...i wonder as I wander...

bonfire: a very British experience

2011-11-07T15:56:00.002Z

This past Saturday was the 3-year anniversary of my moving to the UK. It also happens to be the weekend that the folk here celebrate Guy Fawkes day. So, the day gets marked with giant bonfires and fireworks displays. Last year I went to the home of a couple from my Church, and they out on quite a display, with the most ginormous bonfire I have ever seen in someone's backyard, and quite a nice selection of fireworks. This year, however, I had the full Guy Fawkes experience - and went to a proper professional bonfire night. So, for the uninitiated - a Bonfire night celebration includes 1: Portable fair rides, 2: Overpriced food stalls, 3: A GIANT fire, with the aforementioned Mr. Fawkes burnt in effigy, and 4: a moderately exciting firework display. [Having witnessed quite a few stunning fireworks shows in my life, it takes quite a lot to impress me]. It was also a good chance to test out the "night shot" and "fireworks" settings on my camera. Here are a sampling of the photographs from the night. Many thanks to my friends from OM who arranged the evening!

More than just meetings in Mosbach

2011-10-18T10:49:00.001+01:00

This past weekend I was in Mosbach Germany meeting with the other TeenStreet Home office representatives to evaluate TeenStreet 2011 and begin discussing TeenStreet 2012.Its always a joy to be with this special group, and this time was no different. Even though we don't always agree on things, there is a level of trust and genuine care and affection that makes these meetings a safe place to discuss dream and plan for the future of TeenStreet. I feel very privileged to be a part!

Hard at work at the October TeenStreet meetings

youthy stuff

2011-10-10T12:40:00.002+01:00

One of the things I am involved in these days is the youth work at my UK Church - Gateway Church in Wrexham. We are a pretty small group, but we try and meet twice a month during the Sunday service and once a month for a more fun/ social outing. This Sunday we did a scavenger hunt through town which included taking as many interesting photos of our group as possible. I even taught the girls what 'planking' is :) [photo of that is NOT included!] Here are a few snapshots from the day:

the many shades of cool

obligatory crowded phone box

Being thanful on a Sunday morning

For more photos of the gateway youth, visit my Flickr set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairehoernig/sets/72157627283577955/with/6229872171/

A week in Yorkshire - 2nd chance summer

2011-09-30T16:53:00.001+01:00

This summer was a very busy one for me, with one week-long event following another, with hardly a space for a breath in between. I was therefore really looking forward to a week away in September. I booked a cottage in the Yorkshire dales with a few friends, and hoped for the best for the weather. To my surprise and delight I was blessed with the most brilliant weather! Here are some photos from my week.

View from Wray Castle by Lake Windermere

Walking in the Dales - beautiful vistas

a day visit to Lancaster

The Ingleton Falls walk

Another beautiful vist, a view of the Dales from the SW

bowling!

2011-09-12T12:49:00.001+01:00

SNC00521, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

I decided that bowling would be ideal for the first ever Gateway Youth outing. Its one of those activities that everyone has fun trying, but no one is actually any good at :)

wildlife

2011-07-10T16:57:00.001+01:00

wildlife, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

my new bird feeder. sneaky little birds only eat from it when my curtains are closed though...

oddities

2011-07-08T20:26:00.001+01:00

oddities, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

OK, 2 odd things in one picture: first is that there are people camping practically in my back yard [welcome to life at the Quinta] and the second is the 3 legged cat [missing its whole front left paw/leg]

signs of life

2011-07-07T15:09:00.001+01:00

signs of life, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

This is the box of herbs that I have started growing in the kitchen window. still just tiny sprouts, but hopeful!
1 Peter 1:23-26
23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

special treats (14 June 2011)

2011-06-15T12:05:00.001+01:00

special treats, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

I don't often have strong urges for American food. When people tell me they're visiting America, and is there anything I want I actually find it hard to think of anything. However, when I walk into a shop [like the one in Chester] that is floor to ceiling with goodies - many of them are imported American brands - I do find it a bit hard to resist. These were yesterday's purchases :)

more from Project365

2011-06-13T10:24:00.004+01:00

June 12th - frankie and benny's

Frankie & Benny's: Authentic NY Italian? Not quite. But they do serve some nice food, and it was a good choice for a Sunday lunch with friends.

June 11th Dried Mango!!

Found this at the 'Try Thai' shop. Not as nice as the stuff in the Philippines, but still quite tasty

June 10th Pad Thai

One of my favourite foods that I discovered when travelling is Pad Thai, a somewhat spicy Thai dish. There is a noodle bar in Wrexham that serves a very authentic tasting version. Some day I will try another dish off their menu, but for now I am enjoying the Pad Thai henever I get the chance :)

a girl's best friend

2011-06-08T11:04:00.001+01:00

a girl's best friend, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

This is [was] my cat. Her name was Simba and she was amazing. I know, some of you don't understand, because you don't like cats, or whatever. If that is you then just stop reading now.
But for me, Simba was a friend. We bonded during the 15 hr drive from IL to NJ when I first 'adopted' her. I saved her life, because all of her siblings died shortly after that. She was one of those rare cats that loved to be held [going all floppy when you picked her up] and even non-cat people loved her. This cat could teach you a thing or two about unconditional love. I knew the end was coming soon, but I am still sad that it had to happen.
Holding out hope that there will be cats in heaven :)

angry cake?

2011-06-05T23:33:00.000+01:00

angry birds cake that Fleur made

I forgot to take a photo today, so I have stolen one instead. This was the [delicious] Angry Birds birthday cake that Fleur made for Rupert's birthday. Some people are just so creative with desserts!

walking in Nercwys forest

2011-06-04T21:07:00.001+01:00

walking in Nercwys forest, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

Went for a walk today in Nercwys forest. Walking in the woods is one of the things I miss the most about life in the states, so it was nice to be surrounded by trees, and that earthy woodsy smell that I enjoy so much.

Hey, what's that in the sky? Oh, right, the sun!

2011-06-04T00:43:00.001+01:00

Hey, what's that in the sky? Oh, right, the sun!, a photo by claire.hoernig on Flickr.

today was the first day in several weeks that was warm and felt anything like spring. Hoping the weekend stays just as nice!

dinner

2011-06-02T19:28:00.000+01:00

Dinner

Margarita pizza and a Sam Adams. Doesn't get much better than that.

[my mom is thinking, 'but Claire, where are the vegetables?']

freeeeeecyle

2011-06-01T20:53:00.001+01:00

freeeeeecyle, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Freecycle is such a cool thing. First I got a dvd player, and now a brandy new cooler, for all my upcoming camping trips [there are quite a few] I love free stuff. and cool people who give their stuff away for free :)

skippy!

2011-05-31T19:00:00.001+01:00

skippy!, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

It is always fun to find an American brand over here :)

Project365 May29th 1

2011-05-31T18:59:00.005+01:00

Project365 May29th 1, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

always end up with sore feet after an exhibition...

Newsboys at the BCDO

2011-05-31T18:59:00.003+01:00

Project365 May29th 2, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Michael Tate has taken over as lead singer for Newsboys. Unfortunately, they no longer sound like Newsboys, but they're not quite DC Talk either.

David Crowder at the BCDO

2011-05-31T18:59:00.001+01:00

Project365 May28th, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

weird looking guy, but what a sound! too bad these guys are finishing, there is no one else quite like them out there.

Another roadtrip, another starbucks coffee

2011-05-31T18:58:00.001+01:00

Another roadtrip, another starbucks coffee, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

nothing fuels a road trip like a triple grande caramel macchiato!

ready for the crowds

2011-05-25T16:05:00.001+01:00

ready for the crowds, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

another photo from Saturday:

a big part of my job involves standing in front of an OM display, waiting to share with people about what we do, and to challenge them to consider their own personal role in missions.

Best part of any roadtrip? Starbucks of course!

