Well I am officially in the second country of my outreach and enjoying every minute. I have been in Bulgaria for the past week (over Christmas and now New Years.) We have been really busy. The church of Bulgaria is booming, small churches are rising up everywhere. The Harvest is great but the workers are few. Pastors here lead multiple churches and drive to many cities through the week and to hold meetings. We have been trying to make it to as many of the 42 churches as possible, we maybe not, but we are meeting with many of them. We performed many kids services which really made me excited to work with kids once again. Every church experience was different. we could not plan out a schedule of events until arriving at the building because we needed to see what space we had.
Its crazy here, every person knows and demonstrates the word HOSPITALITY. It is like running through their bones. It puts us to shame. They just want to bless us... yet they have nothing. Everywhere we go we are blessed with food, or lunch, or gifts. We have made house visits to sick old ladies... yet upon arriving at their house they have a table set with juice and cookies. One lady in particular really touched me. She could not walk and yet when we crammed into her small one room apartment she said to us "I am so sorry I have nothing to offer you, but I could not find anyone to go to the store for me." She was almost embarrassed to have nothing to offer us. We were just simply blessed by her smile and story.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
A day in a Romanian School
It was the smiles that lay across their faces, wide like a clear morning sunrises upon an ocean. It was the laughter that poured forth from their lips, like beautiful birds joining together in melodious song. It was the way they stood shy and yet still proud. They, like us, are Gods children. They, like us, just wanted a little attention, someone they could share time with. They, like us, wanted to love and be loved.
In a forth grade level classroom in Sigishora with some poorer children, we were able to bring the gospel. Now, Terry the clown might not appeal to North American 13 year olds, but he was very relevant today. Today he even captured the hearts of grown women, of professional teachers… and of us. Joy resided in that small classroom, it swept through quickly like a mighty wind, everyone felt it, everyone was touched by it.
Their voices were off key and they mis-pronounced words … yet that seemed to make it even more beautiful. The way they said “Happy New Yer.” They sang and spoke in boldness, they received gifts with humbleness, they gave cheerfulness. We sat in their seats, they stood in the front. They were ready when we came, straight in two lines wearing hats that read “Ho, Ho, Ho” and standing in front of a chalk board that read “Welcome.” We were received with open arms.
After our presentation of songs, balloons and chocolate, the teachers invited us to have tea with them in their lounge. It was a small rectangular shaped room just wide enough for a table surrounded with chairs. The table had a clothe that was probably not usually there and every few chairs had bowls of biscuits and pretzels. “I am embarrassed at how small this room is, I am sorry we did not have more to offer,” the principle of the school had translated to us. “Embarrassed” we replied? “We feel like royalty.”
In a forth grade level classroom in Sigishora with some poorer children, we were able to bring the gospel. Now, Terry the clown might not appeal to North American 13 year olds, but he was very relevant today. Today he even captured the hearts of grown women, of professional teachers… and of us. Joy resided in that small classroom, it swept through quickly like a mighty wind, everyone felt it, everyone was touched by it.
Their voices were off key and they mis-pronounced words … yet that seemed to make it even more beautiful. The way they said “Happy New Yer.” They sang and spoke in boldness, they received gifts with humbleness, they gave cheerfulness. We sat in their seats, they stood in the front. They were ready when we came, straight in two lines wearing hats that read “Ho, Ho, Ho” and standing in front of a chalk board that read “Welcome.” We were received with open arms.
After our presentation of songs, balloons and chocolate, the teachers invited us to have tea with them in their lounge. It was a small rectangular shaped room just wide enough for a table surrounded with chairs. The table had a clothe that was probably not usually there and every few chairs had bowls of biscuits and pretzels. “I am embarrassed at how small this room is, I am sorry we did not have more to offer,” the principle of the school had translated to us. “Embarrassed” we replied? “We feel like royalty.”
Friday, December 14, 2007
Treasure these things in my heart
I h a v e b e e n p o n d e r i n g o n s o m e t h i n g , a c e r t a i n p a s s a g e : [ T h e s h e p h e r d s ] r a n t o t h e v i l l a g e a n d f o u n d M a r y a n d J o s e p h . A n d t h e r e w a s t h e b a b y , l y i n g i n t h e m a n g e r . T h e n t h e s h e p h e r d s t o l d e v e r y o n e w h a t h a d h a p p e n e d a n d w h a t t h e a n g e l h a d s a i d t o t h e m a b o u t t h i s c h i l d . A l l w h o h e a r d t h e s h e p h e r d s s t o r y w e r e a s t o n i s h e d , b u t M a r y q u i e t l y t r e a s u r e d t h e s e t h i n g s i n h e r h e a r t a n d t h o u g h a b o u t t h e m o f t e n . L u k e 2 : 1 6 - 1 9
I l o v e t o t r u l y t h i n k a b o u t h o w i t m u s t h a v e b e e n f o r h e r , a g i r l y o u n g e r t h a n I , b e t r o t h e d b y l a w t o J o s e p h w h e n s h e d i s c o v e r s s h e i s p r e g n a n t . S h e w a s s c a r e d . W h o w o u l d b e l i e v e h e r ? H e r p a r e n t s w e r e m o s t l i k e l y s h a m e d b y t h e e n t i r e c o m m u n i t y , s h e m i g h t h a v e b e e n c o n s i d e r e d a n o u t c a s t , d e g r a d e d b y a n a c t i o n t h a t s h e d i d n t c o m m i t .
I w o n d e r h o w m a n y d a y s s h e w a s l o s t i n h e r t h o u g h t s d r e a m i n g o f s t o r i e s t o c o m e , h o w m a n y p e o p l e l o o k e d o n t h i n k i n g s h e w a s c r a z y ? W o u l d s h e g o t o t h e w e l l h u m m i n g t o h e r s e l f t h i n k i n g o f t h e k i n g i n s i d e a s o n l o o k e r s p a s s e d g l a n c e s a n d w h i s p e r e d u n d e r t h e i r t u n i c s ? W h a t c o m m e n t s w e r e m a d e ? W h a t h u r t d i d s h e f e e l ? H o w l o n g w a s i t u n t i l J o s e p h u n d e r s t o o d a n d c a m e a l o n g s i d e h e r ?
I w o n d e r a b o u t h e r b e s t f r i e n d s , w h a t o f t h e m ? D i d t h e y b e l i e v e h e r ? D i d t h e y t r y ? W h a t l o n e l i n e s s s h e m u s t h a v e f e l t , I i m a g i n e i t t o h a v e b e e n a b a t t l e o f h e r m i n d . S h e d i d n t h a v e a n y o n e t o t a l k w i t h , f o r n o o n e w o u l d u n d e r s t a n d , i t c o u l d h a v e b e e n t h e f i r s t t i m e i n h e r l i f e t h a t s h e h a d t o d e a l w i t h s o m e t h i n g u t t e r l y a l o n e . H o w d i d s h e d o i t I w o n d e r ? I t s a y s t h a t s h e t r e a s u r e d t h e s e t h i n g s i n h e r h e a r t a n d t h o u g h t o n t h e m o f t e n . T h a t i s h o w s h e d i d i t , s h e t o o k h e r v i s i o n , h e r f a i t h a n d d e v o t i o n a n d s h e g a t h e r e d t h e m c l o s e t o h e r h e a r t . S h e s t o r e d t h e m t h e r e a n d t h o u g h t a b o u t t h e m .
I t s a y s t h a t t h e s h e p h e r d s t o l d e v e r y o n e , b u t M a r y , s h e k e p t t h e t r e a s u r e s t o h e r s e l f . S h e w a s n o t t h e e v a n g e l i s t , s h e w a s t h e c a r e t a k e r , t h e l o v e r , t h e m o t h e r . H e r j o b w a s t o t a k e t h e t r u t h a n d t o p r o t e c t i t , s h e w a s n t h i d i n g i t b y n o t t e l l i n g t h e w o r l d , s h e w a s p r o t e c t i n g i t .
