Welcome to Aberdeen!
So, our team has been in our outreach location for a little more than two weeks, and I can almost not believe how much has happened! I was thinking back the other day while we were walking around ASDA (UK version of Wal-mart) about how much different this time would be if we were anywhere else. I knew that God had called us here for a great season and it has been so incredible to see glimpses of His plans for us during this time. But more on that to come a bit further down…
First let me update you about--->
Preparation/ Commissioning-
We left the Seamill base the Saturday morning before Easter. Our leaders had decided that we should start our outreach off my walking with all baggage in tow all the way to the train station. And since most of you do not know what West Kilbride is like, it was NOT a fun walk. We all had our heavy rucksacks and bags walking for 20 min up and down hills, and it turned out that this morning was pretty mild. I was so exhausted after that twenty minuet walk. We arrived in Aberdeen about 4pm and had to do the same type of terrible walk to the YMCA where we are staying, except this time it had about 5 flights of stairs added to the torture. During our preparation time, we were not fully informed about our living conditions, but I had faith that God would provide time and space for Avery and I to be alone. And he DEFINATLEY came through and blessed us! We have a beautiful room with two twin beds pulled together with a great view of the city centre as well as a balcony to sit on and read.
Things that were prayed over us and for us during commissioning time:
-God’s manifest presence would be with us, in team time and ministry. (His presence would be in the middle of our circle and as we draw from Him we would be able to give to others…Worship)
-This time would be a time of focusing alone on Christ’s Holiness, and that would mean breakthrough in areas for different individuals. (His call to LOOK AT ME!)
-To Remain in Jesus and draw our sap from him; to be so connected to His vine.
-Finally, unity as a team... Honoring one another and supporting and believing of each others ministries.
Week 1- This is a beautiful city, about the size of down town Myrtle Beach. God has blessed us with wonderful weather and great new friendships. We had great team time this week with worship and intercession to plant us in this new area. Most of our ministries start next week, so we were given plenty of time to explore and go on faith adventures. We start off my praying where God would want to lead us and off we go. One morning I was partners with Karen from Canada and God kept confirming the direction we were heading and eventually we ended up at a church. No one was in the office so we decided to write them a letter and just pray for the body there. It turned out that we had a "Prayer for Scotland" meeting at the same church later in the week. Avery and Joon began delivering for Somebody Cares this week. This is a charity that provides furniture for people in a poor area of Aberdeen called Tillydrone. We also prayer walked around this area with Ian and Deborah. They are "new" long-termers, meaning that are in Aberdeen for the long haul, but have just arrived to begin a new YWAM base here. On Saturday, Avery and I went to the park to read, play frisebee, and just hang out with everyone. Well Avery started playing his mandolin and this man named George came running over. He was very loud and seemed as if he had been drinking for a while. Well we began talking about all different things and he opened up that his parents with Christians and they lived in Glasgow. Then he told us about a dream he had about demons and people praying for him. He knew he did not want to spent eternity in pain that the demon had, but wanted to be like the people dressed in white over to the side that were praying for him. He said the people in his dream were his mom, his granny, and aunt. He knew in his heart that he wanted to be like them, but he was still searching and asking God a lot of questions. By the end of the conversation he said he was 100% sure he believed in God. I am so glad I got to meet George and pray for him. He is out of work right now and has not been able to see his 6 months daughter in the past week and realy is missing here. So please pray that he will meet us for church or maybe more hanging out sessions in the park where we can encourage him. We are attending Oasis Christian Fellowship and it has been so great. It reminds me a Surfside a bit except no kids and not a big. The people are so warm and hospitable. We will be going to this church for the whole nine week we are hear and we met this really funny Californian , his name is Adam, and Avery help him with deliveries for Somebody Cares.
