August 6, 2008
I just wanted to drop a line to say that I am still alive, but it has been a crazy couple of weeks so I haven’t had a chance to sit down and collect my thoughts.
Coolest part of the day today was seeing Southern Seminary’s bluegrass play “I Saw the Light” in a pub and hearing everyone in the pub sing “Praise the Lord, I saw the Light.” They may not know exactly what they were saying, but I’d definitely say that seeds were planted there.
Don’t worry more to come hopefully soon.
I love you all!
July 29, 2008
Saturday
Saturday morning I got to sleep in till about 10:30 am (it was glorious!) The Dorsey’s took me to Mount Pearl (a little outside of St. John’s) to a community event. Janie, Alyssa, and Matthew were already there so I just met up with them. It was so good to hang out with them, especially Janie because I really love her. I really did miss those kids. Anyhow, they said that pretty much everything had died down so we did cartwheels. Yes, there is video of this (not of me of course because I was videoing). Then we grabbed some dinner and Steve took us back to MUN. We then decided to go see The Dark Knight and it was INCREDIBLE! As Jacob would say, “OH my GOODNESS!” Haha. We got back to campus in time for Steve to pick us up to take us to the airport to pick up the team that is coming in this week. We got them all settled into their hotel then got back to MUN around 1am.
Sunday
We ALL went to church then the Grissoms, Dorseys and summer missionaries all had lunch at the Grissoms. It was good to spend some time with them. After that we went to the MUN Bible Study. We talked about the 2nd half of John 11. It was so good! Then we go to this community softball game and BBQ. When we get to the field there were people already playing. It turns out that it is a recovering addicts fellowship group. And they play every Sunday and Tuesday from 4-6pm. I’d really like to get together with them. Please pray that this will be a good contact made. I got the lady’s card that is in charge of some of the fellowships and I also gave her my e-mail address. I hope to hear from her.
After the community game, we came back to MUN and hung out. We each took the time to share how we came to know Christ and our call to ministry. It was a very sweet time of fellowship. Now-night time.
July 29, 2008
I got to sleep in a little today. It was great. I absolutely love the team that I got to work with this past week. Anyhow, we started the morning off as usual with a group devotion but today was a little different because Benny came to join us and pray with us. What a sweet spirit he has. After our group devotion, we got the van packed up and ready to go. Annabelle wanted to have one last goodbye and prayer with us before we left so that’s what we did. What a woman of God she is!
We headed to CBS to eventually meet up with Adam for dinner. We spent some time as Topsail Beach to meet people. The first lady I met (I can’t remember her name) said she used to go to the United Church and her husband used to go to the Salvation Army Church. Eventually they both just lost interest in it. I shared the gospel with her but again she was just not interested. She also didn’t understand following Christ as a daily thing. Then, I’m sitting on the beach and the other North Carolina team that Matthew was working with showed up at Topsail Beach too. Eventually, Matthew and I teamed up to hand out bottles of water. We ended up talking to two elderly couples just out enjoying the day. One couple was Anglican and the other was United. I only talked to Helen Hamlyn while Matthew talked to the other three. I asked her what she believed about salvation and what not and obviously living a good life came into the conversation. I laid out the gospel for her too and she just didn’t get it. We were going around and around (not arguing) trying to explain ourselves to each other. She said she was too old to leave her church and I told her she’s never to old to follow Christ. I left her with a track and told her that’s what we believe. I pray it sinks in.
Then I met another lady on the beach and explained that good works was not the key to salvation and that Jesus is. The United Church really gets under my skin at the moment. After Topsail Beach, we went to Adam’s while Tami got her tooth fixed. Then we went to dinner and the mall for a while. Them the team checked back into MUN where we had a mini-concert/debriefing with the team and Adam. Oh! And I got to see Matthew, Janie, and Alyssa today-oh how sweet that was! I am really going to have a hard time leaving them come August 10 (well that’s when they leave me). Now I’m back at the Dorsey’s in a comfortable bed. Good night!!
July 27, 2008
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2149868&l=206bc&id=38412373
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2149877&l=6f261&id=38412373
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2151430&l=2b8ce&id=38412373
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2151904&l=385c5&id=38412373
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2151911&l=7a62a&id=38412373
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2153291&l=f23a0&id=38412373
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2153294&l=0f588&id=38412373
All together there are about 480 pictures there within 7 different albums. Have fun!
