Barcelona - Creation again!
Haven't quite got a title for this one yet either. Wrote this in response to being so struck by some of the conversations i was having with people as a result of the questionnaires. People who wanted proof that God existed - and all i wanted to say was 'Look around you!' or even - 'Look AT you!!'
Creation shouts Your glory
Magnifies your fame
Gives us joy in knowing
The wonder of your name.
It proves your very existence
More than any history book
It’s there for all eyes to see –
Holy Spirit, make them look.
Let them see the beauty
Of the glowing colours of spring
Marvel at the autumn leaves,
Winter snow, summer sun, birds that sing.
Let them wonder at creation
And in creation see
The glory of a maker
Who loves His humanity.
28/9/05 Barcelona.
Barcelona - 'Saviour'
I woke up one morning having not slept very well the night before and i really just wnated to go home. basically, i felt rubbish and i didn't wanna be doing the mission anymore. I'm not gonna hide it- that's how i felt! It was blatantly the devil having a go but it hit me REALLY hard, probably coz i'd been SO 'up' so far in the mission. So i prayed that i'd feel better but even as i prayed i knew i was praying half-heartedly. So i prayed, "God, please will you break my heart again today with the message of what You've done for me..."
Be careful what you pray for...
That morning we studied Mark 15. And as i read about Jesus going to that cross again it hit - completely as if for the first time - the meaning of it. I was completely speechless! (Which i know is a big thing for me!) It really hit me, as if i'd never heard it before. God broke my heart. And i wrote a few poems ove the next day or two around that theme. They're kinda similar, but also kinda different. They're not perfect, but in their imperfection they express i guess the fact that my head - and heart - were whirring.
'Saviour'Crucify!
Cry the blind.
Blind hearts,
Blind minds.
Why, Lord?
Jesus, You are King,
Everlasting, never changing.
Jesus You are powerful -
Stormy waters You still.
Jesus, You are Holy,
Of praise, so worthy.
So why, Lord?
Why stand and let the monsters
Spit
Flog
Whip
Hit
Mock
Why, Lord?
Why?
Demonstrate Your power, Lord,
With a thunderous roar
Rip open the heavens
Tear apart the earth.
Let them see the might,
The power You are worth.
Bring an ending to the dawning of any new day…
Why don’t You, Lord?
And Your answer…
By my wounds, you are healed.
28/9/05.
My cry is…Mocking, scorn,
Rejection, hate,
Laughter, denial –
‘We want blood!’ –
They cannot wait.
Crucify!
Rumours, lies,
Envy, deceit,
Chaos, malice,
Power of injustice
Given by a ruler, weak.
Crucify!
Spitting, hitting,
Humiliation too,
Beating, whipping –
Soldiers, rulers, people,
Who know not what they do.
Crucify!
Pain, turmoil,
Screams, shouts,
King, creator,
Silent remains –
Lord, tell them what it’s about!
Crucify!
Hung, pierced,
A body in strife
Caused by those
To whom You gave life!
Crucify!
You die.
Thirst satisfied.
Why?
A thunderclap
Curtain torn
Stone rolled back
No longer mourned
Death defeated
Life with no end
Hallelujah, Lord!
My knee I bend.
But wait.
Looking, searching
A bloodthirsty crowd
Shock, horror –
I’m screaming as loud
Crucify!
Forgive me, Lord.
And as each day
In my sin
I shout anew
Crucify!
I’m sorry.
Bended knee,
Life restored,
Sins forgiven,
Washed anew,
Purpose known,
I stand in you,
And cry instead
He is risen!
28/9/05 Barcelona
Barcelona - Notes from "How To Prepare an Evangelistic Bible Study" - Susanne Koch and Jo Wilson
God does the work! (Breathe a sigh of relief!)
Prepare the Bible study for yourself.
PRAY! (And again, and again, and again!)
Ask God to reveal the truth to you.
Read the passage AS THE PASSAGE (often the passages we read/study with people evangelistically are ones we’ve read loads of times before and so we read it, think we know what it says, and then tell people what we think, using our wisdom! But you could be telling a 22 year old student something you learned about that passage when you were 5!)
Read it as if you’ve never read it before.
Once you understand the passage for yourself, think about what you want others to get out of it. What’s the main point? Have this in mind whilst preparing the questions. But keep praying! Then observation, interpretation, application. Think about questions – how do they help someone understand the main point?
