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Some Romanian Firsts

Well been back a week now from Romania, It's taking a while this time to settle in. There was so much happening, so many situations that my head is still back there, while I work away here.

So what was happening? Well the new enterprise business to make the charity self sufficient is going great. The charity has a huge glasshouse and this year this has produced tonnes of cucumbers, which have been bought by a huge supermarket chain from Europe. They also have four shops, one new one having just been purchased in the city of Oradea. These shops provide reasonably price clothes to be sold to the Romanian people and the money then supports the Smiles projects. The next phase is a coffee shop. I worked on the demolition of five walls there, so hopefully next year I can drink a coffee in the shop and read a book. It will soon be a Christian coffee and book shop. It's exciting because the next phase after that is a care home for the elderly. Way back in 2007 i was shocked by the treatment of the elderly. Families abandoning their old folk, stealing their houses and land to build huge big house and making their parents homeless. Today this still goes on and we hope and pray that soon some will find a home in the new facility.

I visited families in the family care programme. I love the work of this programme. It is the cornerstone of the charities work and the first project to be started. I visited families in a setting like where I stay here in Scotland. It was a remote rural location. The roads were bad and access to the city was very limited. These folks lived hard lives. Yet there was community and family and just a happiness that they were together. Things i see becoming lost in our rural community. Hope for these people comes once a month when they get a visit from the Smiles social worker. He is a man with a great big heart. It's like visiting with a celebrity when you go into villages as people shout at the van and come and see him. He has a tough job on who to help but the ones he does depend so much on the help they get.

A project very close to my heart is the Homeless project. Last year our group saw some horrific sights. It broke the hearts of some of my young people. This year I was so privileged to be involved with the opening of the Homeless container village. We laid a path and saw for ourselves these converted shipping containers which have been turned into lovely houses. There are toilets and shower blocks for the short term containers and toilets in the family homes. This is an amazing project. The city of Oradea is in partnership with Smiles for this and that in itself is an achievement.

I also visited homeless sleeping places. These vary from rough built house structures to plastic bags and boxes. These people are the bottom of society in Romania. They have nothing. There is no state help. They have no money, no food no hope really. That's where the smiles social worker comes in. He finds their sleeping places takes food, tries to verify their stories and where possible they can go into the container village. For some this will not be possible as it is an alcohol free area and many use alcohol on the streets to block out their circumstances. So we moved a pregnant lady into a container. Her baby will be born in a warm dry place and not a cardboard shelter. There is hope and we continue to work towards the day when all God's people will have basic needs met.

So still lots to process. It was great to be in a team of people of different ages, different backgrounds, different denominations and faith stages but when we came together and did God's work for a week, what a difference that made, even if it was only for one person. I am reminded time and again of a conversation i had years ago with Kevin Hoy the CEO of smiles. I had been overwhelmed by the vastness of a situation and he said it's when we do nothing that we fail God. Small things lead to big things. Each time I go back i reflect on this and see the small things that the charity have done, becoming big things. The school, the Church, the medical facility, the family care programme, the homless projects. It's being faithful to God in small things, then he leads us to the heart of the problems.

Moving into their new home

Romanian reflections 2011

Well that was the quickest week I have ever spent in Romania. I've been back in the UK one day now and already i feel the pull to go back. I sit here in the office and think what am I doing. I know this will fade as I get back to work but do I want it to? But anyway what a week. To sit in the Church and take part in the service was amazing. It will be like that in Heaven, only Maria won't need to translate! The people are just so friendly, so thankful, so changed by God. When things get tough as the week goes on, I think back to the change among the Gypsy community and it give s me hope. I knocked down walls and laid paths. Not something I would do here but to just serve God doing things that you really don't like is a really satisfying feeling at the end of the project. To leave behind something for the people to use and be of use is amazing.

