Fab Friday!

Hello folks, so sorry for the drop in communication. It has been a combo of 3 things ... drop in internet / electricity, a busy schedule and the need for r+r after a long day. We have been trying to make the most of the opportunities knowing that the weekend will bring wet weather.

We are just back from visiting our friends at church. This is always the highlight of every trip and tonight will go down in the memory for some time.

We were able to introduce our new friends Ken and Dennis, I think they went down pretty well :)

We were also able to share some small gifts which we pray will be useful for every day life in the Big house where 30 growing children need the odd thing or other here and there. All the gifts were a hit, but especially the 40 high school musical bags (thank you Kelly Ann - you star) and funky water bottles to take to school. We also heard about one or two needs, (things like prescription specs which are not at all cheap) so if you want to help, we would be keen to hear from you.

The building work has come on a storm. The guys are smashing the program, and doing an immaculate job in record time. Rob is the brains of the outfit ! He has clever lazers and everything ! The light show is completed by Emlyn's fascination with producing sparks with a grinder, it really is like Nov 5th every day of the week...

Apart from having way too much fun, we've managed to finish a number of walls and the massive sports hall ceiling is coming on really well.

Working with your neck stretching to the skies with an SDS is not the easiest all day. These guys are complete stars, and their heart to do this both for God and the kids is what motivates them - He is certainly enabling them above and beyond, there is a real buzz in the basement, and it isnt just the chorus of Makitas, stanleys and xtremes giving it some, it is the joy of doing something really worthwhile and having a complete laugh doing it!.
Some of us are being tested in our concentration...

Last night was pretty awesome with a trip to the Opera. Andre (who sings in the chorus) kindly arranged for us to have tickets  for a beautiful version of Madame Butterfly. Some of the guys had their own interpretation of the libretto, ("Bloke fancies woman, goes off, theres a bit of pollava and women tops herself just like in every opera (but manages to sing like an angel as she does")). Give or take - not a bad summary.

As always the hospitality is as warm as an electric blanket in the sahara, and the food is humblingly good. Lydia seems to have adopted a new method of making us eat 5 helpings. She now just wanders around the table piling our plates, knowing that we are often slow to go back for a 3rd helping when there are several more being kept hot in the oven. You have to bear in mind that there are a minimum of 14 of us for lunch each day.

I'd love to tell more, but we are in need of some rest, so hopefully over the weekend the internet will be better and we'll be able to upload some more photos.

Big love to our familes, friends and supporters. God is answering your prayers in an awesome way. Thank you for being with us,
BLOGSKI

Tremendous Truths for Tuesday.

Hi great friends, supporters, and prayer trojans.
Today has been an awesome day when the privilege of being part of this great project has really hit home. We can summerise it in 5 truths.
1) It is a great privilege to provide good people with good things to do good work for God (who is always good). We had the privilege this morning of presenting our friends at transition house with the gifts for materials and tools that the church and friends in the UK sent us with. Exceptional gratitude was communicated to us, but our hearts were full and united  by how awesome our God is in providing for his people. We are very grateful to the generosity of the Barrane foundation and the churches  in the uk which enabled us to contribute to the provision of much needed resources at such a critical time in the project. We were able to present our great brother, friend and foreman Igor with some wonderful new tools, which will grately help us rattle up some walls and ceilings over these next 3 weeks.

We are thinking of asking the diy store to buy this photo off us for their Christmas advertising, with the caption "new toys make big boys very very happy!".
Truth 2) Ukranian markets sell everything !. To acquire tools and materials today (at great prices) Pieter Kindly drove myself and John accross the city where we entered the street market quarter. To say it was "eyeopening" is an understatement. You could buy any pet that was required, (whether to walk, eat or dunk) - I particulraly enjoyed the terrapins and tortoises. We think we counted 15 stalls selling tropical fish and numerous others with fairytale castles and plants for said fish to live a happy Ukrainian life. Of course next to the fish were... yes you guessed it ...the power tool stalls.. (I think we hid our surprise very well.)
 Pieter is a shrewd man. After entering "Aladdins cave for big lads in overalls" and signing the store card entry for maximun discount, we purchased one item and looked at several (hundred). We then exited the shop to repeat the process in several stores just to see if any of the store owners would buckle under the pressure and offer further discount at the prospect of multiple sales. They did and we exited as very happy bunnies, with a new Dewalt SDS drill light enough for ceiling work, a new angle grinder ideal for metal work, new intellegent drivers (ideal for boarding), and various magnetic spirit levels,  and drill bits ready for the mission ahead.
Truth 3) Ukrainian driving is ... unpredicatable. On our journey home we encounterd a section of road wherby due to road works, 6 lanes converged into 2. The large Ukranian man who drove the large artic truck decided he had chosen the slightly slower of the two lanes and so used a local custom / "temparary throttle system", in the hope that every time he dabbed the accelerator, someone would be gentlemanly enough to move out of his way. They weren't, and they didn't !!!! ...but praise God we escaped the carnage that ensued. There is always mess and mangle in this world when it is every man for himself !! We were grateful to be reunited with a team where everyone is united in one purpose, and where God brings people together to construct and not destroy.
Truth 4) We should be thankful for water and electricity. Thank GOD if you have both today. Yesterday we were without water, today it was electricity, (at least for a good portion of the afternoon session)  which just makes you appreciate how precious these things are - you can't do a whole lot of building work (or anything else for that matter) without either.
Truth 5) God is bigger than all the ups and downs of life. As we awoke this morning to put the kettle on and meet for our bible study this was the view outside our room...

