Well, it was indeed a much quieter week last week… Between family vacations, day camp outings, etc. we only had three girls at girls’ group last week but we actually enjoyed it as we were able to be a lot more personal with the girls. Two of the girls that were there are sisters and they are without a doubt our most faithful attendees – they’ve only missed one event since we started last summer! These girls are Muslim and I am continually amazed at the favour God has given me with their family that they allow them to come and at the openness the girls have in talking about God. On Thursday I took them to Dairy Queen (they had never been before) and we were able to have some good conversation. Hopefully some of our other girls will be back this week but in the meantime, I am thankful for weeks like this where we can really connect with these girls.
Tomorrow: God is like a Judge – He is a fair judge and will judge each one of us for what we have done. Please pray that the girls would begin to understand that God is just and fair and that they would also be convicted to live their lives in a way that lines up with His word.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
PRAY-ERS NEEDED
As you know, in just two weeks we will be taking a group of girls from Cloverdale to a camp up North for a three-day retreat. We are so excited for this time with the girls and are expecting God to do amazing things in their lives. We have been in constant prayer over this weekend and the more I pray the more God impresses on my heart what an important role prayer is going to play in the work that He wants to do in these girls’ lives.
That said, we are looking for prayer partners for each one of the girls who are coming to the retreat - people who will commit to praying for them in these next two weeks before the retreat but especially during those three days that we will be up at camp. If you would like to be matched up with one of the girls coming to our camp and commit to praying for that child while we are away please simply post a comment below or e-mail at andreag@montrealyouthunlimited.org and I will send you the name and a few specific prayer requests for one of our girls.
Thank you so much for your prayers up to this point and whether or not you are able to commit to praying for a specific child, we would greatly appreciate your prayers on August 20-22nd.
That said, we are looking for prayer partners for each one of the girls who are coming to the retreat - people who will commit to praying for them in these next two weeks before the retreat but especially during those three days that we will be up at camp. If you would like to be matched up with one of the girls coming to our camp and commit to praying for that child while we are away please simply post a comment below or e-mail at andreag@montrealyouthunlimited.org and I will send you the name and a few specific prayer requests for one of our girls.
Thank you so much for your prayers up to this point and whether or not you are able to commit to praying for a specific child, we would greatly appreciate your prayers on August 20-22nd.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Halfway Point
Last week was another great week with the girls – I can hardly believe that the summer is half over already… We had eight girls at girls’ group on Wednesday and once again I was so impressed by the depth of understanding and the desire these girls have to get into God’s word. One thing I have come to love doing is splitting the girls into pairs and having them look up verses. Even on days where they are wild and won’t quiet down in a group setting, the moment you split them up and put a bible in their hands they calm down and are serious about trying to understand what the scriptures are saying. What amazes me the most is what incredible understanding these 9-12 year old girls have of what they are reading; this week I saw one of our Muslim girls summarize ten verses into two phrases that could not have been more accurate!
I also had two great one-on-ones this week… With our retreat just around the corner I’ve really been trying to push the girls to get their hearts ready for what God wants to do in their lives. I had a conversation with one of our Christian kids about how God wants to use her in the lives of the other girls who don’t know Him and she was really touched and excited to see what God might do through her during our time at camp. I also had a conversation with another one of the girls about why she believed in Jesus and was it just because other people told her He is real or because she’s actually experienced Him for herself. She admitted that she had never experienced God personally but that she would like to. At her request, we stopped to pray right there in Tim Horton’s and agreed to continue to pray over the coming weeks that she would indeed have a personal encounter with Jesus over the course of the retreat.
We’re really excited about the retreat as we believe God is going to do an amazing work in the lives of these girls. As a result, we are taking a step of faith and praying that all 16 girls would be able to come to camp (something that would take a real miracle for some of them). Would you join us in the faith-stretching prayer? We know that our God is more than able.
This week: God is like a Rock – He is dependable and trustworthy and it is important for you to be dependable and trustworthy as well. Please pray that the girls would grow in their trust of God as a result of this week’s discussion and that they would also be challenged to live lives of integrity themselves.
