Filed under: My Life
I arrived home for the Holidays after delayed flights which made my mom vow they’d come and pick me up in Atlanta if I couldn’t get the last flight out. I can’t believe how the time has flown since November 30th but now I’m approaching the final days of my time here. It’s been a welcome rest and recuperation to have quality time with my family, which I think the best part was seeing my Grandmother play Taboo. Funny! I also had knee surgery on the 23rd for a torn meniscus which happened in Spain on a trampoline during a break of a training conference I went to called B2B (BE the leader God wants you TO BE).
Now it’s time for a new years, a new page, a new decade. I absolutely love the beginning and end of months. It’s my favorite time because I’m able to reflect on the last day and the first day. Finishing things and beginning things. New chances. I don’t know, it just seems exciting to me. Well, as we approach this new beginning I hope it will be reflection which will help us get closer to the way things should be. Blessings to everyone!
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Hello Everyone!
I thought I’d send you a quick email to let you know what’s happening here in Argentina…
We arrived in Buenos Aires and were carted off in the back of a transit van to go to the base there for the night before we headed off to Puerto Madryn on a 24 hour bus ride on a forever straight road. By the time we were at the base in Puerto Madryn we were exhausted! We had some lunch then showered and rested the rest of the day with brief intermissions of playing with the 9 puppies there. To my surprise we were in the desert. No joke.
To make things quicker, here are a couple high-lights from Puerto Madryn. We worked with an elderly day care center a couple of times. Some of these paricular elderly people are abused by their childern and grandchildern who are drug addicts. The first time we were there someone put on some music and the old men asked us all to dance! The next time we chatted with them and they asked us why were come to hang out with them. I replied because they’re wise, we love them and they’re fun…probably more fun than people our own age. They said that we changed some thoughts in their heads about people our age not loving them.
Also in Puerto Madryn we taught on a DTS. That was super cool! The theme was “identitiy”. I think that time really opened up something in me pertaining to teaching. I’m exploring with God to see how that will fit into ministry.
In Puerto Madryn the base was way out in the desert and we had to hitch hike home. What was funny was when people would stop they didn’t even ask us where to go because they knew we were from “the mission”. 
We made the 24 hour bus ride back up to Buenos Aires and were greeted by slums and beggers once again. The further North you go the poorer it gets. Sice being here we’ve done loads of “friendshi evangelism” in parks and plazas. We’ve also had a massive picnic with some homeless people we met (Buenos Aires has not benefits system so people have no hope…). Dave did a massive portrait of one of the homeless men, Hugo, with chalk and charcol and that nearly Hugo to tears. We did an evangelism weekend in San Martin complete with drama and preach, and 6 people became Christians!!! And today we did a secular kids club and taught values with dramas and games. The people who run the club told us afterwards that we have a different spirit. They said they could sense it. Now, Praise God!!! That’s so true. We have the Holy Spirit and ministry doesn’t have to be words…it’s living because He loves in us!!
So far we’ve been in Argentina for 6 weeks and we have 4 left. Thanks for all the prayers and support.
Just a couple things that you could pray fr if you get the chance:
*Dave’s bag was stolen a few weeks ago and it had his sketch book, Bible and journal which are close to his heart (he’s an artist) along with his camera and ipod, etc. Just be praying for him and for provision.
*I have to get a new VISA in December which will cost 435 pounds (711 dollars). This will be a 3 year visa. After that I’ll get a 2 year VISA and if I’m still in the UK after that I’ll apply for residency, etc… So please pray for God’s provision and protection over the visa.
Thanks Guys!!!
Love you all and looking forward to seeing you either in England or the States!!
ps. pctures to come!!!
