Teaching Adventures

  • A Wales of a Trip…

    I know… cheesy title but I couldn’t resist!

    Whenever someone asks Ben or I to come and teach, whether it be in a DTS, or on an SBS we always pray and ask God if this is the right decision for our family. Especially because we live on support, so every trip we take is using finances that others have blessed us with.

    Well this trip was no different. A past SBS graduate who is now leading a DTS in Wales asked me (Angela) if I could come teach a week on holiness to the students. After praying about it Ben and I both felt that it was to be me and Cassie! Her first trip with one of her parents to teach. We had a great time! I wanted to share what one of the students wrote to me, not because it is about me, but to say thank you to those who send us overseas.

    Angela is very passionate in teaching holiness. What she brings in teaching is what she is also pursuing in living out so I was encouraged to listen all the more carefully. She is very creative in making her teaching interactive, and the thought and effort she put in to that made me feel loved and special. We are so grateful that she and Cassie were able to come.

    Thank you to the many that pray and send us! We would be unable to do this work without all of you!!!

  • Albanians are Rich

    albania-1Right now we have a Titus Project team in Albania. Sonya (you may remember, she is our Ukrainian teammate that has taken leadership of Titus Project Europe) is in Albania leading one of our teams that I (Angela) helped train in England last month. Her perspective is very interesting!

    It’s been only ten days here in Albania, but it feels like we have been here so much longer! In this time we ran children program, training for YWAM staff, visited village to encourage believers there, preached in churches, facilitated a personal retreat for leaders of one of the churches, clean and iron more than ever…

    Such a rich time! Such a privilege to be a part of this.

    Durres met us with wonderful weather, great people and some good lessons to remember.

    Before we came, we read some facts about Albania. Did you know that More Albanians live outside of Albania than within? Or that this is one of the few countries in Europe that does not have McDonalds? And that people from the country hang stuffed animals from half-completed homes and buildings to ward off evil spirits? It is also a country with amazing hospitality. I don’t know how many Albanians live in or outside the country, but the rest is true. We got to see and experience it ourselves!

    It was Sunday afternoon, we found ourselves in a little church worshiping together with other believers. We might didn’t understand the words, but we felt the hearts :) After the service and endless hugs and kisses we invited our new friends for ice-cream but somehow instead ended up at their house for lunch… Minutes later water was boiling, someone went to the store to buy vegetables, another went down to get bread and drinks while someone else started to set up the table..

    In the kitchen we can hear the laughter and loud conversations from the living room where nine people were trying to find space to sit and language to speak.. between four Albanians, Brazilian, Chilean, two Italians, Ukrainian, Swiss and Finish we speak about ten of them… That rare moment when an Italian has to speak Albanian to a Chilean in order to be understood.
    This makes me smile.
    “Together we are rich” – said Prele as he put freshly cut vegetables into the frying pan with one hand and accepted a bag with desserts with another. When we alone, we have little, but when we are together, we are rich, he repeated. He smiled and kept stirring.

    Finally food is ready. We sit tightly around the table, someone says grace for friends, food and all the blessings we share. And we eat. passing plates, spoons, butter, salads around. Talking.
    Laughing.
    We are captivated by this moment.
    We are present.
    We are alive in this moment.
    So much diversity in one place!
    It is messy.
    It is real.
    IT IS RICH.

    We might not share the richness in material things but we are rich in and with people we meet every day. People we share our lives with, challenging and encouraging each others faith.
    Life happens around the table. Who is at yours?
    Invite someone to join in.

    In just few days I have been challenged to love better and to give more, to open my home and enlarge my heart to fit people, those I love and those I need to learn to love more.
    This is a lesson I will remember.

    Join us in prayer for this nation and the rest of our time here:
    – we need Gods wisdom and his guidance
    – more teaching opportunities and ability to serve well, knowing exactly what to say and see church here falling in love with the Bible and its author. 
    – growth of the churches we worked with and their ministries. Let their influence spread and more and more people come to know the truth and find a true family
    – all the travel and teachings: next week we are teaching in public school on internet safety and running Bible Overview seminars in three churches at the same time, pray for us!

    This is why we moved to Europe- so exciting!

