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I like to see

Driving at night without lights when thick fog is blanketing the roads is dangerous… it goes without saying.  I remember once coming up a hill on the way to Kiev and encountering an old tractor that was doing this very thing.  Incredible that I didn’t run up the back of them.  It gave us a fright though.

I remember another time driving in a snow-storm.  Lights were basically useless as they reflected into the snow for a few meters only…  It was a scary drive even at 10km an hour…

I remember scuba diving down in Tassie.  It was a deeper dive, (30m or so, I think), on a cloudy day and the descent felt surreal as nothing was to be seen above and nothing below. 

I like to see.  I like knowing what is ahead.  I like knowing what is out there.

I’ve been considering truth over the last few weeks as I’ve studied textual criticism as it applies to the Bible.  It fascinates me to note that 2 intelligent men can look at the same information concerning the Bible and one has faith while the other doesn’t.  One is blind while the other has been given sight.  I like being able to see and am overwhelmed with thankfulness that God gave me, (one who is a natural skeptic), faith to look at the information available and have confidence in Him.

It’s an interesting question to put to yourself:  What could shake my faith? 

I am confident in my belief in God’s Word and His Word itself gives faith.  Romans 10… “faith comes by hearing the Word of God”.  “The pure milk of the Word strengthens our faith…” thanks, Peter.  To the man who has been given faith, the words of the Bible just ring true!  It’s beautiful! 

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The Sunday night youth is winding down for the summer.  We’ll still continue the Friday night gathering for youth.  Four of the local girls, (Yulia, Vlada, Yulia and Veronica), who are friends of Angel and Mim are pictured below on the swing.  They’re nice kids and I still enjoy hanging with them as we play games together and talk.  At what age does one stop enjoying playing games with the youth?

I went to watch Bogdan play soccer last week at our local oval.  Bogdan plays in the Rzhyshchiv team and comes to Friday nights and studies in the English programme that Jono Miller started in Rzhyshchiv several years ago.  But back to the soccer… it was amusing watching everyone leave for cover when a bit of a sprinkle started over the ground.  There were probably 200 people sitting in the bleachers before the rain.  2 of us stayed.  I felt very Australian…  “a bit of a sprinkle never hurt anyone!”IMG_4642

Tonight we celebrated the 16th birthday of Vlad, one of the refugees from Mariupol.  Vlad’s mum is still unsure of where to go, but for now, they will stay in Rzhyshchiv.  There is much talk about the Russians taking Mariupol, so she is reluctant to return there.  She and her three kids will move out though in two weeks and move into a home of a former missionary here who has gone back to the U.S..  Our home will definitely be a quieter place with these four gone.  Tonia stays on.  She has looked for work in the east of Ukraine as a seamstress, but right now, many things seem to be at a standstill.  We’re more than happy to have her stay on.  She’ll miss Marie when Marie leaves for Australia in August!

We are still planning on visiting Australia in September.  The teaching/preaching duties will be picked up by four different guys and it will be great for them, I’m sure.

The parenting class still has two weeks to go.  Most of them bring their kids and some of the single girls watch the mob while we do a lecture and discussion.  I looked out the window last week and saw Sveta with a little circle of children playing some sort of game.  It’s a weekly highlight for parents and kids.  And I can say that I enjoy it immensely too!  When you see excitement on the faces of parents as they realize that they’ve just learned a principle that will greatly affect their families…  it’s certainly rewarding as a teacher.

IMG_4680I’ll close this entry with a blessing:  May you grow in your faith in the God of the Bible!