2011-05-25T16:00:00.001+01:00

Best part of any roadtrip? Starbucks of course!, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

This was the photo from Saturday.
I love starbucks.
I love travelling around the UK because it gives me lots of opportunities to visit starbucks.
[i was not driving when i took this photo]

good intentions

2011-05-25T15:42:00.001+01:00

good intentions, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

they say that "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I don't know who "they" are, or if that statement actually bears any truth... but I do know that I often have good intentions of doing something, but never actually get around to doing it. This is particularly true about my fitness intentions. Today's photo is of the ankle weights I purchased recently to be part of my new fitness regime. They are still in the packaging. Enough said.

Hope you are able to fulfill all of your intentions today!

speaker for the weekend - peter mead

2011-05-17T14:51:00.001+01:00

speaker for the weekend - peter mead, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

We were blessed this weekend to have Peter Mead as our speaker. He shared a series of talks from Hebrews entitled "Living in a changing world with an unchanging God." This was a pretty poignant and timely series for our team, and I am pretty sure everyone came away both challenged and encouraged.

fire!

2011-05-17T14:48:00.003+01:00

fire!, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

no weekend away is complete without a bit of a camp fire! here was Saturday's fire in all it's glory :)

registration

2011-05-17T14:48:00.001+01:00

registration, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

this weekend the OM UK team went on a weekend away to a quiet little conference centre in mid-Wales. It was a great weekend with opportunities for fellowship, rest and spiritual renewal. Too bad these only come around once every two years!

meeting

2011-05-12T16:09:00.000+01:00

meeting, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Today is one of those days where the meetings start at 9 and don't finish until 5:30. Makes my brain hurt... [I have obviously skipped out of the meeting for a few moments to check email and what not]
Life would be so much simpler if we stopped having meetings and just got stuff done instead!! :)

passed :) [again]

2011-05-11T16:22:00.003+01:00

passed :) [again], originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Due to a very heavy foot, and the fact that I am considered a "new driver" in the UK, I ended up having to retake my driving test, and couldn't drive for several months. Today I finally managed to re-sit [and re-pass] my test. My team congratulated me with a card and a pin :)

family

2011-05-10T10:47:00.003+01:00

family, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

When you leave home and start travelling for a few years, you start to redefine the term family. You begin to open up the definition a bit, and realise that there is more than one kind of family. I am blessed with an amazing [actual blood related] family. But they are really far away. I have also been blessed these past 5 years or so with other families who have welcomed me into their own. This photo was my ship family - a group of polar opposites, who didn't always get along, but who were held together by a sort of John 13:34 kinda deal :) I am constantly amazed by the way that God knows just what we need, and brings just the right people into our lives. So, to all of you whom I consider family - whether we are actually related or not - thank you for being my brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunties, etc etc etc...

[ps - some of the people in this photo were not my polar opposite, and are folk who I still consider dearest friends, despite the distance and perhaps lack of communication. :) you know who you are]

big mac and little mac

2011-05-09T14:05:00.005+01:00

Bic Mac, Little Mac

No, the title of this photo does not refer to McDonalds :)
Can you tell that this is a mac family? No PC's for this bunch!

my first pimms

2011-05-08T23:27:00.002+01:00

pimms, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Enjoyed my first Pimms this weekend, during a bbq with some friends. It was very nice - and apparently is quite the summer drink. The weather, however, was anything but summery. We were determined to bbq - even though it meant sitting on wet chairs with raincoats and hoods :)
(Pimms description history and recipe can be found here)

tex mex

2011-05-06T16:25:00.002+01:00

tex mex, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Going to attempt a 7-layer dip for tomorrow (actually, 6 layers as I am not such a big fan of olives) It's not always easy to find the ingredients needed to make an American recipe here in the UK. Particularly with the cheese - its basically just lots of varieties of cheddar, with a few French cheeses thrown in for fun. Oh well, here's hoping it tastes good!
[Recipe for the dip]

Video series - Joel Edwards at the ILM

2011-05-05T21:44:00.000+01:00

The photo for today is a screen shot of a video we watched as a [OM] team today:

We have been watching the series of 4 videos of Joel Edwards' messages at this years ILM [International Leadership Meeting] which is an annual OM leadership conference. Our international director felt that all OM'ers should really hear the very timely message that Joel brought to the leaders, thus the series.

One quote from this third session that I found quite profound and even challenging: "we are meant to challenge the state of things, not the state" Also, a discussion about how instead of spending time challenging [bringing down] other faiths, our real responsibility is lifting Jesus higher. These were just a few thoughts from the 3rd message in the series. Feel free to have a look, if you have the time. They can be found here.

new life

2011-05-03T19:25:00.001+01:00

new life, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

I think this is one of the little lambs that was born during the royal wedding on Friday. [if so, it's name is either will or kate, thanks to the folk who witnessed the birth]

Mini Stonehenge in Weston Rhyn?

2011-05-03T10:02:00.001+01:00

Mini Stonehenge in Weston Rhyn?, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

1st May 2011
Last week I stumbled upon a photo on Flickr of a mini-stonehenge here in my village. I mapped it, and realised it was only a few hundred meters from where I live! So, on Monday I tramped across a field (possible trespassing?) and got as close as possible to snap a few photos.

Newly Married

2011-05-03T10:01:00.003+01:00

Newly Married, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

30th April, 2011
Daniel and Becky Fairhead walking down the aisle together. It was so great to be able to share their special day. It was also fun seeing lots of friends from Doulos days

Breakdown on the M6

2011-05-03T10:01:00.001+01:00

Breakdown on the M6, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

29th April, 2011
Laura and I were buzzing along on the M6, just 30 miles from our destination, when the car just decided it had gone as far as it wanted to and completely stopped working. Had to get a tow into Carlisle, and poor Laura is still there waiting on the diagnosis.

some of my favourite trees

2011-04-28T14:19:00.003+01:00

some of my favourite trees, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

While I was out enjoying a bit up the lunchtime sun today, I decided to snap a few photos of some of my favourite trees here at the Quinta, while they are still in their springtime prime. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

Isaiah 55:12

things that i look at everyday [on my desk]

2011-04-27T17:38:00.003+01:00

things that i look at everyday [on my desk], originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

About 2 days after I joined the OM team here in the UK I was already put to work, sharing about OM at an event called "The Stand" in Birmingham. "The Stand" is an event developed by Hope for Justice, designed to make British Christians aware of the issue of Human Trafficking. We were particularly trying to connect people with the schools we have started in India for the Dalit, or "Untouchables" We gave out these little clay cups in hopes that people would take them, would pray, and perhaps even sponsor a child's education. I was so touched by the stories from India that I signed up to sponsor a child myself. Now my cup sits on my desk as a reminder of what we are working towards. For more information about the Dalit schools, and to find out how you can sponsor a child's education, visit www.daliteducation.org For the story of the clay cup, visit - http://www.dalitnetwork.org/go?/dfn/about/C19/

my shelf

2011-04-26T18:18:00.001+01:00

my shelf, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Some of the titles that currently reside on my desk shelf. Mostly as-yet-unread but with great intentions!

A beautiful Easter weekend

2011-04-25T18:40:00.001+01:00

A beautiful Easter weekend, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

This was a footpath that I passed on the way home from Chirk. It's funny the way things look so different when you are on foot as opposed to when you zoom past in your car. Sometimes I need to just slow down and enjoy the view!

He is Risen! [Sunday's Photo]

2011-04-25T18:39:00.001+01:00

He is Risen!, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

For the second year in a row I have managed to be up in time for a sunrise service on Easter morning. Last year I froze on a drizzly morning on Minera mountain with the Salvation Army. This year I just had to walk to the lake on the Quinta property to join the village Anglican Church :)

gate along canal in Llangollen

2011-04-23T17:50:00.001+01:00

gate along canal in Llangollen, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Went for a walk with some friends along the canal, from Trevor to Llangollen. Living in North Wales [almost] is such a pleasure - there are such beautiful places to see around every corner!