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In June the YWAM York crew all boarded planes and headed to Malaga, Spain for a leadership training course for 2 weeks. A few of us went early to have some time to just chill and experience Spain since we knew most of our time would be up in the mountains away from the city. Well, we arrived with this expectation of sun, fun and beach. I had read earlier that Malaga has 310 sunny days each year. So the first night we all went to bed excited about the prospect of a whole day at the beach in the sun. The next morning we woke up and thought “hmmm, it doesn’t feel very hot.” But we live in England so we’re going to the beach no matter what!! So we pack up and suit up and head down to the beach. When we arrive it’s so foggy that you can’t see the sea. Now we’re sure that Mother Nature MUST be taking the mick. I mean come on…Brits travel to Spain and it won’t be sunny on our only day off?! This place is called Costa del Sol which means cost of the sun. Eventually around 2 or 3 the fog lifted and we realised what the sea actually looked like and funnily enough all of us got burned.
Filed under: Ywam Newsletters
It’s way past time for me to give you an update about what’s happening with me. I’ve got a lot to cover from our crazy sprint to the airplane in Heathrow on our way to Hong Kong to wading in an ice cold waterfall in Wales. So with so much to talk about and so little time I’ll try and hit some highlights. When I come home in December we’ll be able to catch up properly.
September 15th was the beginning of our time in the Far East. It all began with a miracle, which is a pretty good way to start a trip, when one of my team mates got half the team stranded in York while the rest of us were waiting at the airport in London for them. We have a diesel van and she put petrol in by accident. Long story short the five of them ended up having to get a train and lug all of our hiking backpacks (that’s 8 full size backpacks and their hand luggage) through the underground as quick as possible trying to catch the tube. While this was happening I was sitting in the Heathrow airport with three of my team mates watching the clock tick and listening to the airline workers tell us that there’s no possible way they can get here before the check in closes for our flight. Their train would arrive at the airport 10 minutes AFTER it closed and our tickets were non-refundable. We met them at the station and ran through the airport to the desks to be told that we had 7 minutes until they closed our flight. We checked in and got through security just in time. God proved the computers wrong!! Now of course all this couldn’t happen without an embarrassing moment. As we were running to meet the train I was pushing a luggage trolley and my drawstring got really loose on my shorts. When I reached to fix it I lost control of my trolley and ran into the wall at full speed with many on lookers wondering what was wrong with me.
We spent 7 weeks total in Asia. Two weeks in Hong Kong doing some inner city ministries whilst living in the oldest village in Hong Kong about an hour from the center by bus and subway. We worked with Nepalese children whose parents aren’t involved in their lives because they’re busy at work, homeless people, drug addicts and asylum seekers. We then crossed the border into China and took a 26 hour train ride to Kunming. We spent three weeks there going to different villages such as a leprosy village which broke my heart and a minority group village which has never had western visitors before. Then we went to Guangzhou in east China for one week and then back to Hong Kong for a week.
November saw us back in a wet and freezing Great Britain. We went for a hike in the Dales (a national park) and of course it rained straight for 3 hours as we walked the hills and climbed over stones. All of my clothes somehow got wet (even my underwear) even though I was wearing waterproofs.
Now I am preparing for a holiday in the states and for a new year here in York. I am getting ready for my last year on this leadership school (and hoping to lead a team to Brazil for 3 months next year to work with street kids, prostitutes and homeless people) and exploring options for what happens next and long-term plans as a missionary.I am in the process of making a new format for my newsletter which will hopefully be a bit more interesting so be looking forward to a few new things! Thanks for being so faithful and reading this to the end!
Filed under: My Life
I really enjoyed my time in Amsterdam. It’s such a beautiful city. It has this lure, this sparkle that draws people to it. “Freedom”. “Liberty”. That’s what some people I met there have told me. “It’s Amsterdam, that’s what we do here!” People view the legal prostitution and drugs as freedom to express yourself and totally normal. It’s warped. A warped illusion of what Freedom is. Freedom is not addiction to sex and drugs. Freedom is not a human being a slave to prostitution to make it in life. It’s a poison apple, not what it seems. People are taking huge bites thinking it’s good when in reality they don’t see what it really is. Bondage. Slavery. Darkness.