I t a l s o s a y s t h a t a l l w h o h e a r d t h e s h e p h e r d s s t o r y w e r e a s t o n i s h e d , o r s u r p r i s e d , n o t M a r y , s h e d i d n t h a v e t o b e a s t o n i s h e d . Y o u c a n t e l l b y t h e w a y t h e s c r i p t u r e i s w r i t t e n , t h e r e i s a b u t b e f o r e t h e p a r t t h a t s a y s M a r y t r e a s u r e d t h e s e t h i n g s , t h a t s e p a r a t e s h e r f r o m a l l o t h e r s .
I a d m i r e h e r a s w e l l . S h e c o u l d h a v e s e e n t h e v i s i o n a n d c h o s e t o i g n o r e i t , s h e c o u l d h a v e s a i d N o t m e L o r d , I a m n o t _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e n o u g h , j u s t a s s o m a n y o f u s d o . B u t s h e d i d n t , s h e c h o s e t o f o l l o w G o d m o r e t h a n a n y t h i n g e l s e , t h a t m u s t h a v e b e e n t h e h a r d e s t d e c i s i o n . T h e r e w a s n o w a y t h a t s h e c o u l d c o n v i n c e p e o p l e o f w h a t w a s i n s i d e , s h e c o u l d o n l y h o p e t h e H o l y S p i r i t w o u l d r e v e a l i t t o t h e m .
I a m l e a r n i n g a n i m p o r t a n t l e s s o n a n d t h i s s t o r y v i v i d l y e x p r e s s e s i t f o r m e . I h a v e b e e n l e a r n i n g t h a t I d o n t h a v e t o s h a r e e v e r y t h i n g a n d f o r c e m y t h o u g h t s u p o n o t h e r s . I a m a l l o w e d t o p o n d e r a n d t r e a s u r e t h i n g s , t o h o l d t h e m c l o s e t o m y h e a r t . I f G o d h a s s p o k e n t o m e , t h a t i s a l l I n e e d , i f o t h e r s m o c k m e o r t r y t o c o n v i n c e m e a w a y f r o m w h a t I k n o w t o b e t r u t h , I w i l l h u m c h e e r f u l l y t o m y s e l f .
I w o n d e r i f I a m m o r e o f t h e e v a n g e l i s t s o m e t i m e s , t r y i n g t o t e l l t h e w o r l d t h e c h u r n i n g s o f m y h e a r t , I w o n d e r i f s o m e t i m e s G o d w a n t s m e t o s i m p l y t r e a s u r e a n d p r o t e c t t h e m i n s t e a d . I a m n o t h i d i n g a n y t h i n g w h e n I d o n t t e l l o f m y d e e p e s t d e p t h s , I a m s i m p l y p r o t e c t i n g t h e m .
I w i l l n o t t h r o w a w a y t h e v i s i o n t h a t G o d h a s g i v e n m e b e c a u s e i t i s H i s v i s i o n a n d I d o n t h a v e t o t r y t o m a k e i t h a p p e n . I w i l l n o t m a k e a n e x c u s e a s a n a t t e m p t t o e s c a p e t h e t h i n g s I a m s c a r e d o f . I c a n n o t c o n v i n c e p e o p l e o f t h e w o r k i n g s o f G o d i n m y l i f e n o r c a n I e x p l a i n w h a t h a s b e e n g r o w i n g d e e p i n s i d e o f m e . I c a n o n l y h o p e t h a t t h e H o l y S p i r i t w i l l r e v e a l i t t o t h e m .
I l o v e t o t r u l y t h i n k a b o u t h o w i t m u s t h a v e b e e n f o r h e r , a g i r l y o u n g e r t h a n I , b e t r o t h e d b y l a w t o J o s e p h w h e n s h e d i s c o v e r s s h e i s p r e g n a n t . S h e w a s s c a r e d . W h o w o u l d b e l i e v e h e r ? H e r p a r e n t s w e r e m o s t l i k e l y s h a m e d b y t h e e n t i r e c o m m u n i t y , s h e m i g h t h a v e b e e n c o n s i d e r e d a n o u t c a s t , d e g r a d e d b y a n a c t i o n t h a t s h e d i d n t c o m m i t .
I w o n d e r h o w m a n y d a y s s h e w a s l o s t i n h e r t h o u g h t s d r e a m i n g o f s t o r i e s t o c o m e , h o w m a n y p e o p l e l o o k e d o n t h i n k i n g s h e w a s c r a z y ? W o u l d s h e g o t o t h e w e l l h u m m i n g t o h e r s e l f t h i n k i n g o f t h e k i n g i n s i d e a s o n l o o k e r s p a s s e d g l a n c e s a n d w h i s p e r e d u n d e r t h e i r t u n i c s ? W h a t c o m m e n t s w e r e m a d e ? W h a t h u r t d i d s h e f e e l ? H o w l o n g w a s i t u n t i l J o s e p h u n d e r s t o o d a n d c a m e a l o n g s i d e h e r ?
I w o n d e r a b o u t h e r b e s t f r i e n d s , w h a t o f t h e m ? D i d t h e y b e l i e v e h e r ? D i d t h e y t r y ? W h a t l o n e l i n e s s s h e m u s t h a v e f e l t , I i m a g i n e i t t o h a v e b e e n a b a t t l e o f h e r m i n d . S h e d i d n t h a v e a n y o n e t o t a l k w i t h , f o r n o o n e w o u l d u n d e r s t a n d , i t c o u l d h a v e b e e n t h e f i r s t t i m e i n h e r l i f e t h a t s h e h a d t o d e a l w i t h s o m e t h i n g u t t e r l y a l o n e . H o w d i d s h e d o i t I w o n d e r ? I t s a y s t h a t s h e t r e a s u r e d t h e s e t h i n g s i n h e r h e a r t a n d t h o u g h t o n t h e m o f t e n . T h a t i s h o w s h e d i d i t , s h e t o o k h e r v i s i o n , h e r f a i t h a n d d e v o t i o n a n d s h e g a t h e r e d t h e m c l o s e t o h e r h e a r t . S h e s t o r e d t h e m t h e r e a n d t h o u g h t a b o u t t h e m .
I t s a y s t h a t t h e s h e p h e r d s t o l d e v e r y o n e , b u t M a r y , s h e k e p t t h e t r e a s u r e s t o h e r s e l f . S h e w a s n o t t h e e v a n g e l i s t , s h e w a s t h e c a r e t a k e r , t h e l o v e r , t h e m o t h e r . H e r j o b w a s t o t a k e t h e t r u t h a n d t o p r o t e c t i t , s h e w a s n t h i d i n g i t b y n o t t e l l i n g t h e w o r l d , s h e w a s p r o t e c t i n g i t .
I t a l s o s a y s t h a t a l l w h o h e a r d t h e s h e p h e r d s s t o r y w e r e a s t o n i s h e d , o r s u r p r i s e d , n o t M a r y , s h e d i d n t h a v e t o b e a s t o n i s h e d . Y o u c a n t e l l b y t h e w a y t h e s c r i p t u r e i s w r i t t e n , t h e r e i s a b u t b e f o r e t h e p a r t t h a t s a y s M a r y t r e a s u r e d t h e s e t h i n g s , t h a t s e p a r a t e s h e r f r o m a l l o t h e r s .
I a d m i r e h e r a s w e l l . S h e c o u l d h a v e s e e n t h e v i s i o n a n d c h o s e t o i g n o r e i t , s h e c o u l d h a v e s a i d N o t m e L o r d , I a m n o t _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e n o u g h , j u s t a s s o m a n y o f u s d o . B u t s h e d i d n t , s h e c h o s e t o f o l l o w G o d m o r e t h a n a n y t h i n g e l s e , t h a t m u s t h a v e b e e n t h e h a r d e s t d e c i s i o n . T h e r e w a s n o w a y t h a t s h e c o u l d c o n v i n c e p e o p l e o f w h a t w a s i n s i d e , s h e c o u l d o n l y h o p e t h e H o l y S p i r i t w o u l d r e v e a l i t t o t h e m .
