Today's Hope for Ukraine

The main square in Kiev, between the police and protesters ~ Feb. 20, 2014

The pressure in my heart for the trials and aches of the creation is so overwhelming today. If I take even a minute to quiet myself tears well up in my eyes and freely flow. I feel the turmoil and tension in the people around me and hear the desperate cries of those in far off lands for justice and truth to prevail. Can a nation be born in a day? Today I believe that it can. Can nations be recreated in a day? In the case of Ukraine, perhaps, but this labour has lasted longer than a day and appears to have not reached its appointed delivery.

For me, this is the first time that I have identified so closely with a people and nation that is going through a revolution and my heart is breaking at the realization of the destruction and loss of life that corruption and greed has fed to the appetites of control and power. Knowing the good-hearted, hard working, simple folks who comprise this people and their desperate hope for a future that boasts change from the past, I can’t stop the anger that rises up inside of me when think about the lack of freedom to demonstrate and express their hopes in public space.  Certainly, there are wrongs and error on both sides of the battle, yet our focus must remain the heart of the nation, which are the people themselves.

There is a painful joy in the reality of these happenings, for it reflects the soul and will of a nation to declare its identity, and vision for the future. The voice of Ukraine is being heard in the heavens and on the earth. It is a groaning that longs for more than economic prosperity, but whose true desire is for the righteousness and justice of the Heavenly Kingdom on earth that brings lasting transformation, of which economic and political health weighs a fraction of the success that is to come in its establishing.

Protests in Kiev, Ukraine at the beginning of "Euromaidan"

I am certain that God has heard and is answering their cries, but my sense is that the cries will only increase in volume and mass. God is responding, and what will the nations do in response? The true face of the national leadership has been revealed through the measures it has taken to oppress and cut down the freedom to speak and demonstrate against its conditioned grain. Leaders are speaking out against the actions of those “at the head”, but what action will be taken that does not also punish the Ukrainian people? We are left to watch and wait with anticipation for courageous international leaders to also stand in true justice and righteousness.  The death toll rises as people stand in peaceful protest and are shot down by police, and as others act out of rebellion and provoke attack and mortal reproof.

Yet in the midst of it all, there stands a nation, a people, with hope for change burning in their hearts. With the dream of being a country liberated from the oppression of corruption, greed and power-hungry control. In a land where the only hope for the future was to cross the border and get “out”, there is a glimmer of change and a restoration of the dream of God that was buried under decades of brutality, famine, murder, and war; all of which that have remained dormant and covered by circumstance, but in this time the layers of bitter soil are being tossed into the ditch and a trench of hope is being dug so that the age old wounds might be healed and this nation, Ukraine, can be born again into her God-ordained identity.

Let us watch and pray with hope and joy in believing for her day of true delivery.

Growing up with God!

It has been a very interesting season - LOTS of TEACHING and totally see God's hand in opening so many different doors to share and invest in others with His amazing word!

One thing that God has been impressing on my heart lately is the privilege to be able to share and walk with other people in their lives. In the past month, I have met and served over 20 world changers from different countries and with different passions, but the gift to be able to empower and equip each one to walk in the will of God and fufill His purposes is PRICELESS!

How He values each of us. How He has placed treasures and gifts and fire in His kids. He get so happy when we share that with the world around us and the world far away! Just like earthly parents, our heavenly Daddy loves it as we grow up with Him! How fun for me to get to be a part of seeing others grow up too! 

September / October 2012 Update

CHANGING SEASONS : SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2012
NEWS / UPDATE

PRAISES TO JESUS for all of these things (and more…)

LANGUAGE BREAKTHROUGH
After returning from Germany, I noticed that my conversational ability in Russian was
flowing stronger than ever. On our way from the bus station in Lviv, to the train station
to return to Ternopil I shared Jesus with the Taxi driver in Russian. THIS WAS A
FIRST FOR ME – I have not before that shared the message and love of God in Christ
in Russian! The driver understood me, and I him. It was a miracle..and since then have
been able to communicate better, although there is still a lot to learn!

UKRAINIAN VISA RENEWAL & REGISTRATION
It was a lively experience applying for my visa in Germany, but thank God, I have it.
Now I am in the process of becoming registered in Ukraine, so I can come and go
freely with no border issues or fines. Praise God He has provided everything for this
process: a good lawyer, finances, patience and JOY!!

TEACHING YOUTH IN DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING SCHOOLS
October 15th I had the privilege of teaching 11 young students about Evangelism. It was
AWESOME, short, but sweet. (See video link to see more). October 17th and 18th I was
a guest teacher for our DTS in Ternopil, teaching on Intercession in practice and then a
day on Spiritual Gifts. It was such a blessing and the students were deeply touched by
God’s word and their amazing value and gifting that they have to give!

FIRST WORSHIP AND PRAYER NIGHT IN TERNOPIL
October 12th marked the first official worship and prayer night that we hosted at
YWAM Ternopil. This has been in my heart for a long time, and after the visit to
Herrnhut I was re-inspiried to just begin. There were over 20 people present, mostly
under 20 years old from different churches. It was a POWERFUL time together and
God’s presence was very real and leading…we are planning these once a month to
begin, and we will see from there. The awesome thing is that other than a few of us
missionaries, they were all Ukrainian youth! PRAISE GOD – they are rising up in
strength!

NATIONAL PRAYER TEAM IS STARTING TO FUNCTION
The national prayer team that God spoke to me to establish in Ukraine has been
meeting regularly and seeking His face every week. Already, we can see Jesus is
speaking very clear areas that He is asking us to intercede for and prepare the way
for…I feel His pleasure in this greatly!!

