2005 Christmas Letter

Friday December 9, 2005

Greetings friends! 

It has been quite a while since our last formal letter.  Life has been very full.  Those of you who are on email have received a few prayer requests, baby announcements, etc.  We apologize for not getting these out to the rest of you.

So, what’s been happening with us?  As most of you know, Grace gave birth to our new son, Zane Tavish on June 1, 2005.  He’s generally been a happy, healthy baby.  Grace has also recovered well in many respects, but is suffering from postpartum depression however, so that has made things rough at times.  Praise God for Canada’s parental leave.  This has enabled me (Steve) to be at home to help out, with EI picking up the tab.  I'm now back at the office part time, and anticipate being back full time sometime in January.

We had the opportunity to travel to the east coast this fall to visit friends and supporters, and do some sight seeing.  Aside from some challenges I had with my allergies, we had a good time, some great connections, and deepened relationships.

We’ve got a new web site with pictures, a prayer letter archive, info on us and our ministry, etc.  Check it out at www.vanbruwaene.ca. We expect to continue adding more content, so come back once in a while!

As I've moved back into life at the office, I've begun work on producing a training video.  IT will be using this video for teams and individuals who will be working with children that have come through traumatic experiences, such as refugees.  I'm also involved in some new computer projects at the office that IT hopes will improve their web site, (www.iteams.ca) and enhance the way we work together.

Thanks so much for your prayer and financial support over the last year.  You have been so much appreciated.  You’ve had a hand in mobilizing new people to missions, and bringing the good news of the gospel to people around the world.   Please continue to pray for us:

• Grace’s depression has been debilitating at times.  Please pray for healing.


• Our finances continue to be tight.  God has provided for our needs so far, so praise Him for this.  Pray that He would continue to through you and others that He has called.


• I'm taking on new projects at the office.  We want God to be in them.  Pray that He directs them for His glory.

Thanks so much!  Have a wonderful Christmas!

Steve & Grace Van Bruwaene

Please keep praying for Grace

Hello all!
As some of you know, Grace has been struggeling with depression. In the last few months, things have been getting better there, and I've been going into the office more and more.

This past week, things have taken a dive. She is really struggeling -- she feels like she's drowning at times. She'll be seeing her doctor tomorrow, and trying to set up more appointments with her counselor.

But I sense a real part of this is spiritual. Could you be continuing to pray for her? Your prayers make a big difference.

Praise God for parental leave. It's given me the opportunity to be home with my family more as we work through this difficult time. I will continue to try and be back at the office when I can, but we'll see how that goes.

Thanks for your continued prayer.

Steve.

Thanks for praying!

Sorry it's taken so long to give you an update. My breathing has been much better. A doctor gave me a puffer, and some other drugs to get the breathing going again, and our friends have put their cats in the basement while we are here. As a result, I've been breathing much better.

We'll be in halifax till sunday, and then heading back to Ontario through the states, visiting some
family on the way.

Thanks for your prayers and the good sugestions I received from a bunch of you. I'll look forward to connecting with you again soon!

Steve.

Please pray for Steve's health

Hey all!

Sorry I've been so tardy in keeping you up to date lately. As many of you know, I've been on parental leave for a while while Grace gets back to full health after Zane's birth. Things have been generally going quite well. Grace is getting better almost every day, and her depression has been getting much better. Thanks so much for your prayer in this.

At the moment, we're on a trip to the east cost visit with friends & family, do some support raising, and do some sightseeing. It's been generally a good time. We've had some good visits with more to come. Please pray for guidance in some of these talks.

One challenge we've run into however is my allergies. I'm allergic to cats, and the friends we're staying with have 2. I brought some good antihistamines along, hoping they would deal with the problem. Well, no runny nose or itchy eyes, but I've been experiencing a real shortness of breath & resulting lack of energy that seems kinda like Asthma -- something I've never struggled with before (aside from a few really minor incidents with my in laws cats.) I seem to be OK for about a day before it kicks in now. The challenge is that we have been planing to be staying here for most of 2 weeks. Please pray for us -- wisdom in knowing what to do, protection from it getting worse, and even healing.

Thanks so much!

Steve.

Please pray for Grace

Greetings friends,

Thanks so much for your congratulations for the birth of our son Zane. It's been great to know we have friends!

Could you be really praying for Grace now. As I've mentioned, she's suffering postpartum depression, and has been having some really rough days recently. We sense there's a lot of spiritual warfare going too, so we really need you during this time to be in prayer for her.

Thanks so much.

Steve.

Zane, and Us

Hello all!

Now that a few weeks have gone by, and I'm able to slow down a bit, I thought I'd update you on what's going on in our family.

Zane has been a wonderful, healthy baby who continues to grow, and is doing very well.  Grace has been continuing her recovery, which is generally going well.  She is suffering from postpartum depression, so that is having an impact on various things.  She is also struggling with fatigue at times.  Praise God, she's able to see a counselor for the depression.  Pray that this helps, and she recovers quickly.

