Sunday, October 26, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Holiday
Hi,
So I am in the middle of a weeks holiday, which has so far been awesome, full of beaches and food - the best way to go I think. I even went to the cheap book store and stocked up on book which makes me happy. Other then going to what is becoming the pais beach - Nai Harn -, and eating at all our fave places, we also went to Phi Phi island for 2 days. We went snorkelling and stayed in a cool resort. Phi Phi was amazing and stunningly beautiful, we created some awesome memories there.
Pais has been going well, we have been without Nic and Sarah, and Laurie went away to youth camp for a week, so things where pretty quiet but we still manged to get lots packed in, including a sunrise, and some time at friendship beach. The schools have been on holiday so we have being doing lots of prep, which should make life easier, we also wrote some workshops for BIS and will be doing them over the next two weeks.
For all you canadians, I celebrated thanksgiving with ice cream and chocolate cake, watching the holiday, because no one out here would celebrate with me. most disappointed.
Lauries parents brought me marmite, which has made me happy, and as everyone else in the apparment hates it, i can leave it whereever i like.. which at the moment as we have a broken fridge is random places. We failed to defrost the fridge properly apparetnly and it broke..ohps.
I do have a newsletter prepared but its on my mac, and i havent had a chance to send it, sorry.
Lots of Love Rosie
So I am in the middle of a weeks holiday, which has so far been awesome, full of beaches and food - the best way to go I think. I even went to the cheap book store and stocked up on book which makes me happy. Other then going to what is becoming the pais beach - Nai Harn -, and eating at all our fave places, we also went to Phi Phi island for 2 days. We went snorkelling and stayed in a cool resort. Phi Phi was amazing and stunningly beautiful, we created some awesome memories there.
Pais has been going well, we have been without Nic and Sarah, and Laurie went away to youth camp for a week, so things where pretty quiet but we still manged to get lots packed in, including a sunrise, and some time at friendship beach. The schools have been on holiday so we have being doing lots of prep, which should make life easier, we also wrote some workshops for BIS and will be doing them over the next two weeks.
For all you canadians, I celebrated thanksgiving with ice cream and chocolate cake, watching the holiday, because no one out here would celebrate with me. most disappointed.
Lauries parents brought me marmite, which has made me happy, and as everyone else in the apparment hates it, i can leave it whereever i like.. which at the moment as we have a broken fridge is random places. We failed to defrost the fridge properly apparetnly and it broke..ohps.
I do have a newsletter prepared but its on my mac, and i havent had a chance to send it, sorry.
Lots of Love Rosie
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Hi from Thailand!!
Well my first post from Thailand. And my what an adventure it has been so far!
I flew on the 21st August landing in Phuket early on the 22nd after flying on the Airbus! Hours after landing I was standing in Tescos! Stocking up on esstentials, and after that we watched a movie at Sussex house - the childrens home.
Since that first day I have packed so much in, work and socially. Its been busy but good!
A list of amazing things::
# I have been to Friendship Beach twice. (a resturant that does english food and pool)
# Nai Ham (?) Beach twice - awesome waves!
# Watched Joel kill a rat with a broom
# Night market
# Beach with Kids from Sussex House
# Phuket Stunt show
# Koren BBQ
# Natural Resturant
# Swevsons Icecream
# Royal Phuket Citys half price cake
# Kata Beach with my team
# 365 thai speaking students in a week - english, drama and footbal lessons
# Played Beach Volley Ball
and lots of other things!
After 2 weeks of Pais Foundational training we had vision week and painted Sussex House, we got stuck in to Pais. And straight into the schools which is amazing for a pioneering team!
We have started from stratch, with no equipment or money to buy resources for the schools we work in. The bulk of our ministry is in poor thai schools who have little resources themsleves. We dont even have enough money to cover petrol for the year, without the petrol we cant go into the schools! SO we are looking for people to support us in this. If you feel you may wish please let me know.
Getting to the Internet is hard, but I will try and keep you all posted as much as possible. I do have a cell phone and an address if you wish to contact me in this way please let me know and i will get my details to you!
I flew on the 21st August landing in Phuket early on the 22nd after flying on the Airbus! Hours after landing I was standing in Tescos! Stocking up on esstentials, and after that we watched a movie at Sussex house - the childrens home.
Since that first day I have packed so much in, work and socially. Its been busy but good!
A list of amazing things::
# I have been to Friendship Beach twice. (a resturant that does english food and pool)
# Nai Ham (?) Beach twice - awesome waves!
# Watched Joel kill a rat with a broom
# Night market
# Beach with Kids from Sussex House
# Phuket Stunt show
# Koren BBQ
# Natural Resturant
# Swevsons Icecream
# Royal Phuket Citys half price cake
# Kata Beach with my team
# 365 thai speaking students in a week - english, drama and footbal lessons
# Played Beach Volley Ball
and lots of other things!
After 2 weeks of Pais Foundational training we had vision week and painted Sussex House, we got stuck in to Pais. And straight into the schools which is amazing for a pioneering team!
We have started from stratch, with no equipment or money to buy resources for the schools we work in. The bulk of our ministry is in poor thai schools who have little resources themsleves. We dont even have enough money to cover petrol for the year, without the petrol we cant go into the schools! SO we are looking for people to support us in this. If you feel you may wish please let me know.
Getting to the Internet is hard, but I will try and keep you all posted as much as possible. I do have a cell phone and an address if you wish to contact me in this way please let me know and i will get my details to you!
Friday, August 01, 2008
Bumprints In The Sand
Someone read this out at FC::
One night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.
But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord," What have we here?"
Those prints are large and round and neat.