The theme for the weeks devotions was what will we leave behind. As I reflect on this and had been reflecting on before I left, It's a good question for us all to think on. What do we want to be here of us when we go? For me it's not that I leave my family wealth, or possessions. It's not that I will have a famous name that people will know and talk about for years when I am gone. It's that what I have done and tried to do for God will make a difference in the lives of those God asked me to be in contact with. That is worth leaving behind. Also memories, memories of the times we shared together. For me in Romania being in a team, of all ages, differing personalities and backgrounds is a great experience for memories. We talk about the shared experience, even when there is not much in common with the rest of our lives. So this last week, I have learned that God uses me again, as a small, insignificant person to do the job only I can. That me calls each one to do their part. No one else will do. So as John Powell writes: There is an old Christian tradition that God sends each person into this world with a special message to deliver, with a special song to sing for others, with a special act of love to bestow. No one else can speak my message, or sing my song, or offer my act of love. These are entrusted only to me. So as I get back to work and Scotland. I remember all I saw last week. I'll blog a bit about projects when my head is more clear. There was some hopeful and painful experiences. Until next time.

Will you come and follow Me, The Summons. a Christian song of following a calling from God (by sbcntm)

catch up

It's been a busy but great week. Sunday saw the first service of our worship team, this is one of the new Church of Scotland ways of helping with the shortage of ministers and an ever increasing number of vacant chargers. Our worship team I think will be used quite a bit. Anyway we took the Harvest service and we have received positive feed back from the congregation. The team were a bit apprehensive, we have a very traditional congregation, and a worship service without a minister or reader had never been experience by them before. They need not have worried because the congregation were really supportive. So on to the next service I only hope that it doesn't take so long to pick the Hymns for that service or we'll need an over night stay!! Schools work has just gotten much busier. I now have as much access to the local secondary school as I like. Plus a new Scripture union group is stating next Tuesday. God is opening so many doors. Wednesday was the youth workers prayer breakfast. It's just amazing to get together, encourage each other and hear what God is doing in Ayrshire. Ministry can be a lonely, busy place and it's so important to have other people who know what you are experiencing and be a shoulder to lean on. Wednesday is my busiest day of the week just now. I have a full day at the Ark and then the youth group at Church. Some weeks especially at the start of a new school year, youth group is madness. With young people pushing boundaries and seeing what rules will be enforced. So I try to get an incentive for them, something to work towards. This year we have arranged a trip into town for a football game against other Churches. This has had a tremendous effect on these young people. They have by themselves organised trials, picked a team and started training every night at the local park. The buzz about the group last night was amazing. I have been assured by the team appointed manager that we will not loose. What this space. It's only nine days until I head off again to Romania!! Panic I still have so much to do. We are having a commissioning service on Sunday. So that will give me an opportunity to meet some of the team. Which takes me on to my devotional passage for Saturday night's team at the Ark.

Galatians 6

Bear One Another’s Burdens

1Brothers,[a](A) if anyone is caught in any transgression,(B) you who are spiritual should restore him in(C) a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2(D) Bear one another’s burdens, and(E) so fulfill(F) the law of Christ. 3For(G) if anyone thinks he is something,(H) when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But let each one(I) test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5For(J) each will have to bear his own load. 6(K) One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 7(L) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for(M) whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For(N) the one who sows to his own flesh(O) will from the flesh reap corruption, but(P) the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9And(Q) let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap,(R) if we do not give up. 10So then,(S) as we have opportunity, let us(T) do good to everyone, and especially to those who are(U) of the household of faith.

Final Warning and Benediction

11See with what large letters I am writing to you(V) with my own hand. 12(W) It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh(X) who would force you to be circumcised, and only(Y) in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.14But far be it from me to boast(Z) except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[b] the world(AA) has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15For(AB) neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but(AC) a new creation. 16And as for all who walk by this rule,(AD) peace and mercy be upon them, and upon(AE) the Israel of God. 17From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18(AF) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be(AG) with your spirit, brothers. Amen. This passage has been the inspiration for me and driving force to help others, I suppose to follow the call. I first heard Kevin Hoy of The Smiles foundation speak on this a bit at my Church many years ago. It opened the door to me thinking and acting on God's plan for me. Years later I sat in the newly opened Tileagd Community Church and heard the gypsy leader speak from this passage about how it changed his life. That by people following the call of God and coming and helping the people of Tileagd their live have been transformed. So never grow tired of helping others, We never know the effect we have on them. God's words never return empty. Til next time.