God is speaking to us as we read his word. “opening the Bible is like opening the lips of God.” It’s exciting! It’s exciting that God speaks to US while we’re preparing something for others to hear. And this reminds us that it’s the Bible that will speak to people, not us.
We often interpret a passage before we’ve actually observed what it says. If we observe badly we interpret badly and don’t learn.
Context, structure, little words, repetition, comparison/contrast, characters, circumstances…
WHY is this passage in the Bible? What does it mean? PRAY!!!
What does the passage teach us that we can apply to ourselves today? Is there something we need to change? What do we learn abut Jesus?
Barcelona - Mission Reflections
Ok so the weekend fiesta had started. The city was partying. It was a fun atmosphere. But a few of us were sat down by the port, and whilst we could hear the party going on in the city just behind us, where we were sat was really calm and peaceful and it was lush just to sit and watch the sea, to hear it, and to feel the 'cool' (this was Spain, remember!) evening breeze. It was weird, being caught between the calmness and the party.
I loved that time, as we sat there in God's creation reflecting on the week just gone and all the amazing things God had done and just having a great time of fellowship. And this was the result...
Mission Reflections
In the heat of the sun
There’s a coolness
As Your soft breeze floats over me.
In a partying city
There’s a calmness,
As Your sea brings serenity.
In pressure and persecution
There’s refreshment
As Your Spirit restores my soul.
In the barricades
There’s a breakthrough
As Your love makes people whole.
In hard times
You are faithful
As we look to You for strength.
In good, great times
There’s rejoicing,
As we are truly blessed.
In the pendulum of mission
There’s a steadiness
As we seek Your Spirit’s flame.
In Salvation
There’s joy everlasting –
Father, aid us in shouting Your name!
23/9/05. Barcelona.
Barcelona - Creation
I love creation. I love the fact that it displays God's power so immensely, so beautifully. I love the creation God's given us. Not just in the world, not just in the animals around us, but also in
US. Human beings. I love the way He's crafted us, too! And one day it just struck me more than usual, along with the immense desire to serve my creator God. Always. Not got a title for this one yet...
Your Creation shouts Your power,
Proclaims Your majesty.
I marvel at the beauty -
Thank you for the beauty –
With the gift of sight, I see.
As in the beauty of creation
Your power I’m blessed to see,
So let others see that power and beauty
In my life, in me.
23/9/05. Barcelona.
Barcelona - Notes from “How do we share the gospel?” training session. Dorcas Gonzalez
Mark 2:1-12.
LISTEN to people.
If we don’t, they don’t listen to us and we don’t know what their needs are.
The point is JESUS!Talk about His characteristics both as God and man.
The Crucifixion.
Jesus once asked his disciples
“Who do you think I am?”WE CAN ASK OTHERS THE SAME THING!
We can use examples, like Jesus used parables.
We can use His parables.
YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.
Barcelona - Snippets from “What is theGospel?” training session. Jose Luis Montoya
2 Corinthians 3-4.
1 Corinthians 15
God
Offers
Sinful
People
Eternal
Life
If we only understand the gospel as a way of living, we are talking only about values.
If we have hope only for this life we are to be pitied. Would just be like any other ‘-ism’ – communism, atheism…just a way of life.
BUT the Gospel transcends life. Jesus is the author of our faith.
The cross explains who Jesus was and how he got there. In the work of Christ we understand our own spiritual state.
Romans 1:16-17
“I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”
Romans 5:1
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”It's simple and it's great!
Barcelona - 'Obrando Tu...'
The theme song for the mission was ‘Obrando Tu'. Its first two lines are “Obrando Tu, quien impedira?”, which (roughly) translated means “Working with you, who can stop us?” What a mission song! It was really catchy and I coz wanted to speak as much Spanish as I could I kept chanting it, learning a new line every day! Here it is (and, Spanish speakers, if I've got any of the translation wrong please tell me so i can edit it!)
Obrando Tu, quien impedira? (repeat x4)
Eres Senor, eres Dios de amor
(You are Lord, you are God of love)Estas conmigo dondequiera este
(You are with me wherever I go)Antes de Ti, ninguno se formo
(Before You, nothing was made)
Despues de Ti, ningun otro habra.
(And after You, there will be nothing)
What a song! And it struck me so much I incorporated it into a poem…
Obrando Tu, quien impedira?
