Ta-ra!

Tara here being a Welsh term for goodbye.

See you on the other side of the pond.

Last weekend happenings

Last Sunday today. Really gonna miss Christchurch.

We have a luncheon after church with the pastoral team (minus Pete), and then I’m off to dinner with the Rees’. Full day.

Tomorrow we’re doing a Gap team final get-together. Off to a pub for lunch, then back to the girls for a chill time of reminiscing, reviewing pictures, and saying goodbye. Then my last night of footy followed by a last YPD with the senior teen guys and Gavin. Probably heading out for a curry, which I’ve grown to love.

Yesterday we spent the day in West Wales with Pete Greasley. He and Jenn treated us to a wonderful day of bbq, fellowship, and the beach, before our final goodbye. There are several very unfortunate yet very funny events that took pace within that time. I’ll have to tell you later. We love the Greasleys though.

Friday night was the last senior teen home group (for me and for them). We shared about what we’d learned in Germany, and then they had a time of encouragement for Kat and me. It did it’s job. Then they all prayed for us as well. I spent the night at the Slocombe’s, along with Tay and Pembo. Good times.

Off to church now.

Back.

Finally returned last night after a fortnight away. The trip to Hamburg surpassed what I had hoped for. Many new memories and friendships were created there. Thank you all for your prayers. I hope to post more details soon.

Stepping back in to my room last night, I had the odd sensation of remembering what it felt like the first time I walked in, about 11 months ago. This weird, foreign, oddly smelling place I would call home for the next year. And how out of place I felt.

In six days I’ll be back in the States again. I’ve already begun preparations for packing. But now this room is comfortable to me, a place of rest and familiarity. And I’ve started to feel at home.

I’m off to town, looking for the last few things I’ll want to take back with me. Then the packing starts.

Deutschland ist wunderschön.

Just finished packing for Hamburg, Germany.

About 30 of us from Christchurch leave this afternoon for a two week trip to visit Arche Church there. It’s an associate church of Sovereign Grace Ministries, and the pastors from both churches are looking to build more relationships. So, we’ll primarily be hanging out with a load of youths and students, getting to know them, and doing fun stuff together, including a trip to Berlin, the beach, and a waterpark. For a few more details, and a neat little map of our trip, check out Janelle’s post.

Please be praying for good fellowship this trip- that we’d not be hindered by the language barrier or cultural differences, but rather find sweet friendship around the Gospel. We’ll be sleeping on floors and sharing quarters, while driving long distances in mini-buses, so please pray as well for patience and good spirits. Not sure yet if we’ll have internet access, so I may not update again for another two weeks.

And, when I do get back, I’ll only have five more days in Wales. Quite a sad thought. Yet I look forward to what’s in store next.

I have no idea how I’m gonna fit everything in my bags, though. What can I chuck…?

Happy Birthday Mum!

So sad not to be there with you today. Only three more weeks, though! 

Rather than write a new post (which I would, had I the time), I’ll point you to the one I wrote last year on my birthday.

Strangers, in life or death conversation

[It's late, and I don't have time to edit this down, but wanted to share it anyway. Sorry for the poor writing.]

We’ve had several opportunities to canvas the local area with fliers promoting different events at Christchurch. Lately, we’ve taken to doing door-to-door surveys, asking people basic questions about themselves and how we, as a church, can better serve the community. The responses have been quite mixed.

Today Ivy and I made our way slowly down a street, knocking at each door. Most people were “busy.” Some didn’t even give a pretense for not wanting to talk- as soon as we said the name “Christchurch Centre” they said “Nope. Not interested,” and closed the door. But a few were willing to talk. Three people in particular.

One was a middle aged man with an African accent. He told us he goes to church every week, and began explaining what it meant to be a Christian. Everything he said seemed spot on until he began saying that all denominations are the mark of the beast, and that they are people’s attempts to add to Scripture. At one point he said, “They may get most things right, but then baptize wrong…” and went on to say that meant they would still go to hell. 

Stopping him there, I challenged him whether that was biblical. What ensued was a long conversation about the Gospel and how you are truly saved. He insisted that you can only be saved through Christ, but that there are certain boxes you have to tick off, one of which is being baptized correctly (I didn’t ask him what the correct method was). It ended with him challenging us to pray and ask God to reveal himself to us, giving me the impression he doesn’t think we are saved.

What a sad picture of how adding one thing to the Gospel ruins the entire thing.

Then there was Katherine and Derron, the fashion photographers. Derron answered the door without a shirt on and then apologized, jokingly covering his nipples.

“Hold on- I’ll get my shirt on. Come right in.” Wow. Brits inviting us inside their house.

