Along with running our Equip school we hosted a 17 person team from the states for two months. They arrived shortly before we started the school and then left shortly after the school ended. They were busy the whole time!

We give each team a city orientation and cultural lesson at the start of their time here and then start them in ministry activities. This team did a wide variety of activities, they jumped into helping with a local English camp and a kids camp in another city. Everyday they did evangelism in the city center by singing and holding a sign that said “Come practice English With Me.” They ran our regular English club that happens once a week. They visited a kids shelter once a week and helped give out bread to elderly with a local church.

The team was full of joy and life and they loved building relationships with people on our facility as well as in the community. They showed love to every person they met. It is always a lot of work hosting a team but there are also so many rewards.

Since I never got around to publishing what we were up to this spring I will put a few pictures up from different activities.

750 YWAM staff from all over Europe came together in Albania.

Seeing friends from Washington in Albania!

After the conference in Albania, we took a trip with some of our staff to Montenegro.

Happy Birthday Oksana!

Montenegro is a beautiful mountainous country.

Marching in a parade celebrating families.

Meeting with all the YWAM leaders in Ukraine

Our DTS students graduated!

The biggest thing this spring, was finding out we will be expecting a baby in December!

Normally we begin our Discipleship Training School in the fall but this year, we did not have enough students and when we prayed about if we should cancel the school, we felt instead to move it to January. That was not an easy decision but we knew it was what God was leading us to do.

As our start date approached we still did not have students. At one point we had two students accepted but for whatever reason, they cancelled. We were back to zero. We kept praying and asking God to make it clear to us that we were to move forward with having a school. Finally we had one student, she is a 19 year old single mom from central Ukraine. Then we had another student but she had trouble getting references from her pastor. It was down to the week before the school and finally everything was confirmed and accepted, we had two students!

Staff and students

Since the school has started we have still struggled to keep the school going, from speakers cancelling to sudden schedules changes it has not been easy. Now we see that we have the right students for the right moment in time. It has been a great time with them and they have learned so much. We are nearing the end of our lecture phase and will be soon preparing for outreach. The girls are all in need of finances to finish the school but we are still holding to what the Lord told us, to continue with the school, he will take care of everything else!

We had the great privilege to host a team from Holland December to January. They were a huge help and blessing to us and the city.

English Club gift exchange

We set up a week’s worth of activities for them and then let them make their own schedule. Quite often Christmas season turns out to be a tricky time to host teams because of the weather and unpredictable schedules. This team was super flexible and they were able to make their own plans without needing someone with them the whole time.

Sharing a testimony at the tea

Practicing English

The team helped with the women’s tea, English club, orphanage visits and church meetings. They were able to go to some English classes in the city and they wandered into a hospital to sing Dutch carols. They also made meals for homeless and even though they did not have any interpreter with them they were able to still bless the people of Ternopil.

Almost a year and a half ago, Lance and I went to Albania for the first time to attend a gathering of Discipleship Training School leaders (read about it HERE.) This same sort of gathering happened in December in Hurlach, Germany.

One fun fact about Hurlach is that this was one of the first YWAM locations that was started! It has continued in ministry since it’s start date in 1972 for outreach to the Olympic games in Munich. Even cooler fact is that it is actually a castle!

The Eastern Europe Gang

All the fun facts aside, we had a great time in Hurlach meeting new friends in DTS as well as old ones. We love going to these meetings not just to see friends and have a good time but it is so important to really talk about what is happening in our regions. Sometimes we don’t get to see people in our own regions for a long time, not only because of distance but because of busy schedules.

These meetings allow us to encourage one another and pray for different regions and individuals. Of course we do have some fun. Every time there is a gathering, each person claims their country has the best chocolate. Well we finally decided to figure it out. Everyone brought some chocolate and we had a blind taste test. I have been racking my brain trying to remember who won, but I honestly can’t remember! I guess Ukraine won… 🙂 It was a fun event for sure!

Chocolate tasting

DTS Leaders of Europe