In the first city we taught the Walk In the Supernatural Seminar. Three of us taught during these three days - Bob, Miroslav (my administrator for Eastern Europe and an apostle by calling) and myself.

Then we travelled to our second location by overnight train and during the second week we taught the first ever (for us anyways) School of Apostles and Prophets. This was a new venture for Ralph Howe Ministries and much planning and preparation went into it by all involved. We had about 50 students from 5 nations and with five days of teachings (3 major sessions a day) it allowed these young men and women to move forward in major ways in their understanding of their gifts and callings as apostles and prophets in training. A second week is planned for early or mid-winter. This school will eventually have three levels with two weeks of concentrated and focused study for each level.

Of course, we ministered in several local churches on the two Sundays we were in Ukraine (4 services) as well we meet with many pastors and leaders separate from the main teaching meetings. And, we also met with leaders from other nations to plan future trips to their areas.

God has opened some major doors for us in Eastern Europe. There is, of course, some opposition to our message and the prophetic ministry that always accompanies apostles and prophets. However, what God has begun He will bring to completion and His will is always done on Earth as it is in Heaven. We simply trust Him to continue to open doors in spite of the plans of man.

If you care to donate to this trip and the School for Apostles and prophets you can do so on the main web site - on the left is a PayPal system of donating to “missions”. If you would like to become a regular financial giver to this ministry to help with on going costs click on “Partners” on the top menu bar and then “Financial” and there you will find a non-mission PayPal account for your donation.

On the Road Once Again

It was a good trip – nothing went wrong and the volcano and the winds behaved themselves and so we arrived without any delay. As well, I had some quiet time before meeting up with my part of my team in Calgary, a great four hour chat with my team in Calgary and in flight (after which he slept and I wrote a teaching), and then some good, quality time with a second team member from Kiev onwards. Our fourth leadership team member arrives tonight at 2:00a (Friday morning) and we aree set to start the real work of discipling, training, equipping and mentoring on Friday morning at 9:00a after another team meeting and some set-up time. It is going to be a busy day and a half.

On the way to Kiev we picked up about 40+ young people in Frankfurt who spoke English, Spanish and Russian. They were easy to spot as they all wore blue t-shorts with the letters FLEX on them. This stands for Future Leaders Exchange. These young men and women had been in the United States for a whole year learning the language and the culture and were now heading home for the first time in 12 months. It was a definite party atmosphere in the German airport, on the plane, especially when we landed in Kiev and the whole flight for that matter. Their excitement and enthusiasm was contagious. It was a great time for a people-watcher like me to observe youth interacting and the youth culture dynamic in full force in one place at one time. Had some limited but good interaction with a couple of them.

Sitting in airports is another people watching experience. No matter what airport in what country you see many different facial features, many different cultural differences (head wear, jewellery), and yet almost everyone wearing the same dress code … blue jeans and t-shirts. Our world is fast becoming one main culture with some cultural differences from place to place – but few that would keep people divided.

As I sat and had a cold Diet Coke (Coke Light here) in Frankfurt airport at McDonalds it was interesting looking around. The facility in the airport sits over 200 people and it was fairly full – everyone from many different nations going, I am sure, in many different directions but all having identical breakfasts of egg McMuffins, hash browns and MacDonald’s coffee…

After a poor night’s sleep (really can’t “call it a night”) due to muscle cramps in the legs and feet from sitting on planes and trains for 30+ hours … a early hot breakfast of chicken, mashed potatoes, cold and excellent salad and hot green tea. Before showering I had to, once again, simply lie down and sleep again. Showered when I woke a second time around 11:30a and now and ready for a long day (remember we are picking a team member up at 2:00a at the train station). A day filled with writing (I am doing a paper for publication through a university in Minsk, Belarus) as well as meetings with my team, working to get the new laptop functioning on the internet here in Ukraine, and then a whole evening of fellowship (and a little business) with our hosts for the next four days.

Tomorrow (Friday) we begin the Russian version of Walking In the Supernatural seminar that I also do in North America. We have the manual totally translated into Russian after making some changes in some of the lists (occult involvements and Religious spirit lists) to better relate to the culture here. This thanks to a wonderful cash donation from the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan area. The four leaders on the team we have assembled for the trip will each teach parts of it so that I am not the only one functioning in my calling and gifts.

We have two days for the seminar and then two Sunday services before heading out to our next city to begin our first ever School for Apostles and Prophets. Both weeks are full house and we are excited about the Lord’s blessing ad His hand on these two weeks of ministry.

Your continued prayers would be greatly appreciated.

A Day to Catch My Breath - I Think

A slower day did not mean unproductive. We managed to get my computer hooked to the internet and so the blog that I finished in the early morning was posted and I was able to receive and answer 30+ emails from the 24 hours since my Blackberry was turned off – roaming costs run into the hundreds of dollars for text and email on a two week trip recently so is no longer even considered as I need to be a good manager of our limited funds here at the ministry. We will, by our next trip, be set up for Skype video and audio and international calls and so maintain communications that way.

