I am going to be in Capetown in exactly a week. So crazy to think about. I am ready to go!!! I am getting so excited, but also quite apprehensive because I don't know exactly what to expect with everything. There has also been a bit of a change to my team. Due to finances (or lack of..) three people on my team, one is our leader, won't be coming but are instead doing and outreach in Indonesia. So my team is down to seven students, one leader. At first I was pretty upset about this change, but I'm ok with it now. I really believe that God is going to use whatever situation and work it all out for the good. With a smaller team, we will be able to get super close and work really well together. It'll be awesome no matter what. And I also had to realize that I'm not going for a vacation, so the social part shouldn't be my number one priority. God is going to use our team to do so much awesome stuff! I am excited to see what happens!
Last week's topic in class was Missions, with Paul Childers. Such a good week! I wasn't too excited going into the week because I didn't want to sit there and listen to a big sales pitch on why we should become missionaries and stuff, but it wasn't like that at all. Paul was such a great speaker - so passionate and real. He presented us with like a billion ways we can get involved in missions, and showed us how a missionary doesn't have to be someone who lives in a grass hut in the middle of Africa. There are a lot of opportunities and they all seem pretty sweet. We talked a lot about areas of injustice in the world and what we can do to fix them. I don't know exactly what my future will hold, but I do know that there is no reason to live a boring life. There are so many opportunities, so many things to be involved with! Definately an inspiring week! This week we are learning about Spiritual Warfare, which should be interesting. The speaker is really good, so we'll see how it goes..
I don't know what kind of access I'll have to a computer in Capetown, but I'll try and update as much as possible. I hope you are all well!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Fathers and dance parties
Such a good week. I can't believe that we just finished week 10 and there is only two weeks left until I am going to CAPETOWN!! But it's still two weeks so I need to focus on being here. This past week of classes has been so good - one of my favourite weeks for sure. Our speaker was so cool. He was kind of all over the place when he talked - super energetic and crazy. He also had a really unique way of teaching. He would ask us to tell stories from our lives and then use them to teach or illustrate a point. He was really personal and gave everyone individual attention. Our topic for the week was "the father heart of God" so we talked a lot about our earthly father's and how that affects our view of God as our heavenly father. So I was reminded this week of how awesome my dad is. I really gained a whole new appreciation for him.. and now I miss him andw my whole family a lot. How awesome would it be if they could just come visit me here? Or if anyone could come visit me for that matter... I really liked this week because I feel like I got a glimpse of how much God loves me, and loves me personally. I feel like a lot of truth was spoken into me about how God sees me and how he is proud of me and has an awesome plan for my future. A good week, for sure.
To totally change the topic, we had the most epic dance party last night. The theme was jungle fever so we all got dressed up as either animals of just crazy jungle people. I teased my hair and then smeared heaps of dirt all over me - so good. The classroom got all decorated up and we had food and everything. And then we just rocked out for hours and danced it up! I love how comfortable I feel around these people that I can just totally let loose and have fun. I think that we are all so close to one another that it doesn't matter how stupid of weird we look because we are all just having so much fun. I cannot dance at all... but it doesn't even matter! I will definately look back on this as a great memory!
There is something I just wanted to throw out there. As you know, we are leaving for outreach in two weeks. There are still quite a few people who don't have the complete finances to go. As a class there is still the need of just under $70,000 that needs to come in so everyone can go. We know that outreach and missions is all a part of God's desire to see us go into the nations and proclaim his word, but we can't do that without the finances. As a school we have been doing some fundraising and have been really committed to praying for the money to come in. Individuals have also been sending out support letters and contacting their families and friends, asking for support. Now here is the thing. I have all the money I need. God has been good and has provided for me fully. So I don't need any more money, but I do have team mates who do. If anyone wanted to financially support our school, that would be so much appreciated. An easy way to do this is to go to the website: https://www.ywamperth.org.au/007/payonline.asp and pay online with a credit card. All you need to make sure to do is specify that you want to donate to the Young People's dts outreach fees and it will go into the pool of money which will then be dispersed among people who need it the most.
I don't want anyone to feel any pressure to give, but I just wanted to put it out there. As we go into the nations, we will be learning so much about ourselves and so much about what God has for us. We are going to be partnering with other YWAM bases, and with schools and churches. We will be heading into slum areas and serve them practically. We will also be doing a lot of street evangelism, bringing the word of God to the people of the city. It's an exciting adventure for sure and I want everyone to be able to come! If you don't feel led to financially support, PRAYER IS JUST AS IMPORTANT!! We need prayer for finances, for unity in the teams, for the leaders, for safety and for so much more. So that would be awesome too.
