Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Monday, December 26, 2011
To make a difference.
I want to make a difference in the world.
To Live to the highest calling God has summoned me to.
I don't really know if this can ever be easy. With so much suffering in the word, its sometimes hard to know where to start.
But sometimes God wants to start in our hearts. To teach us that we can do nothing alone. That he is the one that strengthens us to do mighty things for him.
Sometimes in the times we feel like we are doing nothing of importance,
this is when God is doing the most in the depths of our hearts.
No matter where God takes me, i know we are going there together.
Hope you have a blessed day.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Thoughts
God has really been teaching me to use where ever you are, as a mission field. You don't have to be in a third world country to make a difference.
The Boys home in Sri Lanka has really been on my heart, but going back there seemed impossible. Then God began to show me that even though I may not be able to go back at this stage, God can still use me to encourage them from over the seas.
So with this in mind I began to write to them and send packages to them. One package I sent was toys for the children. The latest one that I have just sent off was for Christmas. Inside was 5 quilts I had made for them to hang on the wall. Also I gave each child a bag of candy.
My life is so full now. I truly believe that when we start living for something bigger then ourselves, that our lives become so much richer. We start off giving to others because we want to help them but as time goes on we see that, really they have given us far greater riches.
Our lives become much more then just another day to wake up to and get through, but we learn to keep reaching for that higher goal.
The Boys home in Sri Lanka has really been on my heart, but going back there seemed impossible. Then God began to show me that even though I may not be able to go back at this stage, God can still use me to encourage them from over the seas.
So with this in mind I began to write to them and send packages to them. One package I sent was toys for the children. The latest one that I have just sent off was for Christmas. Inside was 5 quilts I had made for them to hang on the wall. Also I gave each child a bag of candy.
My life is so full now. I truly believe that when we start living for something bigger then ourselves, that our lives become so much richer. We start off giving to others because we want to help them but as time goes on we see that, really they have given us far greater riches.
Our lives become much more then just another day to wake up to and get through, but we learn to keep reaching for that higher goal.
His Mansion USA
After coming back from the ship my family and I went to His Mansion, it is a place for people who struggle with some kind of addiction, also some have been abused.
We went there for a few days to help out. To start off it was very hard as we felt on the outer and a bit in their way. But they were all very kind and soon we felt like part of the team. We chopped wood, worked in the garden and cleaned windows.
They had a church service every lunch time and it was during this time that I began to see how strong these people really were. Some may have made some bad mistakes along the way but they were willing to admit it. They were willing to say “ I can't change my life on my own, I've sinned and I want to change.
That takes great courage to admit you are weak and that you can't do it on your own. These people at his mansion taught me a lot about courage and strength.
We went there for a few days to help out. To start off it was very hard as we felt on the outer and a bit in their way. But they were all very kind and soon we felt like part of the team. We chopped wood, worked in the garden and cleaned windows.
They had a church service every lunch time and it was during this time that I began to see how strong these people really were. Some may have made some bad mistakes along the way but they were willing to admit it. They were willing to say “ I can't change my life on my own, I've sinned and I want to change.
That takes great courage to admit you are weak and that you can't do it on your own. These people at his mansion taught me a lot about courage and strength.
India
It was exciting to see india for the first time, with only a few days left before I was to fly home, I felt blessed that God had fulfilled my dream of seeing India even if only for a short time.
The ship opened for the public and soon there was long lines of people waiting in line for up to hours, one day I went down to deck 4 to connect with locals, suddenly from out of nowhere all children crowded around me. Asking me to sing, dance and just talk. It was such a amazing moment of connection, the rest of that day I met many amazing Indians.
One girl that forever sticks in my memory was a sweet 14 year old girl. She sat next to me and told me of her hopes and dreams of one day traveling abroad. As she left she begged me to never forget her.
The few days that I had in India, I wasn't able to leave the port apart from going to the airport. But the locals that came on the ship, and the volunteers that worked on the ship for a week, gave me a taste of the amazing people of India. Their beautiful hearts and smile will forever be etched in my mind.