The Quinta Church

2011-04-20T22:25:00.001+01:00

The Quinta Church, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

My tiny village has almost an equal number of pubs and churches. I don't frequent any of them (I go to Church about 10 miles away, and have not yet worked up the nerve to go into the local pub)

This week's photos all together

2011-04-18T10:04:00.001+01:00

OK - I did not forget to add my photos this week, I just didn't have internet so I added them to Facebook instead. Here they all are in one post...

17 April, a picnic in the park

16th April - sharing about missions with these young people in Birmingham

14th April - Chilly in Pwllheli (for help with pronunciation, those words *almost* rhyme)

15th April - a Nerds knock-off I found here in the UK

13th April - the exhibition [at a bit of a slow time :)]

12th April - first use of the green screen!

11th April - all the options in Pwllheli...which one am I most excited for?

Just another sunny Saturday

2011-04-09T16:46:00.001+01:00

Just another sunny Saturday, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

The photo on the left is the view from the "castle" in Oswestry. Can you believe I have lived here for more than 2 years and have never bothered to walk up the 50 or so steps to the top of this wee hill? I am always just a bit too lazy or a bit too busy.

The other 2 photos are more scenes from the Quinta.

SNC00216

2011-04-08T14:33:00.001+01:00

SNC00216, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Skyping the folks

an old favourite

2011-04-07T21:29:00.003+01:00

Phuket_0145 (Medium), originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

I didn't have anything to photograph today, or really any time in which to do it, so I am posting an old favourite from Doulos days. This was a flower in a pot on the side of the road in Phuket, Thailand. Phuket was one of those bitter sweet places that I visited with the ship - sweet because of the Thai people, the beautiful sights, and the great ministry opportunities. But bitter because of the many women I saw who were forced into prostitution or chose the lifestyle for lack of other options. Bitter because of the quantity of white westerners ready to take advantage of those women in desperate situations. I am so glad that I was able to see so much of the world in my time on the ship and I value every experience [and every photograph]

[...interested in helping a ministry working with these women in Thailand? Check out the Tamar Center, a ministry of YWAM in Pattaya, Thailand...]

when running errands turn into photo opportunities

2011-04-06T18:17:00.001+01:00

chester, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Went to Chester today. It's always good for a photo op or two. It was a bright sunny day, so it was nice to stroll along the canal, check out the baby ducks, and get some shots of the flowers. I LOVE SPRING! :)

"because I can't photograph sound" or, "the time I wrote an article in the Global magazine"

2011-04-05T15:59:00.000+01:00

Haven't yet found anything to photograph today (though I wish I could show you the sound of the generator sitting directly outside my office window so you could hear what I am experiencing today), so I thought I'd share this. OM UK prints a magazine every 6 months or so, and this edition is focussed on young people. Here is the article I was asked to write for it. Its been edited a fair amount to get rid of most of my Americanness :) [is that even a word?] But the beginning and end are straight from my heart. If you live in the UK and would like to receive the Global magazine, vist: http://www.uk.om.org/resources/request-global.html.

Project complete [sort of]

2011-04-04T16:12:00.001+01:00

Project complete [sort of], originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

I've been working for a while now on an interactive display for OM exhibitions. This is it in its final form. People can get their photo taken in front of the green screen, and then choose from a bunch of backgrounds - all photos from various OM fields. So excited to see this finally in action! Sunday we will be bringing it to the New Word Alive conference for its first spin :)

Sunday afternoon in N Wales

2011-04-03T23:27:00.001+01:00

SNC00197, originally uploaded by claire.hoernig.

Went on a [very] long walk today around Deeside in N Wales. Probably should have taken more photos, but mostly just ended up with just this one snapshot of some friends from Church.

Today's photo: the tell tale signs of spring

2011-04-02T14:49:00.001+01:00

I love the view out of the windows of my flat. Well, not so much during the winter. But in the spring, when the trees bud and the lambs are born - its something special.

my new gadget - bring on the books!

2011-04-01T15:26:00.000+01:00

my newest gadget

I did it! I bought a kindle :) I have been wanting one for the last year, but it took me a while to decide if it was really right for me. I read [a lot] and have a tendency to buy books. Plus, with all the travelling I do, I end up lugging books all over the world. I finally decided that an e-reader, which can hold thousands of books, and which actually provides a pleasurable reading experience, was just what I needed. I have only had it a few hours and I am already in love.

if all goes well... there will be cake :)

2011-03-31T12:17:00.004+01:00

Today there are 2 photos:

Vanja's farewell (with flowers of course)

The first is a photo of a few of the ladies on the team with Vanja, who has been interning here for the last 3 months. She has been such an asset to the team, and such fun to be around.


Danish cake: messy = delicious

The second photo is the Danish cake that Vanja baked for us. I am not normally a huge fan of cake, but this was buttery, sugary, caramely and delicious. The funny thing was the way she introduced it by saying "if all goes well" there would be cake (having never actually baked it before). Good effort Vanja!

now for something a little bit different

2011-03-30T16:35:00.001+01:00

Claire in her natural habitat

Trying something new - since its been so long since the last blog post... I am going to attempt one of the "project 365" photo deals - I will try and post a photo every day... [or so]. Today's photo is me in my natural habitat - my office :)

What you will normally find in my office:

my coffee mug, preferably hot and full.

My laptop.

an assortment of projects that I am working on in various stages of completion

a mess :)

A pre-Christmas update

2010-12-20T16:38:00.001Z

Here’s a wee update from November & December 2010, for those that are interested in what goes on in my world.

November kicked off with me turning in assignment #1 in the youthwork course that I am starting. It was bit strange writing an academic paper again – I had almost forgotten how! Now that I have submitted two of these, I think I am getting back onto the swing of things.

Another “first” in November was Salsa dancing. Yes, that’s right I said Salsa. Dancing. Those of you who know me ~~well~~ at all, know that I don’t enjoy dancing. But it was my friend’s 30^th, so I figured what the heck. We had a bit of a tutorial, and away we went! I was actually not too bad, except that I forgot to smile, as I was concentrating too hard on my steps and counting and what not. And no, I do not have any photos. Here’s one taken on the night, post dancing.

November also saw me headed over to Northern Ireland again: not just once, but twice! The first trip was a quick one, helping out with a conference for students called “The Right Move". The second trip was for an event that I helped put together, along with folks from a few Churches in NI who attend TeenStreet. It was a sort of TeenStreet reunion event, which was designed to follow up what we learned and what God challenged us with during the summer. It was a good night, despite the weather being rubbish, and I think that everyone was really blessed/ challenged by some element of the programme. Here’s a pic of the speaker sharing:

Between the two trips to NI, I also squeezed in a busy weekend in Scotland. I managed to speak 4 times in 2 days (and in two different Churches). That’s what I call redeeming the time! This is the best part of my job, getting out in front of a bunch of young folk and challenging them to step up, and out, for God. It was a great weekend, and I hope these speaking opportunities keep on coming.

There was also this little American holiday in November.... what’s it called again? Oh, yeah, Thanksgiving. I gave thanks, along with about 13 others with a nice big turkey, pumpkin pie, and all the rest. Just because I live thousands of miles from the US of A doesn’t mean I don’t get to enjoy my holidays! I also led the team’s prayer time that morning, where we experience the Hoernig family tradition of going around the room and telling everyone what we are thankful for.

December was a bit quieter, more time in the office and of course lots of Christmas celebrations. Speaking of Christmas, I am looking forward to my 2^nd Christmas spent actually here in the UK (last year doesn’t count cause I spent 3 weeks at home). The folks here have truly become like family to me, even after only 2 years. I am always thankful that God has brought me to a place and a ministry that he planned in advance for me! What a great big wonderful God we serve!

May your Christmas & New Year be filled with wonder at what God has done for you this year!

Inspired by Francis Chan - there is no middle road.