Thank you all so much! I love you guys and hope you are doing awesome!
To totally change the topic, we had the most epic dance party last night. The theme was jungle fever so we all got dressed up as either animals of just crazy jungle people. I teased my hair and then smeared heaps of dirt all over me - so good. The classroom got all decorated up and we had food and everything. And then we just rocked out for hours and danced it up! I love how comfortable I feel around these people that I can just totally let loose and have fun. I think that we are all so close to one another that it doesn't matter how stupid of weird we look because we are all just having so much fun. I cannot dance at all... but it doesn't even matter! I will definately look back on this as a great memory!
There is something I just wanted to throw out there. As you know, we are leaving for outreach in two weeks. There are still quite a few people who don't have the complete finances to go. As a class there is still the need of just under $70,000 that needs to come in so everyone can go. We know that outreach and missions is all a part of God's desire to see us go into the nations and proclaim his word, but we can't do that without the finances. As a school we have been doing some fundraising and have been really committed to praying for the money to come in. Individuals have also been sending out support letters and contacting their families and friends, asking for support. Now here is the thing. I have all the money I need. God has been good and has provided for me fully. So I don't need any more money, but I do have team mates who do. If anyone wanted to financially support our school, that would be so much appreciated. An easy way to do this is to go to the website: https://www.ywamperth.org.au/007/payonline.asp and pay online with a credit card. All you need to make sure to do is specify that you want to donate to the Young People's dts outreach fees and it will go into the pool of money which will then be dispersed among people who need it the most.
I don't want anyone to feel any pressure to give, but I just wanted to put it out there. As we go into the nations, we will be learning so much about ourselves and so much about what God has for us. We are going to be partnering with other YWAM bases, and with schools and churches. We will be heading into slum areas and serve them practically. We will also be doing a lot of street evangelism, bringing the word of God to the people of the city. It's an exciting adventure for sure and I want everyone to be able to come! If you don't feel led to financially support, PRAYER IS JUST AS IMPORTANT!! We need prayer for finances, for unity in the teams, for the leaders, for safety and for so much more. So that would be awesome too.
Thank you all so much! I love you guys and hope you are doing awesome!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Week 9!
I seriously can not believe how fast time is flying here. In a month I will be in South Africa!! So crazy to think about. I am really really excited. We are focusing a lot on outreach now... especially the finances part. There are quite a few people who do not have all the money yet, so we have all been praying about it on a daily basis. There has been really cool stories already about money coming in, thousands of dollars for some people! It's pretty cool to see how God provides and will continue to provide.
Although I am excited about outreach, I'm still here for a bit and there is a lot going on and a lot more to come. This week's teaching is on "authority and submission" so basically all about leaders and what makes a good leader and how we need to submit to our leaders. For me it is interesting because I have been in a leadership position at camp and stuff and hope to be doing that in the future as well so I am learning a lot. Also our speaker is hilarious! He is really great. I laugh my head off every lecture. I feel like the past few weeks have been super intense, so this is a nice little break. I can't believe how much I am learning here. Every week there is more to learn, to process and to grow in. At times I feel overwhelmed because I can't process all the information that's in my head. I still have stuff to think about from week 2... However. I do believe that outreach is going to be a time where I can practically apply all I have learnt. It will be cool to put it all in to practice.
I don't really know what else to say except that things are still going good. I have been so blessed by my roomates. We all just get along so well and are so close. I thought, at the beginning, a tiny room full of 10 girls would be drama central, but it hasn't been at all. We get on so well and I really feel very supported by them. And we have tons of fun.. last night we all stayed up way too late (considering we are up at 5:30am...) telling silly stories and just laughing so hard. It was pretty great. I just can't believe there is only a month left with all of them before we split into smaller groups for outreach.. I am going to miss my roomies for sure.
Anyways, I've got to go.. do homework! We actually have homework, yes, but it isn't too bad. I hope you are all doing well!
Although I am excited about outreach, I'm still here for a bit and there is a lot going on and a lot more to come. This week's teaching is on "authority and submission" so basically all about leaders and what makes a good leader and how we need to submit to our leaders. For me it is interesting because I have been in a leadership position at camp and stuff and hope to be doing that in the future as well so I am learning a lot. Also our speaker is hilarious! He is really great. I laugh my head off every lecture. I feel like the past few weeks have been super intense, so this is a nice little break. I can't believe how much I am learning here. Every week there is more to learn, to process and to grow in. At times I feel overwhelmed because I can't process all the information that's in my head. I still have stuff to think about from week 2... However. I do believe that outreach is going to be a time where I can practically apply all I have learnt. It will be cool to put it all in to practice.