"But Lord, they are too big for feet."
"My child," He said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait."
"You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know,
So I got tired, I got fed up.
And there I dropped you on your butt."
"Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand."
A friend sent that to me and this message with it:
Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When we must rise and take a stand,
Or leave our butt prints in the sand.
One night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.
But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord," What have we here?"
Those prints are large and round and neat.
"But Lord, they are too big for feet."
"My child," He said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait."
"You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know,
So I got tired, I got fed up.
And there I dropped you on your butt."
"Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand."
A friend sent that to me and this message with it:
Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When we must rise and take a stand,
Or leave our butt prints in the sand.
Friday, June 20, 2008
goodbye
so after a long week and lots of goodbyes and even some tears, i am sitting in YVR looking at the mountains my heart breaking wishing i didnt have to leave.
im sure when i get into the swing of thailand, i will be able to cope, but right now it feels like my world is falling apart.
vancouver has been my home for the last 2 years, i have poured everything i possess into this place, and i feel a huge tug at my heart. i cant believe its over, i think im still in denial.
im determined to be back no matter what the cost even if its for a holiday, so if you want to bring rosie back to vancouver and you want to buy my flight let me know :p
huge thanks to everyone who has been there these past two years, and everyone who has had me stay in their home.
im sure when i get into the swing of thailand, i will be able to cope, but right now it feels like my world is falling apart.
vancouver has been my home for the last 2 years, i have poured everything i possess into this place, and i feel a huge tug at my heart. i cant believe its over, i think im still in denial.
im determined to be back no matter what the cost even if its for a holiday, so if you want to bring rosie back to vancouver and you want to buy my flight let me know :p
huge thanks to everyone who has been there these past two years, and everyone who has had me stay in their home.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
mystery..
the other day someone said to me that im a mystery to them, this got me thinking.
mystery
• noun (pl. mysteries) 1 something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. 2 secrecy or obscurity.
oxford english dictionary
life is one huge mystery full of little mysteries that we some how solve. its like a puzzle, that we have to fit together piece by piece with out having the box to look at or blindfolded.
in a way being a mystery to someone is kind of cool, but on the other hand, i don't think God wants us to be mysteries to people. he doesn't want us to have secrets, to not be able to understand each other. God wants true community, authentic relationships, he wants us to journey with people, to share life.
of course to certain people you are always going to be a mystery, one that never get solved, for plenty of reasons. but when someone who knows you, whose job it is to probe further, to walk with you and your a mystery to them, maybe we need to take a step back and start looking at ourselves. asking questions like why? what is the reason why i am hiding? the true reason, not the one i am using to shield myself, not the safe answer.
mystery
• noun (pl. mysteries) 1 something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. 2 secrecy or obscurity.
oxford english dictionary
life is one huge mystery full of little mysteries that we some how solve. its like a puzzle, that we have to fit together piece by piece with out having the box to look at or blindfolded.
in a way being a mystery to someone is kind of cool, but on the other hand, i don't think God wants us to be mysteries to people. he doesn't want us to have secrets, to not be able to understand each other. God wants true community, authentic relationships, he wants us to journey with people, to share life.
of course to certain people you are always going to be a mystery, one that never get solved, for plenty of reasons. but when someone who knows you, whose job it is to probe further, to walk with you and your a mystery to them, maybe we need to take a step back and start looking at ourselves. asking questions like why? what is the reason why i am hiding? the true reason, not the one i am using to shield myself, not the safe answer.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
heartbeat
If you know me well, you will know that I was brought up going to the Isle of Harris every May for 2 weeks. The last time I went was when I was 16, I remember this time well, because God kept me firmly planted on the ground, through a time, in which I was unstable. The last couple of times I went to Harris, I felt this longing build up inside of me for the people on the islands, mainly the youth, and I felt that my parents had faithfully brought me to Harris pretty much year in year out for a reason; so a love of this place would build inside of me, to prepare me for the future.
I have know for a while that some how some day I will end up serving the people of Harris. Although now I know the time is not right, God is putting my heart in tune with his for these people more then ever, my heart breaking for them. Right now hes expanding my heart for all of those in the islands and highlands. How hard it is, to have your heart break for a place and have to wait, its taking everything within me to not go to scotland and start some how to bring this picture into life, yet it wouldn't me in God's timing, so I must learn to give it to him, again and again, and listen to him, to tell me when the time is right.
My family are there right now on holiday as usual, and its killing me!
As my heartbeat for scotland intensifies, the countdown clock to me leaving vancouver is ticking away a little too fast for my liking. 27 days left in this beautiful city, 27 days with the youth, 27 days with the friends i have made and 20 days with anne and dennis eekk. today is another beautiful day, with the city basking in sunshine, snow still on the tops of the mountains.
Things are starting to wrap up here, schools are finishing, we are planing leadership training and graduation. Its a weird feeling to be wrapping up my life in a city where I have pour out my heart and soul. I have so much to do, so many places to see 'one' last time. I will have to visit for holidays! I dont seem to have enough time, life is fast space, and tires me out quickly, recently my headaches have been intense and I have been feeling sick - and actually been sick! However I do have a week here after graduation, which thankfully gives me some time.
One thing I have ticked off my list is cycling around stanley park; Last week the team had a social day and we decided to hire bikes and go around the sea wall. I am so glad I did it, it was great to cycle through the park and feel like you where know where near the city, yet really you are 5 minutes from the core.
