Dark

IMG-0224It’s been a while since I wrote something here.  It’s kind of a weird task… I don’t know who reads these notes.  Do 10 people read them?  100?  I do know that some of the traffic is somehow automated.  How much, I guess I’ll never know.  I look back and see that a few of the posts were opened over 30,000 times!  Who reads them???  I have been told that it’s difficult to read what I write.  I don’t know how much of that is due to the mixed up synapses in my brain from living in a Russian/Ukrainian speaking world and how much is just my unique way of communicating.  Either way…  for those who find it difficult: my apologies?

I “went dark” for two months.  There was no good reason.  I did wonder if I would hear from anyone asking about the reason why…  People are way too polite these days!  Today we rather forcefully suggested to one of the guys at rehab that he needed to walk in the light rather than in the darkness.  Where do we trip and fall?  It is when we aren’t walking in the light of God’s Will/Word.

All Done

It’s 13:00 on Saturday and we have finished the signing of documents.  There were only two small hiccups in the process.  One was strange.  We discovered that Priscilla’s tax-file number has her middle name spelt incorrectly.  They decided that this wasn’t a serious problem after a discussion.  The other problem was the fact that a big transformer for electricity is on the property, but not listed there as a structure.  Weirdly enough, we ended up convincing the government official that it shouldn’t be listed as a structure… and the sale should go forward.  It took about 15 minutes of discussion before she folded!

Post-sale, we walked around the building a bit to make sure everything was there that should be there.  I’ll go back in 30 mins. and some of the men and I will tidy up a bit for tomorrow when we will meet there as a church. 

Here are some of the photos you might find interesting from today…

I saved Jesse’s Christmas present to me for such a day as this.  There is no better drink on the planet.

Our little bank was packed out with about 20 people in line when we walked in to pay the fees. 

The office where the paperwork was done.  The lady on the left complimented Pris by telling her she knew right away that Pris was a Ukrainian.

We went from that office straight to the building.  How much will the Lord be glorified here?

The trees out the front will provide shade for us tomorrow as we picnic and celebrate. 

The family of God is generous

Well… we are expecting US$44,000 to appear in our bank account any day now.  It has been an incredible month.  Several couples and two churches have donated bringing the total received to US$55,000 – enough to buy the building and do renovations towards making the building something more than just “utilitarian-useful”. 

We had agreed with the owner to sign over the building on Monday at the latest.  So knowing the money is in Kiev is a big relief.  As it turns out, I can’t withdraw it until Monday anyway, (the banks need 24 hours warning of large-sum withdrawals).  So we couldn’t have cut it any finer.

The vision for this place is still coming together.  This week, I want to gather several people together and sit in different rooms praying and listening to ideas. 

It is definitely in my heart to start a Christian day-care and, in a couple of years, a Christian school in the building.  We need to decide whether to put the ladies rehab centre in one end, or build a second floor on the end and put the ladies there… or keep them in the village.  Do we develop so that the youth use the building as a hang-out joint?  Do we plan to build a separate building on the property for children of addicted ladies to stay in, (quasi-orphanage)?  We will have an opportunity to put in a good kitchen/dining room.  Should they be in the one room?  Carpet squares in the main area?  Wooden floors in the day-care area?  Should we take out a column and put in heavy duty beam in its place?  There are lots more questions needing wisdom to decide.  May God guide!

We won’t do any repairs before the first meeting.  I want for us to have photos of our first meeting in the untouched hall so that we can have the comparison.  So it is looking as if we’ll be meeting there as a church in 9 days!!!  People will be so excited! 

This is a very interesting building

Wow!  We just entered a whirlwind!IMG_1426 (1)

During the last 10 days, a building that would suit our church to a ‘T’ has come up for sale in Rzhyshchiv.

For many years, I’ve downplayed the idea of getting a church building.  I’ve been aware of several potential dangers we’d have to look out for if we get a building and they have kept my enthusiasm in check.  These last few days though, for the first time in the life of our church), I realized that I felt open about getting one – this one. As I have prayed and thought about it and talked with people, the desire has only grown since then.  So I surmise that it is finally time for us to move on this.

Here are the details:
* 600m² building (the property looks as if it’s about 80m x 40m)
* Has it’s own well, gas and good electricity
* Wood furnace and heating all round the building
* Lots of territory for parking/playing/more buildings if need be.
* Built as a school back in the 1920’s – solid structure with thick walls and a good roof.
* Used in more recent years as a sewing factory.
* The owner closed the factory two years ago.
* If you’d like a very basic YouTube walk-around: search for “Church Building Rzhyshchiv” and “Church Building Rzhyshchiv 2”