His girlfriend apologized she was in the middle of lunch. She put it aside and sat down on a sofa opposite us, beaming smile on her face. “Can we get you anything to drink? Tea or coffee?” We found out they frequently work with models and designers, traveling into London. Apparently she was a lingerie designer previous to this.

After answering our survey questions, they asked a few of their own. Ivy did such a great job explaining how, while other religions teach that we must do or accomplish certain things in order to reach heaven, Christianity tells us that we can’t get there on our own. We’re imperfect. We’re corrupt. But there’s hope- Jesus did what we couldn’t- he lived a perfect life. And more than that, he took all the punishment we deserved. 

Derron asked if the fact that we think we are so sinful produced a lot of negativity.

“It actually gives me peace,” said Ivy. “Knowing that it’s not dependent on me, that I can’t do it myself, but rather that it’s all about Jesus, and what he’s done for me. I can be free from feeling like I need to gain my own salvation.” Well, she said it much better than that.

The part that broke my heart was after our conversation when I invited them along to Christianity Explored, where they can ask whatever questions they may have. Katherine felt she knew enough and now needed to just “find the answer within herself,” and Derron said he had too many questions that they’d never get answered. They were so kind and “open,” but when it came down to it, they weren’t really interested in anything else.

We prayed for all three of them on the drive home. We prayed that the seeds we scattered would land on good soil, that they would be unsettled in their beliefs and find true answers to their questions.

Janelle remarked the other day, in light of all the conversations we’ve had lately, that it will be thrilling in Heaven, when we see what lives God chooses to change in spite of how uninterested and lost they appear.

Random happinesses

There’ve been a lot of great things happening lately- whether it’s Gospel opportunities in schools, great memories with students, or just fun down time as gappers. Here’s some random snapshots.

Ivy had an Arts and Crafts workshop in one of the schools. As a craft, she had the kids design individual squares that, when put together, formed a Bible verse. And the teacher put it up in the classroom! The Lord has really given us favor there.

We had a student dinner and dance recently. It was loads of fun. Us gappers stayed an extra hour late just dancing by ourselves. Kinda embarrassing, but a really great memory.

Pemberton being a lurker.

Tay being a lurker.

Luke, Richard, me, and Taylor doing our duty at the “fit guys” table.

And now some classic video footage. In this one, Ivy wants all the details about the day that she missed (she hates missing anything!), and Janelle fills her in while we try not to get hit by cars.

We also had a totally American moment in the car, belting out to some country music. Unfortunately, the girls didn’t know how to use my camera properly, and it didn’t get recorded. But it was legendary.

That’s rubbish!

So, the lady gappers have had a bit of an issue keeping track of which day is rubbish collection day. I think they’ve missed it about four or five times, and it only comes once every two weeks, so stuff piles up. Last week, we had to pile about six black bags into the back of the car to throw into the church dumpster. 

As such, Ivy was very keen to make sure she didn’t miss it again. Monday night, as we’re hanging out over there, I hear her say, “Oh, I think Tuesday is trash day. We need to put the bin out,” which they then dutifully proceed to do. 

It’s now Wednesday night, and the bin is still sitting in front of the house, overflowing. That’s because Monday is rubbish day.

Documentary proof- I took this photo outside their house today.

Well, it might as well have been taken by me….

Preparing for takeoff

Hard to believe, but four weeks from today I should be boarding a plane, along with my doubtlessly overstuffed luggage and conflicted heart, to make my way back to the States.

In one week I head to Hambourg, Germay along with 30 or so others to visit an associate church there. We’ll be hanging out with the youth and students, doing everything from outreach and evangelism, to several sightseeing trips. Should be a hoot.

Then I’ll have a week left in Wales before saying goodbye to everyone.

Nooo!!

And…yay!

Seeing my family and friends back in the States is going to be great. And I really look forward to it. At the same time, it’s going to ruddy hurt leaving here. I’d appreciate your prayers for faith and grace as I get closer to that time, as well as that the next four weeks would be blessed with good fellowship and opportunities. 

Difficulty arises when I try to articulate where God’s been teaching and challenging me. So much has happened, and so much has changed. How grateful I am for my year in Wales.

I can’t wait to catch up with everyone back home, and see how God’s been working in you, as well.

Yeth Pleath

Today was our first performance of a new assembly. Actually, we performed three times in different schools. In this sketch, I play King Nebuchadnezzar, fully decked out in robe and crown. Only appropriate.

At one point I remark with surprise how there is “a fourth person” in the fiery furnace, alongside Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendego. Instead, during one of our assemblies, I yelled, “And look, there’s a fourse perthon in the furnath!” 

How do I recover from that? “Wait! I meant…”

Rather than screw it up a second time, I moved on, with the rest of the gappers laughing at me.