The Rest- Avery began ministry at the Lighthoose this week, which is a drop in center for ex-offenders in the Tillydrone area, where men and chat with Christian guys and have a good meal. I began sorting clothes in the warehouse of Somebody Cares. Pub ministry has also been a big thing for our team. Mostly the only thing that is open after 6pm in this city is pubs. We felt that it was very important to have Christ’s light go into these places, so we go out when we have free time and pray and try and meet new people. One of the biggest pub areas in called Belmont street so we are trying to target this area specifically because many university student hang out here. One night Avery had free so he went to his favorite spot called the justice mill and prayed and on his way home he said bless you to a man that was sneezing in the street and amazingly they ended up having a two hour conversation about life, pain, loneliness, and God’s role in all of it. His name was Derek and he has cone back to meet with Avery a couple of times since that night. I pray that a friendship would develop out of this very random meeting. See how God can use even a simple bless from someone. I pray that God would continue to call Derek into a relationship with himself. We have been hosting hospitality night for that people we have meet to come to the YMCA on Tuesday evenings for food and fellowship. Both weeks we have averaged about five people to come and join us. Some of these people are not Christians and it has been so great getting to know all of them and tell them how much God cares for them. Two girls in our team have made friends with people in the comedy club and we have seen two of them come to the Lord already.
We just have a sense that the harvest in the city is so ripe. God is open divine windows of opportunity and God is speaking to the people in ways that can not deny it is him like in dreams and visions. God is so awe-inspiring and His spirit is preparing the hearts of those in Aberdeen. I am so excited about the next seven or so week and I pray that I would take every opportunity that God gives me to speak truth into the people here. I am so doing ministry with children at and after-school club and in a primary school with a student union. I am so excited the see how God continues to grow my heart for this nation. No matter where we go I can see that everyone is on the same page and so desire to see unity and revival come to this land, and I eagerly except and await along with them. "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few."
PLEASE pray for Aberdeen and all the wonderful works that are going on here.
Sorry this is a very long entry, but I have missed writing over the past couple of weeks. So much is happening, and it is hard to remember it all and put it down in words. God is definitely stretching out team and everyone has there own great stories of what God is doing in them and through them. I have been recopying all of my notes from lecture phase and pray that God continues to reveal Himself greater to me. I want to hold onto all this when we head home shortly.
First let me update you about--->
Preparation/ Commissioning-
We left the Seamill base the Saturday morning before Easter. Our leaders had decided that we should start our outreach off my walking with all baggage in tow all the way to the train station. And since most of you do not know what West Kilbride is like, it was NOT a fun walk. We all had our heavy rucksacks and bags walking for 20 min up and down hills, and it turned out that this morning was pretty mild. I was so exhausted after that twenty minuet walk. We arrived in Aberdeen about 4pm and had to do the same type of terrible walk to the YMCA where we are staying, except this time it had about 5 flights of stairs added to the torture. During our preparation time, we were not fully informed about our living conditions, but I had faith that God would provide time and space for Avery and I to be alone. And he DEFINATLEY came through and blessed us! We have a beautiful room with two twin beds pulled together with a great view of the city centre as well as a balcony to sit on and read.
Things that were prayed over us and for us during commissioning time:
-God’s manifest presence would be with us, in team time and ministry. (His presence would be in the middle of our circle and as we draw from Him we would be able to give to others…Worship)
-This time would be a time of focusing alone on Christ’s Holiness, and that would mean breakthrough in areas for different individuals. (His call to LOOK AT ME!)
-To Remain in Jesus and draw our sap from him; to be so connected to His vine.
-Finally, unity as a team... Honoring one another and supporting and believing of each others ministries.
