Participant Blogs

Macedonia What a magnificent place ! Macedonia is so wonderful, not only to the eye but also the colorful people ! It was such a surprise to go there and not to China! I was so excited for China but I actually got so much from this place (Macedonia) than I thought I would ! Just seeing the open space and snowy mountains and green landscape blew my mind ! I didn't think you could get such a beautiful picture without Google or photoshop. Being apart of the volunteers at the boarder was really special we get to mingle with...

So before coming to Australia Louw told us sheep farming is so fun... the first week is awesome something funny and new (You put sheep in a cradle and cut of their tails and ass skin...) then the next week feels like it never wants to end... so it was hard work, but I enjoyed it. Working with sheep isn't as easy as you think. They are stubborn and stupid creatures... no jokes, mirenos are the worst !    But they teach you something about patience  especially when they kick you in the face and balls... remember we are not...

There are good times, there are bad times, times of joy to the full, times of deep sadness, times we believe we are in control and times we clearly understand we are not. Do we know what will happen next in our lives? Certainly not. Although sometimes we wish we are able to. As many scenarios plays itself out in our lives, we begin to realise that the pen writing the story of our life is not in our own hands but in the hands of Another, One Who is far more creative, witty and funny than us.   Even...

I was ready to save the world! Superwoman suit - CHECK. Last year just the thought of doing this adventurous Global Challenge gave me an electron bombardment! I got emotional and anxious as I really have a HUGE task to fulfill.  A few months later I'm sitting here vividly realizing I was the one getting saved and that this year was basically giving myself fully over to the King of kings to change me into the new being that He promised to change me into.  Everything I ever wanted to be was inside of me all along-Jesus. All I had...

A famous singer once sang about a poor boy who was empty as a pocket with nothing to lose. I believe I saw people, while serving in a refugee camp on the Macedonia-Serbia border during the last weeks of May, who were empty as a pocket emotionally. On the surface there was a strong, good face but the deeper that you reach into that pocket the more empty you find it to be.    Deep hopelessness - sitting on the border in a camp with all you need to survive physically - food, water, clothes, a place to rest your...

Don't play with it. It's fragile. If you bust a string none of us can play. It's just a guitar. I caught myself being so obsessed with something that can be so easily fixed if it were to break. Even replaced. I'm still new, I'm still learning. The only difference between me and my 5 year old niece is she isn't afraid to experiment. To listen to every string. To play. To just enjoy the sounds. I try to listen and mimic. She plays because she wants to hear the sounds she allows the instrument to make. Carefree her little...

 Since Kosovo, our team has stepped into a musical. The absence of wifi and the presence of lovely hosts made the difference. We had a lot of freedom to spend time with Christ and grow in unity. It was a healing and strengthening time there and not at all a disappointment. The fact that we could not go to China is long forgotten, because we truly believe God wanted us in Kosovo. Our hosts admitted to wishing for help and knowing God used us to show them He hears their prayers even before they pray them, means the world. We...

Kosovo was diffrent for me than the rest of the group. Firstly I heard about my flight going to Kosovo instead of China while in South Africa after getting my new passport, thereby going to a place unexpected. There we met two missionary familys whom took us in with more than just open arms. One of the family's daughters thinks I am superman because I am wild and never really got hurt... that she knew of in anyway, but what really got me about Kosovo was that God revived my identity to a comfortable place where He could start working...

So it has been a few days since we left the comfort of Europe and arrived here in Asia and it dawned on me that I haven’t really given feedback yet on what we did in Kosovo. With traveling over time zones always comes the intense confusion of not knowing if it is breakfast or dinner time and of course the body only wants to sleep. But I am awake and memories of the west are flooding back, so here is what happened… As going to Kosovo was an unexpected blessing after our China visas didn’t come through, we didn’t...

  We have had to do with many missionaries this year and every time we meet another couple i come to realize the feeling i have towards them is pity. Do you feel like you are fulfilling your purpose? Are you sorry you are not living the American dream? Are you lonely? Do you feel like you have done meaningful things? Are you content? Is this home for you? Would you go back? Do you have true friends? These are the questions I could finally sum up and I see now that it showed how backward my perception is. 1John...