July 24, 2008
We had our morning devotion and prayer time as usual, and we were getting ready to leave for the day BUT we couldn’t find the van key. We looked everywhere and I finally found in one of the couch cushions. We finally headed out for Norman’s and Long Cove. This area of Newfoundland was beautiful! I have pictures that will amaze you. Again, my verse for the week has been Psalm 19:1-WOW! We ended up in Chapel Arm at this little wood shop. There were some amazing pieces of art there. By the time we got to Norman’s Cove it was lunch time, so we stopped for lunch at Charlotte’s Take Out. We met Leslie there. She had just graduated from high school and was going to attend MUN in the fall. I asked her what church she attended and she says that she’s Catholic but doesn’t really like church. I told her, well, I basically shared the gospel with her. I told her there was no way that we can keep the law, but Jesus did and died for us and all she need to do was believe in Him. She didn’t seem really interested but I gave her my e-mail address so she could find me on Facebook.
After lunch, Frank, Tami and I prayer walked through Norman’s Cove. It was beautiful. There is a real harvest in that area. I saw kids playing, teenagers out and about, and adults. It was the most variety of ages that I’ve seen in these rural areas. Then we came back to Bellevue Beach for some R&R. Frank, Bill, Kendra, and I went to Bellevue Beach Park to go play in the ocean. I didn’t get in on one side because I would’ve become and ice cube but the other side was warmer so I made it up to my belly button. Then we came back and had dinner.
Bible study started around 7pm and it was very enjoyable. Reg taught and I just love him. He and his wife, Diana, are my new favorite people of the week. I could see them retiring in Newfoundland. After Bible study we just talked/fellowshipped for a while. Now bed time
July 24, 2008
First thing we do as a group (other than eat breakfast) is read from the devotion book, discuss the day, then pray for our day to come. The discussion of the day took a lot longer than expected so we got to a late start. Bill, Kendra, and I stayed in Bellevue Beach to tell people about family fun day while Frank, Tami, Reg, and Diana went to Bellevue. Yes, they are two different towns. Both are very very small. Anyhow, we walked up and down the road and didn’t really get to talk to many people. Lots of the houses seemed empty. Annabelle says they are like summer houses. Then we came back for family fun day set up. I would say that family fun day was a huge success. There were about 35 people there (children and parents combined). That is a large number when you look at these tiny communities. After fun day clean up, some guys decided to go swimming in the very cold ocean. I just watched. Then Steve, Reg, and Frank went to get dinner. We had lobster. Annabelle let me put them in the skillet but I was too slow so she had to take over even though she didn’t want to do so. It was so good. Now it’s time for bed.
July 24, 2008
Annabelle brought us over some freshly made muffins for breakfast. Of course, they were great! We started out the morning with a group devotion and prayer time. I am really growing to love this North Carolina crew. We started out the day in Chance Cove. It was a bigger town than the others we visited yesterday. We simply knocked on doors to remind people about the family fun day that this North Carolina team had planned. The first few doors that Kendra (from the NC team) and I knocked on didn’t look too promising. All the men said they were headed out to fish and they didn’t have any family that would come to fun day. We kept going anyway.
Somehow, Frank, Annabelle, and I ended up together knocking on doors and we ended up at the house of Tony an Hazel Rye. This was one of the highlights of my day. They invited us in to sit and chat. Frank laid the gospel out for them but they said the were good people and he explained that wasn’t good enough. Then Hazel spoke up and told us she has a pinched nerve in her back and it was giving her some pain this morning. She says she usually has to lay in bed for a few hours but this time she prayed about it and was able to get up and move around right away. Then, we come to the door. She even said that she felt like God sent us to her house.