Week 1- This is a beautiful city, about the size of down town Myrtle Beach. God has blessed us with wonderful weather and great new friendships. We had great team time this week with worship and intercession to plant us in this new area. Most of our ministries start next week, so we were given plenty of time to explore and go on faith adventures. We start off my praying where God would want to lead us and off we go. One morning I was partners with Karen from Canada and God kept confirming the direction we were heading and eventually we ended up at a church. No one was in the office so we decided to write them a letter and just pray for the body there. It turned out that we had a "Prayer for Scotland" meeting at the same church later in the week. Avery and Joon began delivering for Somebody Cares this week. This is a charity that provides furniture for people in a poor area of Aberdeen called Tillydrone. We also prayer walked around this area with Ian and Deborah. They are "new" long-termers, meaning that are in Aberdeen for the long haul, but have just arrived to begin a new YWAM base here. On Saturday, Avery and I went to the park to read, play frisebee, and just hang out with everyone. Well Avery started playing his mandolin and this man named George came running over. He was very loud and seemed as if he had been drinking for a while. Well we began talking about all different things and he opened up that his parents with Christians and they lived in Glasgow. Then he told us about a dream he had about demons and people praying for him. He knew he did not want to spent eternity in pain that the demon had, but wanted to be like the people dressed in white over to the side that were praying for him. He said the people in his dream were his mom, his granny, and aunt. He knew in his heart that he wanted to be like them, but he was still searching and asking God a lot of questions. By the end of the conversation he said he was 100% sure he believed in God. I am so glad I got to meet George and pray for him. He is out of work right now and has not been able to see his 6 months daughter in the past week and realy is missing here. So please pray that he will meet us for church or maybe more hanging out sessions in the park where we can encourage him. We are attending Oasis Christian Fellowship and it has been so great. It reminds me a Surfside a bit except no kids and not a big. The people are so warm and hospitable. We will be going to this church for the whole nine week we are hear and we met this really funny Californian , his name is Adam, and Avery help him with deliveries for Somebody Cares.
The Rest- Avery began ministry at the Lighthoose this week, which is a drop in center for ex-offenders in the Tillydrone area, where men and chat with Christian guys and have a good meal. I began sorting clothes in the warehouse of Somebody Cares. Pub ministry has also been a big thing for our team. Mostly the only thing that is open after 6pm in this city is pubs. We felt that it was very important to have Christ’s light go into these places, so we go out when we have free time and pray and try and meet new people. One of the biggest pub areas in called Belmont street so we are trying to target this area specifically because many university student hang out here. One night Avery had free so he went to his favorite spot called the justice mill and prayed and on his way home he said bless you to a man that was sneezing in the street and amazingly they ended up having a two hour conversation about life, pain, loneliness, and God’s role in all of it. His name was Derek and he has cone back to meet with Avery a couple of times since that night. I pray that a friendship would develop out of this very random meeting. See how God can use even a simple bless from someone. I pray that God would continue to call Derek into a relationship with himself. We have been hosting hospitality night for that people we have meet to come to the YMCA on Tuesday evenings for food and fellowship. Both weeks we have averaged about five people to come and join us. Some of these people are not Christians and it has been so great getting to know all of them and tell them how much God cares for them. Two girls in our team have made friends with people in the comedy club and we have seen two of them come to the Lord already.
We just have a sense that the harvest in the city is so ripe. God is open divine windows of opportunity and God is speaking to the people in ways that can not deny it is him like in dreams and visions. God is so awe-inspiring and His spirit is preparing the hearts of those in Aberdeen. I am so excited about the next seven or so week and I pray that I would take every opportunity that God gives me to speak truth into the people here. I am so doing ministry with children at and after-school club and in a primary school with a student union. I am so excited the see how God continues to grow my heart for this nation. No matter where we go I can see that everyone is on the same page and so desire to see unity and revival come to this land, and I eagerly except and await along with them. "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few."
PLEASE pray for Aberdeen and all the wonderful works that are going on here.
Sorry this is a very long entry, but I have missed writing over the past couple of weeks. So much is happening, and it is hard to remember it all and put it down in words. God is definitely stretching out team and everyone has there own great stories of what God is doing in them and through them. I have been recopying all of my notes from lecture phase and pray that God continues to reveal Himself greater to me. I want to hold onto all this when we head home shortly.
posted by Avery and Stephanie @ 7:48 AM
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