Video Message Links:
September video:
http://youtu.be/PTWshj74ZqQ
October video:
http://youtu.be/mjfgOlyfGOQ
Teaching in Kiev DTS:
http://youtu.be/siOWGc18_6o
For FUN: http://youtu.be/dIdgyxuZHek
Worship night: http://youtu.be/9kBCXEHH0Qo


Exciting ANNOUNCEMENT:
I am being sent on assignment to CYPRUS November 13 – 24th.
I will serve in evangelism with the churches of the island at the New Age
Expo, where we minister to spiritual seekers, and other areas of ministry.
I will also bring encouragement to the churches and ministries (antitrafficking
and Pregnancy Care Center) we served in 2009, as well as build
new relationships with the YWAM base/ House of Prayer and others.
I KNOW THAT GOD HAS SPOKEN, APPOINTED &
ORCHESTRATED this time and I am very honoured to be going with Him
to serve, bless and encourage the nation of Cyprus and build new
relationships for future ministry and Kingdom networks to come.
I am already excited to share the testimonies that will come…..

Thoughts from Berlin
I could write a lot, but briefly, a city of so much beauty, history, death and sorrow. I was almost in tears each day, being reminded of the bloodshed and lives lost in WW2, and as a result of the “thinking” that came out of Berlin. The sites of the Nazi Headquarters, the Holocaust Memorial and the Berlin Wall were very impacting for me. The metropolitan city was a treat, yet still feels so empty and vain. Berlin needs Jesus. There is clearly a huge need for the message of Christ, as I found out later that Eastern Germany is one of the least reached places in the whole world, boasting 43 million confessed atheists. After Hitlar, Communism and after communism, European Union….still waiting for Jesus!

YWAM TERNOPIL NEWS
As a ministry we have entered into a new season! Praise God!! The building project is still underway, which has been slower than expected, but the walls are being raised up! Our transition into “Settlement” stage (aka – not always functioning in pioneering mode, so setting some needed structure) has been going well. It is hard to embrace change at different times, but we can see how God is working and bringing wisdom into our hearts to see the benefit of having “necessary” systems to help us all work more smoothly and efficiently.
I am working in the area of finances and accounting and I have been able to learn the new data base and create some systems that will work well for us. It is a time of creating, testing, changing and retesting in all we are doing, but everyone is remaining flexible and humble before God and others, giving lots of grace!! Another large area for me is worship and intercession, of which we are moving forward in, cultivating a heart that seeks after God first in all things. People are starting to note some changes and a great hunger rising – Praise God, this is an answer to prayer and one of the reasons that I felt God send me here!
I am a witness & co-worker with the Holy Spirit working and building and establishing in YWAM Ternopil and in the church in Ukraine to cause this nation to send many missionaries in the nations of the world – all for the glory of God!


THOUGHTS FROM HERRNHUT: YOU MUST GO!!! The history of the Moravian Missions movement and the heritage of prayer and lifestyle Christianity were real inspirations. I shared some very special times with Jesus, just walking through the forest, praying in the prayer tower and worshipping with other believers from many nations. God took me back to the “first things” and “first love”, reminded me that I serve Him in the nations because I love Him and it is His heart and call for me! I was renewed and refreshed on every level! The YWAM base was also inspiring, and I was reminded that we do what we do, not for ourselves, but to raise up the young and equip them to lead. They are an example of that, with many staff and leaders in their early 20’s! WHY NOT??

PRAYER REQUESTS
~ Ukrainian elections (Oct.28th): for righteousness and justice of the Lord to be seen in them!
~ Personal health and protection, especially in travelling
~ A hunger and thirst for God and His word above all things
~ The favour and grace of God to be upon me
~ Open doors to share Jesus in Cyprus; especially to the northern Turkish Republic
~ Financial provision for Cyprus & monthly living
~ Unity in the churches in Ternopil and Ukraine
~ English for Missions School 2013: for wisdom, anointing, students, and all details!
~ YWAM Ternopil: for grace in this process of transition and for the building to be completed
~ For my family in Canada, for the revelation of Jesus & His salvation to come to each of them
~ For my home church (Word of Life) and Pastors (Brent and Chani and family); the peace and plans of the Lord to be on them all!


Thank you to you all, for being faithful in this journey. I thank God for your prayer and encouragement and financial support, which is a demonstration of your faith and heart for the nations and for me! I can say, it has only JUST BEGUN! It is an honour to serve Jesus with you together and to know that you are cheering me on. I continue to pray for you all and will continue to thank God for each of you. Be encouraged today to shine His light in your family, city and nation. That Canada, America, Australia, or wherever you are may reflect the glory of GOD! Let’s rejoice that Jesus is coming again!

Praising Jesus in Ukraine!

Here is a very small view of the passion and hunger for God that is present in the youth of Ukraine. What a blessing to be a part of it! Go Jesus!!


Here is my latest update....without any flavour or photos....just text!

Building Project / Staff Retreat

Kings’ Kids Camp

I’ve MOVED!

Youth Camp / Russia

Worship / Intercession

Wow, well it has already been three weeks since I have been back in Ukraine! I just wanted to give you quick update on some really awesome things that God has been doing since I have been back!

Building Project / Staff retreat:   We are building!! I have made a short video, and attached the link, of the first part of the year long building project we have begun. We first had to tear down the old building, and now have built a fence and prepared the ground for the builders to come and begin laying the new foundation. We are expanding to make room for more missions teams, training schools and general hosting capacity. The YWAM staff have been working hard here…and it has been a blessing to be here in such a foundational time!

Tuesday, July 10 we all leave for staff retreat for three days. All of the staff and volunteers of YWAM Ternopil will go away together to the country. We will camp, cook over a fire and draw water from a well….and most importantly have focused team time seeking God for vision, dreams and future personally and corporately.  I am honoured to give leadership to our times of organized worship and also will be leading a session on Encouragement and Blessing for each ministry team.