Open doors

In the midst of all my looking to the future and where God will lead me next, I find myself in the midst of new and exciting possibilities in my current roles.

We have had new headteachers in all the four schools in the valley. They are a breath of fresh air to our communities. Working in partnership with them is a great chance to engage with young people who would never be in touch with any one from Church.

Last year I had a great class and now out of the blue (well), God's plan and all that, I get a phone call from the local secondary school asking if I can speak to them. They have heard of the work last year. God moves and when we listen and get in on the action great things happen. The doors are opening and how knows where God will lead the work next.

This weekend is the first of our worship team leading worship. Harvest is a good service to start, so prayers for them as they do something they have never attempted before. It will be great, they just need encouragement.

With two weeks until I go to Romania, there is the usual preparation and excitement. This years trip will be so different from last year. Every visit is. I will try to blog everyday as much as I can.

#God #christianity #young people #schools work

Reflecting on old familiar things

Psalm 40

My Help and My Deliverer

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1I(A) waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and(B) heard my cry. 2He drew me up from(C) the pit of destruction, out of(D) the miry bog, and(E) set my feet upon a rock, (F) making my steps secure. 3He put(G) a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will(H) see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

4Blessed is the man who(I) makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who(J) go astray after a lie! 5You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your(K) wondrous deeds and your(L) thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are(M) more than can be told.

6(N) In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open(O) ear.[a] Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written(P) of me: 8(Q) I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is(R) within my heart."

9I have told the glad news of deliverance[b] in(S) the great congregation; behold, I have not(T) restrained my lips, (U) as you know, O LORD. 10I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

11As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your(V) steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! 12For evils have(W) encompassed me beyond number; my(X) iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot(Y) see; they are(Z) more than the hairs of my head; my heart(AA) fails me.

13(AB) Be pleased, O LORD, to(AC) deliver me! O LORD,(AD) make haste to help me! 14(AE) Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be(AF) turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! 15Let those be appalled because of their shame who(AG) say to me, "Aha, Aha!"

16But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation (AH) say continually, "Great is the LORD!" 17As for me, I am(AI) poor and needy, but(AJ) the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

This psalm is the piece of scripture that I reflect on when I need God. Right now for me as I reflect on where I have come in my walk with God and where I think I am going next it's good to reflect on this Psalm.

As I wait again it's great to give thanks to God for his faithfulness and salvation.

So in the midst of all that is happening I say "Great is the LORD"

ThirdDay - Communion (by TsunamiBob)

For communion Sunday reflection.

Here I go again!!

In three weeks time I will be travelling to Romania. This visit will be different again to all the others. I travel this time with people from different Churches. Some I know, some I've met once or twice and other I haven't. I look forward to catching up with friends and seeing what hard work they have been up to during this past year. I look forward to working hard and spending time with God in my thin place. For you see Romania for me is a thin place. Th early Celtic Christians believed that there were places on earth that were so thin that Heaven and earth met there. Iona is one such place for my line manager, who spent a few years there working but for me it's Romania. I see God at work there, I feel so close to God when I'm out there. I also wait and see where God will lead me when I'm there. I think when you work with a group of people for a week or two and spend time serving God, worshiping God and sharing in God's word, then the real community of Christianity comes together. We've been going through the book of acts at work. I have always been challenged by the way the early Church lived and worked and acted together. Yet I see the Church in Scotland and see the flip side of this. So I think when I go to Romania and see community and living and acting for God, I am living part of the gospel. It's been a journey of reflection this week. I have been reading through my journal from the trip last year. Before I go back out to Romania, I always look at what I wrote and how that has changed me or the situations I wrote about. My journal is full of stories of what my young people experienced out there. It give me hope for the future. One day I'm sure that when they least expect it, God will remind them of the promises they made to him in Romania. We never know the impact that we have on young people but God asks us to try and give them hope and a future. My journal entry for 12th October last year brings back to me how God moves and acts in this world. This was the day that I would visit the finished Tileagd complex. The school had been opened the last time I visited but the Church was only being built. As I sat in the finished building, it was just an amazing experience. To see the Roma people have a place to worship God. To have a faith community just blew me away. As I sat there the words of my reading that morning came back to me. Psalm 100

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

A Psalm for(A) giving thanks.

