This is a picture from today. The tractor delivering sand (to mix with rock and make concrete) was stuck in the snow. Neil, together with a few other guys were digging it out. I thought of the irony, from Broadway to RZ Ukraine, shoveling a tractor out of the snow:)
Work has begun on their house this week, pouring the basement floor in preparation for their container. How the container will actually get down to their house, will be interesting! The other house we built for the notary is complete, except for some bathroom and kitchen tiling which was added as extra. It will be wonderful to have only one house project going.
We just found out that the registration rules for staying here have changed once again. I have permission to stay basically 6 months at a time. However, because I exited the country last October, they are penalizing me and now I have to go to court and pay a fine. At that point, I will then have to get 6 month permission again BUT not allowed to leave the country or I will again be required to repeat the whole procedure. This may not sound like a big deal, but I ask you to pray for us. Our vehicle, possessions, and family are all tied to these registrations and it could really cause problems if this isn’t figured out. They are changing rules every time we go to renew our stay, making it harder.
I share this Sunday at the “All Church” meeting. The topic is the resurrection and I pray God is glorified and the people encouraged!
Deb and I at the market this morning, for those of your enjoying spring weather ahead of us!
Men’s outreach last night, was a fun time in our basement. It’s been a combination of Christian men from a few different churches, and a few Ukrainian friends from the area. Only three of us were foreigners, which makes for a refreshing scene, mixing in with the Ukrainian culture and language. Dan usually leads these times and the group really appreciate his zest for life and humor, I’m the designated slave / side kick. Pray for these meetings, that the guys would embrace the short ‘messages’ each time, and more importantly, embrace Christ.
Can you guess what this is hanging in our furnace room? Neil bought a hunk of meat yesterday, and has cured it, hanging it to dry. His African roots coming out already, it’s beef jerky, or what they call “biltong”.
Our basement smells like dirty wet socks, soaked in vinegar, but I’m told it will taste great when complete:)
On March 24th a group of Ukrainian delegates (Mayors, officials) will be in East Texas. Through some neat contacts, they will be stopping into our office in Kilgore for lunch. I’m scheduled to skype video conference with them and share about our involvement here in Ukraine. It’s a cool opportunity to build some more relationships using the Sister City model, and potentially work (future) in other towns. One of the Mayors is my age, and been Mayor for 10yrs already.. from a town just 3-4hrs south of RZ. They are in Texas learning about economic development and city government models.
Took a picture today of the family, it’s been a while since we’ve had a group shot, the kids are growing like weeds.
Been studying this week (in between breaks with Cypress) the Nature of God, His attributes etc. Particularly this week the ‘Omniscience’ of God. Tracing back through the bible everything that God literally says that He knows, or reveals to us specifically that He knows. That’s not the only way to study something, but for me it was refreshing to be very practical with what He does ‘say’ He knows (comforting and convicting!). We all believe that God knows ‘everything’, but what does it mean that he “knows’ , and what exactly ‘is’ everything? It’s been almost 10yrs since I put much energy into studying this topic, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s neat how our study methods change (hopefully for the better) as we grow in our understanding of God’s word and how to ‘rightly divide’ it. I’ve been opposed to putting to much ’emphasis’ on systematic theology in my personal devotion, it never really produced the kind of ‘fruit’ that I think pleased God in my life. It mostly produced pride and a desire to debate and win. There are so many scriptures that I ‘do’ understand and still have yet to implement perfectly.. thinking of all the moral teachings for example in the epistles, or Jesus words to the disciples in the gospel.. I don’t think we should spend to much time as believers getting wrapped up in the mystery of God’s nature as to neglect the very practical teachings we want to pretend we don’t see sometimes. However, studying God Himself, what makes Him tick (according to the Word), should surely stoke the flames of our heart for Him.
Consider this quote from the prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon –
“It has beeen said by someone that, ‘the proper study of mankind is man.’ I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.