King’s Kids ministry has a vision to equip families; parents and children and everybody in the family, in ministry and missions. We have three staff that ran a weeklong Kings kids camp here at the YWAM base in Ternopil. There were a total of 13 kids/youth, ages 7 to 14, and I was super blessed in serving them by helping in the kitchen, cooking for them, and also leading them in worship. I was very touched and by God to see how He moved in their hearts and spoke to them in so many different ways.  Today one girl shared that the Holy Spirit spoke to her during worship that she needs to visit orphanages more often. Visiting orphanages is one of their ministry outreaches that they're doing in this mini-missions camp, along with receiving Biblical teaching and team building skills. This was a SUPER blessing!!

I have moved in with a dear Ukrainian lady, Totya (Auntie) Olga. She is probably in her 60s and she is going to have me stay with her at least for the summer months. One of the purposes is to put myself in a language/cultural immersion (Russian and Ukrainian). Olga is a believer and she's so excited to have me as a missionary and believer I live in her house and and become a part of their family. She has been a widow for over 20 years and has two children, both married and four grandchildren.  Her daughter worked with YWAM and is now married and living in Korea. She is familiar with our work and heart to reach out and has already shown me so much hospitality and care. She talks very slowly to me (lol!!) and I am learning more and am trusting God that this will be a time to integrate into the community and build more relationships with local people. Another highlight is that I have to walk to the base/office through a beautiful park!! This is such a blessing for me, and I just see that God is answering many of my prayers to serve and bless Ukraine, through this move and change, although I am not ignorant that there will be some challenges as well! It has already been strange and different having to go “home” at the end of the day!!

I AM GOING TO RUSSIA! Truly by God’s grace, I will be going to help the discipleship training school (DTS) staff lead a youth missions training camp and outreach to Russia with local Ukrainian churches. I have applied for my visa to Russia and was granted a tourist visa! PRAISE GOD – this is a new nation for me and I am very expectant to go and co-work with Holy Spirit!  We will go to Eastern Ukraine for 10 days to train youth at the camp. I will be teaching one session on cultural differences in missions, and one session on spiritual world/ worship & intercession. For me it is a great honour to have part in training young Ukrainian believers and walking with them as they rise up in Evangelism, outreach and missions.  After the camp, we will break into three teams and go on 10 days of practical outreach, preaching, praying, building relationships and partnering as God leads us. One team will go to a new church plant, one team will help a woman who started a new work in another city from Rick Renner’s church in Moscow, and one team will go to a new city, where there is no church or Christian witness.  Trip dates : July 16- August 6, 2012

BASE WORSHIP / INTERCESSION: I've had the privilege of leading worship to three times since I've been back already and really just so expectant to be the one to set my heart to see heartfelt worship and intercession birthed anew, here in YWAM Ternopil and also for YWAM Ukraine. I have started praying with another missionary in Kiev for YWAM Ukraine and it has been blessed. Durning our prayer time, we both realized how precious and important seeking God on behalf of the body of Christ in Ukraine is!  Also, I have made some really awesome God connections with YWAM Herrnhut, Germany. This is the home of the Moravian Church, the Moravian missions movement and the birth place of the 24/7 Prayer movement. The Moravian Church is known for its 120 years of 24/7 prayer which sparked the largest missionary movement in history. YWAM has a very active base there, and they are right now running schools of intercession, worship and school of the kingdom, frontier missions, etc. They are willing to host me for a time just to receive impartation, vision and refreshing in those areas so that I can bring that heart back here to Ukraine and see it established and implemented here at our based in Ternopil and in Ukraine at large.  Right now the tentative date for this adventure trip with Jesus is September 11 – 24…ish J!

God is good and certainly ALIVE! It is so good to be back in Ukraine and I really see a greater hunger for God growing in all of our hearts as we continue to seek Him and I get into His word. It is a time of TRANSITION here at the base and so please keep the prayer coming!  Thank you for your prayer, support and encouragement in financial giving. I am so thankful to God for His grace, His provision, His call and for the wonderful relationships He has given me in all of you. The Father God bless you all and I continue to pray for you all and look forward to hearing from you and giving you all the great reports from these different things that are taking place! 

Caves and Castles!!!

So a couple of weeks ago we went on an amazing adventure on our day off....first we went on a caving adventure which turned out to be WAY MORE INTENSE than what we had expected. For us North American females we thought we would go on a relaxing guided tour of some caves, see some crystals and rocks and just have a gentle tour. OH NO....that was not it at all. 

Here is a little clip of our pre-cave excursion! 

After this video was taken the serious adventure unfolded as we were led on a 3 hour journey into some of the world's largest gypsum caves. I did not believe I could fit through some of the small cracks and holes that we did....it was stretching and challenging - I LOVED IT! There were some moments (I will post those videos later!) where I really felt like I could not survive or pass through the suspended crevices. I certainly cried out to God a number of times and He came through - even in an adventure activity! He loves us so much!)

There is much more to write on the cave experience....it was so much piled into one day - fun, team work, testing, physical work, victory, fulfillment of prophetic vision for my time serving in Ukraine...and MORE!

A word about the prophetic vision:

When we first came to Ukraine in May 2010 the Holy Spirit gave me a very clear vision that He was bringing us to an underground cave that was very large. I was inside the cave and as I praised and worshiped Jesus light came into the cave and I saw beautiful painting on the walls. It was very high ceilings...and it was a stronghold. God spoke to me, that there has been a stronghold of faith in Ukraine for a very long time and it is beautiful, but has largely been hidden and underground. He spoke that as we seek His face and PRAISE Him, intercede and worship that He will shake the foundations of even this stronghold and begin to enlarge it for more to find refuge here....(making His family bigger here!!)....

It was almost one year later when I found out that Ternopil region (where we live and serve) is famous for its caves....and boasts Europe's largest Gypsum caves!!! I got so excited and new that I needed to get on the inside of these real caves, understanding the parallels in the supernatural!

We sure praised Jesus when we were in those caves, as we admired the crystal and overcame personal and team weakness by His grace!