  • Canadian Thanksgiving in Ukraine

    img_2861What did you do for Thanksgiving this year? Well, every year we endeavor to help our kids have a sense of identity, and specifically Canadian in certain ways. One of the ways we do that is by celebrating the holidays.
    This past Monday we invited Abby (another YWAMer who is Canadian) and we had a great time eating Turkey (just wings and legs that we could buy at the store) mashed potatoes, cinnamon carrots, corn, gravy, and pumpkin cheesecake. It was yummy. But the real highlight was drawing turkeys using the website ‘art for kids hub.’ It was a lot of fun. Of course we sang our national anthem and said things we were thankful for. One thing we are really thankful for as a family is the house we are able to live in and host meals like this in. Thank you again to everyone who prayed with us and contributed to this home. It is a blessing to our family and many others as well.

  • Aqueduct is back!

    english-flyer-front Josh and Saana were great ministry partners and friends who pioneered a new ministry for us here in Kyiv. It was called Aqueduct, where we take Inductive Bible Study and offer it to working professionals and students in the city (twice a week in the evening). This past spring Josh and Saana left Kyiv to go pursue further education in Canada, so our small team of Bible teachers wondered- what shall we do? Thankfully this fall Titus Project in Montana is sending a team to Kyiv so that we can continue to run Aqueduct in Kyiv. They will help cover the teaching load and we are so thankful. Keep praying for God to send more workers here to Kyiv, and for us to raise up more Russian speaking Bible teachers. It is going to be a great fall!

  • Fire of Hope Camp

    One of the camps that YWAM Kyiv hosted this summer!

  • Looking for help from Canadian Evangelicals

    This past year I have been working on my thesis for my Masters Degree in Biblical Studies. It has been a really fun thesis as I have been studying the early church fathers and how their writings can be helpful and more applicable to evangelical Christians.

    I’m looking for people who would be willing to help me with the research portion of the thesis. It would be a bit of a commitment (15-20 minutes a day for 28 days) so consider carefully if you could participate, but I believe it will also add value to your spiritual life. It could be a major turning point in your life!…or maybe not. That is why it is research :)

    Here is what helping looks like:
    First, you will fill out a short 5 -10 question survey (just marking a number for each question).

    Second, I will mail you a 28 day devotional booklet. When you receive it you will need to spend 10-15 minutes every morning doing a ‘devotional’ A short reading, 5 minutes to think and pray, and then sometimes there might be a small spiritual ‘practice’ like writing something down, praying something specific etc. Finally at the end of the day you would need to take 5 minutes to answer a question in the booklet.

    Third, at the end of the 28 days I will ask you to fill in another very short survey.

    If you are willing to help me (I need about 60 volunteers) I would really appreciate it! If you know anyone else that is a Canadian and would agree that they are an evangelical Christian I am open to anyone participating in this research project.

    If you are interested and able to help- please email me before September 13. I would love to get these booklets in the mail and have people started by October. My thesis deadline is the end of the year.

  • Musings from Ang

    AngelaMusings? Okay, weird word, but it is early friday morning so I am in a bit of a weird mood :)

    This past week our YWAM Kyiv Leadership team took 4 full days to meet, pray, and plan for the next year. It was a wonder-full time! One morning we read through Psalms 119 and I was once again so encouraged and thankful to have the Word of God, the Bible. In this Psalm there is a balance between the responsibility of the reader of God’s word to be active and God’s part of opening the reader’s heart and mind to understand. “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart (119:32).” I love the way this psalms talks about the effects of knowing and living according the to word of God. “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light;it imparts understanding to the simple.( 119:129-130).”

    So as a Bible teacher, I am privileged to bring God’s word to people. This past summer I have had the chance to teach a few people how to study the Bible for themselves. Now that we are back in Ukraine, I will be teaching new people how to teach the Bible to others in just a few weeks!

    This morning I was reading in 1 Timothy 4:6. Many people partner with Ben and I as we hear these words from Paul to Timothy and sense the calling on our lives to do the same, “If you put these things before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.”

  • Olympics

    2016_Summer_Olympics_logo.svgWe have been following the Olympics this year and we have really enjoyed watching the athletes work so hard.

