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Tuesday 20 December 2016

It's Christmas ...say "THANK YOU!"

It's that time of year when we reflect a little on what has happened and what has / has not been accomplished. For our house over the last 24 hours this has coincided with reviewing some video footage from this year's trips to Odessa and our wonderful friends out there. There are many great scenes...
  • a building looking considerably more finished at the end of the year,
  • a full store room of 7 bathroom suites waiting to be fitted, because of your generous giving
  • a raft of smiling loving people who welcome us into their home... so that we can spend all day using sds drills,lump hammers and  generally create a sandstorm of dust in what is their haven of peace.
However... the stand out scene of all is from a Friday night not so long ago when children walk into a room of Christmas festivity. A sparkling tree, a cuddly Santa, the smell of some fresh Christmas fruit, all set the scene but did not prepare me for what happened...
 A torrent of "thank you(s)" from grateful young friends who left us in no doubt how much they appreciated a small act of kindness. On that Friday night we finished by thanking God that he is the giver of all GOOD gifts (James 1:27) God has been and is unswervingly and unreservedly good to you and me.

These words of the children's gratitude still ring loud in my ears this time of year. I have often returned from Odessa aware that I have received much more than I have given. This year, so much more so. The bible says that out of the mouths of Children, profound truths are learned (Matthew 21:16). The children have been teaching me to be more grateful for the immense kindness of God.
  •  Do you know that if you live in the UK you are one of the top 3-5% richest people in the world.
  • Do you have running water this Christmas ?  say "Thank you" to GOD
  • Do you have petrol/ diesel in your car this Christmas?  say "Thank you" to GOD
  • Do you have a family today ? say a Huge "Thank you" to GOD.
  • Do you have a warm bed to sleep in tonight ? Thank God.
  • Do you have a roof over your head tonight ? Don't forget to say "Thank you" to God.
  • Do you have those who love you and care about you ? Maybe you need to see others who don't... in order to remind you how much you should humbly say "Thank you" to God.

When we consider that the God who has given everything we materially need and much more besides, also came into a messed up world which had rejected him and would despise him, (ultimately kill him), our gratitudeometer should go through the roof. We don't deserve God's goodness, let alone what we discover in the perfection of a baby born who became to become our perfect man and substitute to die in our place. Whatever you and I think this Christmas... it cannot ever be that we are hard done by. GOD IS GOOD, he has always been good and will always be good. Lord teach me to have the attitude of gratitude this Christmas. When people demand grace, remind me of your patience with me. When life is less than perfect, remind me that you give your perfection in my place. When I feel I'm missing out, remind me of the tsunami of grace you have showered on my life in Christ JESUS.

Thank you all project supporters for your kindness this year, it has been extraordinary and at times incomprehensible and just overwhelming. Practically speaking this generosity is the reason we near completion in 2017. May God bless you in your giving. May he give you overflowing Joy in him this Christmas, and an attitude of gratitude as you consider his goodness to you.
This year Odessa trips have taught me 2 home truths which I humbly pass on ... in case they might be of help to you as you reflect this Christmas.
  • 1) It is always the appropriate moment to show an act of unexpected kindness to someone. 
  • What is stopping you from doing this today?
  • 2) When you consider your life and count your blessings, you will never be stuck for something to thank God for.
  •  What are you thanking him for today?

With gratefulness to God, and love to you and yours this Christmas.
With appreciation and love. We thank you for your support and love,
Paul (on behalf of the team).

Thursday 15 December 2016

Dreaming of a White Christmas

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas, looking at the weather forecast that's probably all we will be able to do, but our friend John who living and working out in Odessa at the moment has posted this picture on Facebook today.





So it looks like he might be enjoying snow for Christmas this year. This is the car parking area and gates looking from Transition House.






Welcome to Broadstone

We are pleased to welcome Broadstone Baptist Church as partners in our work with Grace Baptist Church, Odessa, and Gwersyllt Church, Wrexham


A number of men from Broadstone went out to Odessa this autumn to work on Transition House and the Church have been supporting the work over this time.

We are looking forward to working with men from Broadstone again in the future.



Tuesday 6 December 2016

Are you up for supporting us in the BIG PUSH?

We're thankful to God to get back home safely.
We landed in Kiev amidst particularly heavy snow and low temperatures which resulted in our flight taking off over an hour late (so they could De-ice the plane)


Now in the comfort and warmth, we're so thankful for what God is doing through our Ukrainian family in Christ. It's always good to reflect on what God is doing, without it we can miss his Glory through sheer busyness. Reflecting on this year and our trips out to Ukraine ...some things are blatantly obvious...






 
  • We have come such a long way with the building work. I will never forget Rob's celebration with the tilling being completed... Since then we have made a start on the final lap... and the left half of the basement now has metal framework and OSB boards in position ready to go up.   

