Updates – Page 7 – Teaching Adventures

2014/07/14

Ukraine

Ukraine is on our minds again. My kids and I were building blocks with Jenga Tetris tiles and we put together a little Ukrainian flag.

If you have a moment today, pray for Ukraine, Nigeria, and Israel. We forget that people all over the world are stuck in the middle of wars that many of them have no wish for. Most people just want to live in a safe place, without oppression or significant injustice, jobs to make a living and opportunities to enjoy their lives and give a good future to their children. Some have resorted to war in hopes of gaining those things, but most are stuck in the middle of a war that they have no desire for. If you have those things, thank God for them and remember that you probably did nothing to deserve them. You are living in privilege.

As for Ukraine. Pray with me that God would bring peace, would stop all those surrounding nations that are trying to use Ukraine for their own benefit. That God would hear the cries of the average person and stop the oppressors. Ukraine, put your hope in the living God. Cry out to him, he hears you!

2014/06/24

Kerith Pines

Getaway! Retreat! First time in 6 years we’ve both been away from our kids for more than one night. YAY for those that helped make it happen – family and friends!

So what was a highlight for us? It definitely wasn’t the mosquitoes that could even put holes in stop signs (see pic). Just joking, but they really were overly plentiful. Back to the highlights, it was great to have some counselors to talk to about stress and ministry who experience the same things and could both sympathize and challenge us personally. It was refreshing to enjoy my best friend once again without the pressures of raising 3 little ones. We got a few great resources on feeding the love relationship we have with our saviour – because its not our work that pleases him, he loves us for who we are, not what we do. And the intimate dinner our hosts put on for us was a lot of fun too as we reminisced over nearly 12 years of marriage all over the world.

So to those who offered prayers, finances or childcare, thank you so much!

2014/06/12

Learn about Sex Kids Series

One of our friends recommended this series for teaching kids about sex. There are two sets of 5 books, one for boys and one for girls. The series begins with “Why Boys and Girls are Different” for ages 4-6 and then goes on from there. Click for the first book for boys and for girls.

2014/06/09

What do you do to feed yourself spiritually?

Wilrens is one of the people that we look to as a leader in our European Biblical Studies community. His input into our lives challenges us in many ways and one of the ways he inputs into our lives is by his website: http://www.wilrens.org/

Recently he posted about feeding ourselves spiritually:

What do you do to feed yourself spiritually?

There is an unfortunate downside to asking this question. Too many of us respond with feelings of guilt. In a way, this is a strange reaction. Most of us will have dinner tonight. Let’s assume that for some reason we forget or simply don’t get around to it. How would that make us feel? Guilty? Or hungry?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t do breakfast or lunch so I have fulfilled a duty or an obligation. I do it because I am hungry, because I need energy for the day, and, well, because I like to eat. It does happen that I forget a meal. Sometimes I get so caught up in what I am doing that I lose all sense of time. At two or three in the afternoon Franziska (my wife) comes home and asks me if I had had lunch yet. The immediate result is that I feel my appetite – not guilt.

So why do I feel differently when I forget to spend time with God? It cannot be his reaction. Whenever I have knocked on his door after missing one or more appointments, I never walked into an atmosphere of offended reproach. I actually felt welcomed and loved.

Apparently, we don’t sense our spiritual appetites as keenly as our natural ones. It therefore does take a bit more effort and “intentionality”, to use the new buzzword, to stay in shape spiritually. But we do need that intake or we will be weak and ineffective. Busy perhaps, possibly impressively so, but not truly fruitful…continued here

I was challenged reading this, especially being so busy on home assignment, but at the same time hungry for more! Lord meet me as I spend time in your Word!

2014/05/292025/12/19

Family Update

This last weekend friends of ours gave us a swing set for our backyard. This morning I was so blessed listening to our kids laughing and playing together outside. Our time at home in Canada truly has been awesome for our whole family. So here are some quick updates on the kids:

Cassie- lost her two front teeth this weekend, 2 days after she turned 6! She had a party with a bunch of her friends all around the theme ‘Frozen- the movie.’ My two cousins Teresa and Soumela were there and helped me lots, along with my nieces Suzanna and Elly.

