"May everyone know the joy that Jesus Christ is risen"

"May everyone know the joy that Jesus Christ is risen". This was the theme of a recitation of one boy in our Easter services today. In fact it was a voice familiar to many who have been coming out on construction teams over the years. Young David is the son of Alexei and Marina who was not even born when we first started coming out to Odessa.. On the next trip we prayed for him (the bump), and because of Alexei's love and servant heart towards many of us have been encouraged to pray for them ever since. His voice was often heard around the scenes of construction when his Dad popped in to take photos, deliver grub or run errands for those who needed to pick up little extras (like the local football kit of Odessa fc). To see David now standing up and doing such a brilliant job of leading God's people in praise was both brilliant and an answer to prayer. 
As usual Daniel had coached the musicains superbly, and the upcoming generation are maintiaing the exceptional standard of music ministry at "grace church". Not only this, but the two gifted young preachers got up and gave some of the best Easter messages I've heard. The future at grace church looks in safe hands and shows the massive investment faithful youth workers and children's ministries have depositied. The evening was finished by the team having a family meal with church/ seminary leaders and wives, where we had many joys, in conversation over the reality of Easter and our God's sovereign goodness to keep us and our nations in his hands. Normally this would not only be a highlight of the day but of the whole trip, however tonight it was eclipsed by a young person "coming home" to confess publically her desire to follow the risen Christ as her saviour. There are many reasons to travel the world, but by far the one which gives the greatest sense of privilege is going to a different country and telling them of the love of Christ, friend of messed up people, giver of eternal life, the only true certainty in our world. He is the one who deals with our many failures in the past, the one who gives us forgiveness and peace in the present, and the one who is our unchangeing hope for the future. There is nothing that can touch the glory of Jesus Christ. There is nothing or no-one worth living for compared to him.
Wherever you are reading this in the world (and from the stats page  I am amazed at where this is reaching) , I hope that you know personally the joy of Christ as you put your head on the pillow tonight. I hope you know the true joy of Easter, the reality of a living personal saviour and not just some surface knowledge of a holiday period far removed from anything so life transforming as who it really is all about.

Happy Easter from Ukraine. Christ is risen, and with Him our future begins, the past is gone and dealt with, the future safe in his hands.

Arrived, safe and well. Always home from home when you see a loving face.

We are here (with luggage, with smiles) !

 The photo is purposely from a distance so that you can't pick up our bleary eyes (and because Emlyn forgot his mascara). We landed about 1am and have been supremely well cared for by all the team here at transition house. When you are greeted by the huge smile of Viktor at 1am in a slightly deserted airport, there's little you can do (however tired) other than smile back. The team at transition house has changed somewhat since our last visit, as it now has entered a new season. What was a building project is now a fully functioning mission center, preparing young people for "the workaday world" and showing them the love of Christ. The "new" team however has the same DNA... servant hearted, warmth, kindness, overly generous and packaged in humility and gentleness. What makes a home is the character of those who run it. This place is a reflection of the heart of God, and it is written all over their faces. At the end of our lives Revelation 22:4  reminds us that those who love God will go to live with him.

 ^"They will see his face"

 I can't help but think that T H is something of a foretaste of this. How wonderful to be greeted not as a stranger but a family member, not an outsider but the inner circle, not a suspect but a beloved friend, for whom great sacrifice has been made. The preparation for our arrival was humbling, and exuded love - it does not go unnoticed. From the immaculate beds to the feast-like food preparation we are very well cared for.This is both a window on the welcome every young person will get when they arrive here, and foretaste of what God has prepared for those who love him. (1 cor 2:9)  We are staying a couple of nights here in Fontanke, to join in the Easter celebrations, today at grace church and tomorrow with many churches at  the Opera House. We are all sleeping in rooms on the top floor, yet another sign that the home is in full use, for which we praise God so much. 

Times change, but the heart of God is steadfastly loving, faithful and good. We arrive in Odessa a little older each time (and arguably a little less useful each time) -(note to wife - I had no grey hairs when I started coming here)  - but each time we are even more dearly loved. We have much to thank God for and many things to look forward to. The best is yet to come for everyone who lives in God's purposes.

Be in touch soon, to tell of news from church and our work plans for the trip, but today is a day for Easter thanks.... to a God who knows the worst about us and welcomes us anyway. 
Speak soon, love BLOGSKI.