So excited for this playing out in the spiritual more and more....!

About the castles...that will have to be another post...stay tuned!

YWAM Ternopil Staff Retreat

Here is a short video I took from our 3 days of Staff Retreat in August. It was a great time of camping, cooking over the fire, outdoor adventure and just plain family fun time!

For me, this was the first "family" camping trip I had been on since being a younger person...and it was a blast. IT was so great to be out in the fresh air of the country. Ukraine is so beautiful! We saw many horses pulling loads of hay, had some great long walks in the forest, some times together being challenged as a team....and more!!

One of our friends, and fellow missionaries, Slava, brought a huge human kite out to the dacha....I tried it a couple times...and it was wild! It is the kind that you have to harness yourself into and that could cause you to fly!! I did not fly, although it was close a few times as it dragged me here and there...it was a blast for sure!

Another highlight was spending time with all the kids! They were great...especially their excitement with the entire experience...getting to wear their pijamas outside (that was really cool!!), roasting marshmellows, playing together and more! Lots of amazing laughs with them!

How good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity....this was a time of renewing that bond and love for one another and allowing God to make it go deeper :) Jesus is crazy about strong, loving, relationships....and so am I!

Back in Ternopil - Kings' Kids Outreach Team

Here is a little glimpse of some outreach in Ternopil....summer 2011 has been super busy! This is just a small look into a time full of God's grace and goodness in and through so many people!!  This outreach was happening when I arrived in Ternopil. I helped cook for them a bit while they were here...it was a blessing :) 

Port Townsend reflections

Relentless Blessing of the Generations

Just a few days ago I was radically privileged to sit with a multi-generational pioneering missionary to China. This dear saint is 88 years old and as sharp as whip! Mrs. Baker was born to missionary parents in Yunang Province of China in the 20's. They escaped when she was under 10 years old because of the national upheaval...she later married the son of well known missionary to China, H.A. Baker. Her story is long, amazing and totally a testimony to God's generation blessing that rests on families.

For me, it is a great privilege to sit with this woman of God and hear her stories of life from childhood to present. Her and her husband married and returned to China as full time missionaries where they pioneered Bible Colleges and formed a foundation for the Chinese underground church, before they were kicked out at the dawn of communist rule in China. She is brimming with wisdom, love for Jesus and love for people. At 88 she has such a zeal for life and for the things of God. What an inspiration.

I could go on and on about how wonderful it has been to be acquainted with her and her one daughter.

The reason that I am posting this is because it is related to a book that I am reading at present, called Relentless Generational Blessings, by Arthur Burke. In the book (which you must read!!) he details our God as a generational God and how there are blessings that have been laid up for us all from all of our righteous family members past that we have never known. It was as a result of Mr. Burke's expounding on scripture surrounding the generational blessing that I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to see Mrs. Baker a second time on this last trip to Port Townsend and ask her if she would bless me.

For me, I have no known ancestors that were full time missionaries, or Spirit filled ministers. (I am so thankful that my grandfather was open enough to become ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada - and I know that is heritage that I am very thankful for.) In this past year there have been times where I have felt like my endurance was growing weak and that God was testing my heart to see how committed to Him and His call that I was....and this seemed opportune and divinely appointed....that right at the time when God was speaking to me about the blessings of generations that can be imparted I have the time with this mighty woman of God who pioneered in the nations and has a mighty heritage....God's blessings simply continue and compound!! Talk about the kind of investments we must be making above all else - investments of the heavenly kind to leave a wake of blessing for our kids and generations to come...!

So....to the point - I asked and she immediately grabbed my hand and began praying for me. There was no lightning or thunder, but the sweet presence of God descended in that time and I was overcome by the GREATNESS of God and by His inheritance which transcends natural blood lines, but culminates in the all powerful and superseding blood of Jesus Christ. In that blood and by His power I received the blessing to move forward as a pioneer and builder of His kingdom in the nations, not without heritage of those who have gone before and feeling alone in the battle, but with the tangible blessing of God that will never leave and will continue to be enriched by God's presence and word as He receives honour and praise through my life! WITH A HERITAGE OF FAITH only in Jesus Christ....that is endless and relentless!

My life will never be the same....by God's great power at work in me!

Wrestling with contentment

Off the top of my head, I could define contentment as being satisfied, complete, not lacking or wanting anything else. Fully satisfied sounds like a good description. And in such a phrasing it sounds great! Don’t we all want this? Do we all have this?

For me, it seems that I am in a constant wrestling match with contentment...desiring to be content because I know that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6) and that Jesus has given me all things, so why in the world or heaven would I not be content in His amazing love and enjoy life with Him! Exactly – good point! I desire that great gain, that enjoyment that Christ came to give us, and above all I want to please my Father in heaven. I also desire the peace that accompanies contentment....a rest of spirit and soul – a settledness.  Ahhh – sounds perfect and it is indeed great gain. When we can cease striving, or when we are still, and know that He in fact is God, and I in truth, that we are not!! A great definition of freedom.

And right about the time that I am basking in the fruit of contentment (peace, rest, joy, love, gain) there rises this desire for change, for more, to let go of the old and reach for what is to come. So contentment quickly becomes discontentment and then a hunger for more. The wrestling match begins.

I go from enjoyment to dissatisfaction, knowing that there is something great on its way. The process of God bringing us to that new something great, however is where there is a battle within me. Wanting to maintain a content heart and not become unthankful for what He has done and given, it can become hard to let go and give what we have in order to return to the state of being empty handed before our Amazing Daddy, in order to receive the gifts and treasures that He wants to put into our hearts and hands.

