Day 3 of our trip and many things crowd into my mind for comment today.
Firstly my experience of driving a Toyota Yaris. A small car in a big world and driving along the roads next to giant 4x4's and monster trucks is a little daunting particularly when you have no idea where you are going, driving on the wrong side of the road with only two pedals to press instead of three. But, the speed limit is often 55mph or less so what's the point of a big car? I guess for most people it is the distances they drive. The trucks must travel thousands of miles, people are used to long distances and think nothing of it. This morning I chatted to a guy who had travelled 4 hours yesterday from Indianapolis just to go to the beach on the shores of Lake Michegan. I take it for granted that from anywhere in England you are never more than about 120 miles away the sea. We are so small.
Then there is the language. How come we speak the same language but the words have different meaning? For breakfast there was this gooey, messy looking white stuff which I noticed people ladled onto their muffins. When I asked what it was I was told that it was 'gravy'. Didn't look anything like the brown, hot stuff we have! But it tasted okay. Flour, milk and sausage mix, tasted better than it looked!
Then there are 'restrooms' instead of toilets, 'gas' instead of petrol, 'chips' when they are definitely crisps. Then there are pronunciations! Tomato, route (rout) and city (when it is really only a small town).
Size also makes you a little lazy. Watching the morning news about the terrible floods in Pakistan whilst having breakfast, a child asked his dad where Pakistan was. His dad told him that it was near Europe! I suppose it is, but it isn't really, is it?
How easy it is to become lazy, self-sufficient, unaware of others, selfishly only concerned about what is closest to me, what only affects me. I hope that whatever is going on in my life, I will always be aware and affected by what is going on all around me. Actually, that I will go out of my way to get informed and be bothered by what is going on.
A Toyota Yaris is small compared to everything else on the freeways, but I need to keep looking in my mirrors otherwise I too could get lazy and think I am the only car on the road and I am all that matters.
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Friday, 30 July 2010
YOU'RE WELCOME
Waking up 6 hours behind the UK is a very strange feeling, not only physically but knowing that in the UK everyone is finishing lunch as we start eating breakfast is a little crazy. But I’m sure we’ll get used to it. There is much we’ll get used to. ‘You’re welcome’, seems to be the stock answer whenever you say ‘thank you’, it did grate a little at first but actually it is a good phrase to use and hear.
It got me thinking about this idea of welcome. When we arrived at O’Hare Airport and went through all the entry procedures it is hard to feel welcome. Fingerprints taken, photograph taken, questions asked about what we would be doing and where would be travelling, if we had any food stuff in our bags, if we’d touched any animals recently, and then a walk through those automatic doors into the arrivals area.
Now I knew that no one was going to be meeting us but as I walked through the doors I scanned all the people waiting there to see if anyone was holding up a board with our names on it. There were lots of people waiting for family, friends and business colleagues, and as I walked through the doors I guess they were disappointed that I wasn’t the person they were waiting for and I was disappointed that no one was waiting to welcome me.
It reminded me a little of the opening (or is it the closing) of the film, ‘Love Actually’, which has footage of scenes from an airport arrivals hall, people meeting, hugging, kissing, crying, welcoming people they love. But no one was there to welcome me.
Arrivals can be great for many but lonely for others. If ‘You’re welcome’ could become not only part of my language but also part of my actions, then no one need stand alone and all will feel the welcome of the Father. Coming home, arriving, feeling loved, accepted, wanted, valued, welcome is a great starting point which could lead to many more people seeing something of the Father and feeling His welcome. Even in the arrivals hall of an airport.
It got me thinking about this idea of welcome. When we arrived at O’Hare Airport and went through all the entry procedures it is hard to feel welcome. Fingerprints taken, photograph taken, questions asked about what we would be doing and where would be travelling, if we had any food stuff in our bags, if we’d touched any animals recently, and then a walk through those automatic doors into the arrivals area.
Now I knew that no one was going to be meeting us but as I walked through the doors I scanned all the people waiting there to see if anyone was holding up a board with our names on it. There were lots of people waiting for family, friends and business colleagues, and as I walked through the doors I guess they were disappointed that I wasn’t the person they were waiting for and I was disappointed that no one was waiting to welcome me.
It reminded me a little of the opening (or is it the closing) of the film, ‘Love Actually’, which has footage of scenes from an airport arrivals hall, people meeting, hugging, kissing, crying, welcoming people they love. But no one was there to welcome me.
