I would be lying if I said that life the last week or so has been a piece of cake. Relationships are hard and they take more work than I sometimes am willing or even want to give them. I think, actually I know that I was way too optimistic coming into STINT this year. I'm not a very confrontational person at all so confrontation and therefore "rocking the boat" is not something I really like to do. The reality of the whole thing is though I am called to love and I really do love my team... and here's why;

Jon- is an amazing leader and its been a blessing to have someone to talk to and someone that can call me on the things that I need to work on in my own life and to give me encouragement in that too. He has such an amazing heart to support our team and get to know each one of them. He has such a love for the students we work with and a way to add details and some reality to my crazy ideas.

Jessica- is such a tenderhearted and beautiful woman of God. Her excitement and genuine joy at the smallest details sometimes is such a reminder for me about the love that God has for me and our team and that details are constantly being worked out for us by a big, loving and powerful heavenly Father.

Sarah- is a hidden talent of a powerhouse. I don't really know what else to add to that. She's got these crazy hidden skills that keep coming out of nowhere but are totally needed and relevant like those of getting a movement started on a campus where there's nothing.

Steve- is a loving man of God. Yesterday he ran up to a random guy to talk too because, "he was sitting in the same place yesterday and I wanted to talk to him then." You can simply see his love for the students and for God through his actions everyday.

Trica- is a joy. She's the other half of the crazy teetor-totter that is the two of us. There's no real other way to explain that one, she's got an awesome heart for the new campus we're opening up and I'm so happy that God's called her to be there.

So in the midst of pain and homesickness and a general need for what I think is normality... I know that I need to remember that I am surrounded by an amazing team.

These guys are an answer to prayers... Jon and I have been able to connect with a lot of girls in the science faculties and I've got a good group of girls that I'm beginning to work with. That had been awesome but we had been praying that God would raise up the guys in our science faculties... and here they are, a solid beginning...

And because I know that my dad is checking this tonight... here's the link for some of my pics from Nicaragua... (copy the whole address into the browser...)

http://ucalgary.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61080&l=04938&id=523285093

Crossfire youth retreat...

http://ucalgary.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61676&l=5e14c&id=523285093

Love lots and lots!

I just returned from our church youth retreat... absolutely amazing! My small group of girls blew my mind this weekend and more than that God healed my heart. There's so much more that could be said but at this point I'm still working through what happened last night... it definately goes down as one of the most intense moments of ministry that I've ever had and one of the most precious moments with God. So until then I leave you with some lyrics from this weekend and a verse that came alive this morning;


You're my every moment
You calm my raging sees
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease
I trust in you, I trust in you

I believe you're my healer
I believe you are all I need
I believe you're my portion
I believe you're more than enough for me
Jesus you're all I need, Oh my healer, you're my healer

Nothing is impossible for you
Nothing is impossible
Nothing is impossible for you
You hold the world in your hands

Psalm 62:5-8, 11-12
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
~
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.

Well well well... Nicaragua was a trip and a half and I think my brain is still blown... partly from all the Spanish and partly from all the sheer information. It was amazing to be sitting in a room with the campus directors and other staff and national directors of Vida Estudiantil in the CMC region (Central America, Mexico and the Carribean). I learned so much about what it means to have a movement and just gained so much understanding of this region and its past and future! Because I'm leaving again tomorrow on a youth retreat with my church the update will be soon to come, more than that I'm still trying to process everything that just happened.

Life is absolutely nuts and most days I just have fun trying to keep up with it. The last 10 days has been insane.. but what's new for Panama?? The long and short of it is that God is doing crazy crazy things on all fronts.

Steve and I have started to lead small groups at "Crossfire" which is the youth ministry at the church that Sarah, Steve and I are attending. Its been such a blessing to get to be a part of an amazing group of leaders and also get connected into our own small groups of students. My group is a group of 5 grade 10 girls. My first night with them was last night and it's definately going to be interesting. Their small group just seperated into two so they'll definately be a breaking in period with them but we're headed on a retreat in 8 days so I am super excited to have some solid time with then and serve them as their friend. Please pray for them.

