It's been so long since I've updated this blog and only God knows why. Maybe it's just that I don't feel too confident in which direction I want to pursue, or maybe it's just that I've been busy. Here's an update with what I've been busy with:
I got back to California (from Macedonia) on August 29th, 2010. Since then, I've started working as the interim manager at an A/G owned campground. They're looking for full time/long term managers but in the mean time, things need to stay operational, and that's what I'm doing. I'm running a small grocery/camp store, pumping propane, and renting out our campsites. Other than that, I'm helping to launch a children's ministry at New Hope Assembly in Garberville, California. It's still small but the church only launched it's re-plant last April, less than a year ago. The church in general has been growing but as far as the children's ministry is concerned, it seems to be pretty slow going and at times I find it hard not to get discouraged about it. But I do know that in order for it to grow, the general congregation has to be more committed to the church and then to its ministries and start reaching out to the kids of the community. All I hope is that I will possibly reach a few and leave a sort of template for how to lead the children's ministry so that someone else can come in and pick up where I leave off in the future.
So that's my life right now in a nutshell. I'm taking advantage of having a small income and smaller outgo, and am pursuing a couple musical instruments a bit more actively, with the newest being drums. Now I am playing: Saxophone, Bass Guitar, Accousitic Guitar, and Drums.
As far as my future goes, I'm praying for direction. I'm going to be applying to AGTS for next fall. I'm thinking about pursuing a Masters of Arts in Intercultural Ministry with a possible focus in Muslim Ministries. I'm not sure that's where God wants me but I'm fleecing Him out, knowing that if it's where He wants me, He'll fling the doors open and if it's not, He'll slam them shut. God speaks to us in so many different ways, and it's hard to see that sometimes, that we might limit Him to speak to us and guide is in the same way He did it for us last time. So with that said, I'm trying to keep an open heart about what it is He wants. All I really want to do with my life is go where He leads and do what He wants.
So, pray for me that He will lead, as He always does in His own ways. Pray for patience as I wait on Him.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The Writing In The Fog
In the Bible, in the book of Daniel (chapter 5), there is reference to a story where a hand appears in a room full of people and begins writing on the wall...
Lately though, I've been learning a lot from the writing in the fog... Let me explain:
We have recently opened a new soup kitchen across the street from the poorest of the poor in Shutka. 90% of the 60-70 kids we feed daily are new to us and present a new sphere of influence for us to work in. Most of the kids come from very difficult circumstances that most Americans couldn't even fathom. We have amazing opportunities every day to shine a light of hope into their lives and have already started to see changes taking place. Their attitudes are changing and they are always full of joy, not to mention a ton of energy! The kitchen we are serving them from is being rented from a Muslim man, his only requirement of us is not to put a cross on the building, and it is full of windows. Every day we cook our soup on a wood stove, and for me that means that I get to play with fire, I mean, start and keep a fire going every day. As the water heats up though, it steams up the room and without a ventilation system most kitchens have, the steam clings to the windows. As most of the kids we serve there know less Macedonian than I do, I've started trying to learn Romani a little at a time. Romani isn't a written language, so taking a class like I did for Macedonian is pretty much impossible. Fortunately, there are 3 believers from our church that are paid staff and work with me every day, and know Macedonian and Romani. One of them has a 12 year old daughter who has probably gone farther in school than most of the other kids will ever go, and knows Macedonian quite well. She has started to teach me important words and phrases in Romani through writing them in the fog on the windows using Macedonian letters. It's so exciting! I've learned the basic greetings, basic counting, words for bread, water, juice, how to ask if the kids want different things. I know some languages can only be learned through full immersion but I never would have imagined that would mean learning a language from the writing in the fog! Hopefully, learning Romani little by little will open doors to changing the lives of these kids. I learned a long time ago that if you are trying to share God's love,you should try to do so in the heart language of the people, not the most common language. I just wish I had begun to learn Romani sooner, but at least I can learn it now, thanks to the foggy windows!
If you ever need to learn a language, just find a foggy window and start writing in the fog! It may take longer than a class, but in some circumstances, it may be the only option, and believe me, it works!
Lately though, I've been learning a lot from the writing in the fog... Let me explain:
We have recently opened a new soup kitchen across the street from the poorest of the poor in Shutka. 90% of the 60-70 kids we feed daily are new to us and present a new sphere of influence for us to work in. Most of the kids come from very difficult circumstances that most Americans couldn't even fathom. We have amazing opportunities every day to shine a light of hope into their lives and have already started to see changes taking place. Their attitudes are changing and they are always full of joy, not to mention a ton of energy! The kitchen we are serving them from is being rented from a Muslim man, his only requirement of us is not to put a cross on the building, and it is full of windows. Every day we cook our soup on a wood stove, and for me that means that I get to play with fire, I mean, start and keep a fire going every day. As the water heats up though, it steams up the room and without a ventilation system most kitchens have, the steam clings to the windows. As most of the kids we serve there know less Macedonian than I do, I've started trying to learn Romani a little at a time. Romani isn't a written language, so taking a class like I did for Macedonian is pretty much impossible. Fortunately, there are 3 believers from our church that are paid staff and work with me every day, and know Macedonian and Romani. One of them has a 12 year old daughter who has probably gone farther in school than most of the other kids will ever go, and knows Macedonian quite well. She has started to teach me important words and phrases in Romani through writing them in the fog on the windows using Macedonian letters. It's so exciting! I've learned the basic greetings, basic counting, words for bread, water, juice, how to ask if the kids want different things. I know some languages can only be learned through full immersion but I never would have imagined that would mean learning a language from the writing in the fog! Hopefully, learning Romani little by little will open doors to changing the lives of these kids. I learned a long time ago that if you are trying to share God's love,you should try to do so in the heart language of the people, not the most common language. I just wish I had begun to learn Romani sooner, but at least I can learn it now, thanks to the foggy windows!