Last week we took the youth camping to History Maker. It was a stunning weekend with the temperatures hitting 32c. This was way better then last year when it rained the whole time. We managed to find a nice pool by the river, it was freezing so we tested ourselves to see who could put there feet in the longest. We have a number of cool stories; snakes, hands - simi and jordan :P, kris getting stitches. Admittedly I don't remember much about the weekend, as most of the time I spent there I felt sick so sat outside. Mike P and derlirous where excellent though! If you are ever camping in BC find Anthony and Del. and get them to come with you! We woke up o breakfasts of ham, bacon, cinnamon and apple pancakes, chocolate and banana pancakes, watermelon, melon, yogurt, tim hortons coffee, doughnuts (not all on the same day thankfully!!).
I have tons coming up in the next 3 weeks; prayer meetings, two conferences, goodbyes and all the pais stuff - which is a lot!
Right now I could really do with prayer as I wrap up the year and say goodbye.
Rosie
I have know for a while that some how some day I will end up serving the people of Harris. Although now I know the time is not right, God is putting my heart in tune with his for these people more then ever, my heart breaking for them. Right now hes expanding my heart for all of those in the islands and highlands. How hard it is, to have your heart break for a place and have to wait, its taking everything within me to not go to scotland and start some how to bring this picture into life, yet it wouldn't me in God's timing, so I must learn to give it to him, again and again, and listen to him, to tell me when the time is right.
My family are there right now on holiday as usual, and its killing me!
As my heartbeat for scotland intensifies, the countdown clock to me leaving vancouver is ticking away a little too fast for my liking. 27 days left in this beautiful city, 27 days with the youth, 27 days with the friends i have made and 20 days with anne and dennis eekk. today is another beautiful day, with the city basking in sunshine, snow still on the tops of the mountains.
Things are starting to wrap up here, schools are finishing, we are planing leadership training and graduation. Its a weird feeling to be wrapping up my life in a city where I have pour out my heart and soul. I have so much to do, so many places to see 'one' last time. I will have to visit for holidays! I dont seem to have enough time, life is fast space, and tires me out quickly, recently my headaches have been intense and I have been feeling sick - and actually been sick! However I do have a week here after graduation, which thankfully gives me some time.
One thing I have ticked off my list is cycling around stanley park; Last week the team had a social day and we decided to hire bikes and go around the sea wall. I am so glad I did it, it was great to cycle through the park and feel like you where know where near the city, yet really you are 5 minutes from the core.
Last week we took the youth camping to History Maker. It was a stunning weekend with the temperatures hitting 32c. This was way better then last year when it rained the whole time. We managed to find a nice pool by the river, it was freezing so we tested ourselves to see who could put there feet in the longest. We have a number of cool stories; snakes, hands - simi and jordan :P, kris getting stitches. Admittedly I don't remember much about the weekend, as most of the time I spent there I felt sick so sat outside. Mike P and derlirous where excellent though! If you are ever camping in BC find Anthony and Del. and get them to come with you! We woke up o breakfasts of ham, bacon, cinnamon and apple pancakes, chocolate and banana pancakes, watermelon, melon, yogurt, tim hortons coffee, doughnuts (not all on the same day thankfully!!).
I have tons coming up in the next 3 weeks; prayer meetings, two conferences, goodbyes and all the pais stuff - which is a lot!
Right now I could really do with prayer as I wrap up the year and say goodbye.
Rosie
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Pais::Canada 24/7 Prayer
Hi,
Pais::Canada is doing a 24/7 prayer week from 6th-13th May.
If you would like to join us, that would be fantastic.
Prayer needs :: Pais Canada
Vancouver Eastside Team:: Rose, Rahel, Tabea
Integration
Truth in McBride Elementary
Love at John Oliver Secondary
Value shown to the students at Livingstone
Students at Tupper Secondary equipped – young leaders empowered
People journeying with and being faithful to the students at Simon Fraser
Good relationships with staff in all schools
Leader for the Eastside team next year
Connection between younger and older generation in youth groups and in schools work
Jayda – student at McBride who has recently been attending youth!
Chancy – a student from Tupper who we've made deep connection with
Vancouver Salvation Army Team:: Becky, Lotte
Vinny – a student the team has been working with one on one.
Templeton
Aries – alternative school
McDonald School – the team run a weekly drama club with the students there
History Maker – students who aren't Christians yet are going to history maker with the team! Please pray they will be open to what God has to say!
Integration
North Vancouver Team:: Jenna, Ruthie, Andrew
Integration (specifically with Grade 6 Queen Mary girls – already come to events and have relationships with Jenna)
Seycove students::
Linden (Shadowing the team on Wednesday! Wants to be a Pais worker but doesn't know Jesus, yet.)
Lucas
Dustin
Britney
Sterling
Katherine
Westview / Northshore Alliance Church would deepen their connection.
Outreach BBQ at Westview would be a success
LGCA servant leadership club would grow and change the hearts of the students to focus on outreach
LGCA car wash goes well
NSAC:: Build a core team for pre-teens at NSAC
- Heinz leaders and DIG teachers.
- Sock hand out/camp out goes well
St SIMONS:: Girls bible study develops deeper community
- Unity in youth group
- Wisdom for youth leadership
- Deeper connection between St Simon's youth and Seycove students.
Westside:: Rosie, Robin, Jess
(*names of certain students changed)
Bayview::
- James*- robin has been working one-2-one with him
- film enrichment class; the students would continue to enjoy it and learn how to settle differences
- hugh hooper(principal) - wisdom as he leads the school (he is a christian)
Lord Byng::
- we would see the same students each week, and develop meaningful relationships with them.
- especially; leah, evan, russell
- maria(principal) - she would see her dream of school community come to fruition
UHill::
- robins soccer group; numbers would increase and they would come to christ. the ice would be broken. he would love to talk about christ and answer their questions
- Anne* - that she would make wise decisions about her friends
- relationship with staff -diane- would continue to increase. we have built a strogn foundation.