1(B) Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 2(C) Serve the LORD with gladness! (D) Come into his presence with singing! 3Know that(E) the LORD, he is God! It is he who(F) made us, and(G) we are his;[a] we are his(H) people, and(I) the sheep of his pasture. 4(J) Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his(K) courts with praise! Give thanks to him;(L) bless his name! 5(M) For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his(N) faithfulness to all generations. That Psalm summed up my last trip. I had been taken on a journey by God with a group of people of all ages and God had been faithful to us all. That night we had an amazing time of worship, where in that thin place God moved and acted. I look forward to seeing what God will do this time. Every trip is different, yet it is the same. To go and serve and work for God and the Romanian people he puts in our path.

I used this video last night at youth group. To illustrate how rumours start. I had text a leader to ask them to start a rumour about me!! Well they did and it took off like wildfire. I won't tell you what the rumour was but I can tell you, that if the Church of Scotland or The Ark ever find out I can tell you I better find a new job.

It was an interesting experiment. Some of our new first years couldn't wait to spread or add to this rumour, some you would have needed to torture to get them to tell you. The most interesting were the young people whom I've know for the past six years. They were disappointed and even angry that I would act like that but no one asked me if it was true!! They believed the rumour.

There was a really funny ending to this though. Two of the longest serving youth group members left before the talk. They heard the rumour but never heard it was made up. Young people were frantically phoning and texting them to tell them.

So if you hear a rumour about me. How will you react?

A fork in the road.

I have been thinking greatly for the past few months that God is moving me on again. I love working with young people, in the parish and on the streets and The Ark. It has been an amazing journey to see young people grow and change and ask questions but there is always the feeling that things are about to change.

I thought at first that it was because my line manager from the parish was going to retire. I began thinking of all the things in the parish that would not get done in her absence. Things like hospital visiting, visiting the sick and housebound. Funerals and visits. All the things she was so good at. Then there was the Sunday services. We have a locum who works eight hours a week!! He does the service every Sunday, except the 1st Sunday in the month. So all this got me thinking, what else would I be asked to do to help out and what could I do with limited time available.

We have been a vacant charge for over two years. The shortage of ministers in the Church of Scotland means that rural parishes like ours who have three Churches and Three communities don't seem like good places for most ministers. I say most ministers because I believe that somewhere out there is the right person for our parish and in the right time we will have a minister to lead us again.

So what has all this to do with me!!

Well finally I have posted my application. Application for Ministry of word and Sacrament. It's exciting and scary. A long and difficult process lies ahead. I don't know if or for how long I need to go back to uni for. What I do know is that I need to try my call. If I don't I will always be thinking would I have been a minister. So the road takes a turn again and i wait and see where God leads me. The process starts in February with the conference and then a period of extended inquiry and local reviews and other stuff, a long process.

So I wait and see what God has in store for me. What lies around the corner only God knows. I've been here before and trust and put my faith in God who knows the plans of my life.

Don't follow me I'M lost!!

I bought a t-shirt with "Don't follow me i'm lost" a few months ago. It was a standing joke among friends and family that we never came back the same way anytime I took them somewhere in the car. We were never lost only chose a different route!

Anyway they bought me a Sat-nav one Christmas and from that really unreliable version, whom I nearly baptized(well if i was allowed to) in the river. I now have a built in version and she is really great. If there is a jam up ahead, she finds a clear route. Which I follow every time. Well there lies the next school assembly talk.