Many times I would be in the red light district and would see families walking around. Small children with their parents. Why? Warped. It’s not what it seems. This is a very interesting article about a “family day” in the red light district that our YWAM Amsterdam friends wrote about. One time my friend and I were walking to the place where our team mate was doing a piece of art about “innocence” in the red light district and a man standing at a door of a sex show shouted to us that there’s a family discount. Warped.
Snow White didn’t realise that the apple was poisonous and neither does this world. These things that seem so good and so normal are detrimental and desensitizing. What are we going to do about it? There has to be a loving way.
This picture is of a church in the red light district. It’s surrounded by narrow alley ways. When you’re walking down those alley ways it’s a bit cool and damp because the sun doesn’t get down there. On your right hand side is the church and on your left are brothels. Women in windows. I’ve been thinking about them recently. I almost didn’t write anything about them because it’s so tender but I had a revelation that I think others need to have. It’s a simple one but true. These women are just like me. They giggle. They cry. They want a steady love in their lives. They want children or have children. They watch movies. They have the same fears and desires I have. I want to be their friend. To cry with them, hug them, laugh with them. eat with them, share life with them. That’s what my heart is burning for.
So this poison apple. What to do? We’ve eaten from it and now we need to be redeemed. In the story Prince Charming had to kiss Snow White to bring her back. Well, my theory is our Father’s gonna be the one to redeem it. He wants to. He is. He’s there. In the heart of it. He’s in the red light district. He’s watching. His heart breaks. He’s crying. He can’t wait for his princess, his bride to wake up and be restored. To be who she was made to be. Listen to his heart beat and you’ll hear it. You’ll hear it break for them. The ones he loves. The prostitutes, the pimps, the addicts, the tourists.
Filed under: My Life
Interesting question. Amsterdamite? Amsterdamer? Amsterdame? Amsterdamsel? Hmm.
I’ve been in Amsterdam since Tuesday. It’s been hot and sunny! I love this city. The culture is confusing because it feels like Asia and Europe combined (especially with the hot weather recently). I really like this city. It’s beautiful and relaxing but also so broken and dark at the same time. A city of oxymoron’s. I can’t really make a judgement now or even begin to understand the people here. I’ve barely scraped the surface. I would still get lost several times if Dave didn’t know where we were going.
The YWAM base here has some amazing ministries and some that really excite me. One of them is building relationships with the women in the windows. I’ve heard some stories about this ministry and it’s amazing! They go and chat with the women while they’re working in the windows and the prostitutes are so happy to see them. They’re friends. That’s what I want to do. Share life with them, love them.
So I searched the web and couldn’t find the answer to my question. SO if you figure it out let me know!!
Filed under: My Life
I find it very interesting that American money is all the same color and size. All other currencies that I know of have different sizes and colors and also have those cool raised things that make it look special. I read a news article that said America is going to have to change their currency soon because blind people can’t tell which note is which since they are all the same size and have no raised bits. I can’t imagine America without the standard green currency.
Anyways, the point of this entry is to let you know that I am praying and trusting God for quite a lot of money for some mission trips that I’m going on and I am asking if you would stand with me in prayer. I need money for our 2 week trip to Amsterdam, our 2 month trip to the far east, travel insurance, injections and for flights for the Asia trip. That all comes to about 1,200 pounds (2,400 dollars). I need this really soon, by the end of August. I’m looking forward to the day when I get to tell you that I have it all. I believe that it’ll happen because He’s provided so much before.
This is a photo that Dave took of me. It’s a bit random but I thought it looked kinda like I was praying so it relates.
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So I was walking into the city one evening and I took the route by the river because it’s more scenic. As I was walking I saw this straight line of geese. 12 baby geese and one mother goose. The mother was in the front and the 12 babies were behind. They were walking slowly and all at the same pace using the same foot and the same time. I giggled to myself and grinned because it was so cute. As I passed the mother she stopped and bent her head to the left staring me down, watching and listening to me. Behind her all the babies stopped too and were still. I was thinking about them again today and it hit me. That’s what we should look like with God. Mirroring him. What He does we do. The way he moves we move.