Kits::
- we have just started an after school drop at the church and can't advertise on the school; so that we would be able to connect with students
- for cal - a grade 8 who just started a underground prayer group in the school; right now thank god for continuing the work of his kingdom and letting me be a part of it. Also pray that ppl in the group would step up and decide that they want to practice their faith, not just believe it as a sort of safety net. And pray that god help sme have the courage and strength to stand up for him and confront ppl. (i am NOT good at confronting...)
- the school would open up to christian groups and pais.
PGCC/UTOWN::
- the youth would transition well, with tom and rosie leaving, we find the right youth pastor
- we would become more missional
UC::
- Unity
Canadian Department:: Rebecca, Ali
Recruitment- we need 9 new interns for next year
Fundraising- we need finances to make our year-end budget
Leadership- that God would continue to develop our leaders, give them wisdom etc
Calgary- that God would be preparing the hearts of those we're coming to serve there.
Thanks
Rosie
Pais::Canada is doing a 24/7 prayer week from 6th-13th May.
If you would like to join us, that would be fantastic.
Prayer needs :: Pais Canada
Vancouver Eastside Team:: Rose, Rahel, Tabea
Integration
Truth in McBride Elementary
Love at John Oliver Secondary
Value shown to the students at Livingstone
Students at Tupper Secondary equipped – young leaders empowered
People journeying with and being faithful to the students at Simon Fraser
Good relationships with staff in all schools
Leader for the Eastside team next year
Connection between younger and older generation in youth groups and in schools work
Jayda – student at McBride who has recently been attending youth!
Chancy – a student from Tupper who we've made deep connection with
Vancouver Salvation Army Team:: Becky, Lotte
Vinny – a student the team has been working with one on one.
Templeton
Aries – alternative school
McDonald School – the team run a weekly drama club with the students there
History Maker – students who aren't Christians yet are going to history maker with the team! Please pray they will be open to what God has to say!
Integration
North Vancouver Team:: Jenna, Ruthie, Andrew
Integration (specifically with Grade 6 Queen Mary girls – already come to events and have relationships with Jenna)
Seycove students::
Linden (Shadowing the team on Wednesday! Wants to be a Pais worker but doesn't know Jesus, yet.)
Lucas
Dustin
Britney
Sterling
Katherine
Westview / Northshore Alliance Church would deepen their connection.
Outreach BBQ at Westview would be a success
LGCA servant leadership club would grow and change the hearts of the students to focus on outreach
LGCA car wash goes well
NSAC:: Build a core team for pre-teens at NSAC
- Heinz leaders and DIG teachers.
- Sock hand out/camp out goes well
St SIMONS:: Girls bible study develops deeper community
- Unity in youth group
- Wisdom for youth leadership
- Deeper connection between St Simon's youth and Seycove students.
Westside:: Rosie, Robin, Jess
(*names of certain students changed)
Bayview::
- James*- robin has been working one-2-one with him
- film enrichment class; the students would continue to enjoy it and learn how to settle differences
- hugh hooper(principal) - wisdom as he leads the school (he is a christian)
Lord Byng::
- we would see the same students each week, and develop meaningful relationships with them.
- especially; leah, evan, russell
- maria(principal) - she would see her dream of school community come to fruition
UHill::
- robins soccer group; numbers would increase and they would come to christ. the ice would be broken. he would love to talk about christ and answer their questions
- Anne* - that she would make wise decisions about her friends
- relationship with staff -diane- would continue to increase. we have built a strogn foundation.
Kits::
- we have just started an after school drop at the church and can't advertise on the school; so that we would be able to connect with students
- for cal - a grade 8 who just started a underground prayer group in the school; right now thank god for continuing the work of his kingdom and letting me be a part of it. Also pray that ppl in the group would step up and decide that they want to practice their faith, not just believe it as a sort of safety net. And pray that god help sme have the courage and strength to stand up for him and confront ppl. (i am NOT good at confronting...)
- the school would open up to christian groups and pais.
PGCC/UTOWN::
- the youth would transition well, with tom and rosie leaving, we find the right youth pastor
- we would become more missional
UC::
- Unity
Canadian Department:: Rebecca, Ali
Recruitment- we need 9 new interns for next year
Fundraising- we need finances to make our year-end budget
Leadership- that God would continue to develop our leaders, give them wisdom etc
Calgary- that God would be preparing the hearts of those we're coming to serve there.
Thanks
Rosie
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
catching up
hi,
im sorry that ever since that week of mad blogging its been a while. life has been sweeping by me. but today i got to walk to work along the beach in brilliant sunshine.. god is amazing.
many of you know I went to england over spring break to visit mainly my grandma, the visit was planned quickly and so i rushed off without really processing all that was going on. it was good to catch up with friends and family and even manage to squeeze in a saints match - i finally got my rugby fix.
as i was traveling to the airport to return to vancouver my grandma took a turn for the worse, but i boarded the flight, a few hours after i returned to vancouver she passed away. hearing news like that is never easy by email and i don't think it fully sunk it for a few days. i didn't think i would be returning for the funeral as i had just been to england so off i went to work and started to get into the flow of things. on wednesday morning my dad offered to fly me home if i would like, after debating this and then deciding i would regret it if i didn't, i agreed to fly back and he started booking flights. i ended up flying that afternoon. i kept the second time i was home very quiet, many people didn't know i returned.. so sorry if you are one of them.