If you ever need to learn a language, just find a foggy window and start writing in the fog! It may take longer than a class, but in some circumstances, it may be the only option, and believe me, it works!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Children's Christmas Service
Every year we hold a special children's service for Christmas. This year was a bit more adventurous than it was last year. Last year we were in the smaller building able to fit maybe 80 people total. This year, we didn't quite have as many chairs out as we could have, but there were many people standing. We packed in around 140 kids and numerous parents for the service. It was a blast to say the least, a little difficult to maintain order for those of us with the crowd control/security job.
The format was thus:
We opened the doors at 2 PM and Dustin and Britney, two other MA's serving in Macedonia, were playing Christmas songs.
The kids would enter a few at a time and get a plate of cookies and a cup of hot chocolate, then find their seats.
Then we started the service with some singing for the kids, lead by about 8 puppets and Brian.
Finally, the tradition at Shutka is to read and have some of the kids from the crowd dress up and act out the Christmas story from the Bible. We may have had between 15 to 20 kids involved this year so it was far more involving for the kids!
After the Christmas story, we had about 30 of the kids help perform a song. It was great, there was traditional dancing in a circle with the group of girls, some break dancing by the guys, and a couple of girls sang the song in Macedonian!
After all our activities, we passed out all the packets. After past experience, we waited 'till dark the night before and snuck in our van load of Christmas packets. It felt a little like Mission Impossible when we had to park the van at the top of the hill out of site and have me walk down (wearing my hood) and unlock the gate, then signal the van to come with a wave of my cell phone. The night watchman across the street wasn't even sure who was there last night until he asked me today if it was me! Any way, we got 150 packets for this year so it was a close call having 140 kids show up. Some of the kids left before the end of the program 'cause they still didn't know that we were giving the packets out! Praise God the word didn't get around this time! We gave a packet to every kid who showed up and stayed to the end, and we had only minor incidents with people trying to get packets after the fact, ranging to include one boy trying to jump the fence and ask for one when we were cleaning up. When we were passing them out, I stood guard at the door so once people went outside they couldn't try to come back in and get a second packet, and our pastor was outside at the gate holding the random other people at bay who thought they might be able to talk their way into getting an easy handout.
The kids loved the packets and enjoyed the service, it really was a great time. I think a lot of the kids really felt what is so special about Christmas this year. Thanks again to all who pitched in to help! It would have been so much more difficult without you!
The format was thus:
We opened the doors at 2 PM and Dustin and Britney, two other MA's serving in Macedonia, were playing Christmas songs.
The kids would enter a few at a time and get a plate of cookies and a cup of hot chocolate, then find their seats.
Then we started the service with some singing for the kids, lead by about 8 puppets and Brian.
Finally, the tradition at Shutka is to read and have some of the kids from the crowd dress up and act out the Christmas story from the Bible. We may have had between 15 to 20 kids involved this year so it was far more involving for the kids!
After the Christmas story, we had about 30 of the kids help perform a song. It was great, there was traditional dancing in a circle with the group of girls, some break dancing by the guys, and a couple of girls sang the song in Macedonian!
After all our activities, we passed out all the packets. After past experience, we waited 'till dark the night before and snuck in our van load of Christmas packets. It felt a little like Mission Impossible when we had to park the van at the top of the hill out of site and have me walk down (wearing my hood) and unlock the gate, then signal the van to come with a wave of my cell phone. The night watchman across the street wasn't even sure who was there last night until he asked me today if it was me! Any way, we got 150 packets for this year so it was a close call having 140 kids show up. Some of the kids left before the end of the program 'cause they still didn't know that we were giving the packets out! Praise God the word didn't get around this time! We gave a packet to every kid who showed up and stayed to the end, and we had only minor incidents with people trying to get packets after the fact, ranging to include one boy trying to jump the fence and ask for one when we were cleaning up. When we were passing them out, I stood guard at the door so once people went outside they couldn't try to come back in and get a second packet, and our pastor was outside at the gate holding the random other people at bay who thought they might be able to talk their way into getting an easy handout.
The kids loved the packets and enjoyed the service, it really was a great time. I think a lot of the kids really felt what is so special about Christmas this year. Thanks again to all who pitched in to help! It would have been so much more difficult without you!
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