When with you we walk
And of you we talk,
You bring light and hope
To our path.
Obrando Tu, quien impedira?
You show us the way
And guide day by day.
We’re weak,
But strong in Your power.
Obrando Tu, quien impedira?
Death is defeated
There’s no end to Life.
Impossible? No!
All things with You.
Lord help us remember
And live in this truth –
Obrando Tu
Quien impedira?
Barcelona - Highlights from "Why Do We Do Mission?" Toni Coulton
Everyone has a ‘mission statement’ these days. It’s taken the world 2000 years to catch up with the church!
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Why? Well, it’s a command! But also – Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We have this to share with people!
2 Corinthians 5:11 “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.”
Mission isn’t something we do to earn something from God.
We don’t FORCE people to become Christians.
Mission shouldn’t be a burden
Matthew 28:18 “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” – What a boss!!!
Matthew 28:20 “’…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” – We’re not alone!
It’s not us serving the world, it’s us serving the King.
Matthew 28:20 – “always”. Continuous tense, not future, not past.
Jesus uses two pictures to help us understand fellowship:-
Fishermen. Go out in groups together. String nets from one boat to another. Sometimes they catch nothing, other times they couldn’t carry it they caught so much. They never knew which way it would go. We don’t know, so great to work as a group. Fish don’t want to be caught. We have a small window of opportunity. Be friendly, understanding. Commend them to God! If we don’t ask, they have no opportunity.
Sower. Working alone, as we do when we talk to people.
Barcelona - Confession Time..
To be honest, when Jo came to plug this trip back in June I knew she was coming, I knew why, and before the meeting I was thinking ‘well it’ll be nice to see Jo and nice to hear about what she’s doing but I won’t be going.’ And I wasn’t even gonna be going to the meeting! I’d arranged to go out that night so wasn’t gonna be going to CU – only went coz I wanted to see Jo!
But while she was talking about it I really felt God speak to me. I can’t remember much about the rest of the meeting, I just remember feeling that God wanted me to go to Barcelona. I tried to ignore it at first but He wasn’t having any of that…!
So I prayed about it for a couple of days. Then bit the bullet and said I’d go. Then as summer went on I started thinking, I really can’t afford to go! And I really couldn’t, it wasn’t just an excuse! But partly through not wanting to let them down and partly through holding on to what I’d felt back in June I decided to trust God to provide.
And he did! And has done since! It’s very weird going to the bank, taking money out, going back later and the balance being the same as before you took the money out, when you know nobody’s put any money in!
Before Barcelona...
In the couple of days leading up to Barcelona I didn’t wanna go. I’d not long come back from Forum, I’d had a busy week trying to sort out my dissertation and I hadn’t done all the data collection I needed, and I needed more time. I’d had a very busy summer, I was tired.
But oh, I’m sooooooo glad I went. It’s confession time again:- I’ve never wanted to go abroad to do mission! Whenever any have been plugged before or people have asked me to go I’ve said no. Partly because I immediately think ‘oh I can’t afford that’. Or partly because I just can’t be bothered! But mainly because I’ve always said ‘no I’m not called to go abroad!’ Dunno why I’ve always said that. Just another excuse!
Barcelona...The Evenings
On some of the evenings we held evangelistic events. We had 2 Grill-a-Christians, a Spanish supper, an international supper….people came! People listened! And on the other evenings we ate together as a team. We were well provided for by one church in particular who cooked for us on I think four of the evenings. Amazing hospitality and the gratefulness for us being there was very humbling indeed. On the Friday evening of the first week we went to the fountains at Plaza Espanya. Amazing! And another great time of fellowship.
Barcelona...Questionnaires
We were able to do questionnaires in the second week coz there were lots of people at La Central who spoke English. Doing questionnaires was another big thing for me. I hated doing questionnaires before I went to Barcelona! Whenever we did questionnaires at uni in Reading during missions I’d always find some way of getting out of it! I hated it. But the thing is, in Reading, it’s pretty easy to get outta doing it coz the CU is big enough that there’s always someone else to do it….in Barcelona that wasn’t the case! So I did it. And….WOW! God blew me away, completely. I couldn’t believe the conversations I was having. Couldn’t believe the things I was saying! I had to be completely dependent on God coz I felt so scared about having conversations with people and praise God he’s faithful and I had some immense conversations. Of course, I had some not-so-great ones too! But my challenge now is to keep praying for these people, to keep praying that they would read the gospels I gave them, that they would open their hearts up to Jesus, that they wouldn’t shut out God’s voice.