Meet the team ... (or at least half of them)...

On Saturday morning these mature and responsible characters will accompany 5 others (equally as mature but not as responsible) onto the plane. Our 2 week goal is to encourage our Ukrainian friends through love, hard work, building materials, preaching and the odd token gift so that they are able to keep going with a smile when we leave. Arguably these 5 characters have the more significant role as they will become the buddies of some special children who are close to the heart of God.
Maybe you would be kind enough to pray with us ...
1) For Mo, Dennis, Ken, Emlyn and Paul as we prepare to be an encouragement
2) For teddy 1, teddy, 2, teddy 3, teddy 4, and teddy 5 (bet you've never prayed for that before) that they will encourage our younger friends in a small way, and in turn increase their love for others. We live in a sad and bad world, pray that even these fluffy friends might help us point to one who is LOVE in all his ways and character, The living God who gives good gifts.

JAMES 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 

coming down from the Father of lights, 

with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Someone might say there is a resemblance between our 5 fluffed up friends and the adult team they are looking after... I couldn't possibly comment, but, ... I know who the cheeky monkey in the middle is, and I do hope they all find their passports in time.

Thank you for being with us and cheering us on. God is good, his plans are glorious, it is great to be part of it together.
LOVE BLOGSKI

A small help which we hope will make a big difference.

Welcome to the new blog! We hope you feel at home as you come to visit us here.
Equip4Good is a group of very ordinary, entirely unimpressive people who have been brought together by God's big and brilliant plans. Our passion is to help and encourage those who are doing good things for people who really need it in the name of Jesus Christ. Some are helping those children who have no parents or loving home to have a family and know love, the security of a home not just a house. Some are helping folk in their older years or with special needs to be cared for when no-one else does. Some are starting churches in the middle of a war regions, bakeries where there is no food, training centres where there is no education or life help, and some are just trying to encourage those who are doing good stuff to not get weary in doing it, (pastors, cooks, cleaners, counsellors, parents, church-planters, missionaries, seminary lecturers, medics, and those who faithfully keep doing the small jobs which make the big difference.)
This is where we come in...
We don't have much to offer other than ourselves, and many folks maybe would rightly turn their nose up at that. But one of our greatest discoveries together, is that when we have prayerfully offered love and encouragement to others... it's made a huge difference to people in our messed up world. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHICH RARELY EXPRESSES KINDNESS, GRATITUDE,  AND ENCOURAGEMENT. It is always appropriate to show love, compassion and care. Don't listen to those who tell you otherwise. If folk around tell you not to bother with encouragement - or that expressing heartfelt appreciation is inappropriate, irrelevant, or wasted, it is merely because they can't see how much a broken, selfish world, has shaped them and their thinking. Because we are a group of people who have been shown more love than we can comprehend in Jesus Christ, we have readily offered to get stuck in on small jobs which we hope will communicate that BIG love of Christ and make a transformational difference to the trajectory of people's lives as they come to know him. 

• We "travel light"  knowing that this world is not all that there is. We hold on to our savings and belongings lightly and look to use them for good purposes where we can.
• We know that whatever we amass in this life will not be transferrable to the next, and so we're happy to "accidentally on purpose" leave some of our belongings behind on each trip.
• We are up for getting on a plane and getting stuck in, and not just sending a cheque to relieve our consciences. 

This led a small group of us some years ago to encourage a church "foster care ministry" and transition house project in Ukraine.

We took baby steps, over and over again for a period of 10 years, but it has made a huge difference to some very precious young people. Today that work is thriving as it looks after over 40 remarkable children and has a new, well functioning transition house they move to in their teenage years. The transition house itself is now a great home to over 30 young people (half full) learning to find their way into adult life. Many of them have had everything brutally stacked against them in earlier years but you wouldn't know it now as you see them flourishing in God's good plans for them.
 We are entirely indebted to God that he can do such a thing. He takes our small offerings (seemingly insignificant "fish and loaves" (Matthew 14:20-21))  and enables them to be the means to help many. We really are unimpressive. Our talents are "scratchy" at best, our resources at times are non existent, but God seems to delight in using such things, such people. We know for sure that he deserves all the credit and honour for anything useful at all that has been achieved. He also seems to miraculously provide what we need after we've committed to getting stuck in.
Over the next few months we will be sharing with you some of the projects and people we are trying to encourage this year. Our immediate concern is to make a small but strategic contribution  to the national spiritual encouragement and wellbeing of Ukraine, which is where our journey starts today.

