Hopefully, my disappearance hasn’t been too long that
everybody who has read this blog in the past has came and went. It has been a
LONG time since I have posted. But, I would LOVE to fill you in on what has
happened and IS happening with me.
Since Tanzania, a BUNCH of things have been happening. Below are some
highlights, stories, and things that I have experienced.
UGANDA: This was a month of PREACHING and
TEACHING. Two things, that I am not fond of in the least! I had committed
myself to do whatever the first thing our contact gave us to do, and to do it
whole heartedly. The first thing our contact asked from us, was one volunteer
to lead a Bible Study in the community that night and encourage the believers.
GULP!
I have never been overly fond of public speaking, and I had been able to avoid
it for much of the race. Give me a microphone and tell me to be goofy and I
shine, but ask me to prepare a bible study! CRAZY!
Why did I make this STUPID
commitment?! Why?
Uganda pushed me into a ministry I had NEVER ever wanted to experience, but
grew so much in, over the course of the time there.
IRELAND: The AWAKENING had begun. What I been experiencing for
the past months… the lessons, the cultures, the scents, the people could all
be put on hold, for a chance to REENERGIZE. NOT EXACTLY!
Awakening proved to be a time to get refueled and re-committed, but it proved
to be time a to return to to NORMALITY, if I may. What I had experienced in
Asia and in Africa were completely different than the Westernized soil I
stepped onto. Culture shock anyone?
Who knew that the one time on the
race where I get affected by culture shock, was when I was returning to
something I used to know?
Ireland was
also the place where I was given THREE visions. Visions that dealt with
three different things I had grown a passion for. Things that I wanted to see,
and ways for them to happen.
I: BibleDump – The Bible is the GREATEST book on
Earth! Though in many countries, cities, towns and villages around the globe,
The Bible is unknown, undervalued, or just forgotten. The Bible is the most
important book in the World yet, time and time again… It sits on peoples
shelves, lodges itself inside people’s inactive, dying hearts or just plain old
doesn’t exsist.
This needs to CHANGE!
I have started a blog
site and Facebook group to start spreading the news. Please feel free to join,
follow and participate. Link to Blog Below.
II: Couch Surfing Evangelism – To uproot Christians to travel to places, stay in homes,
and share God’s love with those they meet and stay with. Also, to open up
Christian households or church buildings, to couch surfers worldwide. In the
past the church building was a refuge for those who needed it. It’s doors were
open all week, and if people needed help, people would know where to go. Today
the church is not the first place that people would even think of going if they
need help. There is something wrong with that. Couch Surfing Evangelism is
looking to inspire churches and church families to open up their doors to
people more often. Many couch surfers are doing just that, to meet new people
and help people out.
III: Lead and Disciple More – I am actually confirmed, to be leading a team of REAL
LIFERS (If that is the correct term) to a currently undetermined country on this
beautiful Earth. I am very excited to be able to continue growth in the area of
Leadership, but also grow in my everyday relationship with The Lord, and many
other areas of life.
IRELAND PROVED TO BE A
GREAT WEEK!
That felt like a month.
ROMANIA: In Romania we worked along side
Casa Shalom (House of Peace) working with Gypsy’s and cleaning, organizing
around the house. This month had all the comforts we left home with, great
food, easy to access Internet, comfortable beds. You get the idea. Many of us were
trying to seek out ways to not become comfortable in a situation with so much
comfort.
In Asia you could always know you are not in too comfortable
a place, when you can’t sit on a toilet. Some may think it was easier to do
ministry for people who didn’t have toilet. Or in Africa, walking KMs to a road
to get a ride into town. When Europe hit, we didn’t need to do those things
anymore. Even just small things made a HUGE difference.
I noticed with myself I was learning to have things taken
away from me. My rights, my privileges, my wants. But when I was in a ‘normal’
place, I wanted it ALL back. It was extremely hard to delve into others when I
wanted to delve into myself. Crazy! “That was not why I came on the World
Race!� I had to tell myself that daily. I want to be a WORLD CHANGER not
CHANGED BY THE WORLD. That is why I was there.
I am glad I learned in Romania a little taste of what home
would be like. It will not be an easy transition, but I am more prepared for it
now.
PRAGUE: We are currently in Prague. This
is our eleventh country over the 10 months of the race so far.
Prague is a city with history. A history of Christianity
that flows through it’s cobble streets, empty churches and stone statues.
Christianity that lays dormant under the surface of the buildings. A
relationship with Jesus that is, expressed by the few. Prague is an atheist
city. 0.02% of it’s population is Christian. It is a place where people have
high outer walls and thin inner ones, unlike North America, where we have low outer
walls and high inner ones. This makes it extremely difficult to share anything
with the majority of this city.
As a team we have discussed many things about how to create
the greatest impact here in Prague. One solution that may seem very small, but
I believe could change this nation is smiling. Let your joy shine! People here,
mere years ago, fell under communism. Even today you can see the effects of it.
You can read it on their faces (no smiles), watch it in their step (super focused),
and smell it on their breath (Cigarettes and Beer). This is not every one. But
I do believe that this city needs joy, it needs hope, and it needs to be set
free. Sure, it was set free from communism as a country. But the country’s
people still feel the oppression.
Thanks for Catching Up!