i then returned to vancouver on 13th april.. so now i can say i am fully catching up with live this side of the atlantic and its pretty much full steam ahead (unless my head says no!). since i've been back i have attended large youth events, had meals out with friends, enjoyed snow and weather so sunny and gorgeous you don't need a jumper, and generally had a pretty awesome time.
so much of the westside news, is based on what happened in my absence - robin and jess, did really well, im proud of them!.. so we started a new piece of ministry, opening up a church in the westside opposite kit's high school for after school drop in once a week. robin and jess have huge enthusiasm for this school, so now we pray around it once a week! lord byng is going well and we got to hang out with some students today and play cards :) and bayview filming has stopped and we have started editing - with me the star of one of the films.. oh dear and some hilarious footage from the lads. u-hill has been going great with robin starting a football tournament and staying till 7pm with students what we had in the first term! God is defiantly doing some thing on the westside.
thailand.. where am i up to.. well after having said yes, the next big step is booking my flights - i cant do the visa or injections until i get back to the uk for the summer) so what i really need now is the money to book them. as thailand draws closer i get more and more excited and more and more convinced this is the right next step and that yanking myself out of this city is the right thing to do. if you have any questions about thailand please please talk to me.
prayer requests:
1. i would stop hitting my head and that it would fully heal
2. kits students will come to the drop in
3. everything with thailand works out
4. for dan my brother :)
im sorry that ever since that week of mad blogging its been a while. life has been sweeping by me. but today i got to walk to work along the beach in brilliant sunshine.. god is amazing.
many of you know I went to england over spring break to visit mainly my grandma, the visit was planned quickly and so i rushed off without really processing all that was going on. it was good to catch up with friends and family and even manage to squeeze in a saints match - i finally got my rugby fix.
as i was traveling to the airport to return to vancouver my grandma took a turn for the worse, but i boarded the flight, a few hours after i returned to vancouver she passed away. hearing news like that is never easy by email and i don't think it fully sunk it for a few days. i didn't think i would be returning for the funeral as i had just been to england so off i went to work and started to get into the flow of things. on wednesday morning my dad offered to fly me home if i would like, after debating this and then deciding i would regret it if i didn't, i agreed to fly back and he started booking flights. i ended up flying that afternoon. i kept the second time i was home very quiet, many people didn't know i returned.. so sorry if you are one of them.
i then returned to vancouver on 13th april.. so now i can say i am fully catching up with live this side of the atlantic and its pretty much full steam ahead (unless my head says no!). since i've been back i have attended large youth events, had meals out with friends, enjoyed snow and weather so sunny and gorgeous you don't need a jumper, and generally had a pretty awesome time.
so much of the westside news, is based on what happened in my absence - robin and jess, did really well, im proud of them!.. so we started a new piece of ministry, opening up a church in the westside opposite kit's high school for after school drop in once a week. robin and jess have huge enthusiasm for this school, so now we pray around it once a week! lord byng is going well and we got to hang out with some students today and play cards :) and bayview filming has stopped and we have started editing - with me the star of one of the films.. oh dear and some hilarious footage from the lads. u-hill has been going great with robin starting a football tournament and staying till 7pm with students what we had in the first term! God is defiantly doing some thing on the westside.
thailand.. where am i up to.. well after having said yes, the next big step is booking my flights - i cant do the visa or injections until i get back to the uk for the summer) so what i really need now is the money to book them. as thailand draws closer i get more and more excited and more and more convinced this is the right next step and that yanking myself out of this city is the right thing to do. if you have any questions about thailand please please talk to me.
prayer requests:
1. i would stop hitting my head and that it would fully heal
2. kits students will come to the drop in
3. everything with thailand works out
4. for dan my brother :)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
the next step
After much discussion, thinking and prayer I will be leaving Vancouver and moving on. As much as it breaks my heart to leave this city, the place that has become my home and where my Canadian family and friends are; that God has broken my heart for, I know its time to move on. It will be tough in June when I finally leave, but I know I will back at some point, that I came to Vancouver for a reason and it has grown and stretched me. It will always have a great big chunk of my heart .. don't worry tom. I will never forget the city, that managed to draw me closer to God, stun me with the scenery and reconstruct me.
God has been placing lost and forgotten youth on islands around the world on heart. I see the move Im making as a start on that road and I am extremely excited that I that I have this chance to start to livng this dream into reality.
In August I will be moving to Phuket, Thailand. I will continue with the Pais Project and therefore still be doing schools and youth ministry. I will spend time in Thai schools, International schools, a HIV/AIDS children's home, another children's home - orphanage, and some work with Burmese Refugees and lots more. I am really looking foward to living in in Asia, experiencing a new culture and language - yes i will be learning trying to learn Thai!
Check out the Pais Thailand page for more information.
This video may give you some insight into some of the work I may be doing.
If you have any questions or feel you would like to support me or Pais Thailand financially or with your prayers please let me know.
God has been placing lost and forgotten youth on islands around the world on heart. I see the move Im making as a start on that road and I am extremely excited that I that I have this chance to start to livng this dream into reality.
In August I will be moving to Phuket, Thailand. I will continue with the Pais Project and therefore still be doing schools and youth ministry. I will spend time in Thai schools, International schools, a HIV/AIDS children's home, another children's home - orphanage, and some work with Burmese Refugees and lots more. I am really looking foward to living in in Asia, experiencing a new culture and language - yes i will be learning trying to learn Thai!
Check out the Pais Thailand page for more information.
This video may give you some insight into some of the work I may be doing.
