New start, new life !

Hello friends, we are sorry that we have been too busy getting everything up to date on here, we will update some photos later of our leaders meeting (Friday) our work, our visit to Lviv and  Sunday morning meetings. There is one event however that outshines all these things... this morning in Church, I had the privelege of preaching about Jesus Christ, and Alun shared about his work as a prsion chaplain (and how people are coming to new life in Christ.)  It is our great joy to share that at the end of the service, 2 girls, (our young friends that we are here to help and ancourage), gave their lives to Christ and comitted their future to him. Pray for these precious young people in their new walk. Thank you friends for all your prayers,be assured that at every turn God is good and is answering in ways bigger than we understand. 

Hope your day is as full of encouragement, 
Love
Blogski

An explainable energy

Shawn Mendes, the Canadian singer and heartthrob for many a teenage girl once said...I love Milan, and I'm not just saying that. It's a city that gives me a great sense of euphoria. I can't explain why, but I feel a special energy there.
Although our team may not be quite as handsome as Shawn, we may be more gifted at explaining. In Kremenets over the last 48 hours, our feet have hardly touched the ground, and yet there has been a great sense of "energy" in the team, and we can explain it.
TUESDAY AM

• After our team briefing and time around the bible (considering the power of God at work in people  (Ephesians)) +  breakfast, we split up into several different activities. Those who worked on the building did an amazing Job of progressing many rooms in plasterboard. Others went to visit regional schools and shared their knowledge of British culture and the hope they have come to find in Jesus Christ (how it has changed their life for the better). Alun and I were privileged enough to be invited to meet the Pastors and leaders of a network of 20 churches in this region. This was one of the greatest privileges of my life. For around 2.5 hours, I was asked to speak about the nature of a growing church and how this works in practice for leaders and congregations. As we shared wisdom and experience together our time together was mutually encourageing, enriching and energizing. Conversation continued in detail over an amazing lunch for us all provided by the church.This region has many possibilities for seeing this church network grow. There is an amazing group of like minded church leaders here - who are passionate about sharing the good news of Christ to so many who need to hear it. I am so excited that God has brought us here at such a time as this, and look forward to progressing this relationship as we look to strengthen the hands of those who are doing an amazing work in a needy and unreached area. 

TUESDAY PM

•  We were taken to an area just off the main high street and central hub area of Kremenets and shown an amazing possibility. For a while the church here have cared for young people who need some help, whose paths in life are limited and dangerous for their wellbeing. When young people have no options for money or food they resort to drastic measures. This church in its overflowing love has built a transition house , but that is only the begining of the story. We are converting the upstairs for 8 young women (and many others we hope) who will come to live here.. The building we were taken to see has potential for housing many young lads in a similiar situation, The property is huge, on a hill overlooking the town. It sure needs some work... 

 but the potential is blindingly obvious. It has 2 floors plus an attic, a large (hilly plot of land) and a stunning area overlooking the town which would be ideal for youth "get togethers".

 It is an obvious property for such a project and ambition. At the moment there is a small financial shortfall to purchase this property outright, and we are praying hard to God for this, so that loads of young people might be helped in the future.

•  The remainder of Tuesday was equally packed. Some returned to construction work, and some to school and "orphanage ministry". In the evening however things took on a much higher level of energy. Myself Mo,Dennis and Alun, spent the evening with the girls. We shared stories, stupid UK jokes and experiences with them. We laughed, cried and explored together. We considered what it is like to be tired in this world, (not just because we don't have enough sleep), but because this world is so broken, cruel and sad that we get tired of this world itself. Isaiah 41 says...
• Do you not know?
      Have you not heard?
  The Lord is the everlasting God,
      the Creator of the ends of the earth.
  He will not grow tired or weary,
      and his understanding no one can fathom.
  ²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
      and increases the power of the weak.
  ³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
      and young men stumble and fall;
  ³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
      will renew their strength.
  They will soar on wings like eagles;
      they will run and not grow weary,
      they will walk and not be faint.
• Mo shared her amazing and heartwarming life story with the girls, and showed how it is possible for a young girl of 77 to be energised by God for living. We then shared some packages with the girls that were gifts from the UK church. Smiles, appreciation (and some photos we have been shown in secret) suggest that the girls thought this was very much like the best Christmas.  Thank you to those who made this possible, you know who you are and God does too.
• The lads (Alun, Jon, Zach, and Ken) went to be with the lads (those who have been helped by the church and working onsite with us all week... (usually on wobbly scaffolding, working like trojans on the outside of the building), 
  
• They had "a riot of a time", in fact I want to appologise to Sashas neighbours on behalf of my country  for all the raucous hilarity, songs, jokes and stories shared (much of it a high volume). TheUK team boys came back looking younger than they went out. As they shared their life stories and what God had done for them and the lads - they had been energised (even though they had worked onsite all day ). Thank you Elijah and Sasha for giving them an "awsome" day!