Frank left her with a copy of the Bible with some verses highlighted for them to read. These people could very well be interested in the things of God. After this we decided to go visit Benny and Joy from the Thursday night Bible study. They are such a joy to be around! Benny gave me some mud trout that he was cooking and it was very tasty. After leaving their house we came back to our cabins for lunch and discussed our day in Chance Cove. After lunch we headed out to Thornlea. I only really met three people here: Mr. Best (the lobster guy), Grace and a girl she was babysitting, Chyenne. I saw some of the biggest lobsters ever at this man’s place. Pictures to come. Then Grace invited us in but didn’t really give us a chance to talk. That’s okay-she just wanted to chat. I mostly played with the little girl, Chyenne, anyway. After this we went to the water and saw capeland and skipped rocks. Capeland are little tiny fish that bring in the whales. After our visit in Thornlea we came back to the cabin and rested. After a little R&R, we went to dinner. The only place in town to eat is Opsrey’s Nest. I ate some cod tongue but not as my full meal. Apparently, it’s not really cod tongue, it’s more like the neck. It wasn’t bad. After dinner, we came back and discussed family fun day plans. They have me doing the registration table. I don’t really know why but I’ll enjoy it. I love meeting people-especially when they have to come to me! Haha! Now I’m tired, goodnight!
July 24, 2008
Monday, July 14
My team and I checked out of MUN this morning to load up for Bellevue Beach. We had to stop at Conception Bay South for groceries and lunch. It was at lunch that Adam received a phone call that his step-dad will have to have open heart surgery very soon (I think the date is now July 30th). Please keep him and Adam in your prayers. I can’t imagine dealing with that being so far away from home.
After lunch we came out to Bellevue Beach and met with Annabelle. (I will tell Annabelle’s story soon, just know that there is a bible study that meets in her hair salon and that she is an amazing woman of God). We had some scouting training with Adam and an intensive prayer time for the people in this area. Then we went out to the surrounding towns to see what they look like. I use the word town loosely because there are barely any people there. I’ve never really seen such small towns. Annabelle says this area is heavily Catholic and they have a skewed view of the gospel. And again, we saw some absolutely beautiful areas. Then, we came back to Annabelle’s house and saw her wonderful back porch view. After that we went to eat at the only restaurant in the area. I had some incredible pan fried cod fish. We came back to the cabin and now I’m going to bed.
July 14, 2008
What a day! Let me begin by saying that before when I have been saying “we” it has been Janie, Alyssa, Matthew and I, now when I say “we” it will be my team from North Carolina and I because that is who I am with for the next week.
Anyhow, I am going through Psalms in my quiet times in the mornings. I read Psalm 16-20. Pslam 19:1 really stuck out to me this morning though, ”The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” I have seen a lot of beautiful things these past weeks and seeing that verse just put it all in perspective. Then, my group and I went to A&W for breakfast and morning devotion. During our morning devotions we are reading Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper. Here is the beginning of chapter 1,
“The created universe is all about glory. The deepest longing
of the human heart and the deepest meaning of
heaven and earth are summed up in this: the glory of God.
The universe was made to show it, and we were made to see
it and savor it. Nothing less will do. Which is why the world
is as disordered and as dysfunctional as it is. We have
exchanged the glory of God for other things (Romans 1:23).
“The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1).
That is why all the universe exists. It’s all about glory.”
Not only was that the verse that had stuck out to me, but while the Reg (a little old man in his 60s probably) was reading it he began to tear up and could barely even get these words out. Of course, I’m a softy so I was definitely tearing up as well. It was beautiful!
Then we go to church at Calvary, I just love it there! It really is a mix of Third Baptist Church (my church) and Hillview Baptist Church (the church I pretty much grew up in and that my family still attends). There was this one song that really got to me but for the life of me I don’t know what it is. All I know is that I had never heard it before that day. Gary Stewart, the pastor, gave an incredible message on Galatians.
After church, we get lunch and drive to Signal Hill. And hopefully you guys have gotten a chance to see the pictures of there because Psalm 19:1 really fits in there. We come down off the hill (MOUNTAIN!) and go walk in downtown St. John’s. I would like to spend some more time down there to meet people, hopefully I will get that chance. Then we meet back up to go to Cape Spear. Saturday, Janie, Alyssa, Matthew, and Sheena went to Cape Spear while I went with my new team to dinner. I was a little upset about that, well until I got there Sunday. OH MY GOODNESS! It is absolutely beautiful!!! I cannot describe to you how amazing it is! I love it. THE HEAVENS ARE DECLARING THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE SKY ABOVE PROCLAIMS HIS HANDIWORK! I saw some whales and they were amazing!!! We spent hours up there! No one wanted to come down. When we finally did come down, we stopped for dinner at Mary Brown’s Chicken. It was ok chicken. Then we went back to MUN. We got back and a few of us wanted to walk around some more so we walked around this pond near campus called Long Pond. It was beautiful!