As we started a new day we studied  Joshua chapter 2. It is all about a new day for Israel in God's forgiveness and a new day for anyone who trusts God in the mess of this world. Verse 11 says this..."for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below." Joshua chapter 2 is about how God uses insignificant people in his gloriously big plans. Rahab, is known only for being a prostitute and a nobody up until this point. She is normally not into trusting men too much (it comes with her profession) ...but this new day she  trusts two men from God and puts her trust in the God who offers sovereign protection as we trust ourselves to his faithfulness. Reading the story in the big picture of the bible we see that this was the best of days for Rahab, her faith was exceptionally wisely placed. In Matthew  1:5, we are reminded that she was engrafted into God's big plans, and after being rescued by the good news of who God is, married Salmon, became the mother of Boaz, and ultimaely the line which produced the greatest tesminoy to God's faithfulness to all generations, the birth of Jesus Christ. As she professes that God is good, so her life becomes a staggering story of the God who loves to take messed up people and turn them into a lasting story and trophy of his protection and possesion. In turn she posseses all the privileges of a God who never ever, ever. lets down those who trust in him. Today is another day when God is faithful, his mercy is new every morning and his faithfulness lasts from one generation to the next. As a bunch of messups, we as a team have been blown away by God's failfulnnes in forgiving us, and bringing us together in his great purposes. God is good, however "not good you are", turn to him today, you can trust him,  he loves to accept those who do.

With deep gratitude in our hearts, some more walls and ceiling metal in sutu, and some shiny new tools in our kit bag. We have a good God. We have had a great day in his big plans. You are part of his goodness to us, thank you for your prayers and support - you know who you are, and hopefully you know how much you mean to us.  Much love till we chat again, BLOGSKI.

Off to a great start!

"Chello from Ukraine"
We are here safely friends, after an eventful journey. Everything was fine until our arrival at the clapham junction of the airways, Istanbul. The weather was more akin to Manchester, and the torential rain seemed to throw the airport into chaos. Having arrived at our gate (212 if I remember correctly) we were then told to relocate to another (303 if I am not mistaken), before the same genlemen raised his hand to propose a trip the other end of the airport (gate 400 and something, I don't remember now - it is all very blury). We did eventually take off an hour and half late, leaving our welcoming commitee standing expectectantly in Odessa for the same length of time.Those of you who know Istanbul airport will know we succeeded in getting our stepometer quota for the month.  Praise God it didn't dampen anyone's spirits for 3 reasons. 1) We met a lovely guy who was travelling around europe sharing the good news of a new start in Jesus Christ. I was able to exchange details with our new friend with the promise to pray and keep in touch. Through happenstance in God's timing we had our own little Sunday service outside gate 400 and whatever. 2) John Davenport and Emlyn kept us supplied with confectionary which balanced / complemented the cheese (6 different ways) diet we had  recieved from turkish airlines, and 3) the smiles of our welcoming comittee made up for every inch of Istanbul airport we have explored (a number of times).

Here are 5 things we are praising God for today.
1) We have been thrown out of our normal rooms. This is a good thing... Transition house has made significant progress in our absense, both in building work and function. There are some new guests fully enjoying living on the second floor, and so we have been relocated to another part now in use for the first time. Praise God this place feels more like a big community every time we arrive.
2) The work which has been done in our absense is top notch. 3 Ukrainian gentlemen have worked solidly over the last month transforming the basement dining area from less than a shell of a room to a beautuful and trendy place to be. The floor tiling continues today, but this is a picture of what it generally looks like. You will see that the spacers are still in situ in the beautiful parkay type floor.

