Blessings November 26, 2009

When I first got here, I wondered if living in community would be a challenge.  I’m with the same people, pretty much 24/7.  But it has turned out to be quite the opposite.  It’s such a blessing to be in this environment that is just oozing with brotherly/sisterly love.

Yesterday morning, the guys came over to the girls’ house with breakfast they had gotten up early to cook for us.  Usually, the guys have breakfast in the dining room, and the girls stay at our house to eat (cereal and toast).  But yesterday the guys surprised us with chocolate chip pancakes, fruit, yogurt, BACON (!!), juice – everything we could have possibly wanted for breakfast!  And then they did our dishes!  All just because they love us and wanted to bless us.

It just so happens that on the very same day, some of the girls had planned to do something special to bless the guys.  This was a complete coincidence that it happened on the same day – neither group had any idea the other group had been planning anything at all.  Some of the girls spent part of the afternoon baking apple crisp and bread pudding.  They cut out construction-paper hands and put a name on each one.  We all wrote encouraging words for each guy on his paper hand.  Later in the evening after dinner, a group of girls went over and got the guys, blindfolded them, and led them back to our house in a very round-about way (through a field, over a fence, etc. – all blindfolded … you know how boys like adventure).  Then we sat them down and read them their encouraging words, then we all had the warm dessert (with ice cream) and coffee.  What a fun day!

These are big examples of the love that abounds here, but people do little things all the time.  Just the other day, I was sitting at the table working on something, and one of the girls came over and made me a cup of coffee – just because she knows I like coffee.  At least a couple times a week someone will pull out a box of biscuits  or chocolates to share.  Several students have made payments on other students’ outreach fee accounts.  People give each other compliments and encouragements on a daily basis.  These so-called “little” things have enormous impact.  As DC Talk used to say, “Love is a verb,” and I’m surrounded by people who really understand that.

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
I Corinthians 13: 1-3

Getting Ready To “Go Out In Joy” November 22, 2009

Hello again from New Zealand!  The Earth Care DTS team is three weeks away from leaving for training in Bali, and five weeks away from Cambodia!  I’m starting to get really excited about the work we’ll be doing.   We recently had a speaker – Rus Alit – who taught us about making water storage tanks and harvesting “bio-gas” (using the gas emitted during the decomposition of organic material – e.g., pig manure – for fuel).  He also showed us how to make a simple water pump.  We’ll learn more from Rus when we go to stay with him in Bali, and we’re all looking forward to it.  I feel like I have a lot to learn before we go to Cambodia, but the most important part is loving the people, and for that I am ready!

I’ve been feeling a little homesick this week, and struggling with apathy.  I just felt really down for most of the week, for no reason whatsoever.  Until Thursday evening – I snapped out of the funk, started smiling from my heart again, and just had to jump for joy as I was walking to dinner.  Those of you who know me well can picture it, I’m sure.   Some have suggested that it wasn’t just a “funk” but a spiritual attack.  If that was the case, it was certainly the prayers of someone else that helped pull me out of it, so I thank you quite sincerely for continuing to pray for me.  Especially as we get ready for outreach.  We will be heading to some spiritually dark places.  “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but … against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).  Praise God that the battle belongs to him!  “In this world you will have tribulations,” Jesus said.  “But take heart!  I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  We go into these places “‘not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6).  We are all preparing ourselves to carefully and intentionally stay in tune with God’s Spirit.   Please continue to pray for the love of Christ to shine through.  “Don’t try to push out the darkness,” one of our speakers said recently.  “Just bring in the light!”

This is a little random, but I want to take a minute to publicly thank my dad for being a man of God.  Our speaker this week, Mark Parker, suggested that when the devil wants to destroy a society or a family, he goes after the fathers.  My father has been such a blessing in my life, and I thank God for him.  Thank you, Dad, for following the Lord and leading me to do the same.  Your steadfast faith is a testament to the grace of God.  I love you.

Outreach fees are due at the end of November (next week!) – God had other plans for some of the money I had set aside for my outreach, so please join me in continuing to pray for God’s provision.  Most importantly, please pray for the people of Cambodia and the work that God will do there using us as tools.  I’d like to say again, thank you to those of you who have been praying, and to those of you who have also been moved to help financially.  If God is leading you to financially support this mission, see my post on “Donations” for ways you can help.

“[The Lord declares,]
‘As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.’”
Isaiah 55: 10-13