Barcelona...The Afternoons
And then in the afternoons it was off to the campus. We spent the first week at Mundet campus and the second at La Central. Both amazing. I loved these times too. I love the fact that the Gospel message transcends cultures, transcends languages. We didn’t speak the language but we were able to do mime, and communicate the gospel that way. And because we couldn’t speak the language, we couldn’t share our faith with anyone. That was a bit hard, coz we have this perceived idea that mission is all about telling people verbally about the gospel. We couldn’t do that. So what could we do to do something effective? We could pray for those who WERE having conversations. I know I learnt a lot about prayer that week. I think we all did. We prayed so much, coz we weren’t taken up with having conversations. And I believe we saw
the benefits of that.
We had people watching the mime, people engaged in conversation, people going to the Bible studies, the dance classes, we did mime in the packed canteen and everyone stopped talking (and some stopped eating!) to watch, people came to the concert and loved it…it was immense! People took flyers, CD’s, tracts…people came to the stand to ask us questions about who we were/what we were doing.
Misconceptions were broken down. People were told the gospel!
Barcelona...The Theme
The theme of the mission was ‘Imagina’ (Imagine). We had t-shirts with ‘imagine there’s no heaven – John Lennon’ written on the front and ‘imagine there is’ written on the back. We put posters up everywhere we could. The flyers all had the logo on too. Such a great title for a mission. Even as a conversation-starter with someone. Imagine you could have eternal life….just imagine. And now imagine you ACTUALLY CAN! Imagine there’s truth, real truth, and you can know what it is. Imagine freedom. Imagine peace. Imagine real love. Well guess what, you don’t have to imagine these things. You can have them! And you don’t have to imagine they’d be free. Coz they are!
Barcelona....The Mornings
Obviously with so many students and so many universities we couldn’t hope to reach them all in the two weeks we were there, so we focussed on two. In the mornings we met for worship, Bible study and training, together as a team. The Spanish students who could joined us as well, which was GREAT.
I loved the times we spent together in the mornings. I loved the fact that we could stand there and sing praises to God, singing the same song bu
t each in our own language. It was a very special time and made met think of what heaven might be like.
And I loved being able to learn the Spanish words to a song I already know, and praise God in Spanish! And I loved learning Spanish songs!
I loved the fellowship. I loved the fact that, despite the language barrier (few of us spoke Spanish) we were able to communicate. We shared something special, we’re brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s so special to be in a country you’ve never been to before, with people you’ve known only a day, and feel completely and utterly at home. Thank you Lord!!
The training covered various things – from ‘Why we do mission?’ to ‘How to run an evangelistic Bible study’ to ‘Roman Catholicism’. All great.
Barcelona...The Mission Field
There are thousands upon thousands of students in Barcelona. And Spain generally is a very Catholic country, so there are few Christian students. In Reading we think we’re a small fish in a big pond, with a CU of about 100 in a uni with 15,000 students. Well in Barcelona, the Christian students represent an even smaller fish in an even bigger pond! We get one non-Christian along to an event and we’re disappointed. They get one non-Christian along and they rejoice! We have much to learn from that…
We also have much to learn from their passion, in the face of the immense mission field that they face. Their passion for Jesus and their love for each other.
Barcelona 2005...God's soveriegnty
What was amazing was that most of us coming from abroad had never met most of the others before and yet everyone clicked from the first day and got on so well, which proved that even that was so of God, he’d definitely brought this team together.
The Spanish people were SOOOO welcoming as well, which definitely helped!
And so each person from abroad stayed with a Spanish family. scary! That was my first thought, anyway, but all the families were lovely and the family I stayed with are probably some of the nicest people in the
world ever! They seriously couldn’t do enough for me and were just amazing. In 1 Peter 4:8-9 it says this: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” I SO felt that while I was staying with them, they were amazing!! And they told me I’ve always got a home in Spain, which is very nice!
September 2005 - Mission in Barcelona. Intro...!
WOW! This was SUCH an amazing time. Read my other blog for a rundown of how I felt after I landed back in the UK. I learnt SO much on this trip to Barcelona. I learnt more about God, I learnt more about myself, I learnt more about the gifts God has given me and I learnt that God is doing stuff in me and I dunno what it is but it’s ok! I can still feel him working, I’m still processing everything that happened while we were there.