2010-12-20T15:24:00.000Z

This is a great clip from a message by a guy named Francis Chan. (A little background, Francis' book "Forgotten God" has made a huge impact on how I understand the work of the Holy Spirit in my life)
In this clip, Francis (yeah, I know, first name basis?) talks about the "middle road" as a place where many Christians believe that they can live - but questions: is that really true?
(You should probably watch the clip before you read the rest of my post.)
I once tried to experience the middle road, and it was a mega-fail. I was driving toward the Lincoln Tunnel (towards NYC) in morning rush hour traffic. As I left one highway, and began to merge into another, I suddenly noticed something very awkward about my car's position: I was not in a lane. At all. Well, I was a little bit in the left lane and a little bit in the right, but that left me somewhere in no man's land. This didn't seem like too big a deal, until I noticed that the lanes were getting a bit narrower. Yikes! I was having a Star Wars garbage compactor moment right there on the highway. After what seemed like an eternity of panic and total freak out, I managed to get myself into an actual lane, and survived to tell the tale.
The fact is, just like my invented road lane, the middle road of life doesn't exist. Eventually, you will find yourself in either one lane or the other. You can choose the narrow, and let’s face it, sometimes difficult way that leads to life. Or you can choose that big ole’ highway to destruction. But either way, we all choose. There is no middle. If you are a Christian, then you are on the narrow. It’s going to get tough, but guess what: Jesus set a great example for you to follow. It’s as if, back to my driving illustration, he slowed down, put on His hazard lights, and made a way for you to get in His lane. Who else would ever do that for you? (if you’ve ever driven in Jersey, you know the answer is no one). He’s made a way for us, so let’s choose to walk in it.

confessions of a terrible communicator

2010-11-03T16:16:00.000Z

ok, so actually I can really be an excellent communicator, when I want to. Which apparently is not often, according to the sporadic blog posts I have actually managed to post this year (not to mention my complete inability to write a prayer letter of any kind) I guess my lack of communication comes down to just plain laziness. There, I said it. Hi my name is Claire and I am a laziholic. I am addicted to laziness. and procrastination. I am a prolaztinator (try spell checking that one).

That being admitted, here is a little update on what I am up to lately.

October saw me travelling a bit around the UK and beyond. At the end of september I spent a day in Northern Ireald, taking various meetings and generally trying to be useful. Funny thing about that trip. It started out when I woke up at 4 am in order to go catch my early am flight. Then I spent a great, albeit long, day in NI. When I arrived back at the airport that same evening, I discovered that the people at the car park had LOST MY CAR.
not. cool.
I spent the next hour-ish waiting for them to find and retreive it. Just a tiny difference between the number 9 (sept) and 10 (oct) menat my car went to the entirely wrong place!

The following weekend I headed over to Mosbach, Germany for some meetings about TeenStreet. It was really good to be with so many others who do a similar job, and to hear about their successes and challenges. I came away super excited for next year's TeenStreet, and with a deeper friendship with many others doing youthwork with OM in Europe. The funny story about this one is that after parking my car and getting onto the shuttle bus to the airport, I realised that I left my phone in the car! A weekend with no mobile? Could I survive? I decided that yes, as I had my laptop and wireless internet I would in fact survive. Then of course my laptop screen broke :( It certainly was God's way of telling me to relax, take a tech break, and enjoy the time away!

Later in October I headed down to London overnight for the Youthwork Summit. This was an event for Christian youth workers, designed to introduce some of the people and ideas that are current, but which we don't always get the chance to hear about. It was a great day, but very long. If you want to have some fun, read the discussion that took place all day long on twitter. Basically there was a screen set up next to the main screen that displayed everything people "tweeted" that had the tag #yws in it. An absolutely insane idea, really.

Last October item was of course my Birthday! Thanks for the many who wished me happy birthday on Facebook, and many more thanks to the few who actually used the post! :) I appreciate all of you, and I had a great day with good sushi, good coffee and good company. Followed by a nice long nap. (must be getting older)

So that brings you up to speed on what I've been up to lately. Hopefully I will not let so much time pass before the next update!

Déjà Vu all over again

2010-09-28T15:49:00.000+01:00

In 1996 I was a wide-eyed 17 year old starting out my first year at Uni. In 2010 I am having déjà vu, as I embark on yet another "freshman" experience. This time around, however, is a bit different. Its kind of like the line from the Matrix, when Neo experiences a bit of déjà vu. Trinity says to him "A déjà vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something."

In the last 14 years since my first Uni experience, what has changed? I am a bit older, and a bit wiser. I certainly know more about who I am, and what I want. I definitely know more about the direction I am heading, and what goals I need to achieve in order to get there. That's a fair amount of change.

But not everything has changed. I can still be a bit of a procrastinator. (OK, more than just a bit). And I can still be a bit unmotivated about tasks I am not really interested in.

So it is with slightly mixed feelings that I start out on a journey to a degree in Youthwork from the Open University in the UK. I am excited at the prospect of discovering more about the theory behind what I am already practicing, and it will definitely be a valuable tool as I dialogue with others involved in Christian youth work in the UK. I just hope that I can stay motivated, and push through the parts that are a bit boring (and I am sure there will be quite a few!) I am a bit committment phobic, so looking ahead to a 4 or 5 year programme of study is a bit daunting for me!

Hopefully you, my nearest and dearest friends, will keep me accountable and help make this a success :)

Whats the deal with all those lost sheep?

2010-07-05T17:39:00.000+01:00

Here are some thoughts that I need to get down on "paper" while they are still fresh in my head...

I live in the country. Seriously, its fairly remote here at the Quinta in Shropshire, England. My view from my bedroom is a sheep pasture, fully stocked with frisky little sheep. Living in a place like this conjures up lots of biblical imagery and references. Today, I was hit by a doozy.

First of all, the modern shepherd doesn't look a whole lot like David, with his staff and slingshot. The farmer here at the Quinta herds his sheep from the driver's seat of an old red Landrover (kind of like this one only older and dirtier).

Today, as I was looking out my window, I was audience to the herding of the sheep. The farmer came bumping along in the Land rover, calling through the open window to the herd - which then gathered together and began to walk; first slowly, then a bit faster and eventually running after him. Guess its true that a sheep knows its shepherds voice (in this case his voice is the noise of a revving engine).

As the herd galloped away, there was one sheep still standing still. From a distance, he seemed disinterested in the movement of the herd. I found myself thinking things like "he's going to be in trouble when the farmer realizes he didn't follow" and "what is wrong with that stupid sheep - why is he being so stubborn." A moment later, I discovered the source of the reluctance. You see, this one particular sheep was lame. His front right leg, from a distance, appeared completely useless. He was not disinterested, or even unwilling to move with the rest of them - he simply could not physically meet the challenge. As I watched, the young sheep began to take a few faltering steps, and then stop again. He repeated this a few times and then began to try and run - with little success. By now he'd been completely left behind - and this little lost sheep appeared very upset about it.

At this point, I must admit, I had to turn away. I know its just a silly little sheep - but I was really moved by the whole scene. I was very upset at the thought of this sheep that wanted so desperately to follow his shepherd, but through no fault of his own, was unable.

Do you know any people like that? I do.

On saturday I spent the day at a seminar entitled "Young People and mental health." We spent the day considering many of the mental illnesses facing our youth, and what my role as a voluntary youth worker is. These damaged young people are a little like that lame sheep. So many of them want desperately to find their shepherd, but there are real things, many of which are out of their control, which hold them back.

How many times have you found yourself judging the lost sheep? Looking from a distance, it seems like there is a sinful and rebellious nature at work. But maybe its time to take a closer look. Maybe you need to get in there and find out that they are hurt, they are deeply wounded, and they can't do it alone.

Let's help them to find the shepherd - and to be held safely and securely in his healing arms.

Where did April go? Or: Time flies when you are having fun... and even more so when you are not.

2010-04-29T15:41:00.001+01:00

OK, despite the title, I did actually have lots of good times this month. I have just been very busy and even a bit stressed at times. Here is a rundown of what I have been up to since this month began...