If you have any questions or feel you would like to support me or Pais Thailand financially or with your prayers please let me know.
pais promo video
This video highlights some of the awesome stuff Pais does. If your interested or have any questions, please let me know!
www.paisproject.com - join the movement! Pais Project offers a free 1-year (or more) apprenticeship in youth and schools ministry. Free training and accommodation is provided in various nations across the world. Our pais apprentices will intern at a partnered church, working within their youth ministry and helping to build a relational bridge between the church and the schools within the community. Apprentices will work in small teams within the schools, offering services such as lunch-clubs, workshops, chapels, life-lessons and mentoring, while building life-changing relationships with their students. We are committed to seeing students raised up as leaders and M4 is our program that intentionally makes missionaries out of the young people we work with. We are missionaries making missionaries!
Thanks for all your support and prayers as I journey with Pais and the vision God has placed on my heart.
Monday, March 10, 2008
...paths...
in life we have to make a lot of decisions; do we decide to walk the easy well trodden path or go of the beaten track, try something new and take risks?
so many times when faced with a choice, we automatically pick a well trodden path, the boring, run of the mill life. we are afraid to take the risk, to step into the unknown to fully trust the God who gave us choice in the first place.
God didn't create us to lead boring life's, to never take risks and to be become so tied to a path that we never veer off. what i love so much about God, is that we CAN take risks, we can step out. he created me to be dangerous, to find out things about him that no-one else knows, to live a life that is completely missional, authentic and passionate.
it doesn't matter where in the world i am, who im with or where i am going as long as im following God.
we have become so concreted into life as we know it, when it comes to meeting God, we structure him in, and don't allow him to move how he wants to. he's screaming at us, to get of our bums, and have some authentic time with him, and all we can give him is church, and then a lifestyle that doesn't reflect what we say. we don't allow him to pick up our lives and move us to another place, physically or spiritually, we become afraid of growth and of new things. we encase our selves in a bubble and pretend that we have a real relationship with Him, yet he's there hitting the bubble, trying to get in, to have a small part of out lives. he longs for the barrier to be taken down, for us to be comfortable spending time with him and looking at our lives, not shamefully hiding them away. some of us, fool ourselves into thinking the bubbles protect us from hurt, the past, problems, yet instead it intensifies them and creates a separation between us and God. God isn't going to to dish anything out we can't take, or make is deal with a issue we aren't ready to deal with. he's gentle, kind, loving and patient. something i have been learning as i tear away the bubble from own life, dealing with of once and for all the crap in the past that i have put there and that has been created for me.
if we want to truly make a difference in this world, we need to wear our hearts on our sleeves, not hiding it away. we need to be vulnerable and real with the people we met, and with God. not allowing this world to taint us, to makes us unfocused and take us of track. we need to get real. we need to fight. to persevere. we are in war. lets not forget that.
so many times when faced with a choice, we automatically pick a well trodden path, the boring, run of the mill life. we are afraid to take the risk, to step into the unknown to fully trust the God who gave us choice in the first place.
God didn't create us to lead boring life's, to never take risks and to be become so tied to a path that we never veer off. what i love so much about God, is that we CAN take risks, we can step out. he created me to be dangerous, to find out things about him that no-one else knows, to live a life that is completely missional, authentic and passionate.
it doesn't matter where in the world i am, who im with or where i am going as long as im following God.
we have become so concreted into life as we know it, when it comes to meeting God, we structure him in, and don't allow him to move how he wants to. he's screaming at us, to get of our bums, and have some authentic time with him, and all we can give him is church, and then a lifestyle that doesn't reflect what we say. we don't allow him to pick up our lives and move us to another place, physically or spiritually, we become afraid of growth and of new things. we encase our selves in a bubble and pretend that we have a real relationship with Him, yet he's there hitting the bubble, trying to get in, to have a small part of out lives. he longs for the barrier to be taken down, for us to be comfortable spending time with him and looking at our lives, not shamefully hiding them away. some of us, fool ourselves into thinking the bubbles protect us from hurt, the past, problems, yet instead it intensifies them and creates a separation between us and God. God isn't going to to dish anything out we can't take, or make is deal with a issue we aren't ready to deal with. he's gentle, kind, loving and patient. something i have been learning as i tear away the bubble from own life, dealing with of once and for all the crap in the past that i have put there and that has been created for me.
if we want to truly make a difference in this world, we need to wear our hearts on our sleeves, not hiding it away. we need to be vulnerable and real with the people we met, and with God. not allowing this world to taint us, to makes us unfocused and take us of track. we need to get real. we need to fight. to persevere. we are in war. lets not forget that.
long awaited update...
The Team:
This term has been amazing, we have started new schools work and are in talks to start something after spring break. Every week the team has been seeing 70+ students at Lord Byng High school, and relationships are starting to form. We hand out free coffee and hot chocolate, to help start conversations and provide a place for students to hang out after school. After spring break, we are going to start opening up Westpoint Church to students from Kits High school once a week. This is an amazing opportunity as people work together from different churches and organizations for one common goal! Watch this space! I am really looking forward to this as we can use this to develop leaders from the various youth groups and we can start being missional as a team with them.
We waxed Robins legs to raise money for the team, so far we have $410, so if you want to help us reach our goal of $500 please e-mail: pais.westside@gmail.com. With the money we will be able to continue providing hot chocolate and cookies to students at Lord Byng and be able provide the team with resources like an an external hard-drive.
Pais:
For me this month has been figuring things out, looking back at what has happened while looking at the future and where I want to go. D-day - decision day - is on wednesday, which means my the next stage of my life is decided. I will let you all know as so as I make my decision, where i will be going, what, and how you can support me in prayer and financially. Being in Vancouver and being on Pais has changed me so much. It has forced me grow and experience things I never thought I would, in a safe environment and tons of support, I have come out of my shell and found something I love.