I a m l e a r n i n g a n i m p o r t a n t l e s s o n a n d t h i s s t o r y v i v i d l y e x p r e s s e s i t f o r m e . I h a v e b e e n l e a r n i n g t h a t I d o n t h a v e t o s h a r e e v e r y t h i n g a n d f o r c e m y t h o u g h t s u p o n o t h e r s . I a m a l l o w e d t o p o n d e r a n d t r e a s u r e t h i n g s , t o h o l d t h e m c l o s e t o m y h e a r t . I f G o d h a s s p o k e n t o m e , t h a t i s a l l I n e e d , i f o t h e r s m o c k m e o r t r y t o c o n v i n c e m e a w a y f r o m w h a t I k n o w t o b e t r u t h , I w i l l h u m c h e e r f u l l y t o m y s e l f .
I w o n d e r i f I a m m o r e o f t h e e v a n g e l i s t s o m e t i m e s , t r y i n g t o t e l l t h e w o r l d t h e c h u r n i n g s o f m y h e a r t , I w o n d e r i f s o m e t i m e s G o d w a n t s m e t o s i m p l y t r e a s u r e a n d p r o t e c t t h e m i n s t e a d . I a m n o t h i d i n g a n y t h i n g w h e n I d o n t t e l l o f m y d e e p e s t d e p t h s , I a m s i m p l y p r o t e c t i n g t h e m .
I w i l l n o t t h r o w a w a y t h e v i s i o n t h a t G o d h a s g i v e n m e b e c a u s e i t i s H i s v i s i o n a n d I d o n t h a v e t o t r y t o m a k e i t h a p p e n . I w i l l n o t m a k e a n e x c u s e a s a n a t t e m p t t o e s c a p e t h e t h i n g s I a m s c a r e d o f . I c a n n o t c o n v i n c e p e o p l e o f t h e w o r k i n g s o f G o d i n m y l i f e n o r c a n I e x p l a i n w h a t h a s b e e n g r o w i n g d e e p i n s i d e o f m e . I c a n o n l y h o p e t h a t t h e H o l y S p i r i t w i l l r e v e a l i t t o t h e m .
Intro to Romania
I a m c u r r e n t l y i n R o m a n i a . W e a r e d r i v i n g f o r t h e 1 1 t h h o u r t o d a y , i t s b e e n p r e t t y s m o o t h w a t e r s & i f y o u e x c l u d e a n e w s t i c k s h i f t d r i v e r l e a r n i n g w h i l e d r i v i n g t h r o u g h R o m a n i a n h i l l s i n t h e d a r k p o u r i n g r a i n , o r l o s i n g t h e o t h e r c a r , o r h a v i n g o u r w a l k i e t a l k i e d i e & b e s i d e s t h a t i t h a s b e e n t o t a l l y s m o o t h s a i l i n g . I h a d i n t e n d e d o n b l o g g i n g b e f o r e l e a v i n g o n o u t r e a c h , b u t w e h a v e b e e n s o b u s y .
I s p e n t t h e p a s t t w o d a y s t r y i n g t o p a c k u p a l l m y b e l o n g i n g s a n d n a r r o w t h e m d o w n t o o n e s u i t c a s e , I c a n l e a v e t h e r e s t o f t h e t h i n g s i n B u d a p e s t & b u t o n e s u i t c a s e ? I t w a s r e a l l y h a r d . W h a t i s p r i o r i t y ? W h a t d o I n e e d m o s t ? W h a t c a n I l i v e w i t h o u t ? I f e l t I w a s p a c k i n g t o o m u c h , t h a t m y b a g w a s t o o b i g , t h e n I d i s c o v e r e d a l l t h e o t h e r g i r l s w e r e f e e l i n g t h e s a m e . T h e g u y s p a c k e d l i g h t e r , b u t I d o n t c o u n t t h e m , t h e y d o n t h a v e t o b r i n g c h u r c h c l o t h e s o r b a t h r o o m s t u f f & a n d t h e y a r e g u y s s o Y a . I b o x e d u p m y b e g i n n i n g s t h a t d i d n t f i t i n t o e i t h e r o f t h e b a g s I b r o u g h t a n d d u c t t a p e d t h e b o x s h u t a n d l e f t i t t o s i f t t h r o u g h b e f o r e r e t u r n i n g h o m e I m a r c h .
R o m a n i a i s b e a u t i f u l , w e l l t h e c o u n t r y p a r t o f i t . T h e c i t y i s d i r t y , l i t t e r , c r a c k e d c e m e n t a n d g r a f f i t i . I t i s a n e q u a l i z i n g m i x o f o l d a n d n e w . T h e r e i s c o l d g r a y l e f t o v e r f r o m c o m m u n i s m a n d f r o m a l l c o r n e r s t h e r e i s m o d e r n i s m i n c h i n g i t s w a y i n . B i g s t o r e s w i t h l i g h t s a n d m o d e l s a n d e l e g a n t d i s p l a y s a r e c r a m m e d b e t w e e n d i r t y b u i l d i n g s t h a t l a c k c h a r a c t e r .
I l o v e t h a t I c a n s i t i n t h e d a r k o f a c a r , l o o k o u t t h e w i n d o w a n d l e t m y f i n g e r s f l y . M y e y e s a r e w a n d e r i n g a n d m y t h o u g h t s a r e m o v i n g p a r a l l e l w i t h t h e m . I t f a s c i n a t e s m e h o w m u c h o f t h e w o r l d i s r e a l l y t h e s a m e . T h e m o r e p l a c e s I s e e , t h e m o r e I r e a l i z e h o w m u c h t h e y a r e a l i k e . D r i v i n g o n t h e f r e e w a y a n d l o o k i n g b a c k o n t h e o u t s k i r t s o f t h e l a s t b i g R o m a n i a n c i t y , I f e l t a s i f I w e r e e x i t i n g P o r t l a n d T r e e s , c a r s , r o a d s i g n s , w e t p a v e m e n t a n d g r e y c l o u d s . I a m i n a c a r w i t h a l l m y t h i n g s : m y p u r s e , b o o k s , p i l l o w a n d f o o d . I c a n l a u g h w i t h p e o p l e o r c l o s e m y e y e s a n d s l e e p - I w o n d e r h o w m u c h f u r t h e r a w a y f r o m h o m e I m u s t g e t t o t r u l y f e e l t h a t I a m i n a d i f f e r e n t p l a c e ?
I t h i n k s o m a n y p e o p l e a r e f e a r f u l o f t r a v e l , e s p e c i a l l y t o c o u n t r i e s l i k e t h e o n e s t h a t I w i l l e n c o u n t e r , b u t w h a t I h a v e f o u n d i s t h a t t h e y a r e n o t s o s c a r y , I s u p p o s e I c a n n o t t a l k o n b e h a l f o f t h e w o r l d b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e p l a c e s m u c h d i f f e r e n t t h a n t h i s . T h e r e a r e c o u n t r i e s w i t h o u t a n h i n t o f E n g l i s h , v i l l a g e s f u l l o f s e v e r e p o v e r t y a n d c i t i e s w i t h c u l t u r e u n l i k e t h a t o f a n y o t h e r , b u t I w o n d e r i f m o r e p e o p l e w e r e t o t a k e a s t e p i n t o t h e w o r l d w h a t w o u l d h a p p e n ? I f p e o p l e w o u l d f i n d o u t t h a t I a m n o t a l l t h a t b r a v e , I a m n o t e x p l o r i n g u n i n h a b i t e d t e r r i t o r y , I a m j u s t i n a p l a c e t h a t f e w f r o m o u r s m a l l w o r l d g o .
I s p e n t t h e p a s t t w o d a y s t r y i n g t o p a c k u p a l l m y b e l o n g i n g s a n d n a r r o w t h e m d o w n t o o n e s u i t c a s e , I c a n l e a v e t h e r e s t o f t h e t h i n g s i n B u d a p e s t & b u t o n e s u i t c a s e ? I t w a s r e a l l y h a r d . W h a t i s p r i o r i t y ? W h a t d o I n e e d m o s t ? W h a t c a n I l i v e w i t h o u t ? I f e l t I w a s p a c k i n g t o o m u c h , t h a t m y b a g w a s t o o b i g , t h e n I d i s c o v e r e d a l l t h e o t h e r g i r l s w e r e f e e l i n g t h e s a m e . T h e g u y s p a c k e d l i g h t e r , b u t I d o n t c o u n t t h e m , t h e y d o n t h a v e t o b r i n g c h u r c h c l o t h e s o r b a t h r o o m s t u f f & a n d t h e y a r e g u y s s o Y a . I b o x e d u p m y b e g i n n i n g s t h a t d i d n t f i t i n t o e i t h e r o f t h e b a g s I b r o u g h t a n d d u c t t a p e d t h e b o x s h u t a n d l e f t i t t o s i f t t h r o u g h b e f o r e r e t u r n i n g h o m e I m a r c h .