Meetings meetings and more meetings:

As someone with coordinator in my title, I am included in a bi-monthly meeting of the regional coordinators in our Public Ministries division. This is 2 days long, and brings together our co-workers in Northern Ireland and Scotland as well as the English types. It is a good time of fellowship, but by the end my brain usually hurts and I am ready for a nice long weekend.

An Easter Break?

First, some background information: I spent 3 Easters onboard the Doulos, and all of them were very busy for me (the first was actually spent at a Church in Chennai India). Then last Easter I was onboard the Logos Hope working. So, It has been years since I was able to enjoy a calm Easter. This year I decided to make the most of the opportunity and attend a few different services over the weekend. I started with a Good Friday morning service at a Church in Shrewsbury. Then on Sunday morning I managed to get myslef out of bed at 5:30 am to attend a sunrise service on a nearby hilltop. OK, so that sounds good, right? Sadly, it was also freezing cold and overcast (i.e. I never actually saw the sun). But it was fun to sing "up from the grave" with accompaniment from the Salvation Army Band. And thanks to Google's Street View - you can see where I was.

Gearing up and seeing old friends:

We do an event here at OM UK called Getting into Gear (GiG). Its for people who are joining OM and involves a lot of teaching about OM, about living and working with a team, support raising, etc. The last 2 times I have helped out during the team life section, doing a funny skit with another person here about what its like when you share a small room with someone who is very different than you. Its always a bit unpredictable as we don't actually practice first, but seems to go over well each time. At the most recent GiG, a few of my friends from the Doulos were visiting and helping out as well. It was so nice to spend some time with people I had not seen in 2 years - Its also amazing how easily you pick right back up where you left off! Sorry I don't have any photos - I forgot to take any...

Sunny In Wales? NO WAY!!

I spent a week this month in a place in Wales called Pwllheli. Don't ask me how to say it - though I think it somehow involves clearing your throat and spitting :) The reason for going was the New Word Alive conference, where I would work at the OM stand. I pretty much expected to have a dreary rainy week, which would be great for our indoor exhibit, but not so great for those using the time as a holiday. I was pleasantly surprised, though, when it was sunny for the ENTIRE week!! Here are a few shots of me enjoying the sunshine. I promise I did do some work too :)

Road Trip!

A few days after returning from Pwllheli, I headed north for a weekend of meetings in Scotland. I was a part of an OM themed missions weekend at a church in Aberdeen. Our International Director, was meant to be the main speaker at a dinner Sunday night and at the Sunday morning service. He was, however, stranded by volcanic ash, so I ended up sharing at the dinner. (though I doubt I was given as much time as he would have been). I also did the kids spot in both morning services, helped with the international students lunch, then shared in the evening service and fnally last of all was the main speaker for the eveing youth event. Whew! Needless to say it was busy - but it really was a fantastic weekend and I was happy to be available and used as much as possible. The evening youth event was especially great, and I enjoyed challenging the young people to consider missions. My photos from this are still in my camera, so you'll just have to imagine it.

After the weekend ended I headed south and stopped in Carlisle on my way back home. I have quite a few Doulos friends who now work for the OMNIvision team based there. It was great to see them all and catch up, reflecting on old times, telling some of our most fun/silly Doulos memories, etc.

The End

So, now I am back home before heading off for the next adventure. As you can see its been a busy month. May is looking a bit quieter before getting to June which will again be nutty. Keep me in your prayers that I can sustain a busy schedule with lots of travelling!

Schedule for May/June:
7-10th May Belfast, Hope Starts Here event
11th May Child Protection Meetings, Birmingham
4-6th June Weekend away with my church, mid-Wales
11-13th June Frenzy music festival in Scotland
19th June TeenStreet Group leader training (England?)
26th June TeenStreet Group leader training (Northern Irealnd?)

March update, or "in like a lion and out like a bigger lion"

2010-03-30T11:02:00.001+01:00

Some days I just miss the sun. OK, not the sun - there is sun here in the UK. I miss the warmth of the sun, the possibility of getting a sun burn, that sort of thing. I love living here most of the time, but sometimes I just miss the sun. OK - that was my weather rant for the month. Apparently, acoording to my British/Canadian/now in South Africa friend, talking about the weather makes me fit in here in the UK.

...great expectations...

March has been a fairly busy month. Back at the start, I threw a baby shower for a friend here on the OM UK team. Apparently baby shower's are not very British, but everyone seemed to have a good time. Here we are playing the game where I make them try baby food. I think the mom-to-be has decided to make her own baby food after playing this game :) Check out the faces.......vive la france...
The following day we had a visit from a French school group who have taken an interest in our work with the Dalit school's in India through Red International. I had the opportunity to share with them my own story of choosing to leave home and join OM, and challenge them to consider what they are choosing to invest their lives/energy/resources in. This was not a Christian group, so it was a bit different than my usual presentations.

...its all about community...
I also had the opportunity to visit Germany in March for some meetings about TeenStreet. This was a really encouraging time for me, getting to connect with my peers (people doing a similar job with OM around Europe) and it also turned out to be a spiritually refreshing time for me. There was such a strong feeling of community amongst us all. (Community was the buzz word for the weekend)

...young at heart...
Let's see, the other sort of "work related" thing from March was a meeting at a church near Liverpool. This was supposed to be a meeting for young people, but I had a funny feeling it would end up being a more mixed group, so I prepared that way. Good thing I did, as the group was made up of the "young at heart" rather than actual young people. But, I just did my thing, and treated them all like teenagers and we had a blast :) After all, age is just a number, right?

...sushi and castles?...
On a more personal note, I have enjoyed some great culture this month. The national Trust did a free weekend, and I was able to visit Powys Castle free of charge.
I also finally visited the sushi bar in Chester after walking by it longingly so many times :)That brings us to the end of March, which as I mention in the title is going "out like a lion" with even the possibility of some snow! Looking forward to an even busier April :)

Upcoming schedule for April:
April 2-5th Nice longer Easter weekend :)
April 13-18th New Word Alive Conference in Pwllheli, Wales
April 23-26th Deeside Church OM Weekend in Aberdeen, Scotland
April 27-28th Visiting friends in Carlisle

giving thanks, wherever you are

2009-12-04T13:53:00.000Z

Thanksgiving in America is a Big Deal. If you are American, you know this to be true. If you are not, then you probably wonder what the fuss is really all about. This, however, is not a post to explain the merits of Thanksgiving. If you want to understand the holiday better, I recommend watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special:

I have discovered these past 4 years that it is not really easy to celebrate American holidays overseas. So, my expectations for these days, especially Thanksgiving, are never very high. On the Doulos, well, my 2 Thanksgvings did not even meet my lowest expectations. However, the 2 that I have celebrated here in the UK have been very nice. I still miss the part where I wake up in the morning and the house already smells like a roasting turkey. Or the hours spent hanging about in the kitchen discovering how that perfect gravy is really made, or fighting over use of the oven to make whatever dish I have chosen for that year. Here, the day was rather a non-event, but the meal itself was still quite special. About 9 of us gathered - and we had all the key elements such as green bean casserole (my first time cooking that one), sweet potato thingy, and of course a pumpkin pie! Thanks to some folks who were able to buy the ingredients (such as the pie filling and the frien onions) at the nearest American air force base :) All in all, Thanksgiving was a great day albeit a little less done up than it would have been state-side.

(sorry I did not take any photos...)

Oxford OICCU - a real encouragement

2009-11-09T11:57:00.000Z

So, while my position here in at OM UK is meant to be Teen related, I often get tasked with student (University) related opportunities as well. This past week I had the pleasure of attending the OICCU (Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union) Missions Fair. In the past year I have attended quite a few missions-fair-type events. Some are good, some can seem to be a bit of a waste of time. I am sure that none are really a waste of time, its just that sometimes you put in a lot of time and effort, but then feel as though the people attending are just not that interested.