3) You will see from the large imposing shadow on the left that the "BIG MAN" was with us this morning. It's fantastic to resume fellowship with IGOR BANDURA, in the basement and celebrate all that God has done through the mission.
4.) WE ARE ON TRACK TO FINISH THE BASEMENT, COMPLETE THE BUILD and APPLY FOR A LISENCE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.  This is nothing short of staggering considering the extra phases we added to the project.
5) ROB HARRIS brought his new toy for us to play with... a lazer ... which not only gives off a pretty disco effect but saves us hours on marking out new walls and ceiling profiles from a blank canvas. This is the main reason we have had a great start and much progress on our first Monday. Not the best photo but hopefully you can see the clever red line which has transformed our lives.

We have had a brilliant start to the trip.
Emlyn is back in situ with his favourite angle grinder...

This is the "special" grinder that has an "on-off" switch which is

 more erratic than Boris Johnson's hairstyle. 

We have a great team system in play already, 1 team working on walls in the main back corridor and 1 on the ceiling in the large recreation room. Our Ukranian friends continue to work like trojan's creating tilling which makes even Rob's laser look wobbly.

We have started this morning as we mean to go on...

 We woke after a sleep which searched  for quality knowing that quantity wasn't an option, (our meal last night of fully stocked Pizza was prepared for us to kick off after midnight  - and it was a little rude to travel so far and then retire to bed). We started at 6 uk time with bible study and prayer. It is a great thing when blokes do this together, and you couldn't get a more blokey book of the bible than Joshua. He's a guy with responisbilities bigger than he can handle, but as he trusts a God immensely bigger than his understanding, he discovers that he is walking into the inheritance and priveleges God has already won for him. We are doing the same, our God is doing amazing stuff, and we have the privilege of walking the journey in his massive, good, and worldwide plans. For your prayers, kind wishes and practical support we are deeply grateful. This idea of a transition house was a "crazy big" plan, but it was Gods' plan and so it is nearly there. He finishes everything he starts. Tomorrow we raid the trade stores for new tools, please pray that accelerates the work even quicker from hereon in. We could also ideally do with some running water tomorrow as we havn't had it for the majority of today. From a happy bunch of smelly blokes, much love and appreciation, speak soon, BLOGSKI!

Going places ! 3 reasons for an attitude of gratitude.

Hi friends, family and faithful supporters.
We'd like to encourage you to give thanks to GOD. He is awesome in all things, He does nothing badly and does everything to unimaginable perfection. For us as a team his provision and answer to prayer for our little project in Ukraine has been so encouraging these last few days. If anyone should have the attitude of gratitude today it is us.

REASON 1: A LITTLE ARMY OF GREAT WORKERS AND ENCOURAGERS
Many of us have been praying that we can give the work in Odessa a big push at such a critical stage. I am so pleased to share that 17 men are going out to Ukraine to work on transition house. Our desire is bigger than to build a few big walls and level some ceilings. We hope that in a small way we can encourage God's good people to keep going in the amazing work they are doing for children who need a helping hand and the care of a loving family. In a small part we hope to make a small difference to the lives of the 60 potential residents of transition house.

We have a great team provided by God and as we pack we are raring to go...

REASON 2: "ANY DAY YOUR FEET GET OUT OF THE BED IS A GOOD DAY"

I said to a dear friend a few days ago, "I hope you have a good day!". This was in the context of his many health issues, looking after his beloved wife who has been ill for some time (and will not get better), and numerous personal issues with his grandchildren and extended family. I regretted it as soon as I opened my big gob (my Nikes firmly implanted in it!) ... how glib, how stupid. His answer was astounding and gracious. "Thank you brother, to be honest we need to remember that any day our feet get out of the bed is a good day ". I want that attitude ! Today you are alive in God's world, he has given you breath. You may not have thanked him for that - but he did it anyway! Some of our team are matured like fine wines. They are getting on a flight with some small limitations (like knowing their next big birthday will be their 80th). They also however get on a plane with a BIG HEART full of GOD's love for broken and messed up world. Today is a gift from GOD. Jesus Christ has changed us from being a bunch of men who use to do their own selfish little thing, into blokes who have joy in working together in God's massive purposes. We know we don't deserve his grace, we get up today absolutely sure though that because of his forgiveness our lives are u-turned and we are going places with him. We just want each day to express appreciation and yes LOVE to him. Don't live today for selfish purposes, moping around thinking you are hard done by. When I do that I am the unhappiest chap on earth! Say today "for me to live is CHRIST", get over yourself and get stuck in.

