Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Monday, 18 August: What a day!
I told Jodi a couple days ago that I felt like we'd been missioning together as a unit for a long time even though it's been less than a week. The three of us still have a lot to learn about each other and about working out differences and extending/receiving grace from one another, but I certainly feel that we are, in essence, a real unit. Our differences in strengths and weakness as well as personalities and communication styles means that we really have to make the effort to work these differences out -- but it's working really well. We help supplement and complement one another. And while our first playdate on Sunday wasn't perfect (--it really wasn't my best performing), it was on target as far as what was needed at the church and it was exciting to see that we could do this together regardless of the fact that our language skills are not what we'd consider adequate.
One huge encouragement for us today was that we booked two playdates this morning -- just by being where we were. It was quite a full day. We had breakfast at 7:30 and the place we were staying in was a Christian-run center for the elderly. (We stayed in a building with several rooms for visitors.) We saw the director this morning (who we'd met two nights before) and she immediately booked us for November. We were up extra early b/c of an appointment w/a Christian mechanic (because two hoses came detached during our trip from Alsace, France to Biel/Bienne, Switzerland). One of the workers from the Christian center ("Bethel") led us (by car) to the mechanic and we got to talking and pretty soon they were envisioning having us perform at one of their Friday pre-evangelistic services. So before we knew it, they called the pastor of the church attached to the center for the elderly and we had an appointment with him and 5 minutes into that appointment, we had another booking for November. God just seemed to work everything out and His timing is perfect.
We just felt the Lord smiling on us all morning long. The director sent us on our way with drinks and chocolate bars and then at the nearest petrol station, I stepped out to check our oil and the attendant insisted on doing it for us. And it was sunny all day. All these little things meant alot to us.
The afternoon was not so smooth. We had a lot of trouble finding the church where we're now staying. We were so close and yet so far -- going in circles for about 45 minutes throwing our arrival time off by half an hour. Poor Jodi got a scolding for it when we arrived even though she apologized immediately and explained what happened. I felt so bad for her.
Thankfully, we spent time in prayer and refused to not praise the Lord for all that He had done for us this day. It's too easy to forget the good with the "bad."
P.S. The lady who scolded Jodi did apologize at the end admitting that she was a little severe and she gave Jodi huge hugs.
P.P.S. Tomorrow is a well-deserved day off!!! Yea!!!
I told Jodi a couple days ago that I felt like we'd been missioning together as a unit for a long time even though it's been less than a week. The three of us still have a lot to learn about each other and about working out differences and extending/receiving grace from one another, but I certainly feel that we are, in essence, a real unit. Our differences in strengths and weakness as well as personalities and communication styles means that we really have to make the effort to work these differences out -- but it's working really well. We help supplement and complement one another. And while our first playdate on Sunday wasn't perfect (--it really wasn't my best performing), it was on target as far as what was needed at the church and it was exciting to see that we could do this together regardless of the fact that our language skills are not what we'd consider adequate.
One huge encouragement for us today was that we booked two playdates this morning -- just by being where we were. It was quite a full day. We had breakfast at 7:30 and the place we were staying in was a Christian-run center for the elderly. (We stayed in a building with several rooms for visitors.) We saw the director this morning (who we'd met two nights before) and she immediately booked us for November. We were up extra early b/c of an appointment w/a Christian mechanic (because two hoses came detached during our trip from Alsace, France to Biel/Bienne, Switzerland). One of the workers from the Christian center ("Bethel") led us (by car) to the mechanic and we got to talking and pretty soon they were envisioning having us perform at one of their Friday pre-evangelistic services. So before we knew it, they called the pastor of the church attached to the center for the elderly and we had an appointment with him and 5 minutes into that appointment, we had another booking for November. God just seemed to work everything out and His timing is perfect.
We just felt the Lord smiling on us all morning long. The director sent us on our way with drinks and chocolate bars and then at the nearest petrol station, I stepped out to check our oil and the attendant insisted on doing it for us. And it was sunny all day. All these little things meant alot to us.