At the Oxford event this week I spoke to so many Uni students who are really willing to take time to serve God wherever he leads. They were genuine and they were serious. It was so refreshing to talk to them and to challenge them about how they are investing their time and their futures. I look forward to seeing some of them at Transform 2010 (http://www.trasform.om.org) this summer and perhaps even longer term.

How about you? Are you serious about following God's leading, wherever that may take you? Or are you limiting God's call to what you see straight ahead of you. I believe He is calling some of us to step out of the box, out of the boat, and trust Him to lead us on a grand adventure for His name's sake. Go 4 It!!

Update

2009-11-08T18:35:00.000Z

I am officially a terrible miserable communicator. I never blog anymore, I don't do newsletters...I am officially the worst. But that is the joy of the Christian faith - the old is gone, the past is past, and I can press on into the future, becoming ever more Christ-like. So, here is a short update on what's happening in my life these days:

Ministry: I am still, after a year in the UK, learning what it is that God wants me to do here. Over this past year I have had some varied experiences: 9 weeks on the Logos Hope, a week of TeenStreet in Germany, an outreach in Romania...just to name a few. I have met so many amazing young Brits, and it hammers home the point that the Teens in this country have amazing potential - if only we can harness it and point it in the right direction! I am looking forward to the next 3 years here, and to see what God continues to do.

Personal: I am settling into life in the UK. Its a constant adjustment, as some things here are just SO different than life in the US or life onboard Doulos. I have managed to connect with a great local Church (shout out to my peeps at Gateway) and I am enjoying being a part of that family. I have had lots of opportunities to enjoy the hills, lakes, and forests here in the UK - particularly in North Wales, and I can often be found out on a walk on a bright weekend afternoon. (I say bright, not necessarily sunny)

Challenges: A current challenge that I am facing is with my need for a British license. I am only allowed to drive on my American license for a year - so that expires today :( I am scheduled to take the theory test this week, and then will most likely have to wait 2 months to get a Practical test. So, lord willing I will be a fully British-licensed driver come the new year.

Forward looking: The biggest thing I am looking forward to in the near future is being home for Christmas!!! I will fly into JFK on the 17th of December, and will be home until the 11th of January. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in that time. As the date gets nearer I will give you a # to reach me so we can set it up.

OK, that is all for today. Hopefully that gives you a wee glimpse into my life at the moment, and I will try to be a better communicator, though I may still fail from time to time. Thank you for your patience, your support, and your prayers!!!

2009-07-27T13:51:00.000+01:00

I also posted this on facebook. these are the noisy sheep that are about 15' away from my bedroom window. lately they've been a bit noisy, and I wanted to share them with you all!

So this is summer

2009-07-22T15:38:00.000+01:00

It is July 22nd. In my opinion, July 22nd should be described as hot, sunny, and -well- air conditioning....but that was before I moved to the UK. Now, July the 22nd is marked by 20 degree (thats 68 farenheit) weather, rain, and definitely no need for air conditioning! Its quite an adjustment living here in the midst of british weather, but I am almost adjusted (I think)

In 9 days I will join 3500 others at a weeklong event in germany called "TeenStreet" This is an anual event which desires "To work with the church to motivate and equip Christian Teens to have a real friendship with Jesus so that they reflect Him daily in their world." Its my first time attending TeenStreet, and I am super excited. Not just because its part of why I am here in the UK. Not just because it means finally getting to do some real live youth ministry here. Not just because I am looking forward to some REAL summer weather in Germany (see above paragraph). Those are all valid reasons, and are all true. But the real reason for my excitement is that I really believe that God wants to do amazing things in and through a ton of teens this summer and I get to be a part of it! I will have a group of 7 teens (+ an assistant leader) for the week and we will be having fun together but will also hear God speak into our lives now and challenge us for our futures. I think it's going to be great - and I really value your prayers during 1-8 August!

The second adventure of the summer is 1 week in Romania. I am going on an outreach with teens from all over - including a group of 4 teens from up north. We will be working about 50K outside of Bucharest, and will be travelling by Bycicle from village to village. This is going to be another amazing week, though we don't really know what all to expect. The team is very excited to see what God has in store for us. I will be travelling straight from germany to Romania, so would really appreciate your prayers for safe travels, and strength. After a week of sleeping on an airbed on the ground in a room with 1000 teenage girls - I may be a bit tired for my week of cycling through Romania...

I look forward to being able to share many exciting stories of what God has done after I get home. I will be back in the UK on 17 August. Thank you all for your prayers!

a new theatre experience

2009-06-12T11:30:00.000+01:00

This morning I had the chance to join the Logos Hope community in the first official use of the Hope Theatre. This is the 450(ish) seat main meeting space that so many here have been working non stop to complete. We started out watching a short video clip of the progression of the build - and then the curtains (that's right, they have professional stage curtains) opened and the band was on stage ready to go.

Now, this may not seem like such a big deal to many of you. But, if you have ever served on board an OM ship - and especially if you worked in programmes or AV - you understand what a big deal this space is. First of all, it seats more people than any loung before. It has a raised stage for better viewing. It has professional lights, sound, video, and CURTAINS. Suddenly we are able to have very professional programmes right onboard our own ship. I am very excited for the Logos Hope, and for the potential they now have to impact even more people than before. And it I am enjoying being a part of the experience.

Welcome to London!

2009-06-11T23:21:00.000+01:00

I am sitting, as we speak (so to speak) on board the Logos Hope. This - for those of you not in the know - is the newest vessel in the fleet of OM ships (ok, not so much a fleet as a pair). As you know, I spent 2.5 years of my life on the Doulos. Its been almost 1 year since I finished, and here I am onboard another ship! Luckily, this time it is a much shorter stay. I am a part of the team that is representing OM's UK office while the ship visits the 4 UK capital cities - Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and now finally London. It has been quite a tour, and to be honest I am a bit tired and ready for a vacation.

Tomorrow morning is the "official opening" aka "officially the most boring programme in the port." This was never my fave event on Doulos, and while I have been invited to attend, I think I just might decline...I am however excited for the rest of the programme calendar. It is going to be a wild and crazy ride, but I do believe this is going to be a huge visit for us, with many excellent new connections.

On a side note: in my 2.5 yrs on Doulos I had 9 cabin mates. In 6 weeks on Logos Hope I have had 8. By the end of the next week that total may reach 11. Whew. I am definitely getting to know all the ladies on our team much better, but I am also certainly looking forward to being back home in my own space!

For more info on the Logos Hope visit to the UK check out: http://www.logoshope.org/

6 months in the UK

2009-05-08T09:35:00.000+01:00

I have just noticed that as of 2 days ago, I have been here in the UK for 6 MONTHS! I am not sure that it has really felt as long as all that, and I am sure I should have accomplished more by now, but still it is a milestone of sorts. I am currently sitting in the Dining Room of the Logos Hope, in Belfast Northern Ireland. It is my first visit to NI, and in typical ship fashion, I have seen almost nothing of the place. Hopefully I will remedy that on Monday as I have the day off.

Now, to bring you up to speed on how I am doing...

First, the personal - I have been attending a Church in Wrexham, which is a town in Wales. (Spelled "Wrecsam" in Welsh). It is a new Frontiers Church plant and is very different than any Church I have gone to previously (for more charismatic) However, I realized that if I tried to find a Church just like my home Church of CCC I would fail miserably. So, I went for small, young, and friendly. It meets in a university, so atttracts a few students, and is more international than most Churches in the area. I look forward to getting more involved in Church life there.

As for my job, well, it has been slow going. I have shared with some that my boss was not there for my 1st 3 months, due to health reasons. So - it was a bit of a rocky start for me. I think some on the team are still not sure what exactly I do there :) Most recently, I have been busy with the Logos Hope visit to the UK. Due to my ship's experience, my lack of a busy schedule and perhaps the fact that I am single and can fit into any cabin - I was asked to be on the ship for all 4 UK ports and help oversee our "global desk" which is the area of the visitor's deck where we meet and chat with visitors and share with them about what OM is all about. It has been quite busy; many long days and lots of small talk. I have had some great opportunities to share, though, and we have had quite a number of folk interested in joining.