Jay- Loves playing soccer on a team here in Winnipeg. He wants to wear his jersey to bed every night and of course leave it on all day! He still loves zooming cars down slides and race tracks. He does great on his reading lessons and remembers sounds really easily!

Kai- His vocabulary has really been expanding since he has turned two. ‘Lello’ is his favorite colour and he has to point out every yellow thing he sees. He sweetly says ‘soyee’ when he does something wrong, and ‘tank-oo’ when someone gives him something or helps him. But one difference with our other two children, he does NOT like bed time.

2014/05/24

Pray for Presidential Elections

This is election weekend in Ukraine for a new president. Our eyes and hearts are looking there this weekend. If you have a few minutes, we’d appreciate your thoughts and prayers for the people and nation of Ukraine today and tomorrow!

Paul Unguryan spoke about the current situation in an email announcement, “Today, Ukraine is going through trials and is in a crisis caused by many negative factors and external destructive forces. All these factors lay a heavy burden on the shoulders of each and every Ukrainian family. Because of this, many people are in confusion and fear. In these hard times we need help and protection from the Lord to overcome the current challenges. Now only nationwide prayer to God can save our country and bring peace in the hearts and pick up the alarm.”

2014/05/01

Aqueduct: Luke & Acts

Our team in Ukraine will be kicking off an indepth Bible Study Program in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. This is an incredible program that will grow your mind and your love for Jesus! In case you’re wondering the program will run in Kyiv.

2014/04/30

Tremper Longman III

Some friends have been asking what course I will be taking in Calgary in a few weeks. I’m really going to study under a professor, a man by the name of Tremper Longman III. Why is he so special? He wrote the book on the wisdom literature. I’m really excited to learn from him, even if the topics aren’t my favourite. For a more complete list of his publishings, check here.

2014/04/30

Whole Gospel for Whole World

“We can never thank God enough for not only giving us a whole Gospel to believe but a whole world to give it to.” – A.B. Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (Sep 23, 1899; CMA Weekly p260-262)

2014/04/25

Crucial Questions about Christianity

This is a great series on the many basic topics relevant to a new or growing Christian. Highly recommended. Of course, as with any book or series some answers or ideas fail to perfectly address all the issues possible. But as a general resource this is an excellent starting point.

Click here or on the picture above and order it now from logos. If you don’t have an account you will have to create one but then you can read any of these books online at http://www.biblia.com or if you have logos you can read it on your computer.

2014/04/20

Ukrainian Reality

A friend of ours in Kyiv recently sent us her newsletter. Since we are often asked how our friends are doing in Ukraine we thought we would post her update. It is a bit long, but as we know, the situation does not call for trite, short responses.

The storm of revolution and possible war has not passed. Rumor, propaganda and fear is rife. What is happening is no real surprise. In 2008 the world expected the Russian government to come after the Crimean Peninsula, but many thought they’d be stupid to actually do it. Now, in a time when Ukraine is vulnerable, that government took advantage of the Ukrainian people. Instead of supporting their brother, and they took over. A revolution that started from people who said, “enough of this struggle,” and were fighting for a new future, has now turned into a fight for borders and again independent identity.

There is this poisonous Soviet mindset that lingers in this part of the world, but that mindset is NOT what defines Ukraine…it’s not who they are. Russian people are not meant to have this mindset. This mindset kills creativity, rejects Biblical truths, and turns loving, caring people into greedy, power striving, selfish people claiming to care but misunderstanding the truth.

People in Ukraine are praying like never before, volunteering to serve in anyway possible, and I believe the hundreds gathering daily/weekly for prayer is resulting in holding back bigger forces against this nation and fewer deaths in this process. We need to keep praying.

I’ve delayed giving an update because I honestly didn’t know what to say. The news only shows what they think will grab attention. Unfortunately this distorts reality. While one part of a city has gatherings and protests the other side is normal. The spring weather has brought more people out to walk with their kids, dogs and friends. Slavic people have a great way of making jokes to help process and deal with these tensions. They’ve lived time after time with fear and threats. Unfortunately some believe so strongly in the word of their government that even propaganda is viewed as truth, no questions. A lingering effect of the Soviet Union. Others disagree but for what result? Is it worth it? Instead they will go to the market as usual and drink tea with friends. Again, others (thousands of others) are standing strong, resilient, for what is possible to change. We can be as humanitarian as we want and it’s good to bring harmony, even a slice of peace, to a troubling situation. But…what hope of change, of something new, does this bring? The God of the Bible is a god who understands war, stress and tough choices in life and He’s always a god who brings change, lasting change if possible. So for that reason I trust Him, I keep my hope in those principles that have for centuries resulted in lasting change in hearts and lives of man in every society. I encourage others to remember or believe in this same God who cares for individuals as they are.

