Participant Blogs

"What we do, does not define who we are. What defines us is how well we rise after falling." It has been a while since I've seen words come to life in such an inspiring way. Rwanda is a beautiful chapter in this journey. So beautiful that there aren't any words to truly express how much influence it has had in my own thoughts and especially my relationship with our beautiful Saviour. I look forward to more chapters with you in it. You have taught me so much. Not only about your people but also about myself. I loved spending...

This last week, I learnt that The Lord provides in abundance and delights in blessing His children. Us Global Challengers had the opportunity to practically apply all that we have learnt during training by going on a 5-day Luke 10 journey from Wednesday to Sunday. Simply put, we followed in the footsteps of the 72 disciples that were sent out by Jesus as "lambs amongst the wolves" in Luke chapter 10. Each small team prayed and waited upon The Lord for direction as to where He wanted them to go.

    I always thought the words  and then  were a prelude to something wonderful. Like seeing a ship come in or finding a note in your letterbox, when you weren't expecting one. That swift, surprising transition from nothing to everything.  And then .   Two little words that hold a world of promise.  And then  the light pierced through the dark sky, and the rain stopped falling.    And then  I met you.    Uganda, experiencing you was like being ten hears old again, scaling a tree with my eyes bright and skyward, wanting to get higher and higher...

I have learnt a lt this year. I learned that things don't always turn out the way you planned, or the way you think it should. And I've learned that there are things that go wrong that don't always get fixed or get put back together the way they were before. I've learned that you can get through bad times and keep looking for better ones. This year wasn't always pretty. It wasn't always comfortable. Some things and situations even break your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you - it should change you. It leaves marks on your...

When I first laid my eyes on you and the rolling hills you sat upon. I thought what amazing luck I have that God had created such beautiful things and gave me the eyes to see them.    I am forever changed by your existence. You are a place filled with so many stories and I feel so privileged to share some of these stories with you. I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again....

While our first week in Nepal we focused on encouraging the churches, the second week we focused on adding to them. After a six hour bus ride to Pokhara we immediately started walking to unreached villages, sharing the truth with the people and handing out tracts written in Nepali. We had some great conversations and people were usually willing to listen to us. God really protected us there because after we got back Ben (The Nepali missionary we stayed with) told us that the people in those villages usually attack Christians and he had been too scared to go until now....

  "You can only love Me with the amount you love yourself." When I heard that I felt like I should have gotten up and ran as fast as I could. Run until my legs couldn't carry me anymore. I couldn't though. It was as if something had glued me to the cold cement floor. "You can only love Me with the amount you love yourself." Lord. I don't even acknowledge myself as a person? How do I love myself??? "You are allowed to love Me, love me with unconditional LOVE, and feel good about it." What is unconditional love?...

What? How does that work? It does, if you're a sinner. I am a very honest person and I want you to fully understand my journey, so yeah, sometimes you're going to think I am an absolute fool. Great! Please think that, because my friend, that's exactly how gross and sinful and foolish I am, without God. Great thing that God doesn't leave us in our sins. Thank God He doesn't. Now of course, you want the juice (news) of what I have done. I thought that I had the right to want. I started to want the things other...

6 weeks ago, if people asked me, why are you doing Global Challenge. My answer would have typically been something in the line of: "I am determined to find God and revelation" or "I want to take my relationship with God deeper and gain wisdom and favor" or even "I want to change the world". Those are typically seen as a pretty honorable answers to the question. Well at least that is what I thought, but never have I been so wrong... After hearing stories, surviving a couple of days in the bush, building a road, trekking the Transkei, Luke...

Wow... its how I can sum Turkey up... wow... Jesus you made Your pressence known, You came and show me what it is like to love your neighbour as yourself, you have blessed me in abundance. You have blown my mind and captivated my heart.