We also held several “business meetings” as we discussed things that we are working on while here – arranging who is teaching what and when (some of which was changed tonight during a meeting with our hosts for the first four days while in the nation). As well, plans were discussed for several other trips being worked on – eastern Russia and my next trip into Ukraine. The details for the eastern Russia trip actually came in today (after our discussion) and are being translated for me as I write this blog. I will read it later tonight or when I get up in the morning and ask my next set of questions and continue the planning. We have recently received two other invitations to minister in Russia and we are in the initial planning stages for these trips as well – where the one to eastern Russia is in the final stages of boarding (sorry – too many airports) final stages of planning.

We held a meeting of the teach team members already assembled (the forth arrives at 2:35a Friday morning – just 2 and a half hours away as I write this). The discussion was to form a list of what an apostle-in-training or prophet-in-training can and cannot do so that we can give direction to those we prophesy over who have these callings upon their lives. This list arises out of the results of past trips to the nations in Eastern Europe when people who received words acted badly and in an unbiblical manner towards others with respect to the Word that they received - moved ahead of their knowledge and level of training and mentoring. It will be worked on again and then translated in the next few days and ready to hand out at the School for Apostles and Prophets next week in Kirovograd. As well, late tonight another brochure Bob and I have jointly worked on has arrived translated into Russian and ready to be passed out. We will need to check it over.

Meetings were the name of the game as the pastors hosting us arrived where we are staying for an 8:15p meeting that went to 10:45p as we went over and adjusted schedules for the next two days (seminar) as well as for Sunday (2 services) and especially areas they would like us to address from the pulpit on Sunday (topics to preach on). Again, more work to do “on the fly” as these topics were not mentioned before we came and so I will need to either write or re-write something I brought most of my material (the whole hard drive of my main computer travels with me in the form of an external portable hard drive) so all my computerized resources are here – so if I can find what I need I will simply require a few hours to re-write and not have to start from scratch and stay up half the night. Prayer appreciated.

So then one more meeting about the trip to eastern Russia (city of Khabarovsk) where we will be working with the largest church in the city for 8 days. The trip is Regina – Calgary – Frankfurt, Germany, Moscow, Russia (total of a day and a half) and then another 10 hour flight to Khabarovsk. Maybe a stay in a hot tub would be best when first arriving in Moscow before flying out to my destination – just to loosen up the joints and muscles a bit.

This trip to Russia is a series of four public meetings a day and so because they are “public” and anyone can come I will need to apply for a religious visa (a month long process with a great deal of paperwork) so that what I am doing I can do legally. This puts me on the “to watch” list from that point onwards but it will keep the local church and its pastor out of trouble with their government and the authorities who check up on these issues. Your prayers for this process which needs to start immediately would also be appreciated.

That’s my day – nothing out of the ordinary – definitely never boring – always something different and new and often challenging. Thanks for praying – and please continue to do so.

Friday Is Done and Saturday has begun

We were honored to have the pastor of the “borrowed” Church attend the seminar. However, he turned out to be very argumentative and constantly trying to teach everyone what he believed - which does not line us with what we were teaching concerning being born again (truly converted) and baptized in the Holy Spirit. As well, he began to ask questions which were not relative to the topic and which were “way out there” making one wonder what his theology and understandning of the Bible really was. It was a little confrontational at times. Eventually a team member passed him on the way to the outhouse and mentioned that he should stay on topic and he was less agressive after that and things settled down somewhat.

Two sessions during the day with a hurried trip back through the mid-day traffic to where we were staying for a hot lunch. Then, after supper the third session was held in the facilities that the local church rents for their activities. Apparently Friday daytime is the only time they are unable to use the rented space. Our numbers increased and we had a great evening session ending right on the dot of 10:00p as asked.

Ten thirty saw use eating yogurt and cut-up fruit (a fruit salad) and simply fellowshipping back where we are staying. A short walk in the pouring rain from where we were teaching. Just as we finished the treat our hosts came along with fresh strawberries from their country garden patch and some great tasting ice cream and we had another feast … soon afterwards we all headed to bed as we were all very tired.

During the day sessions we had three of us teaching - so I was able during two sessions to hand write some notes regarding the on-going opposition here in Eastern Europe. I had one email that I had not had time to answer before leaving North America and thought that if I could jot my thoughts down it might get answered in the next few days. It was good to have opportunity to do so while other very capable team members jhelped with the teaching load.

