Three Down Five to Go

As I step back and look at what we've all done in week three I'm overwhelmed by the volume of stuff we went through. I really enjoyed all of the speakers. They all spoke with such passion. The flame in their hearts seemed to burn so hot it made their lips glow.
We learned about evangelism, and ministering as a team, the authority of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and how missions starts in the presence of God. There was alot of great content in all these lectures, but it was through three events that God taught me the most. First was finding out our teams and the countries we were going to. I was pretty sure I'd be going to mexico, where I thought I might really be able to use dance in ministry. To my suprise Egypt is the countryI was assigned. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't shocked either. You see at the beginning of this week I had two pictures in my head that I couldn't get out. One was a child with darker skin, and the other was a picture of a women with a green head covering. Two pictures of people in an oppressed culture. God is teaching me to let him out of the boundries I have him in. Mexico was a safe place for me because I could do misitry I was comfortable with and I knew the missionaries. I probably wouldn't have relied on him as strongly as I am relying on him now. The second event was our prayer night with Herm and Cheryl Plett. As people gathered around and laid there hands on me the prayers being said seemed to be God speaking directly into my heart. Affirming me that Egypt is where he wants me. That he will give me strength to not be shaken by the turbulance of a different culture. That he will gift me with what I will need. It was also prophesied that I will work with mothers and children who will bring the message of Jesus to their people. This time of prayer helped me relieve fear, and encouraged me to keep relying on God as my provider. The third event was Missions Fest in Vancouver. I was able to pick up alot of information on the muslim culture and go to seminars that helped me start to understand what I may encounter. The whole difference of thought process between our cultures blew my mind. In North America we have a guilt and innocence worldview, right and wrong. In a muslim culture they have a shame and honour worldview or thought process. Because of the difference between these it puts our cultures at an extreme with differences. All this new information has intrigued me, but also made me realize how it is only through God that I will be able to reach people.

Locations Revealed

It all started off with a night of restless sleep. I woke up in the morning earlier than a usually did, and because my minds gears were grinding I got up and tried to focus my attention on eating breakfast and doing devotions. Today was the day we would find out our teams and our assignment location. After our usual half hour of memorizing scripture we all gathered for the announcement of our teams. First the team leaders were written down, and Jake on the left is our team leader, and we are going to Egypt! I am also going with my cousin Sharalin. We are both really excited about being on the same team. Jeremy is our other team member (top). We are all really excited about this opportunity. The first two months will be in Egypt. Then the next month and a half is uncertain. The Youssef's are coming back to North America, so we are still looking into some other possibilities. The other team is going off to mexico and working with Trevor and Joan Godard.
Left to Right
Cherlyn, Lee, Brittany(bottom), Erica, and Tori.

Well that's the exciting news!

Silent Retreat Photo Shoot - Spending time with God

Words with no Sound

Playing Sequence and Sorting hazelnuts for work duties

This week was full of the unexpected. It started with getting sick, and not being able to participate fully. This was somewhat of a challange because I am the sort of person that pushes myself to go farther, and get involved. Still I think this had a purpose. It forced me to have to sit back and start observing, which became a big part in what I learned this weekend on the silent retreat. Another area that popped out somewhat unexpectedly was our session on "the making of a great team leader" When I found out that team leaders were to be pick from among the TREKer's there was a fear that gripped my heart. We went over some good qualities like keeping a strong relationship with the Lord, leading by example, delegating, sheparding, and motivating. The whole session got me thinking about being a leader if I was asked, and because of the fear that gripped me it made me think that it was something I couldn't do. Still God is a might God, and full of the unexptected...
On the Silent Retreat once I settled down and quieted my spirit, and was able to start listening, I discovered some very neat things. First, is that on these kind of retreats God doesn't have to say profound things or dig up huge issues that you never realized were there. I learned that sometimes he just wants to BE with you... in silence. A handout we got about silence says "God is a friend of silence...nature...grows in silence" and so can we. During this time I was also able to become more aware of my surroundings. He took my vision impaired with judgement and corrected it. Allowing me to see people in our group in a new way, and giving me a whole new kind of love for each of them. This new kind of love has now given me a sort of peace about taking on the possibility of leading.