Arrivals can be great for many but lonely for others. If ‘You’re welcome’ could become not only part of my language but also part of my actions, then no one need stand alone and all will feel the welcome of the Father. Coming home, arriving, feeling loved, accepted, wanted, valued, welcome is a great starting point which could lead to many more people seeing something of the Father and feeling His welcome. Even in the arrivals hall of an airport.
HEATHROW - Heaven or Hell?
How big is the world? We’re constantly being told that the world is getting smaller but having just flown 4000 miles in a pretty boring 9 hours, it still seems pretty big to me. I know that is still amazing, finding myself in Chicago 12 hours after leaving home, but looking down on the Atlantic Ocean, flying above the clouds in the bright blue sky of the heavens, the world is still an awesome place – in the literal sense of the word (awesome – adjective – inspiring awe)
Yet despite looking up to the heavens – 35000 feet closer than usual – and asking the same ancient question, ‘what is man that you (God) are mindful of him’, whilst waiting at Heathrow I was reminded that the world is much smaller than I think. In the terminal waiting and queuing, queuing and waiting, I was acutely aware that the world was in the same room as I was. All around me were people with different accents and languages, different starting points and different destinations, yet we were suddenly in that moment all the same. All of us in one place at one time, able to sit with one another, drinking the same drink (Starbucks in this case).
A glimpse of Heaven (or Hell!). What stories could be told, love, tragedy, hope, despair, yet for that moment all together with one thing in mind – when does our gate open?
If I could see people as God sees us all, waiting, on a journey, will we get to the gate in time? It’s open. Is it possible that Heathrow on a Thursday morning in July could give me a glimpse of eternity? Could it be possible that there will be a Starbucks in the new heaven and new earth? Only time will tell!
Yet despite looking up to the heavens – 35000 feet closer than usual – and asking the same ancient question, ‘what is man that you (God) are mindful of him’, whilst waiting at Heathrow I was reminded that the world is much smaller than I think. In the terminal waiting and queuing, queuing and waiting, I was acutely aware that the world was in the same room as I was. All around me were people with different accents and languages, different starting points and different destinations, yet we were suddenly in that moment all the same. All of us in one place at one time, able to sit with one another, drinking the same drink (Starbucks in this case).
A glimpse of Heaven (or Hell!). What stories could be told, love, tragedy, hope, despair, yet for that moment all together with one thing in mind – when does our gate open?
If I could see people as God sees us all, waiting, on a journey, will we get to the gate in time? It’s open. Is it possible that Heathrow on a Thursday morning in July could give me a glimpse of eternity? Could it be possible that there will be a Starbucks in the new heaven and new earth? Only time will tell!
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
UKRAINE HEROES
SATURDAY 10 JULY
A team of heroes arrived in Kiev weary, hot but ready to serve with the Charity, 'Hope Now' at a week long Football Camp for children aged 8-16 years old at Kompas Park, the charity's developing centre near Cherkassy. A smooth flight was followed by a roller-coaster ride in the minibus driven by M, Hope Now's representative in Ukraine. Not only were pot holes skillfully avoided but there was also breathtaking overtaking, full use of the braking system and pin-point accurate steering wheel adjustment. These 'real' computer games have nothing on the real thing!
M is a hero. He is personally involved in lifting kids out of poverty and despair and with his wife have 'adopted' children and given them a glimpse of the biblical vision, success, properity, hope and a future. They care for 7 children - as well as their own and the stories of hope in those kids lives is inspiring.
Being a hero in your own home, that is something to reach for.
SUNDAY 11 JULY
A visit to First Baptist Church in Cherkassy was an experinece for the whole team! In temperatures above 30C sitting on hard chairs, 2 sermons, unpronouncable words and no interpreter made the over 2 hour service a very interesting time! What do you do when you can't participate? Well I look around and I saw faithfulness in the faces of the congregation. As I remembered something of the Ukraine story, that it is less than 20 years since they emerged from the cover of communism, that God was pronounced dead by the oppressive regime, here were people who are still praising God and singing His name. Heroes every one of them.
MONDAY 12 JULY
The camp started today and we were flung into the arena of translation. Football is it's own language but interpreting the rules of the game as we refereed the matches caused some consternation among the Ukrainian leaders. As S, the leader of the camp, gave his first talk to the children we suddenly had a 'big bird' arrive in the story of Daniel. It took us a while to realise that this was not a subversion of the biblical text but a mistranslation of a word that even now we have no idea what it was meant to be! Lost in translation became a theme of the week as words can be translated but the emotion of the original speaker and the translator bore no resemblance to how it was being spoken! But this didn't take away from the passion of S who desires to see kids lives changed and no matter the words, it was clear he was going to be a hero that week.