Ok so the ‘mission team’ was made up of the Christian Spanish students, part of the GBU (or CU) out there, the GBU staff workers, the IFES crew, and people who came from abroad to help them out (of which I was one!)
FORUM NOTES - Richard Cunningham, 2 Timothy 3:10-4:18
Paul writes this as he contemplates his execution. 4:6 “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure.”
In Paul’s final letter, what do we expect?
Timothy has people around him who aren’t interested in key doctrines. The dying man says to the young leader – CONTINUE IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED, CONTINUE EVANGELISING, CONTINUE TO SUFFER FOR THOSE THINGS…
-Continue in the gospel that you’ve become convinced of, that captivated you. Continue in the good stuff!
There’s always a danger we move away from what we’ve learnt. We partly define ourselves by what we’re reacting from. There’s that pattern in the church, of a move away from orthodoxy, from the cultural narrowness of church. There’s a danger of polarisation. Either “That’s a great Bible-teaching church” or “That’s a church really led by the spirit”.
BUT there’s a deliberate closeness between the word spoken and spirit or breath. “A Spirit moving on the waters, and THEN GOD SAID…”
You can’t get a wedge between God’s word and His Spirit.
Make sure you attend a church where you’re taught, corrected and rebuked in the Word of God.
Make sure small groups prepare each other for mission by preparing from gospel itself.
Read Bible everyday. Read all of it.
2 Timothy 4:1-5. “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
We have to be willing to offend. People cannot be absorbed into the family of God. Yes, we need to be loving, but people need to BELIEVE for THEMSELVES.
2 Timothy 3:12 “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”
WOW! But, there is power to suffer, power from God,
2 Tim 1:7,8 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.”
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”
“When I am dying
How glad I will be
That the lamp of my life
Was blazed out for Thee”
GRACE!!!
Letter ends on grace. “Grace be with you”.
“He giveth more grace as the burden increases
For out of his riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.”
Paul’s dying words? Memorable. Hard.
God’s Holy Spirit-breathed word. Powerful. To be obeyed.
FORUM NOTES - Vaughn Roberts - 'Pure Sex'
We live in a society obsessed by sex. By the age of 18, we’ve seen roughly 9,000 acts/suggestions of sex in the media!!
The world says ‘you haven’t lived till you’ve had sex’. And we believe it!
BUT, it MUST make sense to live according to the maker’s instructions…
There’s a misconception in our culture that society is for sex, and Christianity isn’t. That’s not true either!
What about homosexuality…? Since the fall, the whole of creation is out of joint. So people may have desires that feel natural, but just aren’t. But anyway, Christianity is INCLUSIVE. God loves all his people. He hates sin, yes, but he loves his people despite their sin, because of Jesus’ work on the cross. And he hates all sin – lying as much as acts of homosexuality.
Our society ahs a generation growing up very cynical of marriage. But whatever they say, it’s NOT just a bit of paper.
“Co-habitation is a trial marriage, that turns out to be a trial and not a marriage”
Marriage is for life. It’s based not on feelings but on commitment. Not on passions but on promises.
“You know I love you, I always will. My mind’s made up by the way that I feel.” But if your mind’s made up by the way you feel, it’s not clear you’ll always love that person…
FORUM NOTES - Vaughn Roberts. ‘Pure Sacrifice’
The cross is CENTRAL.
Guilty, enslaved, alienated, dead…..UNTIL WE’RE REBORN IN JESUS!
Matthew 7:11 “Though you are evil…” The Bible assumes we’re evil! There’s no question! As a result of the fall, we are. We don’t do what we want, we’re just followers. We’re trapped by our sin, by our own desires and greed.
BUT
Substitution! Jesus took our place on the cross. In the supreme demonstration of God’s love Jesus took our place on the cross.
The achievement of the cross? SALVATION! We’re justified! “God, he say I’m alrite”!!
We have reconciliation with God through Jesus. We have assurance of eternal life in heaven.
We must be messengers of this.
September 2005. UCCF Forum, Shropshire
I’d volunteered to help cook at Forum and after the second week of camp was well up for it! Couldn’t wait to be in the kitchen all day and hopefully being a blessing to those I was with, showing them the joy it is to serve our Lord in any way possible.