Currently, the Russian government is continuing to invade from the East, but they won’t say that, of course. However, Russian soldiers have announced their status as they take over community buildings. Why isn’t the Ukrainian army doing something?! Because they aren’t strong. They are no match against what the Russian government has put up. Why doesn’t NATO help? Well Ukraine isn’t part of NATO, so how can they? Why doesn’t the US do something? Can they afford it? There was hope for help from these outside nations for a time, and I understand Ukraine needs to do something, but how? These are questions being asked for weeks and weeks. The integrity of treaties have been broken, etc. While the questions take weeks to answer, Russian military continues to move. The Russian government has even sued the former Russian president who allowed the Soviet Union to fall. Russian people are not their government and I pray also for what this is doing to their country and them as people as a whole. It’s not good on either side.

I work with incredible Russian people who love Ukraine and are heartbroken by all of this. I pray too the churches between Russia and Ukraine can unite for the care of their communities and love for people regardless of the government’s decisions. God loves government, it was designed to serve the people not create divisions. Yet our worldviews today have taken a different perspective.

Sigh…the topic can be talked about forever. To live among the fear of war and destruction is not easy. It creates a level of stress no one was made to handle. That’s part of my daily prayer for my roommates, my friends, myself. No matter how you paint it, it’s tough. In order to maintain mental and emotional health we all need hope and daily healing. We here in Kyiv try to respond to every situation from a place of peace, logic and truth instead of emotions and fear. We have to keep strong, to be conductors of hope, peace and trust. God is a commander of armies, a King, a protector, a refuge, a firm foundation, a Prince of peace, an anchor of Hope, and a provider. Jesus is our source.

2014/03/24

Surprise!

When Jesus told a parable, He was the master of the surprise, the twist, the unexpected! We’ve had a lot of fun studying the parables of Jesus these past 3 weeks looking for the surprise. Ben has been teaching a class for the adults in our church on Sunday mornings, and we have one week left. It has been really fun being home and still having the opportunity to teach.

2014/02/19

Pray for Ukraine!

This was the hospital that our youngest son was born in! Wow! Pray for Ukraine!

What could push so many people to protest? What would it take for you to protest your prime minister or president? Exactly. Their president has not led the nation in fairness or sacrifice but out of selfish gain! Pray for Ukraine!

If you want to see events live on video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_LFrMcoEm4#t

Twitter English Updates:
https://twitter.com/euromaidanpr

Online English News:
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/kyiv/euromaidan-rallies-in-ukraine-feb-19-live-updates-337098.html

2014/02/18

Insights into the challenges of transitioning back to the country they once knew

Recently an article was published in CM Alliance.ca which is the magazine of our church denomination CM&A. It was very interesting to us since we are going on home assignment for the first time. Here is an excerpt:

Here is a peek into our minds to provide you with a window of understanding, insight to support International Workers in prayer, and knowledge to walk with us when we return. With mixed emotions we wonder: Will you want to know what God is doing in our country? Will we have more than a two-minute window to share our story with you?

Conversations may be awkward at first but we hunger for real connection; we thirst for deep discussions.

In many ways Canada will not feel like home anymore. We know life has gone on without us. We are now the outsiders, needing time to process cultural shock. And when we leave to return to our mission field we will relive our grief of saying “Goodbye” all over again.

When we return to Canada, we come face-to-face with what we left behind. we realize that during our time away, we have had a loss of family communication-physical, emotional,mental and spiritual. As our parents age, we wish we could have more time with them. Sometimes family members are in crisis and we’re in anguish when we cannot be there.

We often miss our favourite foods and styles of clothing. we’ve lost our cultural identity, realizing that neither Canada nor our new country takes precedence. We may miss our belongings, items that had memories attached to them.

