Sooo.. yeah I guess I can start with mentioning about a guest that we've had with us in Chile for the past week and a bit, Peter from Sweeden. He is the international co-ordinator for all teenstreets over the world. A guy with alot of experience with youth work! He gave us some teachings about mentoring and counselling with youth, and what the youth of today are asking for and needing. He was a very interesting man, and had alot of practical advice and really knew what he was talking about.
Last thursday was a really great day, we went to the hogar and were a little nervous because Lise was away with her church and so could not come with us. We decided just to have an afternoon of facepainting and playing games, to keep it simple. God blessed us enormously, we had such a good time with the boys, they were respectful and wanted to be around us. We all really enjoyed ourselves, I really loved doing the face paint because there was an oportunity for conversation, and also just the opportunity to give one boy so much attention at one time, which is really what they need.
Last thursday we also had a group time. Our leader set us a task which is designed to bring up group dynamics. We had to discuss the design of a new city, and we each had our different priorities about what had to be in the city etc. It was a pretty mundane task, but it causes quite a discussion. It brough up some issues within the group and was quite a painful time for some people to bring these things up. It was a difficult time for all of us, and I know I stuggled as confrontation is really really not my thing. But I really felt God was there in the conversation, things came up that really should have done, and although it may have hurt, now we are looking at how we can begin to mend the cracks that are appearing. I have to say, alot of the things were quite a surprise to me, we all have a very good ability to pretend everything is really great when actually things are not. I was happy, and I assumed everybody else was happy because I wasn't getting any other signals. I was glad we could discuss these things, but was upset that people were hurting like they were and could not have said anything before. I really love everybody on my team, we are all getting really close and have begun to really share the real things that are happening. I can see how after the discussion things have gotten even better though. God really knows what he is doing eh.
On Tuesday we went to a bible study group at a local English speaking church. I was really looking forward to giong because we had a really good programme, and we would be able to speak in English, and it would just be nice and easy! But I was surprised how much being around these people really broke my heart. These lovely business men who seemed to have everything, but there was something when I spoke to them that just felt as if they really had nothing. Very few of them were really using their resources effectively, and it felt like such a waste of a blessing! I am praying against judging them, and really forcing myself not to, but my heart really breaks when I see how much potential they have, but they really are not tapping in to it. They seem to have a very warm welcome to the church, but a very cold exterior to the rest of the city. If they had concern for some of the people we work with, it came across more as a concern because they are dirtying the streets. It really reminded me of some of the attitudes of people in Europe, and actually really brought to my mind how much I want to help these people. I saw more poverty there than I did in the evening in the homeless ministry. There is one man whom we see each week on the streets called Hugo, he is such a legend. He used to be in prison, and became a believer when missionaries visited the prison, then when he was released he went back to prisons.. to speak about the gospel. He is stil living on the street, but he is living for God with everything he has. Each week he tells us of how God has provided food for him, and clothes, and last week he even spoke about how he found a newspaper and wanted to do the crossword because he loves doing them, but didn't have a pen, he prayed for one, and found this really really posh looking pen! Amazing! When we rely on God for everything, he will provide abundantly. This is the kind of blessing I want. I do not want blessings from this world that may make me feel like I am secure, or that I have everything I need. I want blessings from God! I would rather live like Hugo each day, and know my God as intimatly as he does, than to live in a big house like one of the men I met at that study and not be using my everything for the glory of God.
I have also been thinking alot recently about dreams.. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before on my blog, but God has really been speaking to me about my future alot. I am starting to see that God can really do much bigger things through me that I was expecting. And he will. Some of the thoughts that I have in my head seem so crazy, but so exciting, I would love to do something that there is no chance I can do on my own. That way it can show others how God is doing these things and not anybody else. I think God quite often does things in a way that this is the case. If there is an opportunity for God to do something and show his glory and power through it, he quite often will do that thing! For example when Gideon is called to defeat the Midianites God asks him to reduce his army down to an embarassing amount just to show that nothing can limit his power, and that he can make greatness out of seamingly impossible situations.
* Please pray for the team, that we can continue to grow closer together and that any other issues will be resolved in this period before it gets so close to the end of our time here
* Please pray for the work in the hogar, pray that we can have more times where we really connect with the boys.
* Pray for the bible study group that we went to visit. pray for one of our teachers called Hal who is working with them. He is also a part of OM. Pray that God gives him patience, wisdom and determination to reach these men.
*Pray for the continued work of Peter within OM preparing TeenStreets all over the world. Pray that God will continue to work through him and give him wisdom and insight as to how to keep these conferences running.
*Pray for God's direction through my life. Pray that God will reveal to me more of his plans for my future. Pray that he will open doors where he wants to, but also to close them where things are not of him.
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