REASON 3: WE HAVE AN AWESOME TEAM LEADER

Isaiah 41:10 says  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.
  The 17 of us will start each day looking to our team leader for guidance. He is the one who makes everything happen and although he calls us co-wokers, it's a bit like me when I was 7 and my Grandad pushed me in his wheelbarrow to his place of work. He's the one who does all the hard stuff, we just hitch a ride. Over 3 weeks we're thinking about how JOSHUA was encouraged to walk into the inheritance God gives his people. We do not win the victory, we piggyback on the greatest victory ever won. Our job is to obey and trust.

If you want to come with us on the trip, please keep reading the blog over the next 4 weeks and if you are up for it, why not pray with us, we would appreciate that more than anything. We pray to the same amazing God wherever we are on his little planet.

Pray for 

Oct 1-14th: JOHN, ROB, NICK, DENNIS and KEN
Oct 13-21st: MARK S, SAM, ALUN, PETE, MARK D, IAN, DARREN, ROB, CHRIS, and DARREN CH.
Oct 1-21st: EMLYN and PAUL. 

We're nearly packed...

It'd be great if you can come with us by following the blog.
GOD IS GOOD!!!
SPEAK SOON BLOGSKI

DON'T FORGET Car wash & breakfast THIS SATURDAY 9th September, please come along and support the work in Odessa

I love it when a plan comes together.

I don't have a pimped up Van, but a very "middle-aged" family estate. I don't have a cigar but a Bic biro has just moved out of the corner of my mouth ... I couldn't help saying it with a big smile... 

"I love it when a plan comes together"...

(as another guy signs up for OCTOBER)

Many of you will know that the transition house project has been a "GOD thing and not a man thing".He  has inspired, instigated (in the hearts of people) and progressed this from inception till now. His provision has been astonishing. In 2016 when we thought we were nearing completion, God prompted us to start an extra phase to convert the basement at transition house for community space, recreation facilities and learning / study space. We want transition house to be running at MAX capacity and be fruitful in doing so. 

What is transpiring is nothing short of amazing. Just like B.A. and his buddies, a few bits of metal and some OSB is transforming a dusty storage space where things were discarded... into something much better - a living space for precious young people (made by God in his image) to grow, learn, develop and be nurtured for lives of fruitfulness. 

October 1st -21st will mark the big push this project needs when men from the UK will fly out in a desire to do as much as they possibly can to get this place up and running as soon as is practically possible. Our job is to do what we can. To that end we have been praying for £27,000 for materials (what was calculated to get the basement converted and complete some other jobs on the building). Was this an Impossible task...?  especially when people had already given much, and maybe some had grown a little weary with this big project which has taken so much already. 

Our GOD doesn't ever get tired, and for each new obstacle in his purposes he gives his people fresh resources. Since that prayer was started we have seen God provide nearly £20,000 for materials. He has encouraged not only those of us who go out to work, but those who are faithful in seeing this project through in Ukraine. God is good, he always has been and always will be. 

What are we praying for now...?

1) The remainder of the funds to come in so that our BIG PUSH team can have as much material to fit in OCTOBER as their hands and limbs can cope with.

2) WE NEED THE A-TEAM - WE need a bigger team on this!!!!

We have 13 guys signed up so far, many have been out many times before. A couple more fellas have got in touch with me in the last 24 hours and we are trying to get them there, but ideally we need more hands on deck folks!!! This is a big task !!!

 I wonder if someone reading this can wangle a week of work to do something of significance with us. Yes on a simple level it is cutting , shaping and screwing metal... sawing OSB board and making some straight walls out of it. 

BUT ON A MUCH BIGGER LEVEL... we are part of a bigger plan (GOD's PLAN).

• Joining this team helps us have a small part in changing people's lives for the better.
• Joining in this team gives us an opportunity to encourage a CHURCH which has a wonderful heart for people who need help. They say "you can chose your friends but you can't chose your family". Maybe so... but I'm so glad God chose my brothers and sisters in grace church to be part of his family ! I want to do everything we can to encourage them to not grow weary in doing good. 

Maybe you feel insignificant - a bit of a small cog in a big world.

You are just the sort of person this team needs. We are all small cogs in this, but held together by GOD, and what he accomplishes when we all pull together is something quite awesome! He has this project in hand. 

In 2017, a crack commando unit was sent to Ukraine by a God who loves people more than we can understand. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security minibus to the FONTANKE underground. Today, still wanted by their wives to complete jobs at home they survive as soldiers of no fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, I wouldn't bother giving them a call....

but..

If you want to be part of something worth while, which may have eternal payout... give us a call, we'd love you to be part of the A-TEAM

Thank you to our faithful supporters, you know who you are -- and God does too. (Matt 6:4)

Praying with you,

Paul

Dates for your diary - Car wash & Breakfast, Team trip

Autumn trip

The next team trip from Woodgreen to continue work at Transition House, will be from Sunday 1st to Saturday 14th October