Right about the time that I am able to put down the people and things that I have gained a contentment and satisfaction with and simply surrender, a grace comes to embrace the new and a new contentment begins to grow. But that is just it – contentment must GROW. As we are thankful and we continue to receive from God and recognize His working in our lives, contentment grows...and then when it grows to the point of change, a holy discontent arises, giving way for us to desire the new things in store. Yet I believe the even when we are in a place that we need to let go, and seemingly shed our contentment, God allows the fruit of contentment to compound in our lives and as we choose the right response to change it seems as though we lose our past contentment, but really the new contentment is added to our past measure.  Contentment is the fruit of our response to the circumstances of life, which is rooted in the state of our hearts.

I suppose that the wrestling match is resolved when we give up to the grace of God and go with His flow! When discontentment is recognized as a part of the growth of lasting, compounding contentment.  As I can see now, it is not a new story or prescription from Jesus – if we give it away, it will come back to us; if we lose our lives for His sake and the sake of the Gospel, we will gain live. God help us to receive the grace for the new and unknown, the things we have yet to see,  that will cause more godly contentment to grow in our hearts.

The Bridge and other thoughts

So...I have been home in Ontario for almost 9 weeks....and I have three more weeks until I go. The time has been very special, very precious and very different! I am realizing that being a bridge sometimes hurts....and rightly so. Bridges get walked on, things get transported over bridges, there is pressure, there is wear and tear...but bridges are build to last. They are built to withstand floods, they are build to bear the burden of those heavy loads, until they cross over to the other side. Bridges are build to connect, to increase communication, to increase traffic and accessibility to all sorts of things. Thank God for bridges and really thank God for the strength He gives bridges to exist. Another revelation and some of you might laugh who have heard me say this....I realize that to be a bridge is to be transition!!! Ha ha ha! Bridges are transition - they are the point in between that connects to fixed points!! So all this time, when I have said, "transition is my middle name"...actually my middle name is renee, which means reborn!!, it is pretty true from a heavenly perspective!

It has been unique to be back at home and almost "slide" right in to a role and perception of the dear friends and family here and see God do mighty things in such a short time. (obviously I understand He was working all the time, I just get to jump in and celebrate the victories God brings while I am present!!!) Lives brought back into right relationship with God. People receiving greater healing in their hearts and lives. Others being conformed into Jesus' image through discipleship and simply through loving, meaningful relationships. People identifying their dreams and visions from the heart of God and then going after it! AHHHHH!!!  I love the body of Christ and I love loving God's people - what an honour it is to be in His family!!!

Time is so valuable. Time with people with open hearts to love and hear and give and receive is valuable. Action and words that show our faith-filled belief in others is what Jesus loves!!! And it causes people to thrive and flourish in their God give gifts and talents! And it allows us to enter into greater love and freedom in Christ as we freely give away the love, faith and care that Jesus so freely gives to us!

What an exciting time it has been. And also a trying time. A time to fight in the unseen to attain and maintain the peace of God as various things have come against me pursuing obedience to God's word to me.

As I feel the winds of the Spirit of God stir me up to get ready to go away on assignment again, all the emotions and experience of a continued transition come along with it! Yet, in the midst of the pressure, of the temptation to compare and desire a life that God didn't make for me that I see others living with the grace and joy God has given them to live it with, I have a brooding excitement and renewed longing for the new adventures God has planned. I feel the awe of walking with Jesus into new places and into new and deeper relationships with people of other cultures, nations and lands starting to ignite my soul.

I was made for this. For adventure with God and others. For the glory of Jesus to be seen and seeded throughout the nations of the earth! And how awesome and wonderful is it that in this life God has given us, He can actually do that....through normal means like teaching English, prayer and intercession, worship and praise, declaring His word.....simple obedience! Only God is that good and He loves us so much that He brings us along for the ride!! And He builds us into what He designed, in my case and one of His purposes for me...a bridge builder and then the bridge itself!

Jesus is the greatest and most powerful bridge of all times...so I guess I have been grafted into His pre-existant bridge...What an amazing engineer our Father is!

The Joy in the Harvest - Update from Ukraine Outreach

“These things have I spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”                                                                                                                                 ~ Jesus of Nazareth - John 15:11

TERNOPIL OUTREACH TEAM - 2011 

Dear family and friends J

We are well into 2011....and here in Ukraine we have had the privilege of celebrating Christmas and New Year twice, along with other extended holidays in the country! We have joked that in Ukraine, the Christmas season will never end. If you can believe it we have had out Christmas tree up from the beginning of November and it is still up! For me this is a personal all time record – ha ha ha ha!

Here is a brief update from what the Lord has been doing in our midst in Ternopil, Ukraine.  Please also check out the photo links to see more photos and the blog link to read more in-depth on some of the topics.

Our Team – Just the other day we said “Good-bye” to Venera, our outreach team member from Kazhekstan. She returned to her DTS in Lutsk to have their week of debriefing and then she will return to her home country. We are now adjusting to our team being four of us. We have certainly gone through some good challenges in our relationships of team life, but we are reminded that having conflict forces us to work on our “stuff” and to submit ourselves to God and humble ourselves before one another. Conflict forces intimacy J - a lesson well learned this Discipleship Training School!

It has also been a huge learning curve for me to be in a team with two wonderful people who have come from Muslim nations and backgrounds. We are learning to love one another in Jesus’ grace and I am gaining a compassion and understanding for the people of these nations and the way that they think, express themselves and relate.

Kids Camp – The ESL Bible Classes have taken off! After running a Camp during Christmas break with a faithful 15 -16 kids that came we continued to have classes on Saturdays because the kids enjoyed it so much! Just last Saturday we had 24 kids come, 4 of whom were new to the classes! We are together for 2 ½ hours each Saturday and we play games, sing songs and learn Bible lessons all in English...and the fun part...then we do language activities and exercises to improve their English language. We have seen many kids improve in the short time, simply by having native English speakers present to listen to, talk to and learn from!

Our last Saturday, February 26, we are inviting the parents to come and listen to their kids sing and do short dramas in English. My class, the beginner advanced, 12-13 age group, are learning “Happy Day” by Tim Hughes! THEY LOVE IT and for me it is tonnes of fun because I get to challenge them in class!