R o m a n i a i s b e a u t i f u l , w e l l t h e c o u n t r y p a r t o f i t . T h e c i t y i s d i r t y , l i t t e r , c r a c k e d c e m e n t a n d g r a f f i t i . I t i s a n e q u a l i z i n g m i x o f o l d a n d n e w . T h e r e i s c o l d g r a y l e f t o v e r f r o m c o m m u n i s m a n d f r o m a l l c o r n e r s t h e r e i s m o d e r n i s m i n c h i n g i t s w a y i n . B i g s t o r e s w i t h l i g h t s a n d m o d e l s a n d e l e g a n t d i s p l a y s a r e c r a m m e d b e t w e e n d i r t y b u i l d i n g s t h a t l a c k c h a r a c t e r .
I l o v e t h a t I c a n s i t i n t h e d a r k o f a c a r , l o o k o u t t h e w i n d o w a n d l e t m y f i n g e r s f l y . M y e y e s a r e w a n d e r i n g a n d m y t h o u g h t s a r e m o v i n g p a r a l l e l w i t h t h e m . I t f a s c i n a t e s m e h o w m u c h o f t h e w o r l d i s r e a l l y t h e s a m e . T h e m o r e p l a c e s I s e e , t h e m o r e I r e a l i z e h o w m u c h t h e y a r e a l i k e . D r i v i n g o n t h e f r e e w a y a n d l o o k i n g b a c k o n t h e o u t s k i r t s o f t h e l a s t b i g R o m a n i a n c i t y , I f e l t a s i f I w e r e e x i t i n g P o r t l a n d T r e e s , c a r s , r o a d s i g n s , w e t p a v e m e n t a n d g r e y c l o u d s . I a m i n a c a r w i t h a l l m y t h i n g s : m y p u r s e , b o o k s , p i l l o w a n d f o o d . I c a n l a u g h w i t h p e o p l e o r c l o s e m y e y e s a n d s l e e p - I w o n d e r h o w m u c h f u r t h e r a w a y f r o m h o m e I m u s t g e t t o t r u l y f e e l t h a t I a m i n a d i f f e r e n t p l a c e ?
I t h i n k s o m a n y p e o p l e a r e f e a r f u l o f t r a v e l , e s p e c i a l l y t o c o u n t r i e s l i k e t h e o n e s t h a t I w i l l e n c o u n t e r , b u t w h a t I h a v e f o u n d i s t h a t t h e y a r e n o t s o s c a r y , I s u p p o s e I c a n n o t t a l k o n b e h a l f o f t h e w o r l d b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e p l a c e s m u c h d i f f e r e n t t h a n t h i s . T h e r e a r e c o u n t r i e s w i t h o u t a n h i n t o f E n g l i s h , v i l l a g e s f u l l o f s e v e r e p o v e r t y a n d c i t i e s w i t h c u l t u r e u n l i k e t h a t o f a n y o t h e r , b u t I w o n d e r i f m o r e p e o p l e w e r e t o t a k e a s t e p i n t o t h e w o r l d w h a t w o u l d h a p p e n ? I f p e o p l e w o u l d f i n d o u t t h a t I a m n o t a l l t h a t b r a v e , I a m n o t e x p l o r i n g u n i n h a b i t e d t e r r i t o r y , I a m j u s t i n a p l a c e t h a t f e w f r o m o u r s m a l l w o r l d g o .
Monday, November 19, 2007
Around the corner, to the left, all the way in the back
Everyday for the past maybe 4 days I have excitedly checked the postbox infront of the house looking for a slip of paper which held my name. Today I knew was the day. We returned from class and someone else got to the box before myself, but they found the paper and said my name. What a sweet sound to my ears. I ran upstairs (only 3 stories) grabbed my ipod and headed towards the bus, walking briskly and listening to upbeat 1940's christmas music.
I departed from the bus at the right stop, but from there had no direction, so i wandered in every direction. Then my eyes spoted it in the distance, a beautiful sign "POSTA" it read and my step lightened a bit.
Walking in I was slighty intimidated by the large crowds and 7 different lines. I dont understand post offices at home, where I can read the language and ask questions - here I was really out of the loop. So I tried to sound out words on the paper and find words that looked similar on signs, no luck. I then turned to plan B - look dumb and hope for help. It worked! I stood long enough lookng confused and finally a guy came up and started to talk to me, he found out I spoke english and in english told me I was at the wrong post office (which I assumed because I was told there were 2 I just couldnt find the other one) so he pointed where to go. I thanked him.
Directly to the left around the corner, there was another wonderful "POSTA" sign. I entered and was redirected two more times by motions and found the right room. I saw lots of packages and knew I was in the right place. After producing an ID to prove my identitiy, I had it. A package with my name, sent all the way from Keizer Oregon, and it found its way to me, all the way over here in a little neighborhood post office in Budapest, Hungary.
I walked home in glee and slowly opened the contents upon returning home. The first thing I did was dip my finger into the Super Chunky Skippy Peanut Butter Jar. I played with the hacky sack and sat down to a cup of my favorite tea.
This is the story of a girl getting a package and enjoying it in Budapest.
I
I departed from the bus at the right stop, but from there had no direction, so i wandered in every direction. Then my eyes spoted it in the distance, a beautiful sign "POSTA" it read and my step lightened a bit.
Walking in I was slighty intimidated by the large crowds and 7 different lines. I dont understand post offices at home, where I can read the language and ask questions - here I was really out of the loop. So I tried to sound out words on the paper and find words that looked similar on signs, no luck. I then turned to plan B - look dumb and hope for help. It worked! I stood long enough lookng confused and finally a guy came up and started to talk to me, he found out I spoke english and in english told me I was at the wrong post office (which I assumed because I was told there were 2 I just couldnt find the other one) so he pointed where to go. I thanked him.
Directly to the left around the corner, there was another wonderful "POSTA" sign. I entered and was redirected two more times by motions and found the right room. I saw lots of packages and knew I was in the right place. After producing an ID to prove my identitiy, I had it. A package with my name, sent all the way from Keizer Oregon, and it found its way to me, all the way over here in a little neighborhood post office in Budapest, Hungary.
I walked home in glee and slowly opened the contents upon returning home. The first thing I did was dip my finger into the Super Chunky Skippy Peanut Butter Jar. I played with the hacky sack and sat down to a cup of my favorite tea.
This is the story of a girl getting a package and enjoying it in Budapest.
I
Monday, November 12, 2007
Glance - by Misty Edwards
I remember the first glance
I remember the first romance
I remember the first dance
When I fell in love with you
When I fell in love with you
I remember the first romance
I remember the first dance
When I fell in love with you
When I fell in love with you
I thought that I would never know loveI
thought that I woudl never know touch
Then you came and awakened me
Then you came unlocking me
I've never known a love like this
You've shown the truth behind the mythThe Mystery
When it's all be said
When it's all be done
When the race is run
And this life overcome
I remember the first glance
I remember the first romance
I remember the first dance
When I fell in love with you
When I fell in love with you
When I fell in love
I will remember your love
I will remember your love
I will remember your love
I will remember your love
What is she really doing over there?
Some of you might be wondering what I do here. If we only have like “2” outreaches a week and teaching once a day, am I just chilling? Was your support worth it? Now I am not just chilling, and yet it was wroth it. I wish I could begin to describe what we do here, but words don’t do it justice. Pretty much, I am learning a lifestyle. I am learning how to let my heart tick with Gods. How to use every moment to benefit him. I read books, I rest in Him. I take daily walks in the bitter cold air and survey his beauty and he tells me of my beauty. We have amazing worship together. We meet in small groups to just talk about the week, we have fellowship. I spend much time in the kitchen and I see it as a way to honor my King. I see everything that I cook as a gift for the King. That is how I think of it as I prepare the feasts for dinner, or the beautiful deserts. God doesn’t care if it is perfect, it is the condition of my hear that he looks at.