Coming up this summer, I will finally get to attend TeenStreet (www.om.teenstreet.org) in Germany. It is the 1st week of August. I will travel there with a bunch of teens, and then will be a small group leader for the week. I am really looking forward to going. This is such a big part of the future of my ministry, as I will get to connect with my target group - youth leaders. Following TeenStreet I will fly to Romania and join a team of teens from England on a week long trip, part of the TiM experience (http://www.tim.om.org). I am also excited about that, and the chance to build a strong connection to a Church not too far from my part of England.

Before I finish, here are a few prayer points for the next few months:

For the next month onboard the Logos Hope, for energy!!
For Teenstreet - I am bringing some teens, so pray fpr safe travels and that everyone gets there together :)
For TeenStreet - you can pray for my small group, that we'd really connect, and it would be a meaningful time in the life of each girl in the group.
For TiM - safety as we travel at least 10 km each day by bicycle.
For me personally - that I continue to connect to the community that I live in, and that I cantinue to have a vision for what God can do through me. We heard in devotions today about William Carrey and his saying "attempt great things; expect great things." I really do want that to be true for me.

A new blog entry for January

2009-01-11T13:06:00.000Z

Back to my Blog…
Its been a while since I posted to my blog, but I guess there just was not much to report. So, now I will catch you up with what I have been doing since December. Somewhere in the middle of December I went to London for the weekend. I spent a day and a half just walking around (in the cold and rain of course) enjoying the Christmas lights, and I even made a new friend from Australia. I then got to meet up with a friend from the States who had sort of unexpectedly ended up in London with her team from Adventures in Missions. I also was able to spend an evening with some fellow OM'ers just outside of London.

1st Christmas in England…
For Christmas I headed over to Halesowen (just outside of Birmingham) to spend it with friends from my Doulos days. It was so great to spend time with them, even though it was hard to be away from family for the 3rd Christmas in a row. Brits are funny about Christmas. There are lots of dishes served that no one seems to enjoy, but which are tradition. Then there are the Crackers - these things that look sort of like giant tootsie rolls (best description I can think of) which you pull, and they make a loud noise. Inside, there are usually some candies and a silly jok and a paper crown. Now, the paper crown thing was very strange. Everyone puts them on their heads. It looks pretty silly. I kept expecting them to take them off. But no, we wore them for the entire dinner. How strange. There was also a cookie competition on Christmas day, and surprisingly I won! I had 2 failed attempts at cookie making this year so I was happy that something finally turned out well.

Back to the future – my attempt at learning to drive again…
OK - another thing that I have been doing recently is learning to drive a stick shift. I have always prided myself on being a true American, and only knowing how to drive automatic. I knew this would be a problem before I moved, but figured I'd wait and learn here where it’s all on the opposite side. Well, it has been just about as difficult for me as I knew it would be. I am not really enjoying the whole process, but the “not being able to drive myself anywhere” part has been even worse. (I feel like a teenager again, bumming rides from friends) Surprisingly, it was not weird at all to switch to the left side of the road. So, after my 5 hrs of lessons, I had an OM driving test, and now am able to drive the cars here by myself. This is huge, since I need to drive myself to Scotland on Thursday!!

Reminiscing…
Yesterday I went an hour north to Nantwich to meet up with one of my former Doulos Cabin Mates, Debora. It was so cool to see her again – and funny how its been a whole year since we saw each other, but it was not awkward at all. Totally just like old times. The Doulos bonds really do run deep!

OK – that just about brings you up to speed on my life. I leave Thursday for an 11 day work-related trip to Scotland, lots of youth meeting, etc. Please remember to keep me in your prayer during this time!!

All I want for Christmas is....NOTHING

2008-12-02T17:15:00.000Z

This year I have decided that I will finally put my money where my mouth is. I always applaud people's effort to see more money going to the underpriviledged, and less going to us fat and happy Americans, but then I go out and buy a bunch of gifts anyway. Not this year. I will not be buying gifts this year - and I really do not want to receive them either. Instead, I will be choosing places to send my money where it can make a difference. I mean, who really needs another ugly sweater, or a coffee mug, or other junk that we pass around at Christmas just because we think we need to! I have found lots of places online to choose from, where instead of buying a CD I can plant 3 fruit trees and help feed a village. Instead of a new purse I can buy a bunch of chickens.

So - please consider joining me this Christmas in saying no to gifts and yes to helping those in need. Think of all the time that we will save! Instead of waiting in a line at a shop we can be home enjoying friends and family!!!

Check out the site that OM UK has put up as just one option for helping others this year:
http://www.justchristmas.om.org

be ye Missional...?

2008-12-01T08:24:00.000Z

(image stolen from lifesongchurchonline.com)

I have been thinking a lot recently about the term "Missional." I have heard it used in many different context, and have started to wonder - what is the true meaning? If I say I want to have a missional lifestyle - what exactly am I subscribing to? If I want to have a missional youth ministry, well, what would that look like? What is required for a Church to become Missional? These are, I feel, key questions that we should all be looking at as we face the future of the Church. Ecspecially if you want to be a part of that Church, and as a Church would like to actually make an impact on the world!

So, I would like to get YOUR opinion on this topic! Seriously, I am really wrestling with this concept and would love to know what my friends family and any random readers might think. So email me or comment with your thoughts on those particular questions:

If I say I want to have a missional lifestyle - what exactly am I subscribing to?
If I want to have a missional youth ministry, what would that look like?
What is required for a Church to become Missional?

Thanks for taking the time to respond...or not :)

a blessed banking experience, and a quick trip to Germany

2008-11-22T09:04:00.000Z

I have heard from many people who have moved to the UK that banking is...well...not a fun experience. Basically the process of opening a bank account can be long and painful (metaphorically). So it was with great fear and trembling that I set out last week for the bank with a letter from OM in my hand and a friend from the office for moral support. We were ushered into the office almost straightaway, and then she just started the application, without any trouble at all. It helped that she had visited NJ before, and really liked it :) I had my bank account within 30 minutes or so and was on my way! I have no idea why it went so well, I just praise God that He makes all things possible!

2 days later I packed my bags, and left at 4:30 am for the Manchester airport to catch a flight to Frankfurt Germany. I was traveling with three others from the team, and we were all headed to Mosbach for meetings about next year's TeenStreet. The day we arrived was actually the day before the meetings, so I managed to grab a train to Heidelburg and meet up with a friend from the Ship. We hung out for a bit there, and she showed me the sights. It is a very cool old city, and we climbed up the spirally staircase up to the top of the church tower. After all that spinning around in the stair case, I actually felt a bit queazy, so we stopped in at a nice German bakery :)
I will not share my adventres returnng to Mosbach, as it was just too embarassing, but I will tell you if you ask :)

The meetings lasted the next 3 days, and were quite productive. I was able to understand what TeenStreet is really all about, which is good, since it's part of my job to promote it! After the meetings ended we flew back to the UK, stayed overnight, and then I left at 8:30 the next morning for Birmingham England to attend 2 days of meetings about the short term missions that OM does. Whew! After all of that I am now finally home. Now it is on to discovering what my job will really be here :)

Happy Thanksgiving to you all (in 5 days) hope you have a blessed time with family!

Settling into life in the UK

2008-11-10T15:17:00.000Z

Well, I have arrived in the UK! I flew into Birmingham on Wednesday at 10:00 am. I was picked up at the airport by a good friend from Doulos days, and was able to spend a few hours just hanging out and catching up - as well as confirming plans to spend Christmas in Birmingham with them. A few hours later I caught a ride with a coworker who was headed back to the office at the Quinta. I moved into my new flat and tried to unpack as much as possible. I still have a lot of work to do to make the place feel like home, but the view is fantastic (fields and trees and sheep and birds, etc) and it is quite comfortable.

