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.

Christmas 2004 Letter

Tuesday December 7, 2004

Greetings Friends!

The Christmas season is a time when we celebrate the arrival of our Lord Jesus as a baby 2000 years ago. For Grace and I, we’re also celebrating the anticipation of our next baby. Yes – Grace and I are expecting! The baby is due June 21. We are very excited about this upcoming addition to our family. Life has been pretty exciting these last few months in light of this. Now I have even more to adjust to!

God has been continuing to use us! Grace and I are now both helping out with the Jr. Youth group at the church. We’re also involved in a new church plant – LifeSpring Christian Fellowship. It is quite exciting to be a part of a new ministry to our city.

With International Teams (IT), I’ve been busy in a number of different areas. At the office, I’m the “Special Projects” guy. I’ve been doing graphic design, web site development, and recently replaced some phone lines with internet ones that should save the office $200-400/month. The office Christmas card included here is my latest graphic design work. This role has been an great opportunity to use the gifts God has given me to help this office be more effective & creative in our mandate – helping the church mobilize more people to ministry, and helping those in the field to fulfill their calling.



In my other role with IT, I’m working as volunteer coordinator for our new Refugee Ministry in Kitchener. As it’s such a new program, it’s been a time for all of us on the team to figure out what our roles really entail, and how we can work effectively together. I’m excited to see all the things God will do in the lives of the refugees we serve in the coming year!

As you might imagine, the fact that Grace and I are expecting has had an impact on a number of things. As many of you know, during pregnancy struggles with colds, lack of sleep, etc., can become even more challenging. With morning sickness past, things have gotten better, but there are certainly still challenging days for Grace. Please be praying for her in this.

Another impact has been that Grace will not be able to continue babysitting every afternoon for much longer. This is both good and bad – it frees her up to be more involved in ministry activities when she’s feeling up to it, but also means that we will lose one of our sources of income. This compounds the problem we’re already facing of not having enough coming in to continue meeting our budget. In order to make our minimal budget (minimal day-to-day living costs) for the next year, we’ll need to raise an additional $1200/month.

Thanks so much to those of you who are already a part of our team – those who are praying for us, and those who give monthly and occasionally. It has been such a blessing. If you’re not currently a part of this team, will you pray about what God would have you do? We know that where God has called, He will provide. Please pray that those God has called to be involved would respond to His calling.

Thanks so much for your interest and prayer. May God richly bless you during this Christmas Season.
Steve & Grace