money and we aren’t breaking even yet.   It’s still cheaper to get wasted in our town than drink a decent cup of coffee, but we’re making a statement and I hope a difference.  Today we were packed at lunch, serving up some simple sandwiches and serving all ages.  It was pretty cool!

Enough Cafe.  Baby Claire is doing well, and Deb is somehow managing to live on a few hrs of sleep every night.  Deb’s parents returned back to the States a few days ago, so we’re on our own again.  We’ve met as a family and started working on some more structure – for our collective sanity and physical well being!  Eight kids, it’s sinking in… table for 10 please!

We are planning to stick it out this winter as the gas/utilities seem to be in a more stable place with the war in the southeast on hold.   Things could flare up however quickly, and we’re still reading of casualties on both sides daily.  Ukraine isn’t on the front page news anymore, but over here folks are watching closely now the newly elected parliament and relations with big Russian brother.

Still trying to sell our truck, appreciate some prayer for that.  Sort of in a pickle as it needs some major work if we keep it, and our van is rear wheel drive – I already slid down the hill by our house and it was only a bit frosty out!   We have about 3 weeks I think to either fix our truck or sell and get something else – every year this time I think a horse would be cool to have.  Like Bananza, each kids gets their own ride, problem solved!

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

I’ve been encouraged recently, I think by God, to seek Him more.  It’s one thing when you pull up your bootstraps and spend time in prayer because you know it works, or just know it’s a good thing to do.  It’s extra special when you feel God drawing you.  It adds a sense of anticipation, and peace that He is with you, and working.  I fail too often when He beckons me to come to Him.  I don’t know why, but it feels like the greatest battle in this life is getting to a quiet place of prayer.  That should tell me something.

Missing our friends and family.  Coveting your prayers and support in the journey.   Hoping you too sense God’s love towards you, and beckoning to come.   Praying you answer that call too!

Bruce & Deb Crowe
Missionaries – Eastern Europe | Ukraine