There is also much we have gained. God has given us the opportunity to be an extension of the people who send us. We love the people and are excited about the chance to serve them. When we return on home assignment, our desire is to build stronger relationships! So even thought we have faced the absence of some of life’s blessings, we have gained much more by experiencing God in a depth our family may never have known in Canada.

An interesting article written by Linda Doell, she is an International Worker serving alongside her husband, Curtis, in the Caribbean Sun Region. To read more http://www.cmacan.org/magazine

2014/02/18

Overwhelmed and Amazed

We opened the door and…

the walls were painted, the rooms were decorated, the beds were made, the kitchen was stocked with food! Surprise!

We felt so loved and cared for the moment we walked in the door! It was overwhelming that so many people spent time, energy and money to make our house into a home. Our kids immediately felt comfortable and relaxed.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped, gave, worked, and prayed to start our time off in Canada so wonderfully! We cannot say thank you enough, or even find the right words. But we are overwhelmed…and amazed!!!

2014/02/06

Heading Home

In 30 minutes from now we will leave for Canada. It seems hard to believe that we will be home for 6 months. We are definitely looking forward to seeing our family and friends!

As we reflected on our past 6 years of full time ministry we realized that we haven’t had a long break of more than a month since we started this career. Of course for normal jobs that is to be expected, but for a fully immersed overseas worker there is very little separation from work and life, therefore longer breaks outside of the foreign culture are needed (so we have been told).

While of course we will be busy with teaching, fundraising, education and serving in our home church, we hope this time at home will be a time of rest and refreshment. We look forward to coming back to Ukraine with a renewed spirit and excitement for all of our work here!

2014/01/31

Prayer for Ukraine

Featured on CHVN in Winnipeg- check it out!

http://www.chvnradio.com/blogs/151-winnipeg-missionaries-in-the-heart-of-the-ukraine-conflict

2014/01/16

Old Testament Seminar with Mark Masucci

This is a quote from the text book we are reading, it has been awesome so far!

“In the bible’s pages, the church learns what to proclaim and how to live as a kingdom of priests, a holy people, and a light to the nations- to act justly, live mercy, and walk circumspectly. The church learns how to worship, pray, adore God, and confess sin. The theologian should consider the Bible’s Source as inerrant and its teaching as infallible; should study the text for meaning rather than just as an account of the events recorded therein; should read the Old Testament as a unity, a product of one Author; should read reverently, recognizing the authority of the text for the present day.” Bruce K. Waltke- An Old Testament Theology p

2013/12/10

Juin was a special student…because he was blind

Titus Project Europe winds up this week. Our participants have all come back to the Netherlands for celebration week. Here is another story from one of the team members in Indonesia:

One of the students who attended the seminar we held at the YWAM base was Juin. Juin was a special student because he was blind. In Indonesia people look down on disabled persons. Some disabled children are even given away to orphanages because the parents think that they are worthless or even cursed. Juin also believed some of those lies before, but when he came in contact with the people of YWAM they encouraged him and taught him he has value. And now he was attending ourseminar.
Although he couldn’t see some illustrations and couldn’t do some of the observation exercises, we tried to involve him as much as possible. The classes were not always easy for him but he was always joyful and in a good mood. Just like the other students he liked to sing a lot.
On the last day of the seminar he shared his dream with us. The village where he came from doesn’t have a pastor. That is why he wants to go there and train the people in studying the Bible. What a privilege to teach him.

2013/11/22

Titus Update and Our Plans

Many of you support us and our work because we go and teach the bible all over the world where they need it. We also train and send many teams. Here is a short little report from one of our teams:

We are now ready for our last part of this trip and will be giving our
very best to the churches here in Rantepao. There are great potential
to strengthen the believers in this area and specially with the focus
on missions. This area has had the gospel for a 100 years… but still
there is much to do…

All of our Titus Teams out there right now are finishing up their teaching trips and are going to be heading back to The Netherlands in just a few weeks for ‘Celebration Week!’ We will hear each other’s stories and share our own. Angela will be there with Kai for the week while Ben remains behind in Kyiv for the SBS graduation. They both happened to be on the same day. Right after the two Graduations, Angela and Kai (and Sydney) will take a train to Cologne, Germany and Ben will drive there with Cassie and Jay. We will meet up to teach in a DTS. After that? Christmas with friends in Hurlach. It will be a full next month so please pray for us if you think about us!