The ship opened for the public and soon there was long lines of people waiting in line for up to hours, one day I went down to deck 4 to connect with locals, suddenly from out of nowhere all children crowded around me. Asking me to sing, dance and just talk. It was such a amazing moment of connection, the rest of that day I met many amazing Indians.
One girl that forever sticks in my memory was a sweet 14 year old girl. She sat next to me and told me of her hopes and dreams of one day traveling abroad. As she left she begged me to never forget her.
The few days that I had in India, I wasn't able to leave the port apart from going to the airport. But the locals that came on the ship, and the volunteers that worked on the ship for a week, gave me a taste of the amazing people of India. Their beautiful hearts and smile will forever be etched in my mind.
Back to the ship
It was very exciting to see the ship again after 5 weeks, it was like coming home, when we arrived back many of our friends were still on traveling back from challenge team but they soon began to arrive. There was much hugging and laughing as we exchanged stories. It felt so good to be back together again.
We were going to sail to India soon after we got back but while still on challenge team we had found out that the ship still needed work to be done on we stayed two more weeks in Sri Lanka, I was glad I had grown to love Sri Lanka and its people. Time had slowly been moving and before I knew it I only had a few weeks left.
I settled back into ship life. Working everyday with people from all over the world opened my world view up and taught me a lot about different cultures.
After being on two different challenge team, I had a lot more friends, it was nice to wake up every morning and be able to chat with like minded people over breakfast, lunch or dinner. The last few days in Sri Lanka was spent meeting people who came on board the ship to the book fair and trips into town to buy Saris and gifts for people back home.
Then suddenly it was time to leave Sri Lanka and sail to India. I stood out on the deck that night as we left Sri Lanka, watching the port that had been our home for 9 weeks get smaller and smaller.
I contemplated that even though I had come to make a difference in the lives of the Sri Lankans it was actually them who made a difference in mine, their gentle simple kind way of living had taught me more then any bible collage or famous preacher could.
They had taught me the true power of prayer, real servanthood and the treasure of being grateful for every and anything
We were going to sail to India soon after we got back but while still on challenge team we had found out that the ship still needed work to be done on we stayed two more weeks in Sri Lanka, I was glad I had grown to love Sri Lanka and its people. Time had slowly been moving and before I knew it I only had a few weeks left.
I settled back into ship life. Working everyday with people from all over the world opened my world view up and taught me a lot about different cultures.
After being on two different challenge team, I had a lot more friends, it was nice to wake up every morning and be able to chat with like minded people over breakfast, lunch or dinner. The last few days in Sri Lanka was spent meeting people who came on board the ship to the book fair and trips into town to buy Saris and gifts for people back home.
Then suddenly it was time to leave Sri Lanka and sail to India. I stood out on the deck that night as we left Sri Lanka, watching the port that had been our home for 9 weeks get smaller and smaller.
I contemplated that even though I had come to make a difference in the lives of the Sri Lankans it was actually them who made a difference in mine, their gentle simple kind way of living had taught me more then any bible collage or famous preacher could.
They had taught me the true power of prayer, real servanthood and the treasure of being grateful for every and anything
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Challange team the second, well cleaning
My amazing team! All 20 of us.
Helping restore a bus stop..
Well cleaning!
The second challenge team I went with a team of 20, it was a
8 hour train ride, we stayed in a Church underlines of nets, we showered by a
baptismal pool and washed our clothes in a bucket.
We worked with the ADT, we restored Bus stops, cleaned wells,
painted classrooms and did dramas at churches. Well cleaning was a lot of fun,
swimming, jumping in, and pulling the dirt out from the bottom was just some of
the fun as well as the water fights, and mud fights. We stayed here two and
half weeks and then we went back to the ship.
Well cleaning!The second challenge team I went with a team of 20, it was a
8 hour train ride, we stayed in a Church underlines of nets, we showered by a
baptismal pool and washed our clothes in a bucket.
We worked with the ADT, we restored Bus stops, cleaned wells,
painted classrooms and did dramas at churches. Well cleaning was a lot of fun,
swimming, jumping in, and pulling the dirt out from the bottom was just some of
the fun as well as the water fights, and mud fights. We stayed here two and
half weeks and then we went back to the ship.
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