We have finished our arrangements (at least the dates) for our trip in 10 weeks to Khabarovsk, Russia (it overlooks the Islands of Japan). We are working on some of the details - teaching topics, flight routes and ticket arrangements and costs … it is beginning to come together. These opportunities to minister start long before the event ever happens. We first heard of this opportunity last November while ministering in Moscow. We have been in touch and working through the details and the opportunity being offered since then… we are almost to the final stretch with dates set, flights being looked at, topics being selected and discussions re. living facilites, the pace of our work day, etc. taking place. Another few weeks and the trip will be settled and I can get to work preparing the material and doing any necessary research and writing … including learning as much as I can about the city and region where we will be ministering.

Today we have morning, afternoon, and evening sessions … 10 hours of teaching and ministering. Tomorrow (Sunday) one service - 2 teachings - from 11:00a to 4:00p and then supper, fellowship with our host pastors and on the train by 7:30p to head to our next city and the start of our first ever School for Apostles and Prophets.

Please be in prayer for our safe travel. Even this morning as I type this (late Friday in mid-Canada) there has been another plane crash - Air India - with apparently 163 of 173 on board dead…. travel is not always safe and assured.

We Approach Our First Sunday

Today was a complete second day for our Walking in the Supernatural seminar in Russian – two teachers working at presenting the material in a way that brings people forward many light years with respect to their gifts and callings – who they really are in Jesus – and how to walk supernaturally with Him each and every day. We had a three hour morning session, a three hour afternoon session and a three hour evening session. People received great understanding and tremendous insights into scriptural truths that will truly, I believe, revolutionize their lives.

It was especially good to see a number of young people out (20 to 25% of those in attendance) as this is the age group (17 to 35) that this ministry is truly called to impact. And, I believe, the generation that is looking for the supernatural and something of significance to invest their lives in. They are not interested in the politics and ongoing and endless programming that occupies so much time in so many religious structures. They simply want to encounter and experience God. And, because of this God will use them in a mighty way in every nation where and when they respond to His call upon their lives to truly “follow Me” and develop a meaningful, in-depth personal love relationship with Him.

The day ended and we went for a walk to pick up some more yogurt for breakfast (alright – and some more wonderful Ukrainian dark chocolate) and then were sitting around having fresh fruit salad and yogurt as a night time treat when the pastor and his wife appeared and joined us for fellowship. They have been very pleased with what has transpired here during the last three days while we have been with them.

However, the topic turned, early in the three hours we shared together, to a phone call they had received the day that we arrived here to minister for them. There have been some issues that the leader of a group of churches here in Ukraine has about our ministry. For almost a year I have been working at finding out what the concerns are that this leader has. We agreed to meet to discuss the issues and made some suggestions regarding possible dates – no response. Then, finally, due to not having a list of issues we decided to not invest the time and money to meet to solve his unstated issues nor to continue offering possible dates to meet. Then he suggested a date to which we agreed – but we wanted a list before the meeting and the right to record the discussion as, by this time, this man’s lack of integrity and dishonesty were becoming very evident. No meeting – he refused to meet our two reasonable conditions.

Well, a letter went out telling the churches under his control not to welcome us in their pulpits. The letter was vague and short on reasons leaving people to think whatever they wanted to think. Recently we received the long awaited list and answered each stated concern biblically – drawing attention to the fact that the real issue is that none of their concerns were dealt with in a timely or biblical manner by their own leaders and most concerns really don’t involve the leaders of the network but are relational and local - and so they are out of biblical order both in the way they dealt with the concerns and in the way they were now attempting to blame our ministry for their shortcomings and lack of integrity. No answer to that email (not unusual).

So, the day we arrive here to minister in a church not connected to their network or union – neither a member nor a friend – he phones and suggests that the leaders should not allow us to minister in his pulpit and that we have caused division and strife and that there are issues between us and them… It was a long discussion and regretfully, for this man spreading division and dissension, the truth - when revealed - does not leave him in a good light. His reputation and that of the group he represents is being damaged.

Our reputation was slaughtered over the last year of rumours and gossip that has been spread over many nations so I am not sure that any more damage can be done to our reputation than has already been done. However, we will continue to serve and minister where and when invited and, as always, at great personal and financial expense. If doors are closed by man other doors of opportunity will be opened by God.

Our team is much subdued and deeply affected by this late night conversation – there will be less sleep tonight than normal.

We Have Just Arrived and the School Starts Today

It was a full day but a good day. On an earlier visit - the one to Belarus - one of our team members had met and talked to a young man on a train. They remembered that he lived in the city we were ministering in and so phoned him yesterday and invited him to attend the Sunday service where I would be ministering. Sure enough he came. I switched some of my teaching around to include the Gospel as well as brief bits of my testimony and before he had to leave at 1:00 he asked the local pastor to pray with him (I was busy prophesying). He received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. God is good!

