This summer was filled with training! Lance and I were both staff in the Equip school in Ternopil. This was the same school that Lance and I were students in way back in 2012. You can read all about it HERE.

Guest speaker, Arlen, shares Philippians with us from memory.

We all received the award of Professional Communicator!

Last summer we ran an Equip school in Ternopil, so this year it was our second time and everyone felt much more organized! We had 8 students from Russia, Ukraine, USA, and Finland. The effects of the school would spread even beyond those borders or any physical border though. Many students feel that what they learned in the school would not only apply to Discipleship Training Schools or just to YWAM or just to missions, it was life skills for followers of Christ.

Got to love technology! Guest speaker, Darlene Cunningham, shared via Skype!

It was 7 weeks of intense training, full days of lectures, homework, time together, and preparation. We had all sorts of topics, from being a disciple to staff development, from confrontation to communicating with God, and from leading the classroom to crisis management. All different topics that leaders need to be trained in. Students were reading different books, they were making presentations and doing research.

Jim Isom comes to teach on how to disciple students from difficult backgrounds.

Sharing the Gospel on the streets of Ternopil.

The panel of experts on crisis management.

Everyone graduated at the end of the 7 weeks and took home a plethora of resources. Many of those students have already jumped into leading schools and some are staffing schools that are about to begin. They are putting into action what they have learned and will pass on to others.

“You’ve heard my message, and it’s been confirmed by many witnesses. Entrust this message to faithful individuals who will be competent to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2

Graduation!! As the DTS goes, so goes the mission!

Youth With A Mission Ternopil has been in existence for 20 years now. That’s 20 years of ministry, 20 years for training, 20 years of sending teams out, and 20 years of serving the Lord. That is a lot of time. We wanted to honor all those that have been a part of this base and the time they have invested into building the base up as well as serving the community and the nations.

Worshiping God together

We had two days of celebration. Many people who used to be staff in Ternopil came as well as leaders and pastors from the community. Day one started out with worship and moved into a time of sharing history. Many leaders, friends, and pastors shared how YWAM has impacted them.

Saturday was spent in worship again but we accompanied worship with a time of prayer for Ternopil and listening to what God had to say about YWAM Ternopil. It was great to be able to have others give insight into what God was saying for Ternopil.

We ended our celebration by going to a park for shashlik and fellowship. We sat around in the sun, gorged ourselves on roasted meat, snacked on yummy desserts and chatted with all those who had a hand in building YWAM Ternopil and the kingdom of God.

Ahhhh, run for your lives! Craziness and silliness will ensue when the Murray girls unite!

Together again!

All three sisters were together for a short time in Ukraine!

I can’t even begin to say how wonderful it was to have my sisters with me in what I have been calling home for almost three years!

We did a lot of sisterly things, like eating out…

Yum!

Shashlik!!!!

sightseeing…

Clock tower in Lviv

Looking at old churches

Castle in Lutsk

Visiting more castles

and of course, just being plain ole silly.

We need more weight!

Sadly, Alison had to leave after just 5 days together. Kathryn stuck around though to help with YWAM Ternopil’s 20 year celebration. We had a whole 9 more days together! Kathryn helped organize my kitchen, she worked hard in getting things ready for the 20 year celebration and just over all hung out with us where ever we were.

This past spring I was able to teach a very short course on speaking. This was not any speaking class, it was for those wanting to pass the IELTS exam, or International English Language Testing System. Scary sounding isn’t it?

Deep in conversation

It was a small class but I was happy to have a chance to teach some English. They really wanted to focus on speaking since that is the hardest to practice or study for and is really best done with a native English speaker.

Sorting phrasal verbs

We did simple activities such as sorting phrasal verbs and collocations. We looked at common idioms and used them in speech. We put an end to dead, dumb, and boring words such as “good,” “like,” and “fine” to exchange them for more exciting words.

Can you answer these questions in a concise manner in 2-4 min?

There were basically lots of discussion times, all they really wanted was a place to practice speaking English. We went through a lot of practice test questions and just general chitchat. Overall, it was a great class and time well spent for all.

For those that receive our email updates, you will have seen the monthly picture of the progress on our new building. (If you do not receive our monthly updates go to our About page and click Subscribe.) I am STOKED to tell you it is finally finished!! I can’t even begin to tell you how many hours were spent on our knees scrapping paint and grout off of the tile floors. Just way too many…

It seems appropriate to show you some before and after pictures, mostly after actually.

The base as I first saw it.

Front view 2010

Back view 2011

That cute little house to the right was our kitchen/dining room/office. Once the water line to it broke, we knew it was the en, though all its cuteness and quaintness couldn’t save it. A good friend made a fun video of the destruction of this quaint building, you can see it by clicking HERE.

Once our little office building was removed from the picture, the digging began!

Beginning of July 2012

End of July 2012

End of August 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

After December, much of the work had to stop due to snow and cold weather. We had a long and cold winter that year and work could not begin again until the end of March!

March 2013

April 2013

June 2013

Sadly, I left Ternopil in July to begin my trek back to the states to get married. I forgot to get a July picture and was emailed a picture from November of that year after it was painted.

November 2013

April 2014

July 2014

The finished product is amazing! We are so happy that it is done as well as to have extra rooms for more ministry and activities!

Opening the new building with worship

The new classroom is being put to good use!