And, when I got there, discovered I was on shifts! So wasn’t spending the entire day in the kitchen after all. I have to admit, I was ever so slightly disappointed..! But as I was doing the morning shift it meant I got to go to the evening meetings and some of the seminars in the afternoon (if I wasn’t asleep!).
As last year, the meetings were all awesome.
August 2005. EMW Outdoor Camp:- 14-16 Year Olds
What a week! Brief rundown…
Thursday (two days before camp): Ceryn told assistant ladies leader can’t make it due to illness and asked to fill that role.
Friday (one day till camp): Ceryn’s feeling really ill. The cooks Abi and Rachel are up till very late getting the food sorted!
Saturday (first day of camp): Ceryn’s on a bus up from South Wales with some of the campers. The weather’s atrocious. And when arriving at Lampeter to change buses, it’s discovered the bus for the onward journey hasn’t been booked…
Meanwhile, the car the cooks were travelling in breaks down almost before they set off and their dad has to hire a van to drive them (and the food!) to camp…
Sunday: Whilst playing games on the beach, one of the lads falls and dislocates his knee. Monday:- After a five hour hike, we return to site to find that the oven isn’t working and dinner’s gonna take a little longer than expected…
Tuesday: The chaplain has to go home as his wife and son aren’t well.
Wednesday:- More antics with the oven! Ceryn’s got impetigo (but doesn’t know it yet!) Thursday:- The gas goes completely! Which means no oven, and no hot water…
Friday:- Ceryn’s told she’s got impetigo.
Saturday:- Break camp, and get ready for the next one…! Week 2 starts…
What a week eh?! Thankfully week 2 wasn’t as crazy as that. But it was a perfect example of God’s faithfulness and the fact that, no matter what plans we make, He is in control and will have His way. Proverbs 19: 21 says: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s will that prevails.” So true! Let me run through that week again for you…
Thursday (two days before camp): God knew this was gonna happen!
Friday (one day before camp): as above!
Saturday: He is the God of the weather and kept us safe in the bus on the way up. The problem with the un-booked bus was sorted, too. And praise Him that at such short notice a van was hired and Abi’s dad got them safely to camp, and travelled back safely.
Sunday:- Praise God that he was airlifted out safely and even managed to re-join the camp for the rest of the week!
Monday: Praise God that the campers were amazing during this time and not once complained about having to wait for their food. Instead, they actively joined in games and spent the time getting to know each other and forming friendships. Amazing!
Tuesday: Praise God that the chaplain was able to get home safely to care for his wife and young son, and that we were able to re-arrange the camp timetable to include whole-group Bible studies instead of meetings.
Wednesday/Thursday: Praise God that it was (finally!) sorted out! And that the people on the adjacent campsite were kind enough to let us borrow their oven.
Friday:- Praise God that Ceryn was able to (finally!) get hold of some antibiotics and remain on the second week of camp.
And what else can we praise God for?
That all the campers and officers were kept safe during the activities – gorge walking, mountain climbing, abseiling/rock climbing, canoeing, swimming…
That there was a tremendous atmosphere on camp all week not just amongst the campers but the team of officers as well.
The so many of the campers benefited spiritually from the week, that some re-committed their lives to Christ and at least one gave their life to Him!
That despite it being, practically speaking, one of the worst camps ever in terms of nothing going right, spiritually speaking it was one of the best camps ever! God is faithful!!!!
August 2005. EMW Outdoor Camp 17-19 Year Olds
Week 2 was for 17-19 year olds. It was a much smaller camp and so the campers were able to build on and form strong friendships. Praise God he kept us safe during the week, especially on the night we had a big storm. Praise God so many of the campers found the week beneficial to their walk with God. Hallelujah!
God really worked on my servant heart during this week too! Having been so heavily involved in the running of the first week, I found it really hard to take a step back in the second week and be behind the scenes. On the first few days I was really struggling and not enjoying it at all! But God made me realise that I was still serving Him, and in fact I learnt so much that week about serving Him with joy in ALL that we do. And I shared my time in the kitchen with the cook, Derek, who I learnt a lot from, and who never stopped talking about Jesus, so I couldn’t stay grumpy for long…!
Welcome!
Welcome to my new blog! Postings about my summer adventures which have passed, and any future adventures to come, will be posted here (instead of eating up what will probably be far too much space on my day-to-day blog!)
This blog will also contain photos etc. hope you enjoy!
