Well, I'm back home in Perth now, and needless to say...Vanuatu was epic... is was amazing and it was legendary. I have so many stories for every single person and so many miraculous wowza's it was the best.
You see, getting back into the atmosphere in Perth with all the western commodities was no doubt a bit of a shock. In the Sydney airport for a layover it was intense to see so many.... buisnessmen, tourists, obvious westerners it was crazy! Now back in Perth we are exposed to all the familiaritys of the western world.... internet, coffee shops, Hungry Jacks (also known as Burger King in North America), and of course... Jerks on the street haha.
It's a crazy culture shock for all our teams, being back in the western world, but we are easily moving into our new routines.
We are currently helping out with this huge event thats coming to Perth, 4 years of prep. It's going to be Huge. We are Being ushers and security and setting up stages etc etc. Some are actually helping perform (Chuck from my Vanuatu outreach)
We have new Outreach teams now, which is cool, I've been appointed as a secondary leader of sorts. So when the leader of hte team is unable to do something (for example the other day when she was stuck in bed becuase of Bronchitus) then I step into the position of leadership. Which is really cool.... especially since I'm the youngest on the team heh, it's quite an honour to have that responsibility. (even when it means waking up before sunrise everymorning)
Anyways, I don't really know what to write..... We are currently staying at this campground which is like luxury to me! Running water!! imagine that? AND electricity! pretty cool.
Anyways, my life has no doubt changed in these last few months and I can't wait for people to see how... it's nothing I can really write about in the blog... some things i guess.... but it's just complete transformation in hte best ways ever. I love it.
It's hard to write about the experiences becuase of how many things happened.... and it's something that can't just be told on a blog. So, I'm sorry about this blog's lack of "update" stories.... These last few months have been incredible in every single way. If there is ANYONE who would be wanting some kind of recommendation about this, Mabye considering doing the same thing i've done/doing/ may keep doing!
I say with no hesitation DO IT!
Life is amazing, and all of you back home are amazing for your continuing support. I hope everything is going awsome with all of you and I wish you all the best.
Still trying to recognise the calling however....
It'll be clear in time.
I'll blog again next chance I get (mabye with photo's? But don't hold your breath...)
-Jon
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Tails, Trails and Trials
WOW
This second half of outreach has outamazed me X10 from the last one. If you thought hte stories in my last post were powerful, if you thought hte things that were seen in the last post were awsome, if you thought that that was a pretty intense report of God's true power of seeing him move through people, and fight against darkness.....
oh boy...ha HA!
So, where to begin. I left the plkace where i currently am, Vila, a while back now, and went back to Lelepa, where we finished off hte water tank so that it is "fully operational"...heh. We were there for a while and had some cool time where we went and prayed and worshipped in this HUGE amphitheater cave that they say spirits are in. But that was Lelepa, adn although there are stories tehre, that I will tell you all in person in full detail, awsome stories, amazing stories, funny stories, i need to get this blog done fast before this internet cafe place kills me of my money.
SO we went to The Island of Emau, and that was possibly one of the most amazing, most powerful times of my life. I have seen things i never thought i could have seen before, i have seen God move, i have seen the reality of hte spiritual world like there is no tommorow. THe west... just doesn't see it... it's so hidden... but not here, they know whats real.
We went around to all 6 villages on the island, backpacking, and in each village we were taking a census for health, occupational things, etc etc. Just to serve the people. 2 nights in each village, some on hte coast, some in hte hills, one by a lagoon.
Some villages built relationships with us so strong... in the two days that they actually wrote us songs and danced when we left.... tears in their eyes. So moving. This one elder, William, from the second village actually came with us to every village after htat on the island, and became hte 12 member of our group.... and thus, we became the 12 disciples of sorts. And just as the Bible says the "signs that will accompany followers of christ" include, casting out of demons, healings, safety from sicknesses, and more. We experienced them all.
Like..... i docn't even know how to tell all teh stories..... i really can't i guess, it would take much too long on a blog, but i can promise you all very good reports when i get back, with photo's and all sorts.
I've been speaking a fair bit, for example the other day I spoke to a group of 40, 20 somethin's year olds, about the world you enter into when your a christian, the reality of what it is, and totally taking away the veil over people's eyes that being a christian is somehow.. a "wimpy" thing, becuase it throws you into a world, into a real battle that is sometimes hard to handle... spiritually, it drains you.
But it is worth.. every.. single.. second of it.