We are learning to be receptive to the prophetic realm, how to hear Gods voice in our life and how to speak life into others. No one is left out, no one is too young. I am gaining a life long heart for missions, living with so many other people representing varying cultures. I see people in a different light, I don’t judges as quickly, I don’t withdraw as far. What I am doing here is preparing me fore life. Just like school prepares you for work, this prepares me for life. I know that from here I will be equipped, more ready to do what I am called to. I will never perfect my calling, I will always continue learning, but this is a great time of growth.
I am learning how to share my vision with god, not to have my own, but to let his become mine. If I am in tune wit him, I will hear his heart, he will grab hold of mine and they will gently beat in tune. I want to not be on my own, I want to not walk the path alone, I want him to be my guide, if I follow him through the darkness he will lead me, he has walked this before and knows, he knows and I will trust him always. I will follow him anywhere.
So what I am doing here is not in vain. What I am doing here will not last for a few months. This is not like a one week mission trip that fires me up then melts after the wick burns… this is igniting an eternal flame. I am not just on an energy trip - like the energizer bunny. I am not on a high that will fall, because not everything here has been a high. I don’t have to be always running with excitement to be following my King. I will have bad days, but the fire is still there. I am learning how to keep the flame going when it wants to die. For those of you that have invested in me, thank you. It was a well worth investment and I promise that it was not a waste of your time. I am doing all I can to make the most of this opportunity so that it might increase the kingdom of God.
Rise up from the Sea
Would you rise up from the sea
Would you come upon the shore
I want to meet you here, Lord.
I want more. Oh, I want more
I see you rising from the sea
I see you coming upon the shore
You are meeting me here, Lord
But still I want more. Oh, I want more
You have risen from the sea
You have come upon the shore
You have met me here Lord
Yet I want you more. Oh, I want you more
Bye Bye India
well as many of you know i have had to decide where to go for my outreach phase of my trip. Before even coming to Budapest I have had my heart set on 'India, and that is where my heart has stayed, Until Friday God decided to change my mind. Now I am going to Bungaria, Armenia and Greece. (If you dont know where those countries are, look them up on a MAP, of if you dont have one of those or dont know how to use it, look it up on google images... if you still dont find it ask me and I will gladly tell you.) Anyways it looks like it is me and 7 other students and we will travel to the 3 different countries. We will leave around December 11 and be gone for 11 weeks. I am not exactly sure what ministeries we will be involved in except for the first location (Bulgaria) we will be spending a few weeks working with a program similar to Angel Tree. We will be helping deliver christmas presents to underprivildeged kids. For me this is like the best thing I could do because I absolutly LOVE christmas. As of now we dont necessarly have a leader, it looks like maybe we will have a leader take us to each location, and get us set, then we would have student leaders and keep in touch with our director or something. Everything is still very very vauge, but I thought I would let you konw as much as I know. This trip will be expensive because of all the traveling involved, so please pray that the finances I have cover the final cost. I will let you know more when I know.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Prayer and Outreach
Just a quick update. In about 3 weeks our group is taking a short outreach trip to Romania. It is a few hours drive from hear and we will be traveling by vans for the 4 day trip.
We will be teaming up with a couple from Hungary that we work with at times that are missionaries to the Gypsy people. We will be working with Gypsy Hungarians that live in a small village in Romania. We will spend 3 days doing outreaches for them. We are beginning to prepare music, dramas, dances, and sermons. I have been asked to lead up the kids ministries. I have accepted this challenge and greatly look forward to the amazing opportunity. Ministry will be geared towards everyone, except for the preaching times, it will be at that point that me and my team will separate and take the kids to play games with them, speak on their level. I don’t have very much information yet, I don’t know if I will have a translator, how many kids there will be or what materials I might have. But I do know that it will be an intense time.
God has given us this trip to help prepare us for our real outreach. We will be going the weekend of November 24, yes thanksgiving. So for those of you that are prayer warriors, his is a major area to be prayed over.
Also other things that could use prayer. Our group really needs unity. There is a lot of cliques going on here and underlying challenges that could turn into problems. There is a sense of disrespect and possibly some other things. We need to be united totally in order for us to properly corporate as a group. Thank you to all of you who pray, it is surly noticed.
We will be teaming up with a couple from Hungary that we work with at times that are missionaries to the Gypsy people. We will be working with Gypsy Hungarians that live in a small village in Romania. We will spend 3 days doing outreaches for them. We are beginning to prepare music, dramas, dances, and sermons. I have been asked to lead up the kids ministries. I have accepted this challenge and greatly look forward to the amazing opportunity. Ministry will be geared towards everyone, except for the preaching times, it will be at that point that me and my team will separate and take the kids to play games with them, speak on their level. I don’t have very much information yet, I don’t know if I will have a translator, how many kids there will be or what materials I might have. But I do know that it will be an intense time.
God has given us this trip to help prepare us for our real outreach. We will be going the weekend of November 24, yes thanksgiving. So for those of you that are prayer warriors, his is a major area to be prayed over.
Also other things that could use prayer. Our group really needs unity. There is a lot of cliques going on here and underlying challenges that could turn into problems. There is a sense of disrespect and possibly some other things. We need to be united totally in order for us to properly corporate as a group. Thank you to all of you who pray, it is surly noticed.
Creative Worship
So every week here we do this thing called creative worship, every week we participate in ways we can worship God other than music, it has been a blast!
One week we had a feast, we all brought food and shared it. We sang the song about his banqueting table. It was a time of fellowship. We talked about, what we had to bring to the table of the Lord. How even though some people forgot to bring some things, there was still plenty to go around, with God there is always enough to satisfy.
One week (my favorite) we put paper on our back and spend a half hour walking around writing encouraging words on each others back. Then we sat down and read it all. How wonderful to have a paper with notes from 20 different people. We worshiped God by showing his glory to other people. This one was very encouraging.
This week we are doing show and tell of some object that has meaning to us and our relationship to God, something that will edify the body. We have spent weeks doing poetry, drawing pictures, painting together. We are learning how worship is a lifestyle, not just a Sunday morning ritual.
I love learning all this because I believe this is the way life should be. We worship God with what we do. We don’t necessarily have to set time aside to paint each week, but if the opportunity comes, lets use that time to worship God. This is something that I want to take home. Something that I want to have follow me for the rest of my life. Something that I want my children to learn and appreciate.
One week we had a feast, we all brought food and shared it. We sang the song about his banqueting table. It was a time of fellowship. We talked about, what we had to bring to the table of the Lord. How even though some people forgot to bring some things, there was still plenty to go around, with God there is always enough to satisfy.
One week (my favorite) we put paper on our back and spend a half hour walking around writing encouraging words on each others back. Then we sat down and read it all. How wonderful to have a paper with notes from 20 different people. We worshiped God by showing his glory to other people. This one was very encouraging.
This week we are doing show and tell of some object that has meaning to us and our relationship to God, something that will edify the body. We have spent weeks doing poetry, drawing pictures, painting together. We are learning how worship is a lifestyle, not just a Sunday morning ritual.