Before we left for the silent retreat I had written a prayer asking God to take me aside like he did when he healed the deaf, mute, and blind, and open my eyes, ears, and eventually my mouth when I have learned his words, aswell as to fill me with a deeper love for each of the people on TREK. God answered this prayer this weekend opening my eyes, ears, and heart, but for my mouth I have discovered that sometimes silence are the best words, because it controls the wickedness of the tongue. An answer that came in an unexpected way.
God is continually revealing himself to me and showing me glimpses of his character, and I am learning SO MUCH!

(emailing or blogging you)

(reading assigned books ie. Celebration of Dicipline)

a Solitude Day

If I could spend one day totally with God what would it look like. Sometimes I ponder this and think of various things we could do together, and see it being a beautiful time. Well this weekend starting this afternoon, the TREKer's are heading out to camp Luther by Mission and having a silent retreat, where we spend the total weekend being with God and listening to God. I'm excited about it. I think it will be good. Finding a solitary place is something Jesus did quite regularly in the new testiment. Investing in time alone with his Heavenly Father. So as we plunge into this time in Solitude I just ask that you would pray for me and the other TREKer's that we would have open ears, and eyes and hearts to what God wants to say, or do, or show us while we are there. I also ask that you would pray for me and my physical health this weekend. This past week I have been sick and have been very nacious. It's been hard to eat food and feel like I can keep it down. So if you would just pray for strength and energy to return and aswell for the strength of my stomach to return. I'll update after the retreat, and hopefully I'll be able to post some new pictures aswell. God Bless!

Reflection on what I've been Learning

"Sprouts and Grows", is a phrase from the passage Mark 4:26-29. I find myself connecting with these words and using them as a theme for my training phase. I want to discover and grow in my relationship with the LORD. Hearing the voice of God and trianing myself to constantly be in communication with him is something that is challanging me. How do I apply this to my life, and how does this change the way I am living? Another area that I have been stretched in is surrendering the fear of "what God is going to ask me to do". In Mark 5:1-20 when Jesus casts out the demons of Legion, the people see the power of Jesus and are afraid. So they plead with Jesus to leave, but by doing this they missed out on a huge blessing of his words of life and power. I don't want to push what God has in store for me away because of fear. So I'm learning to surrender that. Being away from home and my normal routine has allowed me to start to discern the direction of where God wants me to be, and right now waiting with future plans and growing in my relationship with the LORD is where I feel him giving me a peace. I'm very at peace here at TREK and learning alot as well as being challanged alot. I'm looking forward to see the new things that are going to sprout in me and the people around me aswell as watching us grow in the new aspects in out lives.

Winter Wonder Land

Well the week has been quite intense so far. We have had alot of getting to know each other time, and yesterday we went tubing in the rain of all things. Definitly haven't had that experience in the rain before. Today we started doing sessions about Hearing the Voice of God, and yesterday we read through the book of Mark in one sitting. It was really interesting taking it all in at one time. There are so many things you can observe about the character of Jesus, and things to observe in how the book is written. This is something we'll be studying over the next week or two. Other than this our schedule is extremely packed, our calander has events planned form 8 am to about 9 pm usually. So I don't have alot of free time, and the free time I do have is spent reading. Everyone here is really conecting well, there is alot of depth in conversations, and also in our sessions. My support is coming in really well, I've got about $7100.00 so that leaves about $700.00 more to raise. Thank you again to all my supporters, not having to worry about getting enough support relieves alot of un needed stress. The country options have changed instead of Lithuania and Egypt it has now changed to Mexico with Trevor and Joan Godard for sure. As for the other country they havn't been able to connect and communicate with them so there looking for a total new country. This is definitly something that we need prayer for, that God would make known the country where he wants us to be. Other than that the weather here is actually snowing, we've got about 6 inches of snow. It looks very beautiful, it coats all the trees and when a branch get's to heavy the snow plops to the ground, sometimes catching you off gaurd and caoting you instead. I'm having alot of fun, and I'm being challanged alot. Update as soon as I can.

And it Starts

Well I just got to Trek this evening and met everyone. There are 6 girls and 3 guys, and then there is also a team that was supposed to go to Thialand that will be do our training with us until timing is right for them to go. There are 4 poeple from the states, and 3 from Abbotsford, and them me the small Saskatchewan girl. Anyway I thought I'd just give a quick update to let you know how it's going. I'll update where my support is as soon as I know. If you could all just pray for a connection to happen between us as TREKer's that would be great. It was sort of weird walking into a room where I didn't know anyone but my cousin. So if you could just pray for that it would be appreciated. Write again soon!