I have seen from this class that my students are so hungry to have me believe in them and love them for who God made them to be. I have 4 regular students, Volodya, Slavic, Tania and Marta, all of which were our English Students last spring when we were here doing our TESOL outreach. Please pray for them and their families, some are believers and some are not yet believers.  Just last Saturday when the girls were leaving I was saying goodbye and Tania lunged forward and gave me a huge hug! I was shocked – THAT IS NOT CULTURALLY NORMAL!!! And I praise God for what He is doing!

Homeless Ministry – GOD IS GREAT and has been blessing us with joy as we work on the streets two nights a week.  This ministry is not the easiest nor the most gratifying to our “instant result” mind set, but God’s heart is for the poor and needy, of spirit and physical circumstance. We have seen God do mighty deeds on the streets, mostly through equipping and encouraging the brother who we are working with. He has been serving these people for 2 years, since he was made new in Christ. He was a criminal before that and naturally has a heart for these people. We can see God raising him up to lead a ministry team and last night we brought two young adults from another church in Ternopil who are interested in serving with him.

IT IS SUCH A PRIVILEDGE TO BE A PART OF GOD EQUIPPING HIS CHURCH TO DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY!! One of the greatest needs in Ukraine is true unity between Christians and churches...and we are a part of the peacemaking process!

There have also been some of those that we serve express a desire to let God change them and take them out of such a life. We continue to pray for the Holy Spirit’s transforming power to work in each heart and life! He is able to give each of us new life and freedom in Jesus Christ!

Ministry to Seniors – We are going weekly to the Senior’s home just outside of the city. This has been SO wonderful, simply meeting new people who have no visitors and who are bed ridden. We have had many great conversations, learned about their lives and just loved them, sharing the message of Christ with them. Just last week God opened a door and we are now officially working with the Home’s psychologist, who is a missionary from another region in Ukraine. This already has been so blessed, as she knows who receives no visitors and who needs spiritual care.  

Last time we went to visit our “grandpa”, Sebastian Stephanavich, who is a war hero. I wrote about him in November. He was so excited to see us, just like old friends. He shared with us that he and his two friends had a wonderful time with us for Thanksgiving. He said something that really BLESSED us and is worth praising Jesus for. He said, “There was such a love and unity between all of you. We loved being with you. You all have the morality and brotherhood of the Communists!” We obviously laughed at the last sentence about Communists, but the truth is that in the USSR morality and “brotherhood” were high standards. PRAISE JESUS for this – John 17:21 – when we are one, the world will see Jesus and believe that God sent Him J!

This week we are going to the Seniors home to show the Jesus Film in Russian. We are excited to have another afternoon with our friends there!  

Local Church ministry – Two weeks ago we went on a weekend trip to help a village church. I wrote about this on my blog. Please check it out, as it was an experience worth sharing more about!  After being with the village church we stopped in a city called Chortkiv and ministered at a church that we have helped before. It was a powerful time of the family of God coming together. Each of our team shared about ourselves and God’s work in our lives and then a message was shared and received, hitting one of the unbiblical traditions common in Ukraine.

It was officially my first time leading worship in Russian!! Ahhhhh! I lead two worship songs and God came in great power as we lifted Him up in praise! For me that was a breakthrough as I was a little nervous to lead in Russian, but I am practicing J!

We return to Chortkiv this coming weekend to minister in the services. Their Pastor is in the USA, and asked us to help for a couple of Sundays. We love it because this church has such a love and passion for Jesus and is not bound by tradition or religious formalities. The life of God flows in this church and we are so thankful and blessed to be a part of their family for this time!

So that is the UPDATE J! For more info. Please check out the links below

OUTREACH PHOTOS: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=617310&id=741610340&l=0c6b78c59e

NEW YEARS AND MORE: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=607156&id=741610340&l=ad7cbbb502

I will be home in just under 2 months....wow.....until then we are continuing to receive and release God's presence here in Ukraine - TRANSFORMATION time! 

TONNES OF LOVE TO YOU ALL, Allison

Heroes of faith hidden in the village

Last weekend we went on a truly Ukrainian adventure. Imagine travelling back in time about 100, maybe 200 years....to rural life. To water that comes directly from a well. To food that has been grown and stored in all the old fashioned ways. To dishes being done by heating water on the big stove and without soap. To a toilet called an outhouse. To a village of 280 homes and families, mostly babushkas and dadushkas living the same way that they have for all their lives.

Here in this little village we were hosted by a hero of the faith. Baba Tania is her name. She is 85 years old, hunched over and can hardly hear. To have a conversation with her you have to YELL VERY LOUDLY. She is not inhibited from talking to everyone, however. She loves to talk of Jesus, she delights in sharing stories of faith and preaching the word of God.

Baba Tania was very disappointed when we told her that we were only able to stay for one night. We had come to her to lead the house church that meets in her home every Sunday. She also has run a children's ministry in her home for years and years and is still the host. She told us, "I want you to stay longer with me.., but my daughter tells me that I need to stop trying to tell people what to do!"

It was delightful to be with them. "Them" being the neighbours who came over to eat and talk with us all. These dear people, who are bonded because their share their lives together, are also a family in Christ because of the live and endurance of this "Baba" who has held the word of God and love of Jesus high in her small secluded village in rural Ternopil region. The service on Sunday was unique indeed. We all shared from our hearts and were delighted to partake in the Word of God and singing praise to Him in a very Ukrainian way (singing in that special melody and tone that is sung in Ukrainian cultural songs!!)

Unfortunately all of our photos somehow got erased....I wanted to be able to show you the face of a hero....but you will simply have to take my word that she is :)

Again, I was reminded of how vital our relationships are in life. And I was burdened to see the great need for encouragement in the rural communities all over the world, especially in nations where technology has not reached the villages. The young people were so thankful that we were there too - simply to talk to others and to hear our stories.