Wednesday has been more of the same. WORK WORK WORK, sharing in schools, and Paul and Dennis off to speak at Ternopil church and spend some time with church leaders. This too was an energising experience,The church like many in the region, is situated in an ideal place to reach many many young people with the good news and certain hope of a future in Jesus Christ. It was really cool to speak both with a group of emerging leaders and a young congregation who turn up to church on a Wednesday evening to hear the bible being explained in their language and for their generation.

I believe God is doing great and beautiful things here. I believe with all my heart we can trust him to do way more mindblowingly awesome things in the future. It is such a privelege to be part of this growing dynamic. God never gets tired, and the interesting thing is that those who follow his purposes and walk into his plans don't seem to either. It is possible to be mature and yet have a appetite for more, to be old in body and young in heart, to be tired of what has happened and yet gasping for more of the same, The power of God at work keeps people young. Like re-ergised kiddies, for now we go to bed, but only because we must, not because we want to. Our thoughts and dreams are for tomorrow, our prayers, for more of the same please LORD.
I'll post more  photos in the morning, when I can, but Mo says I have to go to bed now.
Much love 
Blogski 

Great start, great people.

Hi Friends,
So sorry for the delayed start on the blog. The Good news is that now we have wifi, the bad news is that we have a lot to catch up on.

The journey here was faultless. The flight to Lviv was quick and almost painless (apart from the 4:10am start). Sunday was a day full of making many, many wonderful friends. It was a huge privelege to meet so many young people in church, great young people. This church has an amazing future ahead of it. Having spent time with Pastors Vicrtor and Ivan when they were in the Uk last week, it was slightly odd (but good fun) to bring the church greetings from their own pastor whilst meeting them for the first time. 

Pastor Polikarp held the fort brilliantly with a supurb preach Sunday, a helpful, encouraing and practical message from James about how we come into a greater understanding of God through our tough and hard experiences in life (if we respond to these in faith). 

This region is very beautiful, and reminds me somewhat of the Snowdon area, with forests, hills, castles and many historic buildings, and a religious heritage which means there are many outwardly  beautiful churches on every street.

 
 The question remains however if this is symbolic of a dead religion which is a monument to the past or whether there is a real and vital relationship in the hearts of people. The truth i suspect is that many thousands of people in this region, treat God as something of a good luck charm, a picture to place in the front of your bus driver. A romantic view of a distant fairytale God like this (who only lives in a Gold plated tower church which resembles something from Disneyland)

does people no good. How can such a God help us, what does he know of our struggles and what does he care for our situation ?

In this context then you can imagine what an amazing Joy it was for us to meet people like Volodymyr and his wife Erha who have an amazing ministry to Young people. Many of these young people have come to know Jesus Christ in a relational and living way. They have come to see the reality of the one who came into our mess and sufferring to give us certain hope and a future. You only need to meet some of our amazing translators (Dana, Elijah and Jayne ) and see their smile to know what a difference Joy in Jesus Christ looks like...

Jonathan gave his story Sunday, and then I preached about the love, forgiveness, victory and certainty we find in Christ.

Today we have been working hard, lifting all the plasterboard materials into the second floor (through the fire exit door on that floor, which has no staircase (fire exit) yet). We were thaknkful for no accidents and that even the cat who surveyed from below ended up unharmed. We started the day studying Ephesians together and the awesome comsic (mind bending) truth that God has a glorious and eternal life purpose for each of us in Jesus Christ. We've been so grateful to God for his obvious provision and help today - and we are happy to report 2 rooms are nearly finished with Plasterboard already. 

 

Tomorrow we have a day trying to encourage the church here - and the many offsprings of what God is at work doing here, (amongst pastors, church planters, youth workers, orphangages, youth transition houses and many more avenues). We value your prayers so much and assure you God is anwering in amazing ways.