Great church, wonderful growth spiritually since our last visit in February. Leaders are growing in their leadership skills …. just exciting to see and be a part of all that God is doing in this great local church. We are honored to be invited to be a part of the ministry there. They have invited me to return and I will do later this fall. I picked some potential dates while the others had a short sleep.

Later today (Monday) we start our first day of the School for Apostles and Prophets. We have a good number registered in spite of being blacklisted by one Union with its leadership living in and working from Canada. Sad! But, it is their loss and we are happy with the fact that we have apostles and prophets in training from 4 nations (5 if you count us from Canada) for our first swing at this new project. We have much work to do each day … not just to teach and minister but we want to remain flexible and flow with the questions and any areas that arise that we should be teaching on but had not planned to. Both of us who are doing the teaching have all of our computerized material with us and so we can quickly switch gears or even directions if the questions and concerns being expressed suggest we should. So, a bit tense and needing to be more alert and flexible but I’m not too old yet to give it a try and see if it flys.

Your prayers for the School would be greatly appreciated - we go from 9:00 to 9:00 Monday to Friday and till 1:00 on Saturday. Of course we have other meetings inbetween - even one major one to deal with the issues and rumors poeople are hearing from the group that opposes us and apparently has declared war on me personally. Many pastors in attendance simply want to know what is happening and what the concern and issues are - and know they will get an honest and straight answer from us because they are not getting it from those who are opposing the work we are doing.

So, keep praying please …

Pictured above - the first location we ministered in when arriving in the country - we are still moving equipment and materials in from the taxi.

Apostles and Prophets - International

Again, we are facing the issues that we have been unwillingly involved in. At our last location the leader who is opposing us phoned our hosts (from Canada none the less) the day we arrived to try and convince them to reject us. Hs call failed but led to another 3 hour conversation and another invitation to minister later this year. Here at the School we have a number of pastors who have acted in unbiblical fashion and listened to gossip and rumors and thus been offended and now carry offences. Two arrived last night after supper and it is very obvious they have been “slimed” as I call it - spiritually infected by another man’s inability to deal biblically with issues between himself and the leaders in his own union (network). Issues into which I was dragged because I spoke a positive prophetic word over one of their churches last August when invited to minister there.

The whole situation has been handled (or not handled) in a non-biblical fashion and many are being hurt by it - including us.

So, we have called a meeting with these leaders from another nation - asking the pastors of the local church we are using for the school to attend as they are the church that has been dealt with in a wrong manner by the leader of their former union and where I gave the positive prophetic word. Another long and stressful encounter. Hopefully, the truth will set them free but often this is not the case as offences then to grab hold of people’s hearts and minds and they never do recover. The reputation of many great believers also never recovers.

Sad - but one day there will be a day when the Lord holds everyone accountable for their actions and words, attitudes and throughts.

However, we have determined not to let any of this stop us. God called us to minister in Eastern Europe and to introduce the ministry of apostles and prophets to many churches and unions that have never heard of this part of the five-fold ministry. He has called us to help heal those who have been wounded by prophets in the past when they came in a spirit of judgment and condemnation and publically destoyed people. He has opened doors for us and I believe man’s efforts cannot close them. I believe that there is much that this ministry has been called to do and we will do it. We are simply being opposed by those who don’t want people to walk in freedom and want to continue to manipulate and control those who work under their authority.

So, we continue to plan a part two to this first level of the School for Apostles and Prophets to be held near the end of 2010 or the start of 2011 depending on my other obligations and ministry opportunities. We are excited about what is happening this week - as many young apostles and prophets learn about the sub-foundation for the ministry they are building (Biblical life principles) and the foundation upon which their ministry must be built (character). As well, they will be learning about how to handle specific issues that they are or will face in their ministries (offences, conflict, personal rejection, intimidation) and uncovering their total gift-mix relating to their calling.

It is an exciting week we face and one that will go very quickly - too quickly I am afraid.

Your prayers for the School as well as for the extra meetings we are ending up holding would be greatly appreciated.

Tuesday in Ukraine

I am then on full time on Thursday (4 sessions) and one session on Saturday morning. Friday has not been determined. However, the next two days are teachings I do frequently so they will not need as much work as I have to put in to the ones I have been teaching in the past few days. However, this does not mean I get to relax, regretfully.

Now that we apparently can see the flow of teachings and teachers through to Saturday noon when we end the School – I can focus on meeting with some Ukrainian pastors to plan a trip in the late fall. As well, planning meetings with a number of pastors from Kazakhstan who are here to plan a return visit to their nation (3 locations – 3 weeks), and then one other meeting to plan another trip to Russia. Along with these important meetings there will be several other very important meetings.

