To think on ... then to Act!
Screen Printing:
I have a dream... well an idea at least. There is a shortage of "Christian" tee-shirts in Ukraine (always wondered how a tee-shirt could get saved). Many of our youth have gleaned, mainly from us, tee-shirts in English with some Godly message on them. So I thought why isn't someone making good, funny, challenging "Christian" tee-shirts in Ukraine, and the answer came back, "cause it is your idea". Now I will confess I have seen some good ones in Russian but they are not Ukrainian, are hard to come by and usually expensive. We bought a tea towel while my mother in law was with us. It was Ukrainian/English and explained some of the significance of Ukrainian Easter Eggs. I was again pricked. Here was an opportunity. There are some tee-shirts that all tourists get to see sold on St Andrews Descent. If we could print one tee-shirt that was of good enough quality to make it there as a saleable alternative it probably would pay for the whole venture by itself. We would also be able to print tee-shirts with Christian messages for conferences, camps, and such like. However I think the main thing would be a few well planned and poignant Christian slogans made hundreds of times.
The only problem is I have no experience with screen printing whatsoever. I need information, techniques, and advice about what works and what doesn't. One advantage is that our sister church in Kaharlyk have a sewing factory just waiting for something to sew, so raw tee-shirts shouldn't be a problem. Sourcing screen printing material and knowledge would be the challenge. That and having the capital to go through the experimentation phase till we could make something to start getting money back on.
Over all I think that it is a potentially profitable, low capital, year-round business prospect. It is advantageous that it can be done by girls, and in a small premises. If it were a go it would be a blessing for the Ukrainian Christian community and more specifically for Rzhyshchiv Christians.
Do you fit into the picture anywhere? Maybe you screen printed back in the 70's and have advice? Maybe you have just done a TAFE course on the topic or have an old book? Or maybe God will lead you to contribute financially toward this project. If you are some way an answer to the questions I have posed above please contact me and share what you can.
Mission opportunity in Ukraine:
Have you got building skills that you want to use to glorify God? We may have an opportunity for you to bless others with your skills. We want to build some safe, user-friendly playground equipment for the children of Rzhyshchiv.
We believe that God has called us as Christians to help the whole person, not just save their soul. We know that to tell your hungry friend to go in peace and be full is not to meet their needs as God wants us to.
Currently there are only dangerous metal constructions that appear to be the relics of a war zone.
The opportunity exists to come to Rzhyshchiv and bless the community with a playground that would become not only a place for children to play, but also for parents to meet together and socialize together in a friendly, public environment.
The needs are as follows: People or churches who can commit to providing financial support for the purchase of materials. People who can give between 1-2 weeks to come and be the hands of the Body of Christ. People who can provide tools that would be needed for the construction.
The time table for this project is open. I am putting it on the table and want to hear back from you. Remember it snows from October till March. Southern Hemisphere winter is a better time to come north. If one group responds to this offer as a whole then it will be easy to organize the when and how. Ifseveral individuals come then we will have fun scheduling your holidays and time off.
While you are here we can provide a taste of Ukraine and a glimpse of what God is doing here. There would also be opportunity to share in the lives of local Christians, and do some sightseeing around Kiev. If you can help with any of the three needs please let me know so I can coordinate the details.
Family
Ben and Tamara Clarke and their four children have been serving God for nearly four years in Ukraine. They are working in the Calvary Chapel movement planting churches in rural areas.
Originally from Victoria, Australia, they have joined an international/multidenominational team that is dedicated to bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to rural Ukraine.
They have four children: Joseph 6, Oliver 5, Xavier 4, and Jordana 2. Tamara home schools the older two and does home duties (serving on the home front), while Ben is the leader of the music side of church worship and organizes meetings for students.
Currently
The church is meeting at the Gollan house Sunday evenings. This allows students who go home for the weekend to get back in time. We have about 50% students but about 95% young people in the congregation. We have a number of ex-students who were from Rzhyshchiv and have finished studying attending our meetings. They have stayed and make a strong young backbone of the church. There are also many young people who come because they like to play billiards! We have quite a table. And there are also some older folk from Rzhyshchiv who have joined us.
Our main meetings are Sunday church from 5pm till about 10-12; singing, preaching, eating, and fellowshipping. Friday nights we rent the local sports complex for a few hours and loosely organize a few hours of football before running a youth group from 8-12. Tuesday Ben has a "Who the heck is God" meeting for young guys from one of the technical schools. Wednesday our young people organize a youth group at the same technical school. They run it themselves and it is really like a mid-week church service that many young people attend as their only formal contact with God.
Apart from these formal meetings there are many other things on the go as well. (link to each team members happenings).
Blind Goat Drums
Ben has continued a favourite past time that he had in Australia. He makes drums. While in Australia he was making Bodhrans; here in Ukraine Djembies and that style of drum is more sought after. He actually makes the Ashiko from Western Africa as it is a stave construction and thus is far easier to source the material and to make.
So far three have made the end of the production line. It is always an on/off type project but one that is sought after by many small starting churches. He has taught others his skills and outsources to some of the young guys.
Currently there are two shells that are waiting for skins and two drums in weekly service in Rzhyshchiv and Kagarlyk. Any questions happily answered!
