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.

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

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