 Not only have we already accomplished much more than we expected, but have been blown away with the joy, love, closeness and dependence on God that we have enjoyed. We are delighted by absolutely everything we discover here. it strikes us that where true relationship with Christ is found, so is joy, laughter, hope, smiles, true friendship and a lot of love. God is good. He is at work in places we're yet to discover, and therefore we have great expectancy not only for our time here but our future relationship and what God will do with our partnership togerther.

The way this team, project and co-operation has come together is nothing short of remarkable, but this is just the beginning, we can expect our awe of what God is doing and does to grow. Thank you for being with us - now we have internet we will update more and more photos and news. 
Appreciated 
Blogski

We're set... get ready... pray !

Over centuries many have sung the words... " All I have needed your hand has provided" . This is because whatever the season, whatever the decade, century or country we live in ... God is utterly, consistently, undeviatingly, persistently faithful. Not only this, but he knows what we need before we utter it, and knows the big issues of our lives even though we are yet to begin to understand them ourselves. 

4 months ago started praying in earnest. (for 4 things) 

1) for a team to go out on our Autumn trip

2) For enough funds to complete the upper floor of "Grace transition house" (Kremenets, North West Ukraine) so that 8 girls could move in when we leave. 

3) For the possibility to encourage Pastors and Church planters doing good things in that Region of the world.

4) If there were other needs around, things that we could do, that God would show us. 

1) THE TEAM

The team are an amazing bunch of uniquely talented and compassionate people. On a trip like this you need people who "get it", that we are not going for ourselves but to serve others and encourage in whatever way we can. Thank God for the team of 8 who will be flying out. Pray for Alun L, Alun J, Ken, Zach, Jon, Mo, Dennis, and Paul. Pray that they will grow in their faith and be a great team of encouragement to others in whatever situations and roles they find themselves in. Also thank God for the army of folks who have helped us prepare. In the photo below you see Tina (also known as "Mrs Ken" in some parts of the world) packing some cases of goodies and gifts. 

I wish we'd had a wide angled sense so you could see how crammed the floor was. It was an amazing evening when we realised we had many more things to take than we could fit in twice as many cases than we started with. God is good ! We'll be revisiting this issue soon to explain how we get it all to the right place in the future. 

2) THE MATERIALS, GIFTS and building

To finish the upper floor we set a realistic budget of £7000. I say "realistic", because we knew that's how much we needed...but when the bank account was nearly empty after our last trip, we had absolutely no idea where any of that was coming from. It was a good time to pray in dependance on God. Here we are 4 months later and we not only have all that "phase 1"  money needed for materials, but God has rewarded our faith beyond what we could've imagined.  

• We have some wonderful gifts for our new friends who will be living in the house we hope to complete. Our Cases are full, but the bigger story is the kindness and fullness of generosity of the Uk church and all our friends in the UK. 
• We have more than enough to start planning next year and the Next Phase of our work to encourage those in Eurasia who are doing great things, and are all ready planning it (stay tuned during our trip to see what that looks like (photos included)) 
• Because of your generosity we have been able to send on some materials that some brilliant guys from the church are now fitting to the outside in readiness for the winter. This is a massive bonus for us, and means we can concentrate on the bits we are more used to doing (the inside). 
• Because God hears prayer, we also now have a brilliant welder on board. How cool is that for specific answered prayer ?... and now we will have a rock steady staircase. 

3) PASTORS CONFERENCES

During our trip we hope to encourage several groups of gospel workers as we share from the bible about "how to minister under pressure (2 Cor 1-6)", "How to grow as a pastor as the church grows", and "How to hand things on to the next generation". Please pray these times will be massively helpful and useful to our friends and church family in all that they are doing in exciting times of growth for the church.

4) "Getting about" (up to some good) !

WE will be visiting a number of different locations on our trip. Some of them where people are going through unimaginably tough situations, (stuff we hardly knew about 4 months ago). Thank you for those who have given towards these needs (warm coats and other things for the coming bitterness of winter for starters). You have helped us so much, especially to be an encouragement to others. Pray that God will keep us safe and productive as we travel long distances. Pray that we give people more than "stuff" and that they will come to know lasting joy, peace and certainty in Jesus Christ. 

Pray that we will complete the work, that all will go according to plan (God's plan) . 

Pray that preaching, teaching and training will be easily understood (through translation and a message of love from God just at the right time).

Pray that when it is all done - we give him the credit, honour and glory he is completely worthy of. It just wouldn't have happened if God wasn't awesomely faithful !