I also had two great one-on-ones this week… With our retreat just around the corner I’ve really been trying to push the girls to get their hearts ready for what God wants to do in their lives. I had a conversation with one of our Christian kids about how God wants to use her in the lives of the other girls who don’t know Him and she was really touched and excited to see what God might do through her during our time at camp. I also had a conversation with another one of the girls about why she believed in Jesus and was it just because other people told her He is real or because she’s actually experienced Him for herself. She admitted that she had never experienced God personally but that she would like to. At her request, we stopped to pray right there in Tim Horton’s and agreed to continue to pray over the coming weeks that she would indeed have a personal encounter with Jesus over the course of the retreat.
We’re really excited about the retreat as we believe God is going to do an amazing work in the lives of these girls. As a result, we are taking a step of faith and praying that all 16 girls would be able to come to camp (something that would take a real miracle for some of them). Would you join us in the faith-stretching prayer? We know that our God is more than able.
This week: God is like a Rock – He is dependable and trustworthy and it is important for you to be dependable and trustworthy as well. Please pray that the girls would grow in their trust of God as a result of this week’s discussion and that they would also be challenged to live lives of integrity themselves.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
A Great Week!
"Feed the baby"
This week really was a great week… We had 10 girls at girls group on Wednesday which is the perfect number. As you know, this week we were talking about how God is like a mom and it was really neat to watch how the girls connected with the topic. We had them look up five different verses that talked about how God is like a mother (He comforts us, protects us, delights in us, etc.) and then I asked them to share which verse touched them the most and why.
This week really was a great week… We had 10 girls at girls group on Wednesday which is the perfect number. As you know, this week we were talking about how God is like a mom and it was really neat to watch how the girls connected with the topic. We had them look up five different verses that talked about how God is like a mother (He comforts us, protects us, delights in us, etc.) and then I asked them to share which verse touched them the most and why.
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (Zephaniah 3:17) We talked about how God delights in us just like a new mother delights in her new baby, even though all that baby does is eat and sleep. One of our Muslim girls in particular was very touched by the fact that God delights in her just because she is His daughter, she doesn’t have to do anything to earn it. There was one comment that nearly brought me to tears though… There is one girl in our group who lives with her aunt as her mother was abusive. When it came time for her to share which verse touched her the most she read Isaiah 49:15 – “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Praise God that He never fails and that He can fill the voids in these girls’ lives.
On Thursday I took four girls to Pointe Claire Village for some Wild Willy’s ice cream and a little window shopping. The highlight for me was going to Ten Thousand Villages (a store that sells crafts, etc. made in low-income countries where the profits go back to the people who made them). The employees working there were so great with the girls, letting them taste and touch and play and even helping them find things from their countries – I think we were in there nearly an hour!
Next week: God is like a Guide – He can help you make good decisions and you can look to Him for help when you feel lost. Please pray that this week’s lesson would challenge the girls to go a step further in their relationship with God and that they would truly begin to look to Him for guidance in their lives.
To each one of you out there who are praying, thank you so much. You are a playing a key role in the work that God is doing in these girls lives this summer!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Putting Flexibility to the Test!
Well, we had 16 girls at girls’ group this week… Needless to say, that’s a few more than the five we had last week and things were a little chaotic. Nevertheless, nothing catches our God off guard and we saw Him working through the details making things manageable. There’s a day camp going on at La Corde for the summer and the reason we had so many girls this week is because the girls from the day camp decided to stay. So, it looks like we’re either going to have 5 girls or 16 as they seem to stick together – if one decides to stay, they all stay and vice versa. It makes planning a little difficult but I’ve been known to say that flexibility is one of the most important qualities you can have in ministry so I guess this’ll be putting mine to the test...
This week we’re talking about how God is like Mom – He protects, comforts and loves just like a good mother does. Please pray that God would bring out the girls He wants to be there (be that 5 or 16), that we would have wisdom and patience in dealing with whatever may arise and that each would be touched personally by the love, care and delight that God has for them.