We held one today during the 90 minute lunch when we met with the pastors whose church we are renting to run our School. They have been severely wounded and almost destroyed by the same man who is opposing us at the moment. Except, unlike us who have been in this war for only 12 months, they have been in the turmoil for 5 years – long before I knew them, long before. We meet with them tonight again after the evening session to discuss where our relationship is to go from here and how we can be proactive in the situations we are both facing with the same person. Then, later in the week, we will be meeting with pastors from Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan to talk about all that they have heard (gossip) about the situation that has absorbed so much of our time (with no visible benefits) over the past year.

They have listened to what the Bible calls “evil reports” and now see us differently. They did not act with integrity and refuse to listen to the gossip or evil report. And, they did not phone us and check out our side of the story or the “other facts” in the situation. So, now they see us through different lenses or different coloured glasses and will never see us the same and in the correct light ever again. Offenses damage relationships but the damage can be limited if dealt with biblically but cannot be completely reversed. It will be a difficult meeting with a great deal of tension on all sides and my team will be walking in wanting to be true “ambassadors of reconciliation.” And some of the others being gossiped about and again about whom many rumours have been spread will be with us to tell their story as well. It will be a good meeting and, if you feel led to pray, please do – pray that the truth will set these pastors free from their offences.

We will know if we are successful – there will be a difference in the spiritual atmosphere or spiritual countenance of those who have been listening to the slanderer, busybody, gossiper, and whisperer spread his poison. When they first arrived there was a hardness of heart that was very evident to those of us functioning in the gift of discerning of spirits. In the spiritual realm there was a “grey deadness” all around them that is a sure indication that they have spiritual cancer (an offence) and that it is slowly killing them. They are spiritually dying and most likely don’t even know it. But, in time, they will lose their spiritual life and eventually their ministry. We are hoping for a breakthrough in these meetings for their sake as well as the sake of this ministry we have in Eastern Europe.

There is always more to do than what is scheduled – and meetings and events pop up on a daily basis as needs arise. It fills the days to the full giving us a normal 18 hour working day and we will end our time here without everything covered because there is always more things to accomplish than time to do them.

If these meetings go well – then we will have three further trips to plan – another one to Russia (we already have one scheduled for August) and one to Kazakhstan – resulting in two more meetings to attend this week. As well another trip to Ukraine as quickly as possible.

As well, I am in need of time to write an article for a publication in Belarus (the deadline is fast approaching) which, when published, will open some new doors for our ministry there in that nation. More prayer is needed here as well.

I was just asked if I would meet with the youth of this local church on Saturday afternoon after the School ends. Of course, I said a definite yes. So, as I said - we simply respond to whatever pops up and heads our way.

It is midnight here - time to get some sleep.

Another Day Of Ministry in Ukraine

We are thinking of going in under a religious visa and not just a visitor visa so the meetings can be held in public and even advertized. We will be watched or observed I am sure but it allows us more freedom then going in without the right to preach publically. But, we will have rather large crowds – probably, I am told, the biggest audiences that we have faced in this ministry so far. I am in need of several weeks of research and writing to have the material written and organized before I go as the schedule is so busy that there will be no time to prepare and even little time to review the teaching beforehand. So, there will be a need to set aside and protect adequate and quality time to read, research and write the material I will need to add to what I regularly teach… and that will need to happen the next two months and these months are already fairly busy. Pray please!

Today – Wednesday – I taught all day (3 sessions for a total of 6 hours) and then another team member taught the evening session using some material he and I co-produced together. We had it translated into Russian so we could hand it out to everyone.

After a quick supper I met with a couple we had ministered to in Moscow, Russia last September-October (2009). He is a bishop of a number of churches surrounding the city of Moscow (within 350 Km). We prophesied over him and his wife and taught them for a week. They were really blessed. They came to our School this week to continue receiving training for their ministry (they also pastor a church). On the way here they had heard some things about our struggle with a Union here and had a question or two and did what few others are doing – having Christian integrity and checking out the facts and not believing an ‘evil report’. So, the garbage being spread about us has opened up opportunities with some to explain what has really happened and we are not losing friends but gaining allies.

This couple have invited us to their Union (Network) as soon as we can get there and to work with them for several weeks. We have agreed to come as quickly as we can and we will work later tonight – much later – to arrange dates and reschedule things in our calendars to allow us to go and serve this wonderful couple. The wife of the man (a prophetic voice) commented that this problem and opposition we are facing – that God will use it to open many doors for us … opportunities to minister that would not have been there otherwise. I agree.

Then after the evening service and ministry we met with pastors from western Russia (Caucasus area) where we ministered in the fall of 2009. We did a wonderful work for the Lord there over 8 or 9 days and the people and the churches were really blessed. When there we were already being asked questions about the issues we are still dealing with in the attack of the opposition we are facing. Well, they have heard a lot more – an ‘evil report’ by biblical standards and definition – and have come with great offenses. We were to be with them in July but they cancelled our visit a number of months ago when they heard more from the evil report (gossip, slander). But, at least they came. And tonight we met with them to discuss the evil report they have heard. And, to answer all their questions and place some facts in the story they have heard (we have all the records of correspondence with us) and set things straight. Then, we were able to talk about rescheduling time to come and minister to them.
However, we are not rushing to rebook dates as they had been given prime time almost a year ago and then they cancelled the planned trip to work with their leaders this July. So, we have given away all available dates through to February of next year or maybe even later. So, they will not receive preferential treatment but simply stand in line like everyone else and ‘suffer the consequences’ for their behaviour and lack of biblical reaction to the evil reports they listened to and actually believed.