Ukraine is a special, beautiful country, full of resourceful, kind and ingenious people. Today, with two significant regions in the grip of war and hostility, it is despised by some who only see it as a means to boost their economic and energy resources. A place they can "asset strip", as they seize on people in their vulnerability. Thankfully this is not how God sees people in Ukraine. He sees each individual as uniquely created and eternally loved.  This is why the good news of Jesus Christ is thriving like never before in Ukraine. Churches are being born, people's lives are being turned around. Where aid and bread is despirately needed the church is at the spearhead of practical help and compassion. 

Our small project which we hope will have a big effect.

• Imagine a place where foster families could experience a beautiful holiday by the sea, maybe the first they've ever experienced. Imagine a place where foster parents of 7-12 children could go with their families and find help, encouragement, care, and training. A place where they met other parents and children in the same situation. 
• Imagine a place where thousands of young people could get together for a youth camp to be encouraged to set down good roots in life, and make wise friendships that will pay dividends for the rest of their lives. Imagine a place where thousands of young people came to know the certainty of unconditional love in Christ and how transformational that would be in their uncertain world. 
• Imagine a country where the church grows so fast that it needs many new pastors and church leaders to keep up with growth. Imagine that it had such a place where present and prospective leaders could go for help, encouragement, training and networking. This doesn't need imagination, this is where Ukraine is and exactly what it desperately needs. Our prayer is that we can be an encouragement in all these things.

The "Black Sea Camp" is such a project. 

• We plan to build a small 8 dormitory, 7 bathroom "family block" to encourage the Ukrainian church in all the good things it is doing. This will immensely enhance the facilities available at this site which already so well used by God's good purposes. 

We plan to do all we can to complete as much of the project in April. We have a long way to go. At this point we have completed the internal shell of the building, and look to fit out the rooms and bathrooms in such a way that it will be a haven of rest and encouragement to many folks for many years.

To do it we need 4 things.
1) We would love you to pray that our little offering would have a hugely beneficial effect. That God would do more than we can think or imagine for the country of Ukraine. That our little efforts would produce a harvest of good things in God's economy.
2) We need a team of folks to pray for the team of 5 who are on the trip. I'm so grateful for the best of teams ready and willing to step on a plane this Saturday and come with us to encourage the Ukrainian Church. However we need our faithful army to keep praying for us - we don't want to do this in our strength because it would be feeble and failure all around. The reason God has blessed so much this far is because our dependence is on him, and we need that to be all the more as the ministry steps through the gears. 
3) We would love to gift the Ukraine church with materials to complete the project. 
We have a budget in mind that would kit out bathrooms and floors. At present God has miraculously gifted what we need for this new project but we are also dependent on him to provide for October and an altogether new project for us. We are less than a quarter way towards that target. Maybe you would be willing to give a small gift financially that would make a big difference. We trust God, but also rely on the compassion and generosity of people in the UK. 
4) We would love to take gifts of encouragement to many who are in need in this country. To those children who have very little, maybe you could buy some small toys, clothes or essentials on your next supermarket trip that would help them know that others care. For those pastors and care workers doing such a great job in difficult circumstance, maybe you could help encourage them to not grow weary in doing good. 

Whatever you can do to help would be hugely appreciated by us and the recipients. God sees and knows our hearts. The size of the gift is not relevant, the attitude of a thankful heart is priceless. 

• On top of the practical help and boost we hope to provide in April, we also look to encourage a number of individuals, churches, foster homes, and mission centres with help from the bible and words of encouragement / pastoral care.

I hope you are able to be with us and come with us... in spirit at least.
Do get in touch with the equip4good@gmail.com if you would like to chat anything through or know more.
Thank you for your faithful partnership. It is a cherished and priceless thing in a "throw away" culture which is so obsessed with the temporary and immediate. 

Please keep your eye on the blog as we will regularly update on the progress both on this trip and  the new projects as they kick off. 
With appreciation, 
Your friend and brother, 
Blogski.