Me:
Well the last month has been tough. I finally got out and did something on my weekend - even waking up on the crack of dawn! and went snowboarding with Jess, Robin and Sarah. Well Im still concussed so it was a very expensive snowboarding trip as I buy drugs and have 2 doctors bills! I had a greta day, although the effects suck. I am still getting headaches and getting tired very easily, which is a pain. So I have been doing half days, thankfully my team is amazing, and I feel completely at ease leaving them to do tasks and schools work. This month has been crazy from another point of view, with decisions to be made, e-mails and chats about the future, all while hitting my head far to many times! It kind of feels like I have been living a dream and haven't got back to reality yet.
Prayer Points:
1. Wisdom
2. Finances
3. Team
4. Schools - intentional relationships, more doors opening.
5. Healing - for my head.
Thanks for all your support.
This term has been amazing, we have started new schools work and are in talks to start something after spring break. Every week the team has been seeing 70+ students at Lord Byng High school, and relationships are starting to form. We hand out free coffee and hot chocolate, to help start conversations and provide a place for students to hang out after school. After spring break, we are going to start opening up Westpoint Church to students from Kits High school once a week. This is an amazing opportunity as people work together from different churches and organizations for one common goal! Watch this space! I am really looking forward to this as we can use this to develop leaders from the various youth groups and we can start being missional as a team with them.
We waxed Robins legs to raise money for the team, so far we have $410, so if you want to help us reach our goal of $500 please e-mail: pais.westside@gmail.com. With the money we will be able to continue providing hot chocolate and cookies to students at Lord Byng and be able provide the team with resources like an an external hard-drive.
Pais:
For me this month has been figuring things out, looking back at what has happened while looking at the future and where I want to go. D-day - decision day - is on wednesday, which means my the next stage of my life is decided. I will let you all know as so as I make my decision, where i will be going, what, and how you can support me in prayer and financially. Being in Vancouver and being on Pais has changed me so much. It has forced me grow and experience things I never thought I would, in a safe environment and tons of support, I have come out of my shell and found something I love.
Me:
Well the last month has been tough. I finally got out and did something on my weekend - even waking up on the crack of dawn! and went snowboarding with Jess, Robin and Sarah. Well Im still concussed so it was a very expensive snowboarding trip as I buy drugs and have 2 doctors bills! I had a greta day, although the effects suck. I am still getting headaches and getting tired very easily, which is a pain. So I have been doing half days, thankfully my team is amazing, and I feel completely at ease leaving them to do tasks and schools work. This month has been crazy from another point of view, with decisions to be made, e-mails and chats about the future, all while hitting my head far to many times! It kind of feels like I have been living a dream and haven't got back to reality yet.
Prayer Points:
1. Wisdom
2. Finances
3. Team
4. Schools - intentional relationships, more doors opening.
5. Healing - for my head.
Thanks for all your support.
Monday, February 18, 2008
snowboarding..
well while boarding on mount seymour, on saturday with jess, robin and sarah, i fell and bumped my head..(i was wearing a helmet) and now i have mild concussion and neck strain, so if you could be praying that the pain goes pretty quickly it would be much appreciated.
other then falling, i had a fantastic day, and even did a blue run :) watching jess learn was good fun, and getting to know sarah was awesome.
thanks for all your support.
jim x
other then falling, i had a fantastic day, and even did a blue run :) watching jess learn was good fun, and getting to know sarah was awesome.
thanks for all your support.
jim x
Monday, January 28, 2008
life...
So since I've been back in Vancouver, life has been pretty busy. Last weekend I took the greyhound up to Whistler to stay with Nick and Lindsey (my relatives) in their suite at the 4 seasons! Very nice. I also learnt to snowboard and came back feeling very sore but proud that I managed to get down the runs while linking my turns. Hopefully I will be able to keep it up and go to some of local mountains soon, although it is an expensive hobby.
School's; we have started a new school, Lord Byng and its going really well, some great connections have been made and we have only been there 2 weeks. Also at Bayview we have started to film which is great fun - although I did get interviewed about having braces. University Hill has been going well, I have been learning how to play poker with some of the boys, although we have a few weeks off because the whole school gets to go skiing - slightly unfair, we never got to do that!
Work so far this term has been good, and an interesting learning curve with new things to try and do, and obstacles to over come; so files just dont like macs and it makes my job harder, therefore I think all the Paisers should buy macs - in my dream world anyway. Pais, had a booth at Mission Fest a conference style missions thing, with loads of organizations, it was a long weekend, but good, and we had some brilliant conversations with people, Rebecca spoke twice and we even had a gold fish which people could name.
Fundraising::
The Pais Westside Team is trying to raise $500 (£250) in order to fund the resources needed for ministry work. To help with this fund-raising, we are asking you to sponsor us/donate some money.
The Westside Team works in 3 different schools in the Westside area of Vancouver. As a voluntary organization we rely heavily on donations to keep the team running and to help us provide professional services to the schools.
Most recently, we have started a new after school cafe at Lord Byng High School where we are supplying free hot chocolate and coffee for the students. Thanks to a local cafe called The Well, we have been donated free coffee each week, but we are still needing to buy hot chocolate (which has proven to be the most popular), milk, and cups each week.
As well as the needs for Lord Byng, we are in constant need for office supplies such as printer ink and paper.
To help you in sending money to us here in Vancouver, you can click on the following link and it will take you a page where you can make online transactions, safely via Paypal: Make a Donation
(You might need to sign up for a Paypal account. Our account is in Jess Gordon's name)
We understand that you won't be able to attend the spectacular event, but we hope that you will consider donating to the team... as a bonus, however, we will video the event and post it online for you to watch.