Tomorrow (Thursday) again I teach all three day time sessions on the gifts and callings of God available in the Church and someone else (I hope) will teach the evening session (we have not decided that far ahead in our planning meetings). After the evening service I meet with some leaders from Kazakhstan to plan our next visit to them – and to answer the concerns over what they have heard from others about this ministry as the ‘evil report’ had spread that far away from the center of the churches involved many, many months ago.

Then we will need to plan out Friday’s teachings… I already know what I am teaching at the only session on Saturday (The Apostolic Model of the Future Church). As well, I have been thinking through the Saturday afternoon event with the entire youth of the church (a sizable group). This is an event outside the parameters of the School and something I was only asked to do late last night – but I will manage it.

Sunday we do a Sunday morning service at which I will preach (no idea what yet) and I do know what I want to share in the leader’s meeting in the evening. One out of two is not bad.

The weather is decent – not hot but not cool. The church building is not air conditioned and so it does get warm as the day progresses and the humidity increases. The food is great and there is too much of it. We have a great place to stay (with my administrator and his wife) and the church building has indoor washrooms. There is a God! And there is an ample supply of Diet Coke – love this country.

We all appreciate your prayers for everything that is happening here and everything that we are planning during the two weeks while we are over here. Prayer is very, very powerful and seriously important to everything we do here. Thank you for partnering with us in this powerful way.

Day Is Done, Gone the Sun, Soon to Rise Again

Topics were good – including needing to know the basic doctrines (sin-salvation-baptism in the Holy Spirit – gifts and callings) that apostles must lay in the lives of believers. We spoke of prophetic evangelism and the need to move in the power of God when born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit (prophets and five-fold evangelists). Each person (everyone in the School is either an apostle and prophet or apostles and prophets in training) learned a lot about their individual calling, gifts, and the way they think and function. Powerful time of self-discovery!

The day drew to a close with a meeting between my team and the pastors from a number of churches in Kazakhstan … a nation where we ministered a year ago this November. It was a good meeting with much discussed regarding the possibility of an upcoming visit. We talked about the progress in their churches since our last visit, the move of the Holy Spirit, the rising up of apostles and prophets as well as the next steps that need to be taken in the churches we influenced and in the lives of the men and women we were speaking to.

Then after returning to where we are staying some work on emails and planning with the team for tomorrow’s teachings… a few things to print so I could work on them early in the morning before everyone is up, and some work on enews items for Ralph Howe Ministries. Then some work on calendars and scheduling to look at the last remaining available months of 2010 (we are already booked to the end of October) and into 2011 … because we have two events already scheduled in 2011 and we have three or four other places asking for two to three weeks of ministry each. Not sure where they will all fit.

It is imperative that as I schedule I remember that I need preparation time; I need time to rest just a bit and regain physical, mental and spiritual strength before returning overseas; I need time to minister in North America; I need time to write the several books I am writing because prophetic words stated I was to write books; I need time off; I need time to study for my own personal growth and for future teaching opportunities … so many things need to be considered when booking events that cost a lot financially, spiritually, emotionally, mentally and take up a lot of time (preparation, travel and minisry). And, on top of all this there must be time to do fund raising, to do administrative tasks, write e-newsletters, on-line materials and work with those in 6 nations that I am mentoring weekly in person, by email and through Skype.

Much to be considered, a workable pace to figure out, a way to maintain a personal life in spite of ministry demands and needs. Ah! So much to learn and it is not as easy as it was when I was younger.

Tomorrow – Friday … we have 4 more sessions in the School where we will be talking about 1> Relating to authority, 2> What you can do and not do when in training, 3> The issues of the ministry of the apostles and prophets, and 4> What a prophetic word contains … On Saturday morning for our last session I will be closing the School with a teaching on the apostolic church model as compared to the current pastoral model of the church. Then we are done the School.

Saturday afternoon we have added a three hour session with the youth of this local church. Hopefully the evening is off. Then Sunday a three hour service, a meeting with the church pastors (an apostle and prophet), a large meeting with the leadership of the church and then time to sum things up and review with the team members before packing as we leave early on Monday morning for a 6 hour bus ride into Kiev to begin the long trip home to Canada.

Again, your prayers are greatly coveted.