I love learning all this because I believe this is the way life should be. We worship God with what we do. We don’t necessarily have to set time aside to paint each week, but if the opportunity comes, lets use that time to worship God. This is something that I want to take home. Something that I want to have follow me for the rest of my life. Something that I want my children to learn and appreciate.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Kiss me softly, rock me hard
Beautiful Jesus, lover of my life, I hold you so dear, I give you my life. All I am is yours, even when I feel I have nothing left to give, I give me. You are my joy. You are my lover, the one who knows my secrets, the one who holds me dear. You are the one softly whispering in my ear. You say my name, you call me your own. It makes me surrender, the pain of joy makes me groan. I weep in your arms for you are strong I am confess to you Father God, you tell me I was not created wrong. I pledge my life eternally to you, I wear this as a promise on my finger, never do I want something new. You make me complete for without you where would I go? What would do? You lead me, guide me, we walk holding hands. When I am at the beach, I know I see you in the sand. I would die for you to life on in the lives of others. You did this for me, giving your last breath to forgive me, even for the sins I have not yet done. You love me despite my faults. You look into me and see all that I am, but you hold me still. You don't hold back you are my lover, protector, guider and life. My husband, my father, you lead my day and night. Your word says a woman goes from the protection of her father to the house of her husband. But you oh Lord are both to me. You are jealous of me but you share your loves still. We are intimate together - but I alone don't want to be the one to experience you. I want to share my love (you) with everyone. I desire them to have intimacy with you. Your love to me is extravagant. You give all you are, I want to give that back. Our relationship is two sided, I give al lin return from what I have received. Help me to receive more, to not push you away. I want to be with you every single day. I want to wake up seeing your face, smile through the day as I feel your embrace. I want to share my storms, my rain and my sun. I want to smell you till the day is done. Fill my nights with dreams of you, le nothing else fill my thoughts. Forgive me for the times that of you I have forgot. I offer to you all you can take, then scrape at my walls - peel my build up away. Search my heart, please reveal what you find. Give me your gifts, make them freely mine. Show me how to use them, how to increase your glory divine. For what was once locked, I give you possession of the key. I don't want to be by myself, I don't want to be just me. Jesus, lover of my soul, fill me up, make me whole. I don't want to fall into love, I want to be swept off my feet. I desire to be the light and the salt to everything that I meet. Take me, mold me make me yours. I want to live in your presence and always hear your roar. Kiss me softly, rock me hard, hold me tightly in your ever lasting arms.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Community living
I would like to focus today on what it is like living community style, the way that so many people around the world live today, and have lived for thousands of years. I find more and more everyday that I relate to Jesus and his disciples. He had 12 disciples and other followers who lived, slept, ate and traveled together. They lived in a community. Not only were the disciples friends of Jesus, they lived with him, they knew everything about him. When he taught, they understood his mannerisms, even if they didn’t necessarily understand what he was teaching. They were intimate with him. They knew him. Living in a house with others I am beginning to know them and love them too.
It is said that we don’t get to choose our family, we are born into it. We get to choose our friends, but or family is almost forced onto us, yet somehow we almost always end up being more intimate with our family that we had no choice in choosing. God knows what he was doing when he placed our families together, and he knew what he was doing when he placed my DTS house together. He knew that we would get along and learn to live together. He knew.
What is it like for those of you that have never experienced such a phenomenon? Well at first I viewed it as camp because of the bunk beds and schedule, then I saw it as more of a college dorm experience. Now? We are just a family. We have bedrooms that we share, we have a kitchen, we have chores. But we live here. We are comfortable. I find that I am no longer paranoid about going to breakfast in the morning without doing my hair or changing my pajamas. My roommates and I are comfortable to share shelves and intermix our things, she computers, scarves, we are one. We are family. At times it can be entertaining because we represent so many different cultures. For instance, the couple from new Zealand call dinner, tea. So we have breakfast, tea time, lunch, tea, then tea. But for the last tea we don’t have any tea, it is dinner. Or my friend from England calls pants trousers and underwear, pants. The cooking staff all have different tastes as to what should go into spaghetti and to us Americans, the floor just doesn’t look like it needs moped for the 3rd time today. There are always conversations, screaming and laughing, five different selections of music blasting, fingers flying over keyboards, toast burning in the toaster, too many shoes by the door, and a thousand other things going on - but that makes it entertaining.
But what is interesting is that we are united. We don’t live out our bedrooms, we live in the house, together, with the common goals. Together we choose to have nights of prayer. Together we have dinner dates and trips on the train. We pray together, we laugh together, we dream. I feel like I have a whole crude of siblings. We have leaders, but they are more like older sisters. The directors are like the parents, but they don’t live in the house with us. I was thinking on how living in a house without parents would immediately sound like a party scene - but I think it makes us more responsible, we look after each other. We go to sleep, we clean the kitchen, we lock the doors. I feel safe when I am here because I am surrounded by so many who care, we all joke about going home and how we will feel lonely without so many siblings around. I know this is an experience that will follow me forever. This part of the experience have nothing to do with being in another country, it has everything to do with simply changing my immediate surroundings - it is simply a plus that I get to experience it while in another country.
It is said that we don’t get to choose our family, we are born into it. We get to choose our friends, but or family is almost forced onto us, yet somehow we almost always end up being more intimate with our family that we had no choice in choosing. God knows what he was doing when he placed our families together, and he knew what he was doing when he placed my DTS house together. He knew that we would get along and learn to live together. He knew.
What is it like for those of you that have never experienced such a phenomenon? Well at first I viewed it as camp because of the bunk beds and schedule, then I saw it as more of a college dorm experience. Now? We are just a family. We have bedrooms that we share, we have a kitchen, we have chores. But we live here. We are comfortable. I find that I am no longer paranoid about going to breakfast in the morning without doing my hair or changing my pajamas. My roommates and I are comfortable to share shelves and intermix our things, she computers, scarves, we are one. We are family. At times it can be entertaining because we represent so many different cultures. For instance, the couple from new Zealand call dinner, tea. So we have breakfast, tea time, lunch, tea, then tea. But for the last tea we don’t have any tea, it is dinner. Or my friend from England calls pants trousers and underwear, pants. The cooking staff all have different tastes as to what should go into spaghetti and to us Americans, the floor just doesn’t look like it needs moped for the 3rd time today. There are always conversations, screaming and laughing, five different selections of music blasting, fingers flying over keyboards, toast burning in the toaster, too many shoes by the door, and a thousand other things going on - but that makes it entertaining.
But what is interesting is that we are united. We don’t live out our bedrooms, we live in the house, together, with the common goals. Together we choose to have nights of prayer. Together we have dinner dates and trips on the train. We pray together, we laugh together, we dream. I feel like I have a whole crude of siblings. We have leaders, but they are more like older sisters. The directors are like the parents, but they don’t live in the house with us. I was thinking on how living in a house without parents would immediately sound like a party scene - but I think it makes us more responsible, we look after each other. We go to sleep, we clean the kitchen, we lock the doors. I feel safe when I am here because I am surrounded by so many who care, we all joke about going home and how we will feel lonely without so many siblings around. I know this is an experience that will follow me forever. This part of the experience have nothing to do with being in another country, it has everything to do with simply changing my immediate surroundings - it is simply a plus that I get to experience it while in another country.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
It's a twisted world in which we live
During this weeks outreach we were in a pretty hard, dark area. Well not in the literal sense, in the spiritual. We were underground at one of the largest metro stations and had a great set up with our stereo again. The set up is good and we all know the schedule. If you are not up front, you are in the crowd, making a crowd. You are praying, and passing out tracts and looking for opportunities to talk with people. It was a very distracting area this week though, there was just lots of movement and psyco people. There was a group of pimps fighting with a homeless man and the yelling with that went on and off for about and hour. There were prostitutes everywhere, our director got hit up three times. The pimps were out too, lots of them. They stood around, the whole time and approached 3 of our girls. We just learned to stand closer together. During the dance this mental woman joined in and tried to do ballet with our girls and some other lady interrupted one of the testimonies by coming up front and trying to talk to the translator.
So from that description it sounds like a terrible day. But it was really amazing. From it all 4 more people accepted Christ! I was able to give my testimony and had a blast, now I am ready for next week when I hope to preach. Most of the people in our group didn’t know that their was anything in the prostitution them even going on, most of it was just subtle, its not like people have signs that say “prostitute” on them, so if you aren’t looking you wont usually see them. I saw some of it going on but was really blown away by the stories we received later. I guess that Budapest is a center point in the prostitution world of eastern Europe. Supposedly it is legal here, so many different countries merge here in the underground hidden dark world. So we have just been really warned, we were not informed on this until now, the guys ears just perked when they heard, it was like something inside them just turned on that they were protectors, I know that they will really step up to watch over us, being that the majority of us are girls, it does make us feel good to know that our guys we be on top of it. So pretty much girls don’t go out alone after dark, well I mean I guess that is obvious at home to, but here you just have to be really safe because the pimps will get like 10,000 per girl for kidnapping. What a crazy, sick, twisted world we live in.