Thanks for all your support and prayers!
School's; we have started a new school, Lord Byng and its going really well, some great connections have been made and we have only been there 2 weeks. Also at Bayview we have started to film which is great fun - although I did get interviewed about having braces. University Hill has been going well, I have been learning how to play poker with some of the boys, although we have a few weeks off because the whole school gets to go skiing - slightly unfair, we never got to do that!
Work so far this term has been good, and an interesting learning curve with new things to try and do, and obstacles to over come; so files just dont like macs and it makes my job harder, therefore I think all the Paisers should buy macs - in my dream world anyway. Pais, had a booth at Mission Fest a conference style missions thing, with loads of organizations, it was a long weekend, but good, and we had some brilliant conversations with people, Rebecca spoke twice and we even had a gold fish which people could name.
Fundraising::
The Pais Westside Team is trying to raise $500 (£250) in order to fund the resources needed for ministry work. To help with this fund-raising, we are asking you to sponsor us/donate some money.
The Westside Team works in 3 different schools in the Westside area of Vancouver. As a voluntary organization we rely heavily on donations to keep the team running and to help us provide professional services to the schools.
Most recently, we have started a new after school cafe at Lord Byng High School where we are supplying free hot chocolate and coffee for the students. Thanks to a local cafe called The Well, we have been donated free coffee each week, but we are still needing to buy hot chocolate (which has proven to be the most popular), milk, and cups each week.
As well as the needs for Lord Byng, we are in constant need for office supplies such as printer ink and paper.
To help you in sending money to us here in Vancouver, you can click on the following link and it will take you a page where you can make online transactions, safely via Paypal: Make a Donation
(You might need to sign up for a Paypal account. Our account is in Jess Gordon's name)
We understand that you won't be able to attend the spectacular event, but we hope that you will consider donating to the team... as a bonus, however, we will video the event and post it online for you to watch.
Thanks for all your support and prayers!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Am I Willing?...
Its a question God keeps bringing to my mind.
Am I willing..
~to do what it takes, to be 100% committed?
~to follow Him no matter what?
~to go where He sends me?
~to forget about material things and worldly opinions?
A lot of people don't understand the enormity of the questions above - me included Im sure-, we think yeah I am willing, but yet when it comes to the crunch, when God has journeyed with us to the pivotal moment, we run away scared of the change that will surely take place if we continue down the path. The change that will only bring us good, it might be throwing away the past, forgiving hurts or any number of things, yet we don't trust in God enough to allow Him to bring us through the process and out the other side, maybe also we don't trust our selves to really change and we question our ability to cope with the outcome. Whatever it is and whatever the reason, out trust seems to fail us.
When we commit ourselves to God for the first time, or a promise we make, everyday we need to constantly renew the promise, the reason behind it, least we forget or falter.
Im guilty, we sing a song at church and one of the line says 'I will go where you send me', I always sing it heart pumping, silently praying to God, that no matter what I am His, He can send me where He likes and I will go. Yet when opportunities arise, my logic kicks in; do I have the money? does this mean I wont see my friends wherever they may be for years? what about a qualification surely I need one of those to get anywhere in life?
And well guess what... God is like, well aren't I providing for you know, when you needed money didn't someone hand you some. Question is null, void. When I ask him about my friends, He's like you do a pretty good job with your laptop of keeping in touch, why do you think I gave you one. Question is null, void. When I ask about qualifications, He answers with a resounding No, look at the people around, where they have gone for my Kingdom, if you need them, when the times comes you will get them. Question is null, void.
Yet still I question, and so I began to wonder, when I began to trust so little. All throughout my life God has kept me safe, with the help of friends like samand countless others; ash, tom, kate...Alone these past year and a half have been testimony to God goodness, but mixed with the past, the evidence is overwhelming, trust is the one thing I should be able to do.
Am I willing..
~to do what it takes, to be 100% committed?
~to follow Him no matter what?
~to go where He sends me?
~to forget about material things and worldly opinions?
A lot of people don't understand the enormity of the questions above - me included Im sure-, we think yeah I am willing, but yet when it comes to the crunch, when God has journeyed with us to the pivotal moment, we run away scared of the change that will surely take place if we continue down the path. The change that will only bring us good, it might be throwing away the past, forgiving hurts or any number of things, yet we don't trust in God enough to allow Him to bring us through the process and out the other side, maybe also we don't trust our selves to really change and we question our ability to cope with the outcome. Whatever it is and whatever the reason, out trust seems to fail us.
When we commit ourselves to God for the first time, or a promise we make, everyday we need to constantly renew the promise, the reason behind it, least we forget or falter.
Im guilty, we sing a song at church and one of the line says 'I will go where you send me', I always sing it heart pumping, silently praying to God, that no matter what I am His, He can send me where He likes and I will go. Yet when opportunities arise, my logic kicks in; do I have the money? does this mean I wont see my friends wherever they may be for years? what about a qualification surely I need one of those to get anywhere in life?
And well guess what... God is like, well aren't I providing for you know, when you needed money didn't someone hand you some. Question is null, void. When I ask him about my friends, He's like you do a pretty good job with your laptop of keeping in touch, why do you think I gave you one. Question is null, void. When I ask about qualifications, He answers with a resounding No, look at the people around, where they have gone for my Kingdom, if you need them, when the times comes you will get them. Question is null, void.
Yet still I question, and so I began to wonder, when I began to trust so little. All throughout my life God has kept me safe, with the help of friends like samand countless others; ash, tom, kate...Alone these past year and a half have been testimony to God goodness, but mixed with the past, the evidence is overwhelming, trust is the one thing I should be able to do.
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