raising ebenezers: February 2013

Friday, 22 February 2013

Photo Friday

Sunday: it was so great to spend time with Becca and worship at her church. We,ve know each other since 2006 but this was the first meeting in the US - normally she's in NI.

Monday: I curled up to finally watch the new Bond when there was a knock on my bedroom door - it was a five year old who had knocked on every door to find me so we could play air hockey! So cute and the movie was paused as I went to play with the wonderful kids who are here.

Tuesday: it was another morning spent practicing how to learn a language by learning Russian. It was a lot of fun and this shows my drawings of a dialogue about the weather.

Wednesday: I have not had the horrible stomach flu that has been going through MTI but I have had a sore throat so I was super grateful that someone taking an errand run brought these back for me. They're pretty icky but they work!

Thursday: it snowed a little overnight... And we were far from the worst of!

Friday: the first course I'm here for ended at 11 so in the afternoon I walked to a nearby town. It's fifty minutes each way on a trail but it was so, so beautiful. It fel t like I was walking through Narnia.

Bonus, also Friday: because we're between courses there are no meals apart from breakfast so we headed to a local Vietnamese restaurant for dinner and my first Vietnamese experience. This is chicken pho and it was really good! I also accomplished my goal of learning how to use chopsticks thanks to the missionary family I ate with and their amazing instruction!

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Who Is This Man by John Ortberg

I was given this book as a Christmas present from the Bowmans and finished it the night before I left for America (making it the first book I've finished in 2013 - it was a busy January!). The book looks at the influence of the most influential person in history - Jesus. Jesus lived until He was 33 and His public ministry was only three years and yet His impact is so far reaching.

As people became captivated by Jesus and His love for all people His followers changed the world. As Jesus loved and gave dignity to people regardless of gender, health, occupation, social status, wealth He modelled something that His followers still try to work towards as they seek to free the twenty-seven million slaves around the world, as they seek to empower women, as they seek to fight poverty.

Jesus influenced the worlds of art, science, medicine, government and education as Christians sought to provide care for the sick and dying or provide schooling for those who otherwise would not have had it.

The book was a great and yet easy read. It was inspiring to hear the amazing things Christians have done as they have sought to love others around the world in the various areas the book covers. A lot of research obviously went into the book and yet at times I found myself laughing as the author has a very engaging style. The book also ended with three chapters on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday respectively which were also great.

In this 21st Century I think it's easy to rely on the government to provide for people and their needs but originally schools, hospitals and other services were provided by churches. As the economy continues to suffer it is so encouraging to see local churches step up and provide resources (foodbanks, education about finances and budgeting, etc) that truly love and serve their communities.

Jesus has left an unremovable mark in history and, as I look at the huge needs that exist in the world, I pray that His Church would continue to be known as people who changed history by loving others in the name of Jesus.

Saturday, 16 February 2013

Photo Friday

Saturday: a day of lots of travelling but I was so grateful to arrive safely at Philadelphia airport (pictured) which had been closed the day before because of the snow. I also made a crazy connection time in O'Hare to safely reach Colorado Springs.

Sunday: worship at V7.

Monday: arriving at MTI to start PILAT!

We take air hockey so seriously here that there has to be snack breaks. It has been so fun to be a part of the community here, including losing at air hockey to five year olds.

A walk on Wednesday - Colorado Springs is so beautiful!

On Valentine's Day I woke up to a rose on my doorstep. And this was the view! Later that day it snowed so hard the mountains disappeared.

Friday: We've been learning ways of learning a language, different methods and activities. And we've also been given the chance to put those methods into action - in my case, by learning Russian. It was actually really fun and I have finished this week feeling encouraged that learning Czech might actually be achievable.