I had one church elder who was watching my "message" come up to me later for prayer, and told me he was incredible moved by it... he kept repeating it. I'd love to be able to tell any of you readers about it as well, it was probably one of my largest revelations I've ever recieved was this new perspective. Christianity is NOT just salvation and 'going to church', oh man, it's so much more.
SO aside from even the discipleship and the missions work in itself, we have all been having SUCH an amazing time, we have climbed mountains, we have been swimming in hte beautiful south pacific, we have been eating... some of the strangest food, I had not been shaving until yesterday haha, lots of amazing bonding times and awsome times with the guys especially haha, we have been scratched and bruised, we have laughed and just... it's amazing.
BUT! i have to go, time to get on with the rest of today..... THANK YOU EVERYONE for your E-mails! For your shout out's! On Myspace, or even to through my Dad hahah. I Love you all so much, and i wish you all the best.
Stay strong
Keep Praying
Believe
and Fight.
Pray Dangerous Prayers.
-Jon
PS. OH YEA, I GOT SCABIES, and in short form of some other funny things.... there is now a baby on one of these islands that will soon be named "Joe-Chucky" (A little girl.. haha), i was just reminded of that right now... anyways, have to run)
This second half of outreach has outamazed me X10 from the last one. If you thought hte stories in my last post were powerful, if you thought hte things that were seen in the last post were awsome, if you thought that that was a pretty intense report of God's true power of seeing him move through people, and fight against darkness.....
oh boy...ha HA!
So, where to begin. I left the plkace where i currently am, Vila, a while back now, and went back to Lelepa, where we finished off hte water tank so that it is "fully operational"...heh. We were there for a while and had some cool time where we went and prayed and worshipped in this HUGE amphitheater cave that they say spirits are in. But that was Lelepa, adn although there are stories tehre, that I will tell you all in person in full detail, awsome stories, amazing stories, funny stories, i need to get this blog done fast before this internet cafe place kills me of my money.
SO we went to The Island of Emau, and that was possibly one of the most amazing, most powerful times of my life. I have seen things i never thought i could have seen before, i have seen God move, i have seen the reality of hte spiritual world like there is no tommorow. THe west... just doesn't see it... it's so hidden... but not here, they know whats real.
We went around to all 6 villages on the island, backpacking, and in each village we were taking a census for health, occupational things, etc etc. Just to serve the people. 2 nights in each village, some on hte coast, some in hte hills, one by a lagoon.
Some villages built relationships with us so strong... in the two days that they actually wrote us songs and danced when we left.... tears in their eyes. So moving. This one elder, William, from the second village actually came with us to every village after htat on the island, and became hte 12 member of our group.... and thus, we became the 12 disciples of sorts. And just as the Bible says the "signs that will accompany followers of christ" include, casting out of demons, healings, safety from sicknesses, and more. We experienced them all.
Like..... i docn't even know how to tell all teh stories..... i really can't i guess, it would take much too long on a blog, but i can promise you all very good reports when i get back, with photo's and all sorts.
I've been speaking a fair bit, for example the other day I spoke to a group of 40, 20 somethin's year olds, about the world you enter into when your a christian, the reality of what it is, and totally taking away the veil over people's eyes that being a christian is somehow.. a "wimpy" thing, becuase it throws you into a world, into a real battle that is sometimes hard to handle... spiritually, it drains you.
But it is worth.. every.. single.. second of it.
I had one church elder who was watching my "message" come up to me later for prayer, and told me he was incredible moved by it... he kept repeating it. I'd love to be able to tell any of you readers about it as well, it was probably one of my largest revelations I've ever recieved was this new perspective. Christianity is NOT just salvation and 'going to church', oh man, it's so much more.
SO aside from even the discipleship and the missions work in itself, we have all been having SUCH an amazing time, we have climbed mountains, we have been swimming in hte beautiful south pacific, we have been eating... some of the strangest food, I had not been shaving until yesterday haha, lots of amazing bonding times and awsome times with the guys especially haha, we have been scratched and bruised, we have laughed and just... it's amazing.
BUT! i have to go, time to get on with the rest of today..... THANK YOU EVERYONE for your E-mails! For your shout out's! On Myspace, or even to through my Dad hahah. I Love you all so much, and i wish you all the best.
Stay strong
Keep Praying
Believe
and Fight.
Pray Dangerous Prayers.
-Jon
PS. OH YEA, I GOT SCABIES, and in short form of some other funny things.... there is now a baby on one of these islands that will soon be named "Joe-Chucky" (A little girl.. haha), i was just reminded of that right now... anyways, have to run)
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