    As we have been thinking about this, and enjoying time at home in Canada with so many people we love, we have realized that though we may be out on the ‘frontlines’ there are so many around us that coach us, send us, train us, love us and support us. Just like every athlete has a whole team around them, so do we. Thank you! We head back to Ukraine in just a few days!

  • On Missions, Everyone, Everywhere, All the time.

    IMG_20160713_095820This is the subtitle of the Alliance Magazine that is on my desk. It resounds and challenges my heart. As we are home in Canada for the summer, this does not mean we go into ‘vacation’ mode where we are less ‘on mission’ than before. In reality, we all need to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit at all times. I’ve had many opportunities to pray with and for people while being here at home. I’ve also had others speak into my life words of encouragement and challenge. It has been wonderful, life giving and amazing! On mission, everyone, everywhere, all the time.

  • Titus Project Consultation 2016

    Photo Credit: Berkeley Swaringen (Titus Project Mexico)
    Photo Credit: Berkeley Swaringen (Titus Project Mexico)

    After almost four years we finally all got together in Taiwan for an International Titus Project Consultation.

    Representatives from Montana, Mexico, Europe, Taiwan, and Turner Valley were present.

    Here is a quick overview of our time together

    1) Every location (a place where Titus Project follows the SBS) introduced what they are up to! We even had Australia, Cambodia and India skype in. Brazil wasn’t able to skype in because the leader had just had a baby one month ago.

    2) We felt that God really spoke to us to Update and Deepen! Update: Logo, Booklets, Stats, File sharing, etc. Deepen: Start going to the same outreach locations over and over. Create new resources for leaving behind that will bring people through more books inductively when we leave.

    3) We examined every area of Titus (staff training, the lecture phase, the outreach phase and the celebration week). We came up with new ideas and shared about the changes we had made at each location in order to learn from each other

    4) Of course we prayed for each other and got to know each other because there were many new faces around the table.

    Now comes the job of implementing so many of these new ideas. Amy (founder), Kerry and ourselves (long termers) will skype soon to form some teams that will help to do many of these ideas. Please keep praying for us as we move forward as a global ministry of YWAM

  • Unger’s Visit

    IMG_20160324_195307
    Isabel- I had such a good time in Ukraine with everyone! I loved doing the quest room, going to Russian church with the whole team, having an EPIC Easter egg hunt in the freezing cold, attending the Kiev ballet and colouring cool pages with Cassie, Jay and Kai. Even though my ranch dressing turned out be a bit defective, I think the paska was a hit! Would love to visit again sometime.

    IMG_20160322_111251
    Simon- I had a great time with you guys. Thank you so much for allowing us to visit and opening up the boat and your home to us. I had lots of fun at the base and hope you guys continue to help people out.

    IMG_20160320_141415Maddy- Recently my family and me took a trip to the YWAM Kiev base to see my uncle Ben, Auntie Ang and cousins Cassie, Jay and Kai. We had such an amazing time! Some of my favourite activities were the ballet (so beautiful), the quest room and touring around with Auntie Ang. We made so many amazing memories, from a European feast in the stuffy cabin of an overnight train to walking in the snow with our toes freezing off to go see the Iron Mama. The food was great and the people were wonderful. We had a fantastic time. Thank you guys! P.S. To Auntie Ang: BOOM. DONE.

    IMG_20160324_103218
    Maria (and Ike) We knew we were in for a very special visit when we were shown our rooms in the boat and there were welcome baskets for each of us; coffee, snacks, water, candies, oranges, books to read, small gifts and fresh roses! How absolutely kind! Spending time with you guys was just precious; food and fellowship around your big kitchen table, seeing the sights of Kiev, learning the metro, trying our four Russian words at Puzata Hata and Ketusha, riding the midnight train to Zaporizhia, meeting your friends, getting our nails done together and sitting around talking. Those memories will be cherished. Thank you for being the best hosts; we were spoiled by your hospitality, delicious food and cozy home. I find myself talking Russian to myself these days as I set out the supper spread – “Da. Smetana pjalsta. Spasiba!”. I’ve got a long way to go…
    Much love forever. IMG_20160325_180151