It is certainly NOT a waste of time to go to the undesirable rural places for the love and sake of Christ. He is there too...and there are precious people there waiting to receive His love, encouragement and relationship!

God - raise up rural missionaries right in their own towns, like Baba Tania, who will stay and declare the glory of the Lord. Send others to go as encouragements and messengers :)

Giving Our Bread to the Poor

You may or may not ever had read Isaiah 58. If you have, you know it is one of the main biblical texts that explains fasting God's way. If you haven't - you need to - it is awesome to see what God's standard is for something that we all have our own definition for. Fasting. 

This is not a post about fasting. Well, not really, anyways. 

This is a post about feeding the homeless and poor. Which, if you read Isaiah 58, is a part of God's fast. (I won't get into it!!) Personally this has been miraculous in that when we fast as a team, we literally are saving our budgeted money for that day and saving it to buy food that we get to prepare and serve to the homeless and poor of Ternopil. It excites me to think of what and how God will work in and through this! 

Our team here in Ternopil, Ukraine had prayed and asked God where and what He wanted us to do during our 3 month outreach phase. A number of people on the team heard and received direction from the Holy Spirit to work with homeless poor. (We had met a number of them while we were weekly in the city sharing Jesus' love with people.)

I know - this is old news for those of you who read my posts and updates. BUT what is not old news is what has been happening in the process of ministering to and beginning to love these people. 

Last week, Ukrainian Christmas Eve, we were handing out the food we had prepared, pouring tea, and giving special sweet bags that we had made for Christmas and nice new clothes. It was not really an "easy" night to be brief. Lots of the people were drunk, some were stirring up strife. Others were almost trying to climb over us to get to the food - ha ha ha - fun times! We sang a Ukrainian carol and we all forgot the last lines! Good thing everyone here loves to sing - they lead us strong in the end!

After the large crowd dispersed, usually there are at least 10 -15 people that come to get food and leave and don't like to stay to talk, pray, receive ministry, etc., we were standing in the cold night talking and praying for people who wanted prayer. 

One dear lady probably in her 60s, originally from Russia, started blessing us and thanking us. She said, "Seeing you here makes me so joy-full. I will pray that there will be more and more young people like you in Ukraine and all over. Coming here to help us. Not all wrapped up in the things that most people are wrapped up in. We need more people like you. I wish that I would have known Jesus and lived for Him when I was your age. If so, I may not be in this state."  (This woman is a sturdy character - very dear.)

We assured her that it is not too late for God to work in her life. Jesus bring hope to the hopeless. I was awestruck by God's goodness to bless us through this dear lady's words and gratitude, not even to us, but to the God who has made and caused us to love Him and love others.

To you, this might just seem like words that she shared with us. But in that moment, we were standing there in awe and being totally blessed by God that the people that we felt needed us, we actually need as well. We needed her encouragement, we needed to see that the only thing that separates us from these people that society rejects and writes off is our own prejudice and pride.

Jesus loves and died for these precious ones and they might be stuck in their mess, but God's hand is not too short that He can not save and deliver!  

We have been in awe at the relationships that we are making and as we become a part of this street church. Really it is amazing! These people come to be fed physically and spiritually. And they are so eager to ask for prayer, to pray together, they hear a message, ask questions, comment, share, etc. I realized that these ones probably hear God's word more than most "nominal" Christians - they are in church most nights on the street! 

AMAZING! 

I am convinced that amidst this group of babushkas, alcoholics, drug addicts, street people, young and old, are some radical disciples of Jesus! We get to know them and love them in the process - glory to God! 

The Ins and Outs of the TEAM

This outreach experience has been very different from what I had expected. To imagine that I am living in the same house, sleeping in the same bed and cooking and eating in the same kitchen, yet I am on my 3 month practical work is a bit weird for me. I know that God has caused us to remain here, as He has confirmed it in prayer to our entire team and we all have peace about the ministry that we are doing. I guess for me it is fairly “normal” everyday life – loving and seeking Jesus and loving and serving people in His name. By the grace of God this is how I live life whether in Canada or Guatemala, yet I am doing it in another new culture and language.

For me the greatest challenge has been being culturally and linguistically immersed. It is different this time – mostly because I am used to being in a warm culture and live out my life in such a way and it is definitely a COLD culture here in Ukraine!! (warm and cold cultures relate to how people interact, communicate, etc.)  I have been amazed at how differently we all like to do things and having lived with various roommates and families in the past I understand that we all have our own nuances about daily life, tie four other cultures into the knot and you got an interesting situation. It has given way to many good conversations about culture, respect, loving one another, conflict, having differences and respecting them, etc.  It is also interesting in that our age range is fairly small. We are mostly in similar life stages and have all been Christians for at least 7 years.  Personality wise, we all get along and enjoy each other’s humour and hearts. It is a gift from God!

I can genuinely say that I love my team. We are a family. We enjoy being together, praying together, talking about God and His word together, laughing together, cooking and cleaning together, loving and serving others for Jesus together – you get the idea J Yet there is a level where I feel like my own culture inhibits me from connecting with them on a deeper level because there are barriers in the way we think. And if barriers in the way we think, barriers in the way we understand each other and then treat each other.  How I have become acquainted with the independent spirit and mentality that has shaped me as a North American. A year ago I never knew that it was so resilient – for positive and for negative. My prayer has been and remains that every bit of independence and resistance to others (aka – PRIDE) would be transformed into true interdependence with the Holy Spirit first and my co-labourers and family members in the Gospel second.

Our team :) about to enjoy North American Christmas meal :)

And as much as I desire that every barrier be destroyed I am realizing a valuable truth. Jesus likes that we are all different – He made us that way. It is not wrong to be different. Being uniform in thinking, culture, dress, custom, culture, etc. is NOT what unites us and brings us into oneness. The Love of JESUS CHRIST is the only thing that brings us into true unity and oneness. For His love to dwell in our midst we must actually acknowledge our differences and not try to conform to another’s standards, but recognize that we are all who we are, yes in process, and yes, being changed and transformed into the likeness of Christ, yet unique in that process.