The Trip Is Coming to an End

Late last night we had people practice prophesy over a picture of a man. The man is not here and those who did the ministry did not know him. They were wonderful. I ended the prophetic time with a prayer – guided by God. I actually had a prophetic word and God said pray the word and don’t just proclaim the prophecy … thank Me for what I am doing in His life. So I did. Powerful!

This morning the former wife of this man (and mother of three of his children) stood and spoke about the “exercise” and ministry as she had supplied me with the picture. She thanked everyone who prophesied and told us how everyone’s words fit into the situation and circumstances. Good feedback of a powerful ministry time.

Of course, now several young men want me to prophesy over pictures of their fiancés and girlfriends. Amazing!

Tonight, as far as I know, there are no meetings scheduled with pastors to speak of future ministry opportunities, their problems in their churches or the issues and opposition we are facing. It will be good to head back to where we are staying earlier than we have the last few nights (it has been well after 11:00 every night this week). However, it won’t mean we can just relax – as we have many events and opportunities to schedule and so we will need to have a staff meeting and walk through the offers, the travel routes, the topics, and so on. It really is tough work as you want to fulfill their request as quickly as possible but sometimes that is 12+ months ahead of the current date. Hard to imagine but that is the case in almost all situations unless we can tag a visit on to another one already planned.

It has been a good week – difficult because we have both seasoned ministry people and young men and women who have not yet begun to minister. So, some times, our material is too basic for some and yet right on for others or over the head of some and hitting the nail on the head with the others. We are going to have to divide the group into two during our next week of teaching and teach the topics at two different levels.

The School was a good idea. Due to the trouble we are facing with one Union who is opposing us about 20 of our team were not given permission to attend by their pastors who have had to submit to the orders of their authorities. Sad, but true! A fact of life right now in this ministry. So, we had a very excellent number for our first week of running a School for apostles and prophets but it would have been bigger had we not been facing severe, unprecedented, vicious actions on the part of one leader of a Union. I wrote this leader’s higher authority this morning before the School began in the hope that some light might be shed on what is really happening and the people who are being wounded unnecessarily by this action. I am not expecting an answer as silence is the norm when writing these people.

Between teaching sessions there has been tremendous fellowship as people from five nations come to know each other. They all speak Russian and so there are no barriers to communicating. After all meals and during all coffee breaks I end up talking with young men who are wanting to chat, ask my advice, deal with issues in their lives, seek insight into a decision they need to make or simply come to know each other better. So, I am often out walking for a few minutes with them to enable us to have some privacy to chat. We can also go outside and stand in the beautiful flower gardens surrounding the church building on the campus here to talk privately. So, the days are busy from start to stop and I would not have it any other way. It is an excellent opportunity to impact future generations and set in motion something that the Devil cannot stop that will have repercussions into all eternity.

I want to thank everyone who has been supporting us with their prayers and financial support. Because of you this School is both a reality and a success beyond our wildest hopes or dreams. Lives are being changed and young people are being impacted by the Word of God and the power of God and the Gospel is being (and will be) fully proclaimed (Romans 15:18-19) So, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Tomorrow I teach the morning and final session of the School – then after lunch my team will meet with the youth of the local church here. Then a supper with team members and a walk in the downtown area (a large park) with our hosts. Sunday, a morning service (3 to 4 hours), a lunch and then a leaders meeting (60+ attending) before heading to our place of residence to pack ready to leave the next morning on a bus for a 6 hour ride in Kiev and the start of our trip home. I will be home at suppertime Tuesday. I will be very good to be home.

The summer is busy with preparation, teaching of seminars, church planting in Saskatchewan, and then in August heading to Khabarovsk, Russia (overlooks Japan). Your support for this next adventure to an area and a city my team has never been to before. Thanks.

It is 1:00 in the morning here in Ukraine - bed time

School of Apostles and Prophets

Tomorrow we minister in the local church we have rented all week for our School. A morning service – no idea yet what the Lord is leading me to share but it will be good as He is good! And then a fellowship lunch with the leaders of the Church – a great couple who are also a budding apostle-prophet team. And hopefully this will be followed by a time to rest and be alone (personal space and time is always in short supply on these trips as we work long hours and live with many people in one small apartment). Following this the day ends with a three hour leaders meeting at the same local church before packing to leave early the next morning. Poor roads, a rough road and a long ride to get to the capital city of Kiev where we have a 12 hour wait until we head to the airport.

During this time we will meet with three young apostles whom I am discipling and who have been with us all week in Kirovograd but all live in Kiev and relate to one another weekly. A time to eat, laugh, pray, and just hang out together (6 apostles together form a few hours of fellowship and eating together – wow!). And I am the spiritual father for five of them. God has really blessed me.