  • Team Stan-Stan

    A story from our team in Central Asia-

    Upon getting to Karakol, we quickly learned our contacts had big plans for us! Karakol is the fourth largest city in Kyrgyzstan (though it has a population of just over 60,000, so it feels quite small), and it is the largest city on Lake Issyk-Kul, in north east Kyrgyzstan (we’re not too far from the Chinese and Kazakh borders!). There are about 180 villages around Lake Issyk-Kul. Our contacts here, who are leaders in their churches in the surrounding area, have a big goal: a house church in every village, with two leaders in every house church. They hope to see this goal fulfilled by 2020. So where do we fit into this?

    When we met with the leaders, they expressed their hope that we would train twenty believers identified as having a teaching gift, to teach inductive method, so that these house churches would be able to study the Word in this way! In addition to training these teachers, the leaders asked us to do mini “outreaches” with them – watch them  teaching other groups, evaluating them as teachers.

    While this is a really exciting opportunity, there are some significant challenges. The leaders asked us to teach three separate groups of teachers, on three separate days. This means we had about five hours with each group, to train them as teachers, before sending them on “outreach.” A few of them have seen the Philemon seminar, which is the best tool we have to equip them with learning the inductive method in a short amount of time, but most of them have not studied using inductive method before. This is significant. When we train our Titus Project participants (like Sasha and Julissa) in teaching inductive method, it is after they have spent nine months studying the whole Bible for themselves, using the method. They know the method very well, and are prepared to pass it on to others after three weeks of training. The group in Karakol wants us to train three groups of teachers after one day of training each. Sasha summed it up very well when he said after our meeting with the leaders, “They are asking for a miracle.” Fortunately, our God is in the business of miracles! We are doing our best with the time we have, emphasizing that good teachers are first good students. We want them to realize that to teach the Bible, they have to study it for themselves. We want our new students to understand we can provide them with tools they can use to study and then teach other books of the Bible. Yesterday (Friday) was our last day of prepping our “students.” On Sunday, we start mini outreaches with them – watching them teach the Philemon seminar to others, and evaluating them so they can grow. We have done our best, and pray God uses what we taught to expand His Kingdom, and that He speaks to our students about being studiers and doers of the Word, before they can be teachers. Please be praying for us and them!!!

    Michael, Helen, Sasha & Julissa (Team Stan-Stan)

  • Week 1 of Titus Project Kyiv 2016

  • Cassie’s Porch Sled

    Cassie and Levi instructing us how to build a porch slide.

  • Western Ukraine Road Trip

    Castle 2 Usually our vacation time is spent either in Canada or in a neighbouring country. BUT this year we decided to stay in Ukraine and visit a few smaller cities the West. After our trip we asked the kids, what were your highlights?

    Cassie: Doing the Quest Room in Rivne. It was really challenging and I like a challenge! I felt like Nancy Drew…especially finding the secret room.

    Kai: I love all the stuff that we go to…the castle, the quest room…

    Jay: I loved the quest room because there were so many riddles and mysteries. The pottery guy at the castle was cool too! Quest Room

    What about you Ben?

    Ben: All of it was good. 

    A man of little words.

    I enjoyed spending time together in the car. Colouring… reading books…mediating fights (“I want to sit in the middle.” “No I do!”

    Another highlight was that we were joined by Thelma and Esther. Two of our team members! Thelma is from India, Esther is new to our team and is from America. Both have never travelled around Western Ukraine, so we all gained more of an appreciation for the country in which we serve.

    Now we look forward to some awesome days together with our YWAM Kyiv Staff, planning and praying for this coming year. Titus Project begins again in just a few weeks where we will train new Bible Teachers. And the kids will go back to school. Kai is hoping to go to preschool beginning this January with Jay. Mom and Dad are still deciding.

    Happy New Year!

  • Quick Visit Home

    Due to some medical appointments, Angela had to return home for a short visit (don’t worry, all is well). It was a great trip filled with family and friends. Unfortunately, because it was just over a week, Ang didn’t get to see everyone she would have liked.  However, since we are half way through our 4 year term, our whole family will be home for this coming summer!