“There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is the subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, ‘Behold, I am wise.’ But when we come to this master of science, finding that our plumbline cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass’s colt; and with solemn exclamation, ‘I am but of yesterday, and know nothing.’ No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than the thoughts of God…” – Charles Spurgon 1855
He was around 20yrs old when he wrote that.
I hope you can find some time to study God’s attributes, we have been doing this in church and it’s been a refreshing study, opening my eyes and heart to His greatness again.
Someone told me it was officially the first day of spring in Ukraine today. I’m not sure about that, my street is a block of frozen snow with train track like grooves to follow. It’s still below freezing here, but very bearable compared to a few weeks ago. It will be a joyful day when all of the snow does melt, and the green spring truly does make its appearance. I can stop yelling, “shut the door” every time I feel a gush of cold air in the house.
Deb’s father is here, Neil. He arrived last week and has made a welcome addition to the kitchen. He’s the chief cook and bottle washer! Noline, Deb’s mom arrives next month. Neil has started taking over the building project and making his authority known among the workers. It’s a totally different way of thinking over here, as you’ve already read. Neil is starting to experience this first hand, and we can’t help but smile. The lady that he is buying their house from, visited the other house we are finishing (for them), and politely inquired if they could continue growing their potatoes at Neils house. They are having a hard time ‘letting go’ of this other house, and it’s going to take some careful hand holding over the next few weeks to solidify the deal. Everything thus far has been on a handshake and trust, if they were to totally change their minds now, after we’ve completed their house and invested a lot of time and money.. we wouldn’t have a leg to stand on legally. It will be ok, but it is nothing like the structured deals in the West. Here, you need to care about their potatoes.
Thank you for praying for Deb, her back is a little better but still causing some issues. With her dad here we have considered going away for a few days and getting her some real rest.
Tucker celebrated his 7th birthday this weekend. He’s a great son, we really enjoy him. Deb made home-made donuts, and they actually tasted like the real thing, I was quite impressed. The kids gobbled them up, reminiscencing the good ole days in Texas. He then opened a few little gifts and had home-made pizza (how about i stop with the home-made, you get it right?) and cake. It’s been very special to watch our kids interact over the last few years. They are very kind to each other, they watch out for one another, genuinely ‘like’ to hang out. It’s a lesson in God’s joy when we love our neighbor, especially those in the family of God.
Work has been going well, trying to spend more time every day working on something related to the business. The guys are a great friends and I’ve been delegating increasing amounts of ‘rope’ as I seek to be involved in only major decisions. I don’t share a lot on my blog about work, but it’s a significant part of our life here, and ability to go about ministry efforts and helping others. I thank God for the work, and the situation we are in, though it does continue to challenge my capacity to function in both ‘worlds’, I’m blessed with people that I can trust and who understand our calling.
Pray for Valik, he is a young man whom God has been working on very obviously the past few weeks. He won’t mind me posting this, not that he can understand English. He has come to home groups, and church and heard the gospel from several of us. He has been opening up to the truth, convicted of sin, recognizing his need for a Savior. He is still wrestling with some things, but we are praying as a body for complete salvation, the kind that convinces him thoroughly of sins forgiven! It has been so encouraging to watch God Himself draw and work on this man’s heart. It definitely strengthens our faith and draws us to more prayer, what a spiritual battle we are in every day.
Just recently launched www.missionsnetwork.com . If you get a chance, visit the site. We are on Facebook as well, and have 200 people in the ‘fan page’. Our heart is to see churches, business, and christians everywhere with a heart for global missions to connect. We want to start adding more mission projects, missionaries, and update with prayer requests and trip opportunities. Pray God sends us the people and places that He wants us to promote.
Needs:
Land Downtown for Ministry Center
Housing for Sergei & Lesya (couple from NY, they are Russian/Ukrainian and want to move here)
Ladies Outreach in two weeks
UTSIM language school needs a place to function (kicked out of public school room)
Documents for Neils house, that the ‘deal’ would go smoothly
Debs back to be healed