Yours "big time, blown away by God" 
Blogski

WOW ! Just WOW !

WHEN we take a small step of faith, we often learn that GOD has way more in store for us. His care is infinite in its knowledge, and meticulous in provision. (Matt 10:29-30)
Many of you who have taken the Journey with us through building transition House Odessa, Black Sea camp work, (and some of the other things that we do to help specific people and situations which unfortunately can't publish here) know that I am like a stuck record just before each trip.
Every time the pattern is the same..

• God shows us a need. 
• We feel too small and insignificant to do much about said situation. 
• God provides. 
• The situation grows to help more and more people. 
• God provides even more. 

With many people come many needs, and so God keeps providing. When we committed to help our friends in the North of Ukraine to complete a small home for some precious young people, we thought we had overextended ourselves (because of the other commitments we had)...but GOD, in his typical (and overflowing with love) way, had gone before us. At the beginning of this project in the North we set a financial target that would realistically set up the home for use, and make a huge difference to young lives in Kremenets / encourage the church to go forward in their amazing work as they impact the whole region with compassion, love and redemption. I have to be honest. This target to us seemed way-off in the distance - especially considering all that we had already committed to. I am so pleased to share that  in God's goodness, and though your generosity, this initial target has been met before I have even got to the building for the first time with the team. Thank you so much ! This means that all the materials we need to do our work in a few weeks time can be purchased, and things can go forward as fast as possible to help others as quick as possible... and things are moving fast. The work in the North is growing apace. We are having the best of SKYPE conversations with our precious friends VIKTOR and IVAN who are telling me the same story that I am telling you. God is going before this in amazing ways - The work is expanding (miraculously) and more young people will soon be homed, loved and we pray come to know eternal not temporary security and peace.   Is this the end of the story ? - No it is the end of the beginning of the story. Stick with us on here for the updates on the trip and see how our small steps of faith are walking into bigger plans and purposes. I promise you there are some brilliant "Wow's" to come. With this initial target met we can now concentrate on the wider issues of the work in the North (as it grows - and our much bigger plans for 2020), other areas our teams are visiting over  next few weeks and the crisis regions that we have contact with.  I know some of you were hoping to give financially  for this trip, please still do so if you possibly can,  this money will now be directed to these crisis situations and help us plan the huge development options in the North - Maybe that was God's plan all along !
Yours, feeling exceptionally humbled and grateful,
The equp4good heart is beating pretty fast.
Thank you precious TEAM.
BLOGSKI

Matthew 10:29-30
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Universal Needs

Hi friends, 
I'm enjoying one of those long waits in Girona Airport. On arrival I did wonder where everyone was. Could they be glued to the football scores ? (it was time for "sports report"), Were they tuned into the demise of the England cricket team amidst yet another top order collapse on TMS? ...No maybe these are just the perculiar habbits of a half-tanned brit at Saturday teatime!.
aahh... found you all - shouldve known... BURGER KING !

Why does the world (and their pets in carry cases) gravitate towards such classy establishments we ask ourselves? Well the answer is that they provide for all our universal basic needs don't they?
1) Free Wi-fi
2) Chips and other healthy deep fried food
3)  Charging points
4) Water - if you are prepared to ask 4 times and be stared at as if an alien.

is there anything else everyone needs... actually yes!!!
The bible reminds us that there is one need that is even more universal... 
GOD - the maker of all people, the true ruler of all nations says in Isaiah 43:11

" I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no saviour besides Me."

The truth is that everywhere we travel in the world there is but one maker of all people, every individual. There is one only who gives breath, provides rain, food and sun, who even gives the rare earth resources that make our iphones work and our chargers charge. In every airport you visit there will be people travelling through, encjoying all that God provides but without a thought for him. There will also be those however who know that their life is hungry. Hungry for something more than just another trip to deep fried city, hungry for the relationship which makes sense of all life. Sometimes as a group we visit locations where everyone is hungry for food far more basic than B K and this is such tragic and devastating thing to see, but even  more catastrophic is the knowdedge that many are flying into eternity without any comprehension of how far they are from the living God and how empty their life is without him. The bible reminds us that whilst we have breath today is still the day of "salvation" - Whatever our issues in life our maker is ready for our call. We don't need wifi, we don't even need Euros or knowledge of how to work machines in different languages, you and I can come to him the maker and ruler of all things "gratuit" ! We just need a heart that cries out to God and says "God if you are there, please make yourself known to me!". From experience let me tell you that God is way more gracious, kind and forgiving than you could ever imagine. Why not call on him now if you never have... go on dare you... you might be surprised at the response you will receive and how he reveals himself to be everything you and I are looking for and everything our hearts are hungry for.