I was at a conference in Perth yesterday. Perth is a city that no matter how many times I go to I get lost. Unlike Dundee and Glasgow or even Aberdeen where I can get around without Sat-Nav. Anyway I got to Perth and found the Church really easily with the aid of my trusty friends in car and phone Sat-nav's . After the meeting I aet out back for home. The weather was horrific. With heavy rain, thunder and lightning etc. I got to the outskirts of Stirling and the Sat-nav saw trouble ahead. I followed her and got back to a clear road. Then as I approached Glasgow she saw trouble. I saw where she was taking me and chose not to follow. Then spent an hour and a half in traffic not moving!!

See sometimes it's like that with God. I say ok God i'll follow you there. That sounds good it's where I want to go. It's God's plan and the road ahead is clear. Then there are places and things God wants me to do and like my Sat-nav instructions, I thinks no. I don't fancy that or that's not the way, or it's too much effort and I don't follow. Then the road is blocked and I need to wait and it's more trouble than it's worth. When following God's plan would have been a clear road. A road that was on the right track.

So who says technology is bad?? I know now I will follow my Sat-nav. Where ever it takes me in future. Well!!

Learning to say NO!!

I've been back to work less than two weeks, groups have still to start and school is starting. This week i have been in meetings with all the headteachers and I want to work more, be in school more but with twenty hours there is no more time to give. My boss retires this week and i will be the only paid member of staff. Managing time is never easy, well for me anyway. So I need to learn to say no. To pick the work that will have the most impact in the least time.

So back to meetings and stuff. Making use of time wisely.

I'll be first in the queue for this on Thursday for my study!!

Oh I love this. A car cleaner than really does clean and in only 10 minutes, even for my size of car. I can't complain I have no time to wash my car now.

Hope

Last night I sat in disbelief as I watched the TV. Pictures of buildings on fire and people running riot, stealing and fighting. Normally this would be in country far away, but this week it's in our country.

The BBC are saying it's young people who have no hope and no future. I'll pick this up later. What I see is people of all ages, race, and colour. What has happened to society to make them loose control?

I've been on holiday for three weeks. The first two were great. i didn't need to worry about work, being in the office planning or being with young people. I enjoyed the break. This week though I look forward to being back in the office, catching up with folks and young people. I have a job or jobs to go back to.

For these people who are rioting, many have no job. The weeks drag on and there is no job to go to. They see no end in sight. People are loosing their job left , right and centre. For young people many have never had a proper job. They look around and see the things that the media says they should have. Big TV, Laptop, Smart phone, nice car etc and they think I can never be like that. There is no hope!

And yet there is hope. I am angry that the media is portraying young people in this situation as the villains once again.Sure I see young people in the pictures but I also see older people too. I work with some amazing young people. Who really don't have that many chances in life. They come from the third or fourth generation of families who have never had employment. They are all about to embark on the next stage of their journey having just left school. All have did extremely well despite the odds stacked up against them. The sad thing for me their youth worker is that most will leave this village and head off to Uni.

So what made this group different for the rioters? I believe it was hope. They believe that God has a plan for them. Even in the hard times. They know that the future is theirs for the taking. They just have to go for it, and if they fail it's no big deal. Not trying is worse than failing in God's eyes.

So pray for all youth work providers in these difficult time financially , that the work done can be long term and that young people can see hope. I think especially of XLP. They work with young people in all the areas where rioting is happening. I met Patrick Reagan who heads this project up and they do great work. So if your the praying type pray for him and his team.

So to use the words that help and inspire me to work with young people. " And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Some holiday snaps

Holidays

Well all packed up and ready to go, even the dog buggy is packed. The kids are hyper and I can't wait for the long drive to Weymouth to be over. Don't get me wrong I love driving. I would love to drive across Europe to Romania or coast to coast in the US. The thought of two kids and a dog on a 2 day drive doesn't really inspire me that much. I could be wrong and hope I am. It could be a great trip!!

So the plan is visit see an old friend en-route and stay over night near Birmingham and then drive down to Weymouth. A visit to Monkey life and re-home Sully. Sully is a Plasticine monkey made at The Ark. He is travelling down with us. Then the rest of the holiday is just wait and see what we feel like doing. I have three books packed, that night be a bit optimistic but you can live in hope of some peace and quiet.

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