(before)...

 (after)


  • The top floor is tiled...

The kitchens are going in 1by 1...

  •  The spirit of the teams throughout the year has been nothing short of Inspirational. The guys always pay for their own flights and many of them take a week's unpaid holiday / leave to join us. The background music in this clip may be a little old hat for cool dudes like us... but it's fair to say our motivation is summed up in the lyrics...we are united by someone much bigger than ourselves.


  • The store room is now full of 7 bathroom suites and will keep the T H boys busy over the winter period as they try and fit everything  that folks have gifted to the work.



What is most obvious is that now (in the final lap) we have  reached the point where we need to push for the tape and head for the finish with every muscle.

Are you willing to run with us on the final lap of the building project ?

  •  How about trying to send or support a specific gift that is needed ? 
  •  Some needs became apparent whilst we were there.
1) A new MAKITA SDS drill would be helpful.... the other one has literally been "hammered". Is this something you and some friends could gift?
2) There is still need for kitchen fittings, sinks, and units. Is this something you could help with?
3) It would be good to keep encouraging our teenage friends whilst the building work is ongoing. Maybe you could consider a small gift to arrange for all the folks to go 10 pin bowling one night. (£30?) or for the house parents to go out for a meal to relax just once.
4) We have a long list of little things that would bless little people if you could help us arrange them for spring 2017.

We have provisionally booked Sat 29th April - Sat 13th May (2017) as a time we can take out as big a team of men as possible to finish off the work. Would you be willing to join us? Get in touch if God has laid this on your heart.

I can promise you that whatever you do in support of this ministry, it will not only be a huge encouragement to God's people at Grace church, and those who will benefit from this loving home, but it may also be more used of God than you could ever imagine (James 1:27). I can't help but think such projects as this, (and my good friends at "teams4U" / other similarly commendable endeavors by God's people) are close to God's heart.
If you are up for joining us in some way, we'd be glad to hear from you and we'll look forward to running across the finishing tape with you.




Friday 2 December 2016

Leaving the best till last.

Hi folks, just a brief one tonight because we have arrived back late from a wonderful evening with our friends at church. I will keep some amazing video and photos for presentations when we get back home, but suffice to say this has been an amazing day.

We have been encouraged all week by the apostle Paul's model of servant-hood in Philippians, not only to live as men of God, confident in Christ, but desiring that whatever we go through we are encouragement to God's people, in our prayers, in our thankfulness of God's provision, in our passion to see the gospel go forward, in our relationships to be full of gentleness and encouragement. Today we finished our studies and just had a great time of thankful prayer for each others fellowship this week, which has been real, timely and we pray lasting in its impact.

The work came to an end today, we have some photos and video. In Summary, the two main large rooms for recreation in the basement have been completed in structural metal work, leaving the more cosmetic stuff for the folks to complete at a gentler pace over the next few weeks. The storage room is full of bathroom kit ready to be fitted, again this can be done over the winter months, and there is plenty to keep God's people here encouraged and to carry on in the work.

We finished this evening with a trip to church, and our second attempt to provide some festive encouragement. Whilst the children were out in Christmas choir practice, we had a new friend with us who rode in the minibus.



 We had some strange waves along the way, and managed to acquire another tree and decorations.
 All the guys took their turn in getting it looking impressive and co-ordinated before the children came back, but when they did....







WOW what excitement. Santa had many cuddles, and there was mass excitement when the candy sticks were  spotted.
We had a little prayer time with our friends, being reminded that God is the giver of all GOOD GIFTS and THE GREATEST GIFT. We thanked God that we were able to enjoy him together with those who were most special to us, and there was a tangible sense of God's smile on the whole evening. God is so good. The evening finished with children enjoying their Christmas oranges  and  bananas, some hide and seek under the tables and some amazing Ukrainian biscuits and company.
Each of us go back with precious memories of an amazing week and Friday evening.
For me my abiding memories will be...
1) The excitement of the children coming in to enjoy the Christmas tree
2) The gift of soft toys, cuddles and friendships expressed.
3) The gratitude of the children
4) The completion of the work we set out to do.
5) The prayer time with Pieter (and his gratitude to God) in the basement area that we have worked in all week. As Pieter so eloquently put it "Slava Borg God is GOOD"
I'll write a fuller summary when time, thank you for faithfully being with us on this amazing Journey, we are getting there, and meeting the children again who will make fuller use of this place makes us want to support this ministry all the more. We hope you can stay with us to completion and see this ministry grow in the way that matters, that is investing in people and their spiritual well being. We love you for you generosity, we're encouraged by your encouragement, and we are blown away by what God is doing to his glory.