I've begun a parental leave to be able to be home to support Grace, and spend time with the kids.  It has been a blessing to all so far.  (me included).  The plan is that I begin going back to work part time as I'm able, and end the paternity leave when I'm no longer necessary at home more than normal.

During this time, we're continuing to raise support to cover various expenses, with the surplus going towards savings for a minivan.  (In a previous letter, I mentioned that we were hoping to get one.)

Thanks for your continued prayer and support.You are a`real blessing.

Attached are a few more pictures Zane and the family.

Steve & Grace.

It's a Boy!

Grace and I are pleased to announce that we've had a baby boy!

Zane Tavish Van Bruwaene was born on July 1 at 6:49 am, weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces.

The labour lasted for 7 hours (45 hours less than with Aris), with no major interventions.  Grace has been recovering well, although is still rather tired, and sore.

My parents say that Zane looks very much like his father did at that age, except that Zane has hair.

For those interested, here are meanings of his names:
Zane: God is gracious or God's gracious gift. A form of John. (Hebrew)
Tavish: A twin. A form of Thomas. (Scottish Gaelic)

God has truly been gracious to us, and this also seemed like a neat way to name him after his grandfathers (John is my dad, and Tom is Grace's dad).

Thanks for all your prayers.  Please continue to pray for Zane's continued health, Grace's recovery, and protection for Grace from postpartum depression.

Your Friends,
Steve & Grace.

Greetings Friends!

Hello all!  I trust you are doing well.

As many of you know, Grace and I are expecting, and the baby is almost ready to arrive!  Grace is due June 21, so it could be any time now.  Grace is wanting to get the baby out!  And I am very excited too.

Could you be praying for all of us during this exciting time, that everything would go well -- that Grace and the little one would be healthy, that Aris would adjust well to being a big sister, and that I and others around them would know how best to be a support.

Another area of prayer is for Grace afterwards.  While she did not suffer postpartum depression with Aris, she is at somewhat higher risk than many, so please be praying that she's protected from it this time too.

Thanks so much.  I'll look forward to sending another email when the baby arrives!

Your Friend,
Steve.

April 19 2005 Update

Tuesday April 19, 2005

It has been exciting to see all
the ways God provides for us!

Friends and supporters,

It’s been a while since my last letter. And a lot has happened since then! Aris is getting bigger all the time. She is now talking in full (although usually garbled) sentences. Grace is getting close to her due date (we’re expecting June 21). She’s also been busy building relationships with a number of people, including single moms. We’re still involved in the jr. youth group. I have gotten a lot done around the office. We now have new letterhead (and other pieces to go with that), and a new web site. Yes – it was launched today! You can check it out at www.iteams.ca .

It has been exciting to see God continue to provide for us in so many ways. A number of people have given and loaned things needed for Aris, Grace’s pregnancy, and the new baby. We have had enough money to pay the bills. God has been so good. As we contemplate life with two little ones before long, we are starting to think that our little car will be somewhat limiting to our life and ministry. As a result, we have begun dreaming about replacing it with a mini-van. (Yup – we must be all growed up now.) If you have some extra money from your tax return (or elsewhere), this might be something you could pray about putting it towards. It will be exciting to see God provide just what we need.

Thanks so much for your partnership in our ministry. Ron Johnston, a co-worker at IT recently reminded us that “the Holy Spirit accomplishes something significant because a whole team of people share in the ministry. People pray and give and encourage and serve and the Holy Spirit takes those combined efforts and blesses them.” We couldn’t do what we do without all of you.

Your prayer has been very much appreciated. Please continue to pray for us! Here are a few things you can be praying about:

• Praise God for how He has provided for our needs.


• Pray for God’s protection for Aris as she visits her Dad and his family. They are not Christians, and she’s sometimes exposed to things that are not age-appropriate, and certainly not Christ-centered.


• Pray that the projects I work on at the office would have a great impact for the kingdom.


• The refugee ministry I’m working with is considering expanding their facilities. Pray for God’s wisdom and direction in this.


• There’s a possibility of us working with a short-term team in the six months or so. Pray for God’s direction and enabling in this.


• Pray for the women Grace has been developing relationships with (salvation, growth)

Thanks so much for your continued involvement in our life and ministry. Please feel free to contact us any time! And for those who haven’t heard yet, Grace and I have a new phone number: 519-489-2319. And you can always reach us by email at steve.vanbruwaene@iteams.org or grace.vanbruwaene@iteams.org .

May you have a God-filled week.

For His glory,

Steve & Grace Van Bruwaene

A great year!

Hello all!



This is just a quick note to let you all know that God has been very good this past month! In my last letter, I mentioned that finances were rather tight for Grace and I. Well people responded big, and for the month of December we received a total of just over $10,000 (over 6 times the average month, and more than a third of our total gifts for 2004). Praise God! While this doesn't take us to where we need to be long term, it will make great strides in paying our monthly bills for 2005. God is so good.



Grace and I have also changed our number at home (so we don't need to share the line with the family upstairs anymore). Please contact us if you'd like it.



Have a great weekend! I'll look forward to connecting with you all.



Your Friend,

Steve.