The world will look at us and see our love for one another and know that God sent Jesus into the world. That does not mean that they will look at us and we will all look the same. That means that they will look at us in our radical differences and see that there is a genuine supernatural love that we have for one another as walked out in our actions, words and lifestyles and they will see that ONLY GOD can unite these people and give them such a love. ONLY JESUS’ love is this powerful.

In the midst of learning to work as a team, failing at it, repenting and trying again to with one heart feed the homeless, love the poor, the alcoholic and drug addict, share Christ with the every day “Joe”, bring joy to children through English classes, etc.  I am left crying out to God to truly live and experience more of His love through the cross of Jesus Christ and His Spirit that lives in my heart and life. I am becoming more desperate to live in the love of God than ever, as I realize how far away I am from what Jesus has purchased for me! Yet in hope I know that His grace is bringing it to pass!

Our team sharing Christmas Eve with some of the brothers who feed and minister to the homeless and two of the guys who receive ministry. It was a blessed time to rejoice in the Lord in the freezing cold night - he he he - JESUS is born and we are family because of Him! 

the lady in the red scarf

Picture it....a Turkish guy, a Kazakhstani girl and me walking around our Ukrainian city seeking God's heart for the homeless. Praying. Listening to God's voice. Obeying Him. None of us at this point have worked with the homeless in Ternopil yet. Only one of us can speak Russian, the second can speak enough Russian to translate between me and the non-English speaking team mate. Talk about learning to work together - he he! We are on a "spiritual scouting" mission.

Holy Spirit leads us to the train station. There are people everywhere and we ask a lady that has a booth to sell food and drinks outside if she knows where the homeless people "hang out". (I use that term loosely...they aren't really hanging out - they have no where else to go!) This lady tells us that they are around, we just need to find them and they usually don't come to the train station until later in the evening. She gave us a hint, however. All homeless people in Ternopil wear scarves! She told us to look for the scarves.

We decid to continue praying, seeking God and we enter the train station, just to walk around and pray for the homeless people that would be going there in a few hours. We pray for the ministries that minister and reach out to the homeless people and we sit down on some benches where most of them are full of people waiting for their trains to wherever they are going.

Right across from us is a lady with a long coat and a red scarf. She is sleeping. Our Turkish teammate says, "Hey, maybe she is homeless." I respond with laughter, because by this point this team member has thought that at least 5 people that we have seen have been homeless (most of which were seniors - babushkas - from the village). We talk about how just because someone might look "homeless" in our opinion, does not mean that they are homeless. Assumption.

This lady sitting next to us, "wakes up" and we realize that she is totally plastered drunk. And yes, she is homeless. We decide just to sit where we are and pray for her. She mocks us, even though we are not talking to her or anything, and acting up and then she gets up, stumbles around and approaches a lady for some money. This woman in the red scarf has very little physical control at this point and she gets quite close to the woman and invades her space.

To our surprise, the woman screams at the lady in the red scarf, hits and kicks her and pushes her to the ground with great anger and violence. We, seeing the entire thing, reacted right away and ran to the lady who is now prostrate on the ground and clearly in pain, felt or not due to her intoxication. We help her up and lead her to another seat to sit down. THE ENTIRE SECOND FLOOR WAITING ROOM JUST SITS AND WATCHES THE ENTIRE TIME AND MANY PEOPLE ARE LAUGHING. After we help the lady up, the people are laughing at us too, not to mention giving us that cold eastern European GLARE filled with shame!

We give the woman tissues to clean her bleeding cut on her brow from her fall. As we sit with her, all we can do is pray and she welcomes our prayer. As our one Russian speaking team member prays out loud, tears stream down the woman's face. From our point of view, we are helpless in serving this woman, as all we can offer her is Jesus through our prayer. Yet, with confidence we know that Jesus cares so deeply for this one and He is touching her through us in this short moment.

We go and buy her some bread to eat and just as we do the "police" or security show up. Now it is getting interesting! At this moment we realize that we need to go. We have done everything we feel that God sent us there to do. We get up and move, still staying in the train station to see how the police deal with this woman. Another hard situation to witness, but the reality of this woman. The police act very rudely and they call for one of the cleaners to come and "remove" her. They very obviously did not want to touch her or smell her. They are holding their coat collars up to their noses in a very demonstrative fashion to prove the point that this woman stinks.

We watch as they drag her out of the train station, forgetting her bread behind on the bench. Just as we go to get the bread to give to the lady, the woman appointed to remove the lady in the red scarf comes and retrieves the bread.

As we walk home, we pray for the lady in the red scarf, for the police, for the many bystanders and scoffers. We talk together and realize that we were not prepared to see and experience what we just saw and experienced. But it happened and it was an eye opener to how we can so easily judge, especially those despised and outcast, and how they need the same love and care that Jesus offers to us all so freely. Only if we are willing to identify with them in their humiliation and stand for them.

God's love in us and communicated through us for these ones (and all people) must outweigh our desire to retain any kind of reputation. I have re-learned again that all I have to offer of any lasting value to anyone, to society, is Jesus Christ. If there are things that stand in my way from sharing Jesus' life with others then it is rooted in my own pride to save myself and my reputation. Remembering what Jesus said, "Whoever saves their life, they will lose it; but whoever gives up their life for my sake and the sake of the gospel will find it."

I pray and believe God with all my heart that the lady in the red scarf will lose her present life of bondage and sin in Christ and find the life that He has planned for her. The power of the new creation.

We will see the lady in the red scarf tomorrow night again when we return to the train station with a local church outreach team to feed the homeless. What would I rather do this Christmas eve.....NOTHING!