TUESDAY 13 JULY
A was one of the helpers on the camp. he spoke good english and had a great relationship with the children in his team. But a few years ago he was livng in a cemetary with his alcoholic mother, begging from the mourners for enough to survive. Rescued by VJ, the founder of Hope Now, taken in as his son, A is now thinking about a future. What if the potential in each child, whatever their circumstances, could be released by people who care? It's wrapped up in them just waiting for someone to see it.
WEDNESDAY 14 JULY
Kompas Park could not operate without a leader. A heads up the camp all year and she has done and is doing an amazing job. A young woman in her 20's she has passion, drive, commitment, focus and skill and has made it all available to God! That's a combination that will see Kompas Park continue to grow and develop. One hero can make it possible for many heroes to emerge.
THURSDAY 15 JULY
It was TC's birthday today and after a long, hot day, the UK and Ukrainian leaders sat around a birthday cake and spoke words of encouragement into T's life. It was a surreal experience but it joined our hearts and made us friends. God has a plan that is better than anything we can plan, it's got to be worth reaching out for it and giving his plan a go for the future. Who would have believed that one day we would be doing this? Only God!
FRIDAY 16 JULY
This morning at the end of the week, I got to pray with P, a Ukrainian leader. he prayed for me in Ukrainian and I prayed for him in English. Neither of us understood a word, but the great interpretor fixed the words in each of our hearts and we felt the warmth of the Holy Spirit joining us together, taking down the 'wall of hostility' (Ephesians 2:14) It was a humbling moment, a heroic moment, a defining moment that was all about the Kingdom and nothing else.
SATURDAY 17 JULY
As we went through the final ceremony with awards, as I looked out at the children we had served, had fun with, encouraged and loved and as I looked at our team, our brilliant, committed, passionate team, I suddenly realised that one day, we might be standing together again in the new Kingdom, the new heaven and new earth, when the Kingdom has come. It is amazing to think that something we did, tried to say, could have changed the eternal destiny of someone that week! That's being a hero, that's creating more heroes. Thank God for the team. It was an awesome experience and God was in that place - and we knew it!
A team of heroes arrived in Kiev weary, hot but ready to serve with the Charity, 'Hope Now' at a week long Football Camp for children aged 8-16 years old at Kompas Park, the charity's developing centre near Cherkassy. A smooth flight was followed by a roller-coaster ride in the minibus driven by M, Hope Now's representative in Ukraine. Not only were pot holes skillfully avoided but there was also breathtaking overtaking, full use of the braking system and pin-point accurate steering wheel adjustment. These 'real' computer games have nothing on the real thing!
M is a hero. He is personally involved in lifting kids out of poverty and despair and with his wife have 'adopted' children and given them a glimpse of the biblical vision, success, properity, hope and a future. They care for 7 children - as well as their own and the stories of hope in those kids lives is inspiring.
Being a hero in your own home, that is something to reach for.
SUNDAY 11 JULY
A visit to First Baptist Church in Cherkassy was an experinece for the whole team! In temperatures above 30C sitting on hard chairs, 2 sermons, unpronouncable words and no interpreter made the over 2 hour service a very interesting time! What do you do when you can't participate? Well I look around and I saw faithfulness in the faces of the congregation. As I remembered something of the Ukraine story, that it is less than 20 years since they emerged from the cover of communism, that God was pronounced dead by the oppressive regime, here were people who are still praising God and singing His name. Heroes every one of them.
MONDAY 12 JULY
The camp started today and we were flung into the arena of translation. Football is it's own language but interpreting the rules of the game as we refereed the matches caused some consternation among the Ukrainian leaders. As S, the leader of the camp, gave his first talk to the children we suddenly had a 'big bird' arrive in the story of Daniel. It took us a while to realise that this was not a subversion of the biblical text but a mistranslation of a word that even now we have no idea what it was meant to be! Lost in translation became a theme of the week as words can be translated but the emotion of the original speaker and the translator bore no resemblance to how it was being spoken! But this didn't take away from the passion of S who desires to see kids lives changed and no matter the words, it was clear he was going to be a hero that week.
TUESDAY 13 JULY
A was one of the helpers on the camp. he spoke good english and had a great relationship with the children in his team. But a few years ago he was livng in a cemetary with his alcoholic mother, begging from the mourners for enough to survive. Rescued by VJ, the founder of Hope Now, taken in as his son, A is now thinking about a future. What if the potential in each child, whatever their circumstances, could be released by people who care? It's wrapped up in them just waiting for someone to see it.
