Every Friday we take a group of students out to one of the barrier islands off the Gulf coast called Ship Island. This week our group included ninety people. The plan was to take the 2:30 ferry back to the mainland, but two students didn't show up on time to the ferry, so three of us stayed back on the island to look for them and then take the next ferry back at 5.
We found the two students right away. Tim, their youth leader, gave them a quick talking too, while Luke and I sat in the shade next to one of the buildings. While we were sitting there, one of the employees at the concession stand came over and started talking with us.
He was an interesting man...to say the least. His name was Stoycho, and he was from Bulgaria. He told us stories from his past and deposited words of wisdom to us as we real talked for an hour or so, here are a few of the high lights...
...Back when Bulgaria was under communist rule, he was a member of the underground church, and that was where he came to know the Lord....While he was going to school, he spoke out against the communist party and for that, he was thrown in prison. He said, "this isn't like prison in America, this was communist prison". He told us that he shared a small cell with five others and was fed only beans and bone worms and that he said that he barely survived the experience...
...it turns out that he came to America because he was an opera singer and he does performances in the winter. He sang for us and then gave us his demo CD. We listened too it, and it was beautiful, and I don't even care much for opera...
...The most beautiful thing that he told us was a commentary on American culture. He told us that in his opinion, America was about two things, love and money. He told us, in a strong Bulgarian accent that was simply poetic, that in Europe, there are three types of love, Love If, Love Because, and Love In Spite Of... He said that Love In Spite Of is "European Love"...
"...Love If... He will love her if she has dinner ready every night at 6. She will love him if he makes her breakfast in the morning...Love If...that is no kind of love...
...Love Because...She loves him because he has a successful company. He loves her because she is beautiful...Love Because...that is no kind of love...
...Love In Spite Of he explained a little differently by using a metaphor...
...Small wood ovens have a small door on the left side to put the wood into. Sometimes you get a log that is a bit crooked and doesn't fit very well. So the saying goes, he is a crooked log, but he fits just right for my stove...that is Love In Spite Of...That is love...."
As he shared this with us it made me reflect on how God loves us and how we should love one another. It reminded me that Love is a choice. To truly love someone you have to choose too because if you only love them IF they do what you want or BECAUSE they provide you with something, what happens when things change?
It was refreshing to hear profound truths about love from a stranger from Bulgaria, on a beach island in the middle of the Gulf, while we waited for the ferry, because two students lost track of time.
-chase
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Next Step Update
Hey Friends,
We just said goodbye to our second week of students. So far we have had two great weeks of trips. We have been able to do a lot of work repairing houses in the community and touched the lives of the residents. We have had a lot of fun with the students so far, working with them on the sites and hanging out afterward around the church, and during worship.
We have seen several students begin relationships with the Lord and others take major steps in their faith giving up control and letting Jesus begin to heal their hearts. We have seen students step up, take charge, and lead their groups. It has been really exciting to witness and be apart of. The Lord is at work!!!!
We will have another group come in tomorrow night from Dupont, Ohio. It is a much smaller group than the first two weeks so we are looking forward to having to spend less organizing and more time getting to know the students.
Pray that we would continue to grow together as a team. That we would continue to rely on God even though we are starting to get the swing of things down here. That we would walk well with God during this time.
Pray that I would lead our team well. That I would seek hard after God. That I would pour into scripture. That I would have wisdom to make good decision that will Glorify God.
-Chase
We just said goodbye to our second week of students. So far we have had two great weeks of trips. We have been able to do a lot of work repairing houses in the community and touched the lives of the residents. We have had a lot of fun with the students so far, working with them on the sites and hanging out afterward around the church, and during worship.
We have seen several students begin relationships with the Lord and others take major steps in their faith giving up control and letting Jesus begin to heal their hearts. We have seen students step up, take charge, and lead their groups. It has been really exciting to witness and be apart of. The Lord is at work!!!!
We will have another group come in tomorrow night from Dupont, Ohio. It is a much smaller group than the first two weeks so we are looking forward to having to spend less organizing and more time getting to know the students.
Pray that we would continue to grow together as a team. That we would continue to rely on God even though we are starting to get the swing of things down here. That we would walk well with God during this time.
Pray that I would lead our team well. That I would seek hard after God. That I would pour into scripture. That I would have wisdom to make good decision that will Glorify God.
-Chase
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Summer in the South
Hello Friends. For those of you who don't know, I am spending the summer in Hancock County, Mississippi, the official ground zero of hurricane Katrina. I will be working with Next Step Ministries as the site director down here leading week long high school mission trips and two family trips. Our work crews are still repairing houses damaged by Katrina. Besides just working on the service projects we put together a nightly service to help the students to engage and grow spiritually and take the next step in their faith.
My team and I have been down here since last Sunday. The eight of us drove down here all the way from Madison. We have spent the week finding work projects, setting up our facilities, and doing other preparations to get ready for the first group that will be arriving sometime this afternoon. The church has a big commencement ceremony tonight for the VBS that they had this past week. So we have a lot of activity going on tonight!
We have a lot of cool sites that we are working on and I have a really awesome team so this week and the rest of the summer should prove to be a lot of fun. I will post pictures of our lodgings and work sites later this week and you can look forward to profiles of my team as well.
-chase
prayer requests:
*work sites would run smoothly
*our staff team would grow closer together
*the students coming would have open hearts and come to know Jesus this week!
My team and I have been down here since last Sunday. The eight of us drove down here all the way from Madison. We have spent the week finding work projects, setting up our facilities, and doing other preparations to get ready for the first group that will be arriving sometime this afternoon. The church has a big commencement ceremony tonight for the VBS that they had this past week. So we have a lot of activity going on tonight!
We have a lot of cool sites that we are working on and I have a really awesome team so this week and the rest of the summer should prove to be a lot of fun. I will post pictures of our lodgings and work sites later this week and you can look forward to profiles of my team as well.
-chase
prayer requests:
*work sites would run smoothly
*our staff team would grow closer together
*the students coming would have open hearts and come to know Jesus this week!
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