We came back and I went to my room, chatted with Matthew and packed up my things for Bellevue Beach.
I will not be updating as frequently this week because I don’t think I’ll have access to internet, but I don’t really know
More pictures to come but I have to go eat breakfast with my team (Its Monday as I’m writing this by the way)
July 13, 2008
One of my friends told me that my writing is “stream of consciousness” so I apologize if you have difficulty following along, BUT I did warn you that writing is not my cup of tea when I began this blog.
July 11th
Janie, Alyssa, and I met up with Tanya for lunch at the University Center. Tanya is a Chinese student at MUN that attends the Bible Study that New Life Newfoundland has on campus. Matthew came up and met us about halfway through our lunch. Tanya had class at 1 so she left us around 12:40ish. After Tanya got up, another guy that we had met at church on Sunday came and sat down with us. He doesn’t normally attend Calvary, however, his friend Daniel was preaching so he came to hear him. We talked to him for probably 45 min or so about his faith (Salvation Army Church) and it was a very interesting conversation. The Salvation Army Church considers themselves to be evangelical but they do not do the Lord’s Supper or baptisms. That is a weird thought to me. He actually said that he’s never met anyone who has been baptized. I’m not sure how accurate that statement is because we have a few mutual friends and I’m pretty sure they’ve been baptized.
After lunch, we went back to the room and chilled out for a bit. Alyssa needed to finish up some flyers for an event and Matthew went and played basketball with some guys right outside our dorm. I didn’t want to just sit and the dorm and do nothing, so I went out to watch the basketball. It was there that I met Kelly. She is a part of facilities management on campus (in other words, she cleans around campus). She told me she was getting married today (Saturday) but the crazy part of the story is that she’d been with the guy for 19 years and they’ve already had two kids. I’m learning that there is no high view of marriage here.
After the basketball game, it was about dinner time so we walked to eat because we have grown tired of peanut butter and jelly. Then we walked back to the gym to meet Yasser and Faisal. Matthew and I played badminton with these guys until the sport they were really at the gym for began, volleyball. I did not play volleyball because, well, it just looked too intense for me AND I would’ve been the only girl.
After the guys got done playing volleyball, Steve, Matthew, Faisal, Yasser, Janie, Alyssa, and I went up to Signal Hill to hang out with a team from Texas that was leaving soon. They had been camping all week while doing some scouting. Signal Hill at night was more beautiful than I expected. Looking down at the city of St. John’s was amazing! (pictures to come) After Signal Hill, we dropped Faisal and Yasser off then went to Wal-Mart. This was the highlight of our evening because WE FINALLY GOT A REFRIGERATOR. We have been here two weeks and been getting ice fro a cooler this whole time to keep our milk cold, but NO MORE! It was very exciting!
July 12th
Steve picked us up to hand out flyers for a softball camp around 10:30. We did that all morning and had lunch at McDonald’s. Then, Steve dropped us back off at campus where we had a little free time. I got to talk to some people back home and it was very good to hear their voices. Adam came and picked us up around 3:30 to pick up a team coming in from North Carolina. This will be my team for the week. We came back to the dorm and got them all settled in and had a brief orientation (which is impressive because Adam is a talker…haha). Then, I went with this team to eat dinner. We ended up at Boston Pizza which I’m sure was the Lord’s provision because I had the same server as the last time I was there with a large group. She just went on and on about how nice we were. Of course, I didn’t think of it till after the fact, but that would’ve been a good way to share the Gospel with her. I’ll just have to go back to Boston Pizza and see her. God is in control! Then, the team and I came back to MUN only to walk to Churchhill Square to check out some times so we could eat breakfast in the morning. We’re going to meet to eat at A&W at 8am! I haven’t been up that early since before I got here!!!
Please pray for me this week as I serve this team from North Carolina.
