Wayne's Blog

Nikita continues to bring us lots of joy.

We’ve had more snow than I can ever remember (40cm)… and I’ve done lots of shovelling.   I got to do lots of praying and thinking and day-dreaming during that activity…  I pictured how much good I could have done with serious snow-blower!!! Oh well… at least the path to the church is now clean.

That is more than I can say for the local government road clearing crew. Unlike previous years, the town is a mess.

Then the snow began to melt.

We took Nikita to the doctor for a check up yesterday.  The pram was next to useless. It felt like we were swimming through half foot deep slush puppies.  Not much fun.

Now it has refrozen and fresh snow has fallen. SCARY!!!  We’re expecting a solid cold spell of -15 oC for the next week. I pray that the main roads have been cleared or I fear that there’ll be some major accidents happening.

It probably wouldn’t surprise you to hear that someone with Australian blood likes too keep warm.  I love my toasty warm ugg boots.  But somehow I’ve become a heating system addict.  I just can’t help but share the warmth!

Ask anyone in our church, when pastor Vanya (that’s me) does house calls, the first thing he does after entering someone’s house is goes for the nearest radiator to check if it’s working.

It all began with the year long gas/heating project 8 years ago.  2001 was the year of the heating project.  At that time furnaces had an aura about them (oh magic white box that produces heat for my house!)… that is until they started breaking down!  Then we started opening them up and learning the nuts and bolts about keeping them running and everbody happy and WARM!

I never thought that my experience would develop into a ministry!  Over the past few weeks, I’ve fixed or regulated numerous furnaces and heating systems.

Tolik reconnecting wires on Baba Katya's electric furnace

Babushka Katya, is nearly blind. Her electric furnace blew and was without warm for nearly a week during -15 oC temperatures.  That’s pretty serious. I’m glad we were able to rectify then problem.

Icicles on the outside air inlet, low water pressure, clogged water filters and heat exchangers, electrical ‘brown’ outs, burst radiators, burnt out heating elements, air pockets.

The biggest problems is actually caused by Kaharlyk’s extremely poor quality water.  It creates a lime or iron/rust deposit that eventually clogs up the furnace heat exchangers (incidently the most expensive part).

Thankfully the church (and our home) heating system is running well. The only glitches have been to do with electricity. So, we’re ordering stabilizers and a back up power supply that’ll see us through a couple days if the power is out.

Achievements for 2009:

We continue to press forward in our vision of impacting our town with the Gospel and transforming one life at a time for the Glory of God.

Expectations for 2010:

• Continuing development (and practical application) of community transformation vision for our congregation.
• New Ministry stages in church body:
  • Activation of men’s  ’spirit’ within men in our congregation.
  • Emphasis on practical relationship building for married couples
• Church Property:
  • Acquisition of church land.
  • Build a fence for church along the main street
  • Renovations of Children’s ministry room after fire
• Biodiesel Enterprise:
  • Licensing and quality certification
  • Improved cash flow.
• Sports Hall:
  • Quality time and discipleship of  youths
  • Outreach to blokes in the community through indoor sports.

Thank you  for your continuing active support and prayer for the work in Ukraine and Kaharlyk in particular.

We pray that you’re built up, challenged and inspired in your faith through our ministry.

Last night we held our monthly evening for senior citizens and celebrated the 3rd anniversary of these events and our church hall was full!  In December of 2006 we started holding a monthly dinner for senior citizens in Kaharlyk as a way to show them God’s love and invest in our community by doing something special for a demographic that is much overlooked in our city.

Full hall at our 3rd Anniversary party

Through this ministry quite a few seniors have started coming regularly to our church and one Babushka repented and was baptized this summer. We’ve gotten to know quite of few of the senior citizens in our neighborhood as well as grown as a church in learning how to serve our community.

Apart from seeing (and hugging) each precious senior that comes, I get great enjoyment out of watching our team serve them.  I believe that in time this strategic ministry will include activities and will touch hundreds of people … and not just the elderly but their families and friends too.

Going to the sauna or Russian baths is a cultural experience. Admittedly, it’s not every one’s cup of tea.  However, it is also great for relationship building.

These last weeks have be COLD (-15 oC).  Volodya, a member of our church, has had us over a number of times for the sauna.  I’ve been really enjoying the true sauna experience.

This last time we were blessed with a thick blanket of snow. So, instead of the cold shower we dived into the soft white stuff.

Exhilarating! I assure you!

Every now and then God blows me away with His goodness… and His sense of humour.

Dear Partners, hopefully this update will encourage you to keep praying. I hope that you can also get a revelation of how God really can do much more than our we pray of even hope for… and give Him the Glory.

Ukrainian Prime Minister giving speech in -15 oC

Report: We waited patiently in extreme cold (-15 Celcius and strong wind) for more than an hour on Wednesday evening. Then the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Timoshenko, arrived and personally handed Yura (along with a couple dozen other locals) initial home ownership documents for a brand new 2-bed room apartment!

I really have no logical explanation for this unprecedented act.

Some facts for your consideration:

• Presidential election campaigning is in full swing.  Yulia is one of the front runners.
• The Ukrainian government ‘invested’ money to help complete certain residential highrise building projects hit by the global financial crisis. The apartments didn’t sell. Now 5800 apartments (I think) have been awarded to families throughout Ukraine this year.
• In a carryover from Soviet times, Yura was something like 189th in line on a list to recieve an apartment in Kaharlyk.  Not one of the recipients believed for a minute that they’d be considered to receive free apartment.  (Those days were LONG gone!)
• Ukraine ranks equal 146th out of 180 (along with Cameroon, Zimbawe, Russia) on the 2009 Corruption Persception Index.
• Looking at the group of, it is my opinion that the right people got apartments. No bribes! This has a special savour about it. This is not how things happen in Ukraine.  May it not be the last time.

Yura and his brother Misha outside entrance of Yura's new apartment block

On Thursday, Yura invited me along to witness the first inspection as the construction forman unlocked the doors of their new property.  Everything was ready.  Move the furniture in and live.

Lord willing, over the next month or so contracts with utilities will be finalized, families will be able to move in.

Just a month ago. Yura & family didn’t have a liveable home. Now they have two!

I am again reminded that God is bigger and better than corruption and bureaucracy.  In our own experience, He has a poured of massive favour on us in real estate & property. I have a feeling that this is not the end!

They are back!  Yura, Oksana and their 3 children are finally back in their own home living together.  The separation lasted more than a year. The family has really been tested but God has brought them through.

Windows, walls, insulation, tiles, bath, toilet, heating, doors, electrical work have been completed and most of the floor it ‘liveable’.  It looks great. Noone would ever have guessed that this house used to be a DUMP. Damp, mouldy, cramped, COLD… terrible.

As you can imagine there is still lots to do. Flooring, cupboards and beds are obvious.  But still what a transformation!

When I pop in, the warmth, joy and contentment are immediately noticeably.

Thank you for praying for and investing in this family.

God, thank you so much!