Then 2:00a Tuesday morning – 5:00p on Monday evening central Canada time – we head to the airport. A flight to Frankfurt, Germany, a wait for a few hours for the next flight, a 10 hour flight to Toronto, Ontario, a few hours to wait, and then a 3.5 hour flight home. Home by 2:30a Wednesday morning “body time” or 5:30p on Tuesday evening – 24 hours of straight travel.
Your prayers for this travel time, for protection, for the work that I need to be doing during the flights (2 teachings need to be written and some research for a paper that is soon due so it can be translated and sent for publication in the nation of Belarus). Thanks.

We have collected up pictures from everyone’s camera and even managed to take a few of everyone together at this first ever School of Apostles and Prophets sponsored by this ministry. We will post these pictures in a week on the main web site under the “Apostolic Trips” (formerly called ‘Mission Trips’) section. Please remember to have a look.

Financially – the students paid their way to the School and paid both registration fees as well as food and lodging costs. We kept everything at a minimum so that we did not price the School out of reach for many of the people in these nations. Remember, the economy in these nations – and earning power – is totally different than in North America. Even at that we had to subsidize the costs of the School to cover all expenses. As well, our travel costs were not covered and, of course, there is no salary or love offering for teaching these past two weeks.

So, there was not enough income to cover al lexpenses and this ministry helped to cover the difference. The ministry has had to cover the costs of travel for the trip ($1,900.00) as well. This is covered by me working and placing the money earned into the ministry account as I teach seminars and preach in various churches. We are thankful for the health I have that enables me to do this and for the opportunities to minister being offered to me in North America. They are literally supporting the work I am doing here in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.

Thanks for the opportunities to minister.

Our Time Here Is Over

Today a taxi - a bus - a taxi - a time to fellowship with three young apostles-in-training who helped us this week here in the ministry and who live in Kiev. Then a taxi to the airport at 2:00a Tuesday our time (5:00p Monday your time in central Canada) and the first of three flights home … all with fairly lengthy waits inbetween.

It has been a good two weeks … 23 teaching times in 10 days … much travel … many received life-changing prophetic words … someone was born again … relationships were built … new people were added to our team of international apostles and prophets … powerful ministry to many people as God’s Word set them free. And, for some of the School of Apostles and prophets sessions, we had our first ever Russian printouts for them to be able to take home much more information that they could if they were just writing notes during the teachings. We are working hard at equipping these men and women to win the lost and build apostolically and prophetically. Of course, they are free to use and teach all our material themselves anywhere they should feel directed by the Lord as we do not copywrite the School’s material.

Thank you for your prayers and your financial support. People here are always asking me to thank you for all that you do for them by praying and all that you do for them by helping to finance these many trips to Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union nations. You are greatly appreciatd here and spoken of often.

There will not be a blog again until Wednesday morning as I will be travelling and unable to get internet connections (due to high cost of roaming) and so will not be able to post items. However, I will write again from my home study Wednesday morning.

Thanks for everything everyone - pray for safe travel…

I Am On the Move

Then after a few hours we felt we needed to leave or buy another round and so we left and walked out into the cool night air. Two of the young men who live in Kiev (3 did and 4 don’t) ran ahead and found a grocery store and using some money I supplied bought some treats and some Diet Coke and met us at one of the other men’s apartment. Here we spent the next few hours eating, fellowshipping, and continuing our discussion, answering questions and dealing with major concerns about things like biblical understanding of certain passages, deliverance, and other truly great questions that young people have about ministry and the Church. We tried to end at 9:30p but ran a few minutes over.
Then a one-on-one conversation with one of the men (getting married in two weeks who came for 17 hours on a train to write an exam and visit with us)… a few questions about walking in an intimate relationship with the Lord. Then the others left and we settled in for a short night – it is 10:10p and we need to get up at 2:00a.

A long, hot shower – hot water that did not run out (a joy) as we have been showering with limited hot water for several weeks because of the size of water heaters in many apartments in Ukraine. No problem like that here. Then an opportunity to talk with my team members who traveled in by bus with me this morning from Kirovograd, and now one is sleeping and the other showering and I am writing. Then they will sleep and I am going to read my Bible and enjoy my first serious time with the Lord of any length in the past two weeks. Ministry trips are like that – they take a real toll on your private and personal time with the Lord that you are use to having at home when things are flowing in a regular format.

One – there is little private time or personal (private) space to have time with the Lord. Two – because of the pace of ministry and the demands of ministry (some unscheduled and unplanned) you don’t get to have much personal time. So, all-in-all ministry can be dangerous to your spiritual health. Therefore, when an opportunity grants itself – others are sleeping and I am not tired (yet) – I take advantage of the opportunity and catch up a bit.

2:00a and we head to the airport and begin the rest of the journey home having already done 5 hours by bus to get this far.

An update on Iliya if you have been praying (just came in 30 minutes ago) – due to the medical reports not being ready the court hearing was postponed until the end of May. Continue to pray, please. Thanks!