WEDNESDAY 14 JULY
Kompas Park could not operate without a leader. A heads up the camp all year and she has done and is doing an amazing job. A young woman in her 20's she has passion, drive, commitment, focus and skill and has made it all available to God! That's a combination that will see Kompas Park continue to grow and develop. One hero can make it possible for many heroes to emerge.
THURSDAY 15 JULY
It was TC's birthday today and after a long, hot day, the UK and Ukrainian leaders sat around a birthday cake and spoke words of encouragement into T's life. It was a surreal experience but it joined our hearts and made us friends. God has a plan that is better than anything we can plan, it's got to be worth reaching out for it and giving his plan a go for the future. Who would have believed that one day we would be doing this? Only God!
FRIDAY 16 JULY
This morning at the end of the week, I got to pray with P, a Ukrainian leader. he prayed for me in Ukrainian and I prayed for him in English. Neither of us understood a word, but the great interpretor fixed the words in each of our hearts and we felt the warmth of the Holy Spirit joining us together, taking down the 'wall of hostility' (Ephesians 2:14) It was a humbling moment, a heroic moment, a defining moment that was all about the Kingdom and nothing else.
SATURDAY 17 JULY
As we went through the final ceremony with awards, as I looked out at the children we had served, had fun with, encouraged and loved and as I looked at our team, our brilliant, committed, passionate team, I suddenly realised that one day, we might be standing together again in the new Kingdom, the new heaven and new earth, when the Kingdom has come. It is amazing to think that something we did, tried to say, could have changed the eternal destiny of someone that week! That's being a hero, that's creating more heroes. Thank God for the team. It was an awesome experience and God was in that place - and we knew it!
Thursday, 8 July 2010
HEROES 2
My second hero is P. She is a lady who has been diagnosed with cancer and is holding down a very demanding and public job having had serious treatment and a poor prognosis. Despite it all, she is maintaining an incredible determination and a burning desire to keep focused on the people she is responsible for and leads every day. Her selflessness is inspiring, her commitment is challenging, everything she does she does smiling, it appears, looking on, that she simply desires to see others flourish and achieve whilst deflecting attention away from herself and her inevitable illness.
I don't think she is a follower of Jesus, I may be wrong, but she has something deep within her. Is it just survival, is it not wanting to be realistic about what is happening or is it something more, something of God in her spirit? How did that get there? Perhaps it is in us all already?
I don't think she is a follower of Jesus, I may be wrong, but she has something deep within her. Is it just survival, is it not wanting to be realistic about what is happening or is it something more, something of God in her spirit? How did that get there? Perhaps it is in us all already?
Monday, 5 July 2010
HEROES 1
One of the tasks for my Sabbatical is to record and reflect what is happening each day. I can't guarantee I will always have access to it to update but I will try. I have 90 days and I am going to record my days through the people that I meet and try to see what God is teaching me through these encounters.
Today, my first hero is S. I just got home from visiting the school where I am a governor when he shouted my name and came across the road to speak to me. He is quite a private man, but over the years since he came on an Alpha course, we have struck up a good relationship. He is a great guy with a story, some of it quite tragic due to circumstances in his life. He has gone through a very difficult time trying to get access to his daughter. He won his case back in March, but still hasn't seen her due to seeming poor service and communication by the access centre! What struck me about S today, which is why he is my hero today, is the lack of bitterness in him and his determination to keep going, to do anything and everything to see his daughter. He is not giving up and he is not angry, he is going to persevere.
I'm praying that it will all be resolved very soon.
And he has invited me to go fishing with him! I haven't done that since I was a kid. Did I tell you about the one that got away?
Today, my first hero is S. I just got home from visiting the school where I am a governor when he shouted my name and came across the road to speak to me. He is quite a private man, but over the years since he came on an Alpha course, we have struck up a good relationship. He is a great guy with a story, some of it quite tragic due to circumstances in his life. He has gone through a very difficult time trying to get access to his daughter. He won his case back in March, but still hasn't seen her due to seeming poor service and communication by the access centre! What struck me about S today, which is why he is my hero today, is the lack of bitterness in him and his determination to keep going, to do anything and everything to see his daughter. He is not giving up and he is not angry, he is going to persevere.
I'm praying that it will all be resolved very soon.
And he has invited me to go fishing with him! I haven't done that since I was a kid. Did I tell you about the one that got away?
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