The afternoon was not so smooth. We had a lot of trouble finding the church where we're now staying. We were so close and yet so far -- going in circles for about 45 minutes throwing our arrival time off by half an hour. Poor Jodi got a scolding for it when we arrived even though she apologized immediately and explained what happened. I felt so bad for her.
Thankfully, we spent time in prayer and refused to not praise the Lord for all that He had done for us this day. It's too easy to forget the good with the "bad."
P.S. The lady who scolded Jodi did apologize at the end admitting that she was a little severe and she gave Jodi huge hugs.
P.P.S. Tomorrow is a well-deserved day off!!! Yea!!!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
back in france...
Well, I'm back in France, but with a different unit this time. After a wonderful two missions of touring w/Russ & Alison, we're going our seperate ways. Well, not totally. We're still in France and we're still serving the Lord through Covenant Players, but I've been assigned to a different unit, which was expected. So here I am, introducing ...
The CHARLEMAGNE UNIT of Covenant Players (for the Exodus 2008 Mission: Aug-Dec)
Mission Area: the eastern half of France plus French-speaking Switzerland
Who I'll be missioning with:
New missioner, Tabea (from Stuttgart area of Germany)
New unit leader, Jodi (orig. from Kansas, U.S.)
One thing I love about CP is that every 6 months we have the opportunity to start over. Begininng of mission, while it is often stressful, is also a wonderful opportunity to start fresh and renew our vision. I'd like to dive in with more abandon and not be so held back and stressed out about the language issues and by how I limit myself. I want to see the three of us grow together, in Christ, and in His likeness.
new hopes, new vision...
We've had a really wonderful summer together as a ministry. I think we went to new heights and deeper levels, as a community -- in vulnerability, in our hunger for the Lord, and in standing united as a ministry and in our vision. And in faith, we've joined together to declare that there will be a WISLA UNIT once again next mission. And in our belief of that, we're taking steps and walking out on a limb. I'll be PR-ing once a week to book up next mission's calendar in Poland, and for the first time, I'll have help from someone in the office. That's a huge relief to me, to know that I'll have someone by my side, and to know that I can still devote myself the the mission I'm currently in (in France) while preparing myself and the next unit, for relaunching a unit in Poland.
new websites...
We have a newly-designed website for Covenant Players at the same address: www.covenantplayers.org
And I forgot to mention that at the end of last mission, a French website was launched at: www.covenantplayers.eu/france
Friday, August 01, 2008
Back from Retreat...
Well, I'm pretty wiped out physically from a series of late nights but I'm in a good place spiritually. Retreat was wonderful. One of the highlights was a beautiful allegory called "Affabel" (which I don't have much time to get into at the moment). But if you ever come across this audio CD, you should listen to it.
Still, the most precious thing to me was simply God's presence with us as a community. Though we're small in numbers right now, there's a special intimacy, not only with each other, but more importantly, with God. I feel that we're on a real quest for intimacy with God and many of us (if not all) are hungry for Him.
During the Awards Night last night, many shared of how God's pulled them through many struggles and it was also extremely evident that we really need each other.
That's about all I have time for right now, but I thought I'd share a little something anyway.
Blessings on everyone!
Well, I'm pretty wiped out physically from a series of late nights but I'm in a good place spiritually. Retreat was wonderful. One of the highlights was a beautiful allegory called "Affabel" (which I don't have much time to get into at the moment). But if you ever come across this audio CD, you should listen to it.
Still, the most precious thing to me was simply God's presence with us as a community. Though we're small in numbers right now, there's a special intimacy, not only with each other, but more importantly, with God. I feel that we're on a real quest for intimacy with God and many of us (if not all) are hungry for Him.
During the Awards Night last night, many shared of how God's pulled them through many struggles and it was also extremely evident that we really need each other.
That's about all I have time for right now, but I thought I'd share a little something anyway.
Blessings on everyone!