Yet I feel it a privilege to be here. God is moving in a dark place, despite the what seemed like terrible events that took place, 4 people still came to Christ. People here are hungry, they want the truth, that is why there is so much darkness, the more people look for truth, the darker they fall. That is where we come in, we are walking light to brighten their dark worlds. This may sound all scary but it is just life. We all walk around in either darkness or light whether you are in Budapest or Keizer there are still spiritual battles going on, still crazy people looming around. But I am safe. This is something that really happens everywhere, here we are just more aware of it because we are in prayer about it, so to us it is more than just something happening.
So from that description it sounds like a terrible day. But it was really amazing. From it all 4 more people accepted Christ! I was able to give my testimony and had a blast, now I am ready for next week when I hope to preach. Most of the people in our group didn’t know that their was anything in the prostitution them even going on, most of it was just subtle, its not like people have signs that say “prostitute” on them, so if you aren’t looking you wont usually see them. I saw some of it going on but was really blown away by the stories we received later. I guess that Budapest is a center point in the prostitution world of eastern Europe. Supposedly it is legal here, so many different countries merge here in the underground hidden dark world. So we have just been really warned, we were not informed on this until now, the guys ears just perked when they heard, it was like something inside them just turned on that they were protectors, I know that they will really step up to watch over us, being that the majority of us are girls, it does make us feel good to know that our guys we be on top of it. So pretty much girls don’t go out alone after dark, well I mean I guess that is obvious at home to, but here you just have to be really safe because the pimps will get like 10,000 per girl for kidnapping. What a crazy, sick, twisted world we live in.
Yet I feel it a privilege to be here. God is moving in a dark place, despite the what seemed like terrible events that took place, 4 people still came to Christ. People here are hungry, they want the truth, that is why there is so much darkness, the more people look for truth, the darker they fall. That is where we come in, we are walking light to brighten their dark worlds. This may sound all scary but it is just life. We all walk around in either darkness or light whether you are in Budapest or Keizer there are still spiritual battles going on, still crazy people looming around. But I am safe. This is something that really happens everywhere, here we are just more aware of it because we are in prayer about it, so to us it is more than just something happening.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Train Station
On Saturday some of us student, nine to be exact, took a day trip to Vienna Austria. It was suppose to be a leisure day, and it was in many ways, but my mind could not stray away from one particular topic. One issue that seemed to itch my skin all day, a topic that wanted to make me sick, that tried to bring tears to my eyes. The Holocaust.
As we boarded our train in Budapest I looked around me at the old railroad station, over 10 different tracks headed in various directions. A voice over the intercom in multiple languages giving directions, a cold sharp wind, grey sky. I felt like I was one of the thousands of Jewish captives that was hoarded into train cars in quite possibly same station that my eyes looked upon. It was, to some, just a story that happened over five decades ago. To others it is a defining moment in history, a storyline of a movie, a glimpse of the past - but for me as I stood waiting for my train - it was real.
As I was lost in my thoughts one of the guys I was with spoke up and pointed to a train, “that was one of the trains used to transport the Jews during WWII.” He had been there before and had been informed by someone who knew their facts. I looked on with disgust. How could something so cruel happen? Here I was awaiting a day of entertainment and I stood in possibly the same place that shivering Jews stood awaiting death. I felt ashamed of my coat, hat and gloves - yet I also felt privileged that Christ created me for such a time as this. With every step I looked at the ground, my eyes scanned the tracks, what must it have been like? What must they have felt? Did they know the fate that awaited them?
On the train I had a hard time focusing my attention on the book I had brought, my eyes were locked on the beauty outside. I passed by hills and cottages and gardens. I wonder how many of those doors were knocked down, what houses had people hiding, from where were people taken? It was a gorgeous drive, but how could something so terrible have happened in such a beautiful place? It was like Gods glory was simply ignored. I wondered if the Jews looked upon the same hills as I, if they had the joy of the Lord or if they were clouded in fear. It made me pray, it made me seek the face of God that such a terrible travesty should never again happen. It made me appreciate who I am and why I am here, but it softened me.
The day in Vienna was amazing, it was nice to be in a new city outside of Budapest, see a different culture and hear another language. It was expensive. But I still couldn’t get my mind off of the events that took place over 60 years ago. It was bittersweet.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Home
It has been requested of me that I blog again, it is sometimes hard for me to remember that you don’t know what I am doing here unless I tell you . This week has begun to get a little busier, we have started 2 outreaches. On Tuesdays I gather with a small group of 2 or 3 others and we take sandwiches to the homeless, there are multiple small groups of us all over the city. We are slightly discouraged by the fact that we don’t speak the language but we can smile and pray, we pray that they would see something different in us. We hope to get some Hungarian tracts to put inside of the sandwiches for next week. It is cool because they don’t come to us, we go to them. In my group last week though I had a guy that spoke Hungarian with us, so he was able to communicate and translate for us. We got to pray with like 10 people. One man was in high spirits and just wanted to talk, so we sat on the ground on his corner with him for at least a half hour, we planted a seed. One woman was sitting with her head down, obviously crying or very sad, so we approached her at first she was apprehensive. I was able to pray with her, although I don’t know what was going on with her, she was smiling when we left. To me it was worth it. After that small trip I was excited and am now full of ideas for next time, how to make it better, how to reach more people.
On Thursdays we do big group outreach at a large city square. We set up sound and did music, preaching and testimonies. We had quite the crowd and wonderful results. 3 people accepted Christ and 1 Muslim showed a desire to know more about God and he was very excited when we gave him a Bible. We are learning how to work together as a group, what gifts we have to offer and will soon have a strong outreach which will be beneficial in training us for our large 3 month outreach which will begin in December. This weeks topic was evangelism, very fitting concerning the fact that we started doing some outreach type things this week as well.
I am very acclimated to being here, it is home. Well I mean I am use to the idea I will be here a long time. It is not home, home is really where my friends and family are, it is the place that has my bedroom, my bed, my books. So then again I guess this is becoming home, I have friends that are becoming family, I have a bedroom, a bed and books. But if you really want to get to the bottom of it, my home is not here, or in Oregon. My home resides in the heavens, beyond anything I can imagine or fathom. My home is with my Father in Heaven, so I cant get to acclimated to anything on this earth because soon I will truly go home and that will be all that matters.
Yes I miss home, but that is because it is all I know. God didnt tell some to go travel the world, he said "Go, ye therefore into all the world and preach the gospel..." it was a command, some of the last words he spoke on this earth. He also said, "store up treasures in Heaven" That is what I want. I miss peanut butter and my cell phone and Ming Yang, and so many others. But, I want more than anything to be here with Jesus, my beautiful Jesus.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Harvest Time
I want to write on one specific topic today, Harvest. Many of you who know me well have heard me say “God is calling me to be a farmer, he is calling me to plant seeds.” I have spoken this way for some years now, knowing that God was just calling me to do His will, outside of seeing the rewards of that plant.
I learned this lesson when in Mexico. The missionaries told us that the week would be full of planting seeds, that we would probably not see salvation. I learned to live off of seeing the future, off of taking joy of what was to come. What got me through that trip without being discouraged was the fact that I could see our influence begin to work in some of the kids, one boy in particular we all know is called to be a pastor, so I feel blessed by the fact that I had a chance to plant a seed in him.
But especially this past year, I have worked and worked, doing the things God has asked, and at times I have wanted to be discouraged because I was seeing no fruits to my labors, I wanted to be discouraged, then God would remind me that I was just a farmer and that the harvest was coming.
When God called me to Budapest, I will admit I was slightly confused, I thought that it was time for the harvest and now he was sending me away? The answer is YES! Upon arriving here I learned that the focus and name of my DTS is “Preparing for the harvest” and during our first worship service together we sang a song about rain, let the rain fall and a prophecy was spoken. The prophecy talked about how you cant have a harvest without rain.
I am not a seed in the harvest, I am a field full of seeds. Every seed that has been planted in me over the years is going to be in this harvest. From Sunday school teachers, to my family, close friends and so many others. Every person who chose to spend time investing in my life will be included in this harvest. This is why I have spent so many years planting seeds in others - for the harvest.
My name means “a flower that often grows in rocky places.” I find it intriguing that so many seeds could grow in this rocky place. I also have spent my life in love with rain, I find that not a coincidence, but more of God preparing me. The past month God has asked me to focus on him, not others problems. If I would focus on him things in others lives would begin to be resolved. Now I understand. I needed to come here for the harvest. Once the harvest starts in me it will start in all my seeds, in all the planters of seeds in my life. I have been called to be a planter because I was full of seeds, now for such a time as this the Harvest will begin. I am preparing for it. Get ready because I am learning and growing. This is why I am here.