This is the universal need of man... to Know GOD! To enjoy God, To be right with God and know him as your friend and not just the one you feel guilty before. He is the one we are made for. All this is possible and inexaustable in Jesus Christ. This universal need is why we exist as people and why we exist as a team. Wherever our next flight takes us or life plants us ... our one goal is to share the great news of Jesus Christ ... the universal saviour.

" Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

If you have never thought about this, then maybe you should... maybe you have a greater need than even free wifi. If you like us have found your universal hope, certainty, reason for living and incomprehensible Joy in coming to know him then maybe you could pray for us as a team. Our desire is to share this universal truth whatever place God takes us to. Pray that people around the world, people passing through, people hungry (physically and spiritually) will come to know the one who fills us with good things as we come to him. 

Well there goes the tannoy - another flight boards, another crowd of people cross the globe. As I go to board another flight .... I can't help but want to cry to God for those who leave Burger King with full tummies but empty souls, charged up on the phone but dreading the day (if subliminally) when they stand before God and realise... they have absoultely nothing!

 

Out of the comfort zone for good reason.

In times of pressure, change and vulnerability, it becomes more apparent than ever that we are creatures who gravitate towards comfort. This is particularly so in the UK; where there is a rise in "gated communities" that shut us off  from "the great unwashed" and unwanted, even our neighbours, and where a bombardment of TV programs teach us to perfectly "restore", build or transform our homes into a self serving paradise in which we find our isolated pride, joy and happiness.  As always however the bible is countercultural. 
God is community. God is love, and he is outward bound to rescue even those who have rejected him. The big story of the bible centres on one who left the comfort, joy and paradise of heaven to go to the lowest, most depraved and deprived. This is only the beginning of the story however as the greatest beam of joy, light and eternal goodness shines brightest when we see that Jesus Christ (the true man), goes to a place far worse than we ever have, in order that he might take on himself our worst, greatest indignity, and misery. In doing so, he restores human existence to a level of value, approval and hope beyond our greatest dreams and understanding. The true crux of the issue however hinges on whether I am ready to see myself as one of "the worst", "an oustider", a person undeserving of God's grace because of my past and repellent instinct towards God. Without going out of my comfort zone to see who I  truly am before the perfection of Jesus Christ, I cannot receive the perfection, forgiveness, solution and hope of Jesus Christ. 
In our greatest moment of discomfort we receive the greatest undeserved gift of God ("new life"). God specialises in taking us out of our comfort zone for good reason and glorious purpose. 

9 team members fly out over the next 2 months to places we have never visited before... to situations, a language, crisis and struggle we have never experienced before first hand. 
Our trips have three parts to them...
1) To help build a home for some young people who have known and experienced first hand the worst side of humanity. Our desire is simply to show them what Christ has shown us - love!
2) To help and encourage a new church network who are going way outside their comfort zone to show the love of Christ in their region. We hope to encourage in a number of ways including "Pastors Conferences" where we will discuss "ministry under pressure" (2 COR 1-6) and how God uses this for his good purposes.
3) To travel on to other areas where Christians are paying the high cost of trying to live like Jesus Christ. This is not a comfort zone - but a place like Judges 21:25, where everyone does what is right in their own eyes. You will not find this place on a holiday brochure, yet it is a place where many are coming to find their great joy, peace, eternal  security and certain future in Christ. 

Are we outside our comfort zone? in many ways YES ... but here we have repeatedly discovered that God has gone before us in his good purposes. We are still relying on him for money... specifically for building materials, for help transporting clothes and gifts etc. but he will have a good way of doing those things.
Maybe you would like to help?  Please get in touch, don't underestimate what God can do when you and I step outside the comfort zone. To misquote a man 50 years ago.. "A small step for you and me can actually sometimes lead to a giant step for humankind (or at least someone else)". Don't hesitate today to speak to your neighbour, leave your TV, give away what God has given you or trust in God's provision rather then trusting your own... he has it sorted! 

We will update regularly during this busy season of travel, so please keep us on your radar and in your prayers.
Love,
Blogski