On the campus front... I don't really know what to say to put into words the feelings and emotions there. This week has been a week of follow-up and meeting with contacts Jon and I gathered from our classroom talks the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I was supposed to meet with 6 girls at noon but only one of them showed up. But as my friend Laura and I shared the gospel with her you could totally see her processing and thinking her own way through the whole thing. At the end when I asked her if she wanted to pray to recieve Christ she said that she wouldn't be here meeting with us if she wasn't looking for God. It was amazing... thats how the whole week has been! Today Jon and I were so encouraged because 4 guys (!!!) from science showed up at the weekly meeting. I've been connecting really well with the girls from the faculty but there's been a lesser number of guys in the classes and therefore for Jon to connect with. For me it was another sign and encouragement that God has huge huge plans for our faculties. I know that everyone on the team has their own special stories and special moments that God is teaching them and showing them things. Time and time again I am humbled by Gods plans and how even though He could do things without me... He chooses to use me anyways! Until next time.. much love!

Just a couple more... because I realized that they're good.. and I have some computer time.... yippee! (Thanks Jess!!!)So this is the crazy fountain that we found Friday night at Nikko's, now the weird thing is it was full of bubbles... in espanol... burbuja... funnest spanish word ever (pronouce the "j" like an "h"). Alrighty so this is a close up of the articles on the protest Friday at the university... enough said.
This is another shot from church.. I don't know why I have a goofy face on but oh well... it was a great Sunday morning. So this is bascially to bring a smile to your face... love you guys!

Well its definately been a week. We had an awesome full week on campus and were able to present some "talks" including the gospel to 4 lab classes of mostly first years. Today Jon and I did another classroom talk. As we were getting started I really wasn't feeling comfortable with what I had said in the other lectures. So I prayed rapidly and wung (winged??) the whole thing. It went awesome and I'm constantly amazed what God does when we ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit and trust in his leading. Jon and I both thought afterwards that it was the best talk we had done so far. We've been able to connect with a lot of students in the faculty... most of them girls which has me really excited! Even today as I chatted with 3 girls at the end of the talk I was encouraged by my Spanish and their excitement to meet up and get a discipleship group started. Yesterday Jessica, Tricia, Jon and I went to the church in San Miguelito where Jon and I spent a week last summer on our adventure cycle. It was great to be there again and see the people from church and talk with them again. Jon preached the message and it was cool to realize how far we've all come in the last year. I never would have imagined being back and yet I completely felt at home being back with them. It was definately another one of those "crazy... I'm actually in Panama" moments.

Some pics for you guys from this weekend... courtesy of Tricia as my camera is still MIA. :) Late night drive turned into a late night at the Panama Canal... beautiful. Alright... so I don't know how much of this I should mention but... on Friday the university was shut down because of a protest. Jon and I were eating lunch when we saw students walking down the street carrying posters, flags and tires. Needless to say the tires were for blowing up and we all had to exit campus a different way as the police came in full on riot gear... needless to say this is apparently normal. This is Jess and I with the newspaper articles... for another take on this.. check out Jon's blog (the link is on the sidebar of this page), some smart insight there!!

The guys made us dinnner for team fun night and then we headed to the national theater (Teatro Nacional) for a concert that my church brought to town, it was a great night!
This is Jon and I at the church on Sunday in San Miguelito... I was helping Jon out and giving an example... (p.s. I love that they have 2 Tim 2:2 painted on their wall) This is the view from the top of one of the hills in San Miguelito.. beautiful.

So I was really tempted not to post this due to the shape of my face but it makes me (and the rest of my team) laugh so... this is what happens when we try and one-up each other on who can make the best pescado (fish) face.
Love you all... more to come! Stay tuned... it looks like Jon and I may be headed to Nicaragua in 2 weeks and a little bit for a conference.... fiesta!!! Jokes... please pray.. science outreach on Wednesday!!! Update to come!