Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Tipping the Scales

So its been a while, sorry.

Lots has been happening here and God's hand is in all of it. One quick point worth mentioning is that I am a little over halfway through my time here in Lviv. This just means I finally feel at home and have lots I want to do and plans to put in progress!

Our semester has winded down, students have finished exams, and many of them have went home to the village for the summer, are studying abroad or are on vacation. But that just means we have shifted into high gear! We had our first team, a group of students from the Wesley foundation at the University of Texas. While they were her they helped us with some tearing down in our new space so that we can build back up. Also this year was the Euro cup and it was held in Ukraine and Poland so the team hosted our community for a few of the games with some good Texas food!
Our next team arrives Saturday and from there we are busy mostly through July with only 1 full day of rest without a team before the next one arrives and we have English Camp and VBS.

The Fan Zone where everyone Goes to watch the games!

Some of the team and one of the members of our community  getting ready to watch Soccer
Can't you tell the games exciting




Other Ministry News!
Our community in a whole has started to look a little different. We have been having several local homeless people coming to services and community activities. This is great news but it is also something we need prayers about as we are learning as we go in how this part of our ministry will develop and what it will look like.
Mykola and Andryi sword fighting!
English club:
English club has been great, of course with a lot of our students gone it is a little smaller so we have spent the time playing games and getting to know those that are coming a little bit better. When the teams are here we are letting them have the opportunity to lead English club, which is always lots of fun!
Feeding ministry:
As the student center, since many of our students are no longer around, we have taking a break from working with the feeding ministry. Do not be afraid though we were paired with another ministry that has continued the program in our absents. We will however be looking at this ministry and seeing if we can make it better and more fruitful when we start up again next semester.
PRESCHOOL:
We have been in the works of developing a Preschool over the last year and a half and starting in September Erika (one of our Ukrainian staff members) will be starting it up. Of course we are starting small with only around 5 children 2 or 3 times a week. But here is where you can really help: We are looking for kids books and puzzles that are very lightly used or new! If you can help please contact me (nlhaigler@gmail.com) and I can give you more information!

Last little update me-
I have been great and really trying to discerning Gods call on my life. As some of you may know I have 2 great passions, Children and Homelessness. I have been really thinking about seminaries after I finish this program but am struggling with which school and even what to study there. I have been talking some with my girlfriend and we have been thinking about visiting a few when I return to the states. 
Also I will be moving to another, smaller apartment soon. It will be a little farther from the center but a bit cheaper and I think I will enjoy it. 

That is all the updates I have for now but feel free to contact me!

Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.