This week we’re talking about how God is like Mom – He protects, comforts and loves just like a good mother does. Please pray that God would bring out the girls He wants to be there (be that 5 or 16), that we would have wisdom and patience in dealing with whatever may arise and that each would be touched personally by the love, care and delight that God has for them.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Summer Girls' Group
Alright, so, back to Cloverdale… Last Wednesday marked the beginning of my summer ministry with the girls. Each Wednesday we are meeting from 1:00-4:00 to eat lunch together, play games and have discussion. The theme of our discussion time for the summer is “Who is God” and each week we will be looking at a different characteristic of God. Last week we talked about how God is like a best friend and it was exciting to watch the girls begin to grasp just how awesome it is that the God of the universe would call each one of them His friend.
There are a lot of day camps, etc. going on in Cloverdale throughout the summer and as a result we only had 5 girls last week but it actually was good as each one of them was able to really participate in the discussion. Some of the other girls may be joining us if they choose to forgo their camp activities for the day but either way, I am excited for the opportunity to really pour into these girls in a more intimate setting.
I am thrilled to have a summer intern (Helene) as well as a volunteer student (Stephanie) helping me out with girls’ group on Wednesdays. Helene has been helping me all year with our sleepovers. She has a real love for these girls, a passion for sharing the gospel and is such a blessing to me. Stephanie is a girl that Helene has been mentoring for several years who just graduated from high school, is interested in ministry and is sort of “shadowing” Helene for the summer. She has a great heart for God and I am excited to have her on board as well.
On Fridays I am doing small group outings (no more than 4 kids) with the girls. Last week we went swimming and as there were only three of them, it was a great opportunity to really connect and have fun with them. I’m also taking time during the week to spend some time with the girls one-on-one, taking them for ice cream, etc. Once again, this is a great opportunity to connect and go deeper with them.
So, that’s what’s happening with me and the girls this summer – I would love your prayers. Specifically, would you take some time on Wednesday mornings while you’re getting ready for work, etc. and lift us up before God? Pray that God would bring out the girls that He wants to be there, that they would be ready and open for what He wants to do in their lives and that Helene, Stephanie and I would be attentive to His Spirit as we teach and connect with these girls. Tomorrow… “God is like a Dreamer – He has good plans for your life”; please pray that the girls’ eyes and hearts would be opened to and excited by the great things God has in store for them.
Thanks so much for reading… I’ll be updating every week so please keep checking back!
There are a lot of day camps, etc. going on in Cloverdale throughout the summer and as a result we only had 5 girls last week but it actually was good as each one of them was able to really participate in the discussion. Some of the other girls may be joining us if they choose to forgo their camp activities for the day but either way, I am excited for the opportunity to really pour into these girls in a more intimate setting.
I am thrilled to have a summer intern (Helene) as well as a volunteer student (Stephanie) helping me out with girls’ group on Wednesdays. Helene has been helping me all year with our sleepovers. She has a real love for these girls, a passion for sharing the gospel and is such a blessing to me. Stephanie is a girl that Helene has been mentoring for several years who just graduated from high school, is interested in ministry and is sort of “shadowing” Helene for the summer. She has a great heart for God and I am excited to have her on board as well.
On Fridays I am doing small group outings (no more than 4 kids) with the girls. Last week we went swimming and as there were only three of them, it was a great opportunity to really connect and have fun with them. I’m also taking time during the week to spend some time with the girls one-on-one, taking them for ice cream, etc. Once again, this is a great opportunity to connect and go deeper with them.
So, that’s what’s happening with me and the girls this summer – I would love your prayers. Specifically, would you take some time on Wednesday mornings while you’re getting ready for work, etc. and lift us up before God? Pray that God would bring out the girls that He wants to be there, that they would be ready and open for what He wants to do in their lives and that Helene, Stephanie and I would be attentive to His Spirit as we teach and connect with these girls. Tomorrow… “God is like a Dreamer – He has good plans for your life”; please pray that the girls’ eyes and hearts would be opened to and excited by the great things God has in store for them.
