Life in Ukraine

Life in Ukraine.

I went to take a bath this morning...no water at all...ok, well, I can brush my teeth without water and use baby wipes. Praise God for baby wipes :)
So I get ready to go for the morning and packed a few toiletries to take a shower at the church office.

Then 15 minutes before I need to leave, I hear the water of my neighbors.  Quickly I send a text message to my VBS helpers letting them know I'll be a little late, and take the quickest bath in my entire life (4 minutes) (no shower nozzle and no plug for the bath-so I take a "cup bath"),  I arrived at church clean and ready for the first day of VBS, only 4 minutes late! A record!!

Today my landlord put in a new kitchen-oh it's so nice- (see below).  Some work still needs to be done on it, the kitchen sink is still out of order, but it's a start and I'm excited about cleaning and unpacking my kitchen from the boxes.  I've even mapped out where cups, plates etc. will go.

But then when i go to wash up for the night-no hot water.  I turn the nozzle of the kolonka (gas apparatus that makes the water hot) up high-nope. nothing. So I call the landlord. I know it's late..:( he says he'll be here at 9am. No matter,I'll think of something different.  I need to be at church by 9, think like a missionary).

So I take my electric hot water tea pot, get some water boiling for tonight and then for tomorrow.  In my hand wash bucket that I use for a bath, I put some water in it in case there is none in the morning.  Now I am set! Oh wait, the faucet to the sink in the bath is dripping and going all over the floor-so now I need to turn the water off completely at night till the landlord can get that fixed.  NOW I am set!! At least I pray so! Pray please for at least cold water in the morning!!

VBS pictures from last week to come soon!!

VBS Day 1

I walked into our Church today and what should I find on the overhead screen?  

Although we only had 6 children for vbs today because perhaps of the holiday in L'viv (Day of Harvest-you bring harvested goods into church for the Priest to bless) -the children who came had a BLAST and they promised to bring a friend tomorrow.  Praying that tomorrow will see many more children.  But, God knows.

One little girl, her name is Irina, she lives in the same building as our church office, she came at first with her sister.  She was crying and didn't want to come, her sister tried to get her to stay-but Irina ran out of the front door ahead of her sister and back home.  Then her father brought her and she was still crying...but one of my helpers-whose name is also Irina, talked to the little girl, consoled her, and got her involved in the games etc. that were going on.  Soon, little Irina was no longer crying, but laughing and having a good time along with the rest of the children.  She left with a smile on her face and a promise to return tomorrow.  God is good.

Despite all the stress of getting VBS together in less than a month, Day 1 went very well and once we started,  I felt at ease.  All the learning I have acquired from watching others lead similar ministries, has paid off. God is good.

Yes, we would like more children, but if it is His will that we have a small turnout, and that we are to minister more one on one, then that is what we will do and have fun doing it,  If we are to have a bigger group and reach out to more of the children in Ukraine, then that is what we'll do.  Our prayer is that His will be done and for us to relax and let God do His job.

Thank you for your prayers for today. Please continue to pray-His will be done not ours!

Calvary Chapel L'viv, Ukraine (New Horizons) English VBS

VBS starts tomorrow (Monday)

Pray for the children:

• for many to come
• for hearts to be touched by Jesus
• that they would all have fun
• that the children would share about Jesus at home

Pray for the workers

• against the enemy who wants to divide us all
• that we would be a light and an example of Jesus to the children
• that we would have fun
• That Jesus would touch and soften our hearts

thank you for your prayers

~Vanessa

"So if the Son sets you free..."

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36 (NIV)

These were my thoughts upon waking this morning.  I knew that today was going to be busy, so I set out to spend some quality time with my Lord.  With this verse going through my brain, I then read my devotional.  God is good. He has set us free! He has set me free! Without Christ, I would not be where I am today. Praise Him!

Streams in the Desert  

"...Jesus gave Mary Magdalene her life back, and in response she gave him her loyalty, her everything, her very heart.  Imagine.  Some of us have experienced this.  The gospel of Christ has made us new, healing our spiritual, emotional, or physical diseases.  But can you imagine him standing right there in front of you? The living Christ, in the flesh, saying, 'You are healed. You are free.'  I hope I'd follow, too.  And so she did. She was the first to the empty tomb, the first to hear the risen Christ speak her name.  He even trusted her with a most important message:  'Go tell the others I'm alive Mary.' Jesus changed Mary's life.  He set her free from the darkness and brought her into the light.  And He offers us this same gift today."


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I'm moving today to my new apartment! HURRAH!! Please pray for the movers-that I will have enough movers, and helpers, and for all their physical bodies, that no one will be injured.  And for me as I attempt to get settled amongst all the ministry activities that are happening in these next two weeks. Thank you for your prayers.

"See, I am doing a new thing..."

"See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)

The Lord is doing many new things here at Calvary Chapel L’viv (New Horizons). One of those is our first ever English Language Vacation Bible School.  Our theme will be “Gold Rush-Discovering the Rock of Ages.” We will be studying the treasures of gold that the Lord gives us. The children will learn their memory verses in English, as well as songs and skits developed especially for this Vacation Bible School by our talented music/drama team at Calvary Chapel L’viv.  And just like any other Vacation Bible School, we will have games, crafts and Bible teachings.

Since my main ministry here at Calvary Chapel L’viv is English, I am involved in all aspects of this outreach.  Unfortunately, because I only arrived in Ukraine two months ago, and my first month was busy with training, and then with the details of securing the registration of my passport so that I can live in Ukraine without incurring a fine from the government, as well as having the ability to come and go freely within that year, I've only had one month to prepare for this outreach. But God is good. He has given me a solid faithful team that supports me, and is helping with many of the “behind the scenes” aspects.  This frees me up to concentrate on the main teachings where I will be sharing the gospel. 

As I begin to prepare for this outreach, I see the Lord stretching me and using my teaching skills in an Evangelism setting.  In all my years as a missionary, during Evangelism outreaches I have never been in the “spotlight” or the “main person” who shares the gospel message. I have been involved in sharing my testimony, as a group leader for VBS, even Sunday school teaching. Therefore with being the group administrator, planner and organizer of this outreach, I find myself in the spotlight, the one who will give the gospel presentation.  I am reminded, that it is not me standing there, but it is the Lord, and His voice will go forth to the children’s hearts, as long as I am obedient, faithful and willing to be used, to be stretched by Him.  What an amazing opportunity He has given me, to share about Him to the children, and I pray that the words of my mouth will not be mine, but His.

Please join with me in prayer for our English Language Vacation Bible School.  For the children; that the Lord even now will be preparing their hearts; for all those who are busy working behind the scenes, that they will work as unto the Lord; for all the group leaders and those who will be in charge of crafts, sports, Bible story, dramas, music and audio/visual, that their hearts will be soft before the Lord, that nothing will be done out of their own strength.  Finally please pray for me, that I will be obedient to what the Lord wants me to say, that I will not fear but trust in Him.

I look forward to sharing with you as to how the Lord worked during this time.

Remember, August 19-2 3 English Language VBS L’viv for children ages 7-12, and August 26-30 English Language VBS L’viv for children ages 13-17.  Thank you all for your prayers! 

Something to Ponder

Something to ponder on for today~

From Streams in The Desert

“We are children of the King. Therefore which of these most honors our divine Sovereign:  failing to claim our rights and even doubting they belong to us, or asserting our privilege as children of the Royal Family and demanding the rights that accompany our inheritance.”

L'viv, Ukraine