I learned this lesson when in Mexico. The missionaries told us that the week would be full of planting seeds, that we would probably not see salvation. I learned to live off of seeing the future, off of taking joy of what was to come. What got me through that trip without being discouraged was the fact that I could see our influence begin to work in some of the kids, one boy in particular we all know is called to be a pastor, so I feel blessed by the fact that I had a chance to plant a seed in him.
But especially this past year, I have worked and worked, doing the things God has asked, and at times I have wanted to be discouraged because I was seeing no fruits to my labors, I wanted to be discouraged, then God would remind me that I was just a farmer and that the harvest was coming.
When God called me to Budapest, I will admit I was slightly confused, I thought that it was time for the harvest and now he was sending me away? The answer is YES! Upon arriving here I learned that the focus and name of my DTS is “Preparing for the harvest” and during our first worship service together we sang a song about rain, let the rain fall and a prophecy was spoken. The prophecy talked about how you cant have a harvest without rain.
I am not a seed in the harvest, I am a field full of seeds. Every seed that has been planted in me over the years is going to be in this harvest. From Sunday school teachers, to my family, close friends and so many others. Every person who chose to spend time investing in my life will be included in this harvest. This is why I have spent so many years planting seeds in others - for the harvest.
My name means “a flower that often grows in rocky places.” I find it intriguing that so many seeds could grow in this rocky place. I also have spent my life in love with rain, I find that not a coincidence, but more of God preparing me. The past month God has asked me to focus on him, not others problems. If I would focus on him things in others lives would begin to be resolved. Now I understand. I needed to come here for the harvest. Once the harvest starts in me it will start in all my seeds, in all the planters of seeds in my life. I have been called to be a planter because I was full of seeds, now for such a time as this the Harvest will begin. I am preparing for it. Get ready because I am learning and growing. This is why I am here.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
I still cant believe I live in Europe
So I continue to love live here. It is like I live here, well I guess I do. I am slowly adapting to the community style of living. I am the dinner girl and with one other, we prepare dinner for 25 people, fun experience considering what we have to work with. 1 refridgerator, one stove (can only fit 2 pans), then we have to carry all the food from the 3rd story kitchen to the 1st story dining room. so much fun.
Right now we dont have a dryer, just a washer. in order for everyone to do laundery you have to do 6 loads a day, then they have to dry by hanging. i hope we get a dryer, how do you hang dry outside in the winter?
Our schedule is pretty light. we have breakfast at 7, then personal devotion time. We have one class in the morning. we have one speaker per week who focuses on one topic. this week we are learning about world view, so much i never realized. I didnt know I had a worldview. It is everything I have grown up with, what my church has taught me.
then we have lunch, which is always sandwhichs. That is ok for now, but I hear we will get very tired of it. In the afternoon we have work duties, such as cleaning, or cooking. Like i previously mentioned, my duty is dinner. So I have some time off in the afternoons which i spend doing this - writing. It seems like a light schedule, but we are beginning to fill it. This week is more orientation, we will start some outreach things next week as we begin to know more of where God is leading us. this week we are getting to know each other, praying together and learning the city. I still cant believe i live in Europe.
Right now we dont have a dryer, just a washer. in order for everyone to do laundery you have to do 6 loads a day, then they have to dry by hanging. i hope we get a dryer, how do you hang dry outside in the winter?
Our schedule is pretty light. we have breakfast at 7, then personal devotion time. We have one class in the morning. we have one speaker per week who focuses on one topic. this week we are learning about world view, so much i never realized. I didnt know I had a worldview. It is everything I have grown up with, what my church has taught me.
then we have lunch, which is always sandwhichs. That is ok for now, but I hear we will get very tired of it. In the afternoon we have work duties, such as cleaning, or cooking. Like i previously mentioned, my duty is dinner. So I have some time off in the afternoons which i spend doing this - writing. It seems like a light schedule, but we are beginning to fill it. This week is more orientation, we will start some outreach things next week as we begin to know more of where God is leading us. this week we are getting to know each other, praying together and learning the city. I still cant believe i live in Europe.
Monday, September 24, 2007
I am here
Well here I am sitting on my roof stairing at the few stars I can count. My house is only minutes from downtown so the city lights block view of mosty of the starts, but that is ok for now because of all the other beautiful things I can see. Inside I can hear the voice of one of my roomates playing and singing worship music. I am snacking on cookies and thinking about all of you.
How different it is here - yet so much the same. there are different foods (no milk or pennut butter), more homelessness, communist apartments left over from the eighties, and of course the different language. But it is so much the same. There are still hurting people, people that love Jesus, families that play at the park, shoppers, walkers, runners and business people. They enjoy food and entertainment - so I guess it is not that different from home.
In my group there are 15 students. 9 girls, (5 of which share a loft on the 4th floor with me), 4 guys and a young married couple. We officially start tomorrow and will have orientation, prayer, worship and beginning of classes. We are ready to jump right into things. I am the youngest of the group, and am for once enjoying it. Most of us are from america, but those who are not, I truly enjoy their accent and getting to learn their culture as well. Public transportation is very important here and I already am getting the bus and tram down. I have done sight seeing in the city and thoroughly enjoy it. I am trying to take pictures now, because the longer I am here the less interesting everything will seem.
How to pray? Much of you have asked? For unity of the students, many of us are the same, we left America with no idea why…. If we can come together and bind with one mind we can accomplish much. (2) language barriar. I guess Hungarian is like the 3 hardest language in the world (glad I found that out after ariving here). I am slowing learning, but my vocabulary consits of only a few words right now. Thank you so much to all of you whom have been praying, it truly has been noticed. I have had not jet lag nor culture shock. I am not homesick (besides wanting my bed), for now there is no place I would rather be. I know that this has been an easy transition because so many have been continually lifting me up.
Well this is just the beginning and I thought I would let you know how I was doing and how things are here. Feel free to write me anytime, currently we do have internet at our house so I will be checking daily. May God bless all of you, especially those of you in the Salem area who are preparing for revivial in the schools - I pray daily and look forward to the report. God is moving not only in the Salem area he is taking over the world - it was already started in Oregon - that is why I have had to move on.
In Him, Heather Anne
How different it is here - yet so much the same. there are different foods (no milk or pennut butter), more homelessness, communist apartments left over from the eighties, and of course the different language. But it is so much the same. There are still hurting people, people that love Jesus, families that play at the park, shoppers, walkers, runners and business people. They enjoy food and entertainment - so I guess it is not that different from home.
In my group there are 15 students. 9 girls, (5 of which share a loft on the 4th floor with me), 4 guys and a young married couple. We officially start tomorrow and will have orientation, prayer, worship and beginning of classes. We are ready to jump right into things. I am the youngest of the group, and am for once enjoying it. Most of us are from america, but those who are not, I truly enjoy their accent and getting to learn their culture as well. Public transportation is very important here and I already am getting the bus and tram down. I have done sight seeing in the city and thoroughly enjoy it. I am trying to take pictures now, because the longer I am here the less interesting everything will seem.
How to pray? Much of you have asked? For unity of the students, many of us are the same, we left America with no idea why…. If we can come together and bind with one mind we can accomplish much. (2) language barriar. I guess Hungarian is like the 3 hardest language in the world (glad I found that out after ariving here). I am slowing learning, but my vocabulary consits of only a few words right now. Thank you so much to all of you whom have been praying, it truly has been noticed. I have had not jet lag nor culture shock. I am not homesick (besides wanting my bed), for now there is no place I would rather be. I know that this has been an easy transition because so many have been continually lifting me up.
Well this is just the beginning and I thought I would let you know how I was doing and how things are here. Feel free to write me anytime, currently we do have internet at our house so I will be checking daily. May God bless all of you, especially those of you in the Salem area who are preparing for revivial in the schools - I pray daily and look forward to the report. God is moving not only in the Salem area he is taking over the world - it was already started in Oregon - that is why I have had to move on.
In Him, Heather Anne
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