Thanks so much for reading… I’ll be updating every week so please keep checking back!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Back from Jamaica
Hi everyone! Sorry it’s taken me so long to update my blog. I’ve been back from Jamaica for a week now but it’s amazing how fast I’ve gotten caught up in daily life. Anyway, I am anxious to tell you about my trip…
First, let me say that it is HOT over there! With temperatures averaging at about 35 degrees (not taking into account the humidity) it was definitely a bit of a shock to our bodies. Despite the heat however, we managed to get a good amount of work done (we learned quickly and started our days at 5:00 a.m. in order to beat the heat). Our work projects consisted mostly of painting the inside and outside of the church’s preschool as well as several other buildings within the church compound and a couple of classrooms at a government-run school just down the road. The two men on our team worked especially hard and were also able to put in door locks and security bars over several windows at the church as well as install some solar panels for a couple of local families without electricity. Without a doubt however, the highlight of the trip for me was our VBS program. We started off our first day with about 50 kids and peaked towards the end of the week at about 100. The kids come from harsh environments and it certainly wasn’t easy but God showed His faithfulness to us in so many ways, bringing a tangible peace over our camp and ensuring that His message came across loud and clear. There is so much I could say about the kids, the culture, etc. but I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Instead, I would like to introduce you to one little boy who has stolen all of our hearts forever:
This is Kemar – he just turned eight years old. Kemar’s father is long gone and, in some twisted attempt to get back at his dad, his mother wants nothing to do with him. When we met him, Kemar was, for the most part, living with his grandmother however, for whatever reason she was unable to take very good care of him. Kemar is ostracised by his whole community; his teachers throw rocks at him, men in the streets taunt him, the women shout curses at him and the other children pick on him. By the end of our two weeks in Jamaica some local drug-addicted thieves had taken advantage of Kemar’s vulnerability and he was living with and working for them. It’s hard to hear Kemar’s story and feel any amount of hope for his future but the theme of our VBS, the message we shared all week with the children, is just as true for Kemar as it is for any one of us: God has good plans for Kemar. God’s good plans for Kemar were evidenced in his strength and resilience, in his smile and moments of pure sweetness. They were evidenced by the fact that even though he has faced unbelievable hardships, the following words were still uttered from his lips: “God loves me”, “God is my Father”, “God has good plans for me!”…
First, let me say that it is HOT over there! With temperatures averaging at about 35 degrees (not taking into account the humidity) it was definitely a bit of a shock to our bodies. Despite the heat however, we managed to get a good amount of work done (we learned quickly and started our days at 5:00 a.m. in order to beat the heat). Our work projects consisted mostly of painting the inside and outside of the church’s preschool as well as several other buildings within the church compound and a couple of classrooms at a government-run school just down the road. The two men on our team worked especially hard and were also able to put in door locks and security bars over several windows at the church as well as install some solar panels for a couple of local families without electricity. Without a doubt however, the highlight of the trip for me was our VBS program. We started off our first day with about 50 kids and peaked towards the end of the week at about 100. The kids come from harsh environments and it certainly wasn’t easy but God showed His faithfulness to us in so many ways, bringing a tangible peace over our camp and ensuring that His message came across loud and clear. There is so much I could say about the kids, the culture, etc. but I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Instead, I would like to introduce you to one little boy who has stolen all of our hearts forever:
This is Kemar – he just turned eight years old. Kemar’s father is long gone and, in some twisted attempt to get back at his dad, his mother wants nothing to do with him. When we met him, Kemar was, for the most part, living with his grandmother however, for whatever reason she was unable to take very good care of him. Kemar is ostracised by his whole community; his teachers throw rocks at him, men in the streets taunt him, the women shout curses at him and the other children pick on him. By the end of our two weeks in Jamaica some local drug-addicted thieves had taken advantage of Kemar’s vulnerability and he was living with and working for them. It’s hard to hear Kemar’s story and feel any amount of hope for his future but the theme of our VBS, the message we shared all week with the children, is just as true for Kemar as it is for any one of us: God has good plans for Kemar. God’s good plans for Kemar were evidenced in his strength and resilience, in his smile and moments of pure sweetness. They were evidenced by the fact that even though he has faced unbelievable hardships, the following words were still uttered from his lips: “God loves me”, “God is my Father”, “God has good plans for me!”…
Kemar will forever be etched on my heart but sadly, his story is not that unique. There are millions more children all around the world just like Kemar. Unwanted, unloved. Thrown away and forgotten by the rest of society but not by their Heavenly Father. Would join me in rising up to pray, not only for Kemar but for every child around the world just like him? These are God’s sons and daughters and, no matter what anyone else may say or do, no matter how much we may struggle to see or believe it, He has good plans for them.
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