I don't really know what else to say except that things are still going good. I have been so blessed by my roomates. We all just get along so well and are so close. I thought, at the beginning, a tiny room full of 10 girls would be drama central, but it hasn't been at all. We get on so well and I really feel very supported by them. And we have tons of fun.. last night we all stayed up way too late (considering we are up at 5:30am...) telling silly stories and just laughing so hard. It was pretty great. I just can't believe there is only a month left with all of them before we split into smaller groups for outreach.. I am going to miss my roomies for sure.
Anyways, I've got to go.. do homework! We actually have homework, yes, but it isn't too bad. I hope you are all doing well!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Birthday!
Happy Birthday to me :)
This was the first birthday I have had ever being away from home and it was also probably one of the best. I am just amazed at how amazing all my friends here are. Everyone went out of there way to make it an awesome day for me. I really appreciate all they did. I woke up in the morning with this big sign hanging down by my face saying happy birthday. Then I opened the package I got from home (which I got almost two weeks early so I had to wait!!) and it was great!! There was a lot of food in it.. so good. And the best was reading the cards from my family! And I also got a card from Grandma and Auntie Diane.. also really great to read. I also got a special birthday table at dinner... I had to choose 7 people to sit with me which is impossible! So to be fair, and because I chouldn't choose, I did a random draw of my roomates. I got a couple presents - a travelling mug from the whole school and then a novel from two of my close friends. And then later in the evening my roomates through me a surprise dance party, complete with tim tams and other food. And then a bunch of people went in to town with me to get bubble tea to celebrate. I really couldn't believe all the effort everyone went into to make it a special day for me. I am so greatful to have such awesome friends! I definately had a good 19th birthday :)
This week in classes we are covering the topic of Lordship, so basically the idea of giving everything over to God and giving him control of your life. I know that I really like being in control, especially over things like finances, so this is a challenging topic. But challenging in a good way. I think this is one week that will be really beneficial for me looking into the future and the great mystery that it is.. I have been thinking a bit of the fall and if I'll be in school or whatever and I am really not sure. Being here I feel like there is a lot more for me to experience and a lot of possibilities and directions to take. So I don't know what I am doing.. but I will trust that God will lead me in the right direction.
I here it snowed today back home.. that's so crazy because it is smoking hot here! It has been hot (we're talking 37, 38 degrees) and humid for a while now. I just sweat so much everyday.. especially doing dishes in the kitchen!! But the past couple days have been less humid, so not as much sweat. I was actually cold in the air conditioned class this morning. So nice. And I shouldn't complain. I love the summer and the sun and being in Australia for it all. I'm pretty sure we are going to have a little late night swim tonight :) Should be good!
This was the first birthday I have had ever being away from home and it was also probably one of the best. I am just amazed at how amazing all my friends here are. Everyone went out of there way to make it an awesome day for me. I really appreciate all they did. I woke up in the morning with this big sign hanging down by my face saying happy birthday. Then I opened the package I got from home (which I got almost two weeks early so I had to wait!!) and it was great!! There was a lot of food in it.. so good. And the best was reading the cards from my family! And I also got a card from Grandma and Auntie Diane.. also really great to read. I also got a special birthday table at dinner... I had to choose 7 people to sit with me which is impossible! So to be fair, and because I chouldn't choose, I did a random draw of my roomates. I got a couple presents - a travelling mug from the whole school and then a novel from two of my close friends. And then later in the evening my roomates through me a surprise dance party, complete with tim tams and other food. And then a bunch of people went in to town with me to get bubble tea to celebrate. I really couldn't believe all the effort everyone went into to make it a special day for me. I am so greatful to have such awesome friends! I definately had a good 19th birthday :)
This week in classes we are covering the topic of Lordship, so basically the idea of giving everything over to God and giving him control of your life. I know that I really like being in control, especially over things like finances, so this is a challenging topic. But challenging in a good way. I think this is one week that will be really beneficial for me looking into the future and the great mystery that it is.. I have been thinking a bit of the fall and if I'll be in school or whatever and I am really not sure. Being here I feel like there is a lot more for me to experience and a lot of possibilities and directions to take. So I don't know what I am doing.. but I will trust that God will lead me in the right direction.
I here it snowed today back home.. that's so crazy because it is smoking hot here! It has been hot (we're talking 37, 38 degrees) and humid for a while now. I just sweat so much everyday.. especially doing dishes in the kitchen!! But the past couple days have been less humid, so not as much sweat. I was actually cold in the air conditioned class this morning. So nice. And I shouldn't complain. I love the summer and the sun and being in Australia for it all. I'm pretty sure we are going to have a little late night swim tonight :) Should be good!
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