    There are some new photos added to our site from her trip. Updated Pics

  • The Gospel of Mark

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    Notes

  • Celebrating 5 Years!

    Ukraine Map PicsCelebrating 5 years of what?  We are celebrating 5 years of being in Ukraine. It has been a great journey! Many exciting times. Many Countries. Many people loved and trained as Bible Teachers.

    We asked people who have been a part of our programs to share a bit how it has impacted them. We wanted those of you who have been partners in our journey through your friendship and love to hear some of these comments and know that you had a part in it!

    I did my Titus Project 5 years ago. It still has an impact in my life. Our theme was “never the same” and I truly think I changed during those months. I grew a lot in openness and vulnerability and trusting people. I also grew as a teacher and gained confidence. Now I am studying theology and in the near future I hope to serve as a pastor. During these years I have often gone back to the Titus Project booklets or things I remembered from class or characteristics in my staff that I want to mirror in my teaching and in my life. I learned so much about teaching skills and speaking and how to involve different learning styles. Most of all I learned from the love, dedication and generosity of the staff. I was truly impressed and they were the kind of people that could say like Paul: imitate me as I am imitating Christ. I am so grateful for Titus and how it still helps me when I am teaching the youth in my church. Thank you for serving Christ and the church in the way you do. Your work is making a huge difference and the fruit will multiply. My life has never been the same again! 

    Thank you for all the time, energy and passion you put into your work! For the way you lead, serve, teach and encourage your students! You are living examples – a big source of inspiration! Through SBS and Titus I learned to read and understand the bible in a deeper way and I am so thankful to have this tool that I know I will use and benefit from for the rest of my life. My love for God, the bible and people grew and I am standing on a better foundation. All I can say is THANK YOU and keep up the great work, following Gods leading, you make a difference!

    During my Titus Project you affirmed me a lot as a teacher. You encouraged my creativity through comments, handwritten notes and grading. You challenged me to grow and showed me new ways to present God’s faithfulness to his people. The three weeks in Kyiv and the outreach to Hungary and Latvia brought so much joy and blessings to my life. What you did has affected the way I look at teaching, leadership and relationships. I and very grateful that God called you to be a part of that school! Thank you for being obedient to his calling and for always choosing to walk the extra mile. I am sure that God has great plans for you future and that he wants to continue to use you guys to reach people and change the word though excellent teachers and fantastic teaching! Don’t underestimate your legacy! I use what I was taught in my classroom in Linköping (Sweden) everyday! Lots of love and high fives !!!

    Thank You for making me ready to share the Word at all times. It is such a privilege to know the Scripture, keep learning it and have the ability to communicate it to others. Thank you for your patience, encouragement, and more patience and encouragement… Thank you for all the work you put into arranging opportunities for us and for your prayers… Your work made a difference in me!

  • Titus Project January 2016 Kyiv, Ukraine

    You won’t be able to measure the impact you make…it just goes on and on!

  • Life in Kyiv

    Traffic Jam in KyivTraffic congestion in Kyiv. Interestingly, its not that there is so much traffic that people can’t get anywhere, as you can see at the top of the photo. When the light turns yellow as many people as possible drive into the intersection. The thinking is sound, if I get in there, then I will be ahead of the next group. Naturally, when you see it in action the problem quickly becomes apparent. If there are cars in the intersection, then traffic can’t flow, so by the time it clears, the next group of people crowd in on the yellow. Eventually, it becomes go on yellow and red and stop on green. The problem is that we can’t wait our turn. The way to get somewhere is to take it. In Canada it might be the corporate ladder but here it is the traffic ladder. Use your tricks and your muscle to get ahead of everyone else, ignoring the people you trample to get there.

    It’s often said that people are generally good. But really? I see a lot of good things that people do … but everyone has bad within them too. I do. Most of us get the worst of it trained out while we are young and impressionable (though it sometimes becomes repressed attitudes which create there own problems). But as adults? Who trains us?

    Many people like to talk about God’s love. That’s great! It’s because of his love for us that he sent Jesus to us, to take the consequences for our selfishness. And if we choose to follow Jesus, he promises to train us even as adults. So even though we want to drive right into the intersection to get ahead, we can overcome our selfishness and love others.