So traveling across the world is exhausting, but completely worth it. It's especially tiring traveling in a large group, but we made it here! We connected in Heathrow, but didn't have much time to look around in the super expensive shops there before we caught our flight to Amsterdam. People were a bit cranky once they got here (especially those who weren't quite used to the idea of jet lag), but we got to sit outside in the Dam Square for a bit in the sunshine. (Because as my dad always says, Jet Lag hates sunshine and fresh air!!!) It was great being back in Europe, seeing all the people and being completely comfortable in the area.
Here I am in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It is so beautiful here, but the smells and sights are sometimes a bit iffy. :) Our hostel, Shelter City, is right on the edge of the red light district, and this morning we went with a partner on a prayer walk through the district. It was so incredibly haunting seeing the whole thing, how this perversion of such a beautiful thing was taken so lightly and callously. I felt for the people there, those girls in the scarlet windows, the people working in the sex shops and the groups of people (mainly men) walking around in search of fulfillment or temporary pleasure. It was disturbing to see the blatant way that the sex industry has become a part of life here. One thing in particular interested me as I noticed a man, an everyday house painter in his white hat and jumpsuit, painting the white frame around one of the windows. Such a practical, everyday thing to do, yet in such a dark neighborhood. We went on a prayer walk, but I found that I didn't quite know what to pray for. For the people? The neighborhood? The men walking around? I was just busy with what these people were living in and with, how did this become the norm? How did this become acceptable? All I could do, I suppose, was pray that those working at Shelter City (a Christian youth hostel) and its affiliated ministries can make a difference and reach these people for Christ.
We ate lunch at this cute little cafe along the side of one of the many canals in the city, a Caprese sandwich with the delicious crunchy European bread. Afterward I was able to walk around a little in the shopping area near the hostel, with the many cafes and cool little shops. It felt liberating to walk around by myself, not having to be somewhere at a certain time or make sure that we were all there. One of my favorite things was walking through a little outdoor farmers market. There were colorful flowers, huge hunks of cheese, fish, bread in tall baskets, and a little spice/fresh mushrooms (the real ones) stand. All the smells and sights like that always remind me of wonderful times in Europe, little outdoor markets in Armenia, Finland, Austria... they all have the same cultural quality, even if they are a bit touristy cheesy sometimes.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Feet, Dangerous Prayers, and Humility
Hello everyone!
For those of you who aren't quite sure what I'm doing this summer and why I have a blog, or for those who just happened upon this blog by chance (just know that it definitely wasn't by chance), here is a brief explanation. This summer I'm doing a missions trip called Youth Hostel Ministry (YHM) and will be traveling around hostels in Europe for 2 months on a team of 4 people (me, Jeff, Justin and Jen), sharing the great news of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection! We will be minstering to the hostel community of Europe, where people often go to find answers to life, run away from home, or just travel the world. This blog will be my account of what we do this summer, who we meet, and all of the incredible things that will happen.
Ok, so the beginning. Yesterday we all met at our school to do final orienation things. We were all exhausted when we arrived, some of us had to wake up as early as 2 or 3am, but it was a thrill to meet everyone in the airport, giving us a taste of what it's going to be like in Europe (especially during the midsummer retreat). The most important things that we did last night, besides eating delicious food and hanging out, was separating as teams and washing each other's feet. I knew there was going to be some foot washing before it happened, and to be honest, I'm not a feet happy feet loving kind of person. I mean, I'm not a total weirdo when it comes to feet, but I would just prefer to refrain from touching something that gets sweaty, dirty, walks on the ground, and is potentially a practical petri dish for disease and bacteria. Then one of our leaders began reading John 13 about how Jesus washed his disciples feet. As God, he stooped down to the position of a servant and served his own disciples. "When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. 'Do you understand what I have done for you?' he asked them. 'You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one antoehr's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:12-17) At that point, the perspective shifted. Don't you love it when that happens? The foot washing practice shifted from an unwanted foot-interaction to an action of love, servanthood and humility. I guess that was a kick in the pants, too. Jesus was the last person who should have been washing the feet of lowly fishermen and tax collectors, yet he lowered himself, giving an example of we should be doing. How difficult should it be for us if the King, God himself, did it first?
So here I go. Earlier in the year I had prayed that God would grow me. What a dangerous prayer. Opportunity abounds to grow and have perspective changes, and the first one already came. Humility. I think that's one of the Biblical concepts that can be thrown into a dark corner and forgotten about, perhaps because it's such a hard thing to attain and such a challenging thing to keep to. But we are called to it, nonetheless.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death -
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:6-11
So our flight is tonight and we'll be in Europe soon enough. Please keep us in your prayers as we go off on this grand adventure!
For those of you who aren't quite sure what I'm doing this summer and why I have a blog, or for those who just happened upon this blog by chance (just know that it definitely wasn't by chance), here is a brief explanation. This summer I'm doing a missions trip called Youth Hostel Ministry (YHM) and will be traveling around hostels in Europe for 2 months on a team of 4 people (me, Jeff, Justin and Jen), sharing the great news of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection! We will be minstering to the hostel community of Europe, where people often go to find answers to life, run away from home, or just travel the world. This blog will be my account of what we do this summer, who we meet, and all of the incredible things that will happen.
Ok, so the beginning. Yesterday we all met at our school to do final orienation things. We were all exhausted when we arrived, some of us had to wake up as early as 2 or 3am, but it was a thrill to meet everyone in the airport, giving us a taste of what it's going to be like in Europe (especially during the midsummer retreat). The most important things that we did last night, besides eating delicious food and hanging out, was separating as teams and washing each other's feet. I knew there was going to be some foot washing before it happened, and to be honest, I'm not a feet happy feet loving kind of person. I mean, I'm not a total weirdo when it comes to feet, but I would just prefer to refrain from touching something that gets sweaty, dirty, walks on the ground, and is potentially a practical petri dish for disease and bacteria. Then one of our leaders began reading John 13 about how Jesus washed his disciples feet. As God, he stooped down to the position of a servant and served his own disciples. "When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. 'Do you understand what I have done for you?' he asked them. 'You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one antoehr's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:12-17) At that point, the perspective shifted. Don't you love it when that happens? The foot washing practice shifted from an unwanted foot-interaction to an action of love, servanthood and humility. I guess that was a kick in the pants, too. Jesus was the last person who should have been washing the feet of lowly fishermen and tax collectors, yet he lowered himself, giving an example of we should be doing. How difficult should it be for us if the King, God himself, did it first?
So here I go. Earlier in the year I had prayed that God would grow me. What a dangerous prayer. Opportunity abounds to grow and have perspective changes, and the first one already came. Humility. I think that's one of the Biblical concepts that can be thrown into a dark corner and forgotten about, perhaps because it's such a hard thing to attain and such a challenging thing to keep to. But we are called to it, nonetheless.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death -
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:6-11
So our flight is tonight and we'll be in Europe soon enough. Please keep us in your prayers as we go off on this grand adventure!
Friday, May 23, 2008
What is charis?
charis: (greek) χαρις
- grace -- that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
- good will, loving-kindness, favour -- of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
- what is due to grace -- the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
-- the token or proof of grace, benefit
a. a gift of grace
b. benefit, bounty - thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:4-10
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