On Saturday I jumped right into the thick of things by going with the team to a big concert/event called the Stand. It was put together by a group called "Hope for Justice" and was all about human traficking. IJM was there, as well as Tearfund, Oasis, and tons of small non-profits. Our goal for the day was to get people to sponsor children at our Dalit Education Centers. Take a look at the site for more details. One of the OM leaders, Joseph D'Souza, was a Keynote speaker at the event. I had a fantastic time, meeting people and sharing the vision of freedom for the Dalits of India.

On Sunday I went with a Coworker to Stafford, for a youth event where Joseph D'Souza was speaking. It was another great night of meeting and networking with people, both youth workers and teens. I am so excited to get started on my focus here of seeing teens get discipled, and go farther in their walk with God.

So, that is what is happening with me. I attached a few photos of my trip over, and will add more when I get the chance. I have taken a few pics of the sheep outside of my window, and will post those soon :)

Here I am at JFK airport, getting ready to
say a final goodbye and pass through security.

On the plane to Munich (I had to fly over the UK,
land in Germany, then get on another flight and
fly back to Birmingham)

With my friend Lisa, who I was on the Doulos with.
It was good to catch up with old friends for a short
time in Birmingham.

"I'm leaving on a jet plane...

2008-11-04T13:46:00.000Z

...don't know when I'll be back again."

The words to that classic tune are very appropriate for the next chapter in my life! Today I will board a plane bound for Birmingham England, where I will be joining the work of OM in that great nation. Although England is just a "short" hop away, I really have no idea when I will be coming back for my next visit. I am, however, extremely excited to be going, and I can not wait to get to work! I have been planning for this move for sooo long, and it is great to finally make it a reality. Please pray for me as I schlep all of my bags through the airports, that I will make it there in one piece (or 3, if you count my bags).

I will post pics and/or video when I arrive!

A Fake Thanksgiving

2008-10-28T13:53:00.000Z

So, Sunday at the Hoernig house was home to "Fake Thanksgiving." For all the non-Americans, Thanksgiving is just about the most important family holiday that we have, and I have missed it these past 2 years on the Doulos - and will again this year in England. So, in order to make sure I got my Turkey for the year, we decided to combine my father's and my birthdays and have a turkey dinner! It was great, almost as good as the real thing, and will make being away for the holidays a little bit easier. Just a little bit. On a sad note, only at the very end of the evening did I realize that I would not see my Brother, his wife, or my 2 nephews again before moving to England, so I had to say a final goodbye. My brother told me that Caleb, my youngest nephew, told him that he hopes he makes lots of friends at school so that he will ot miss his aunt Claire so much...how's that for a heart breaker. But this is the life God has called me to, and part of it is putting my hand to the plow and not looking back - being willing to say goodbye to family...

Only 1 more week to go!!!!!!

Here are some more photos:

Have visa, will travel!

2008-10-22T20:45:00.000+01:00

I now have my visa in my hands!!!
This means I am really leaving. I will be flying to England on November 4th, so be sure to say goodbye to me before then!

Thank you all for your prayers about the visa - It is never a sure thing, so I am glad to know that God wants me in England :)

Underground Church Night @ CCC

2008-10-17T17:02:00.000+01:00

One of my favorite things about my furlough has been the opportunities to share with various groups and to possibly challenge them to step into missions. Last night I spoke at my Church's senior high youth group. They were doing a big night focused on the persecuted church. Lots of running around and being chased by scary guards who were torturing people. I shared a message filled with current stories of persecuted Christians, together with stories of my travels and interaction with people around the world who live in places of persecution. It was a great night, and hopefully it really opened the teens eyes to the reality facing many of the world's Christians. How often do we take our freedom for granted!

Here are a few pictures of the night:

2 ongoing prayer requests

2008-10-16T00:06:00.000+01:00

Hey guys, thanks for following my blog! I have 2 ongoing prayer requests that I want to make sure you know about, as they are getting more and more urgent.

1. My support:
I am still under supported. I am at 80%, which means I still need about $400/month. I would really like to leave for England on November 2nd, which is only 18 days away!! I definitely need more support to come in before that can happen. Please pray that this happens!

2. My visa:
I have applied for a 2-year missionary visa, and I am now simply waiting for word on whether or not is is approved. It has been about a week since I applied, so please pray that the application is processed quickly, and that it is approved.

Thank you all for your prayers.

The story of a sock

2008-10-07T00:05:00.000+01:00

The other day I saw a sock.

It looked a little bit like this one.
Now, this was not the only sock I saw that day. First, there were the socks in my drawer - all neatly folded and waiting in expectation for me to take them out and slip them on. There were also the socks in my hamper - full of satisfaction of a useful life and a job well done. There were even a few socks on my floor - momentarily discarded but with a hopeful future, knowing one day I will pick them up and wash them.
But those are not the socks that I really noticed. They were all right where I expected them to be. No, the sock that caught my attention the other day, as I walked to the train stop, was the lonely dirty black sock strewn across the sidewalk. At first I was surprised. I had a "hey, that is a sock" moment. Then I began to get curious. What is that sock doing there? I began to imagine different scenarios: Imagine if you will a busy mother of two, who has just dropped her children off at school and must now carry a load of laundry to the laundromat so her children will have clean uniforms and socks for the next week. She has too many things to worry about, and no one to help her. She is busy, she is distracted, and she doesn't notice that she has lost one of her socks. Another scenario that crossed my mind was an elder homeless man. He was once young, and had great potential. Life took him on many twists and turns, and many times he chose the wrong path. After a lifetime of alcohol abuse, his mental capacity is depleted. he stumbles down the same street every day with all of his belongings in a small cart. Perhaps he stops to pick up a new treasure: a bottle to recycle or a quarter someone has dropped. As he reshuffles all of his earthly possessions, one lone sock slips out unnoticed.
There are many possibilities about where the sock may have come from. The reason it jumped out at me is that this sock was not where it belonged. How many people do we see each day who are not where they belong, spiritually? I am reminded of the parable of the lost sheep. In Luke chapter 15 we read:

3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Jesus had great concern for the lost socks of the world. The people who were far from hearing his voice, and who have been led astray. How much of his concern do we share? What effort are we making to reclaim his lost sheep? I hope that from now on, whenever you see a sock, it reminds you of the lost people all over the world and in your own neighborhood, just waiting to hear about a God who really loves them.

Lessons from Rock & Roll

2008-10-02T07:02:00.000+01:00

I have 2 classic rock songs that I enjoy because I feel that they have very thought provoking messages. One is "Love the one you're with" by Stephen Stills of CSN&Y fame. The other is "You can't always get what you want" by the Stones. I think that a conglomeration of these 2 themes describes a bit of the way I am feeling right now. I have been home from the ship for 3 months now. I am have been trying to raise support during that time - and it has been pretty slow going. It was a big adjustment to go from ship life - fast paced and filled with "absolutely have to do this right now" moments. Everything was immediate, as was the satisfaction. You planned a ministry outreach and did it the next day. Not much build up, and always a constant sense of purpose. Fast forward 3 months - here I sit, no sense of immediacy, and a questionable sense of current purpose. No ministry needing my attention. No requests for AV coverage (well, maybe 1 or 2). So, what does this have to do with those 2 songs? In "You can't always get what you want" I understand that even though I don't feel right now like I am doing much of anything - that I am just wasting my time - I need to see this time as something I need, and to be sure and get as much as I can from it. I am resting - I needed that. I am reconnecting with people - I needed that. And I am having my absolute dependancy on God reinforced - I definitely needed that. The other song, "Love the one you're with, " just reminds me that I may be headed to England - but I am not there yet. I need to continue to focus on my relationships here. I am not in love with NJ. I don't even enjoy living in the States that much anymore. But this is where God has me right now - this is "the one I'm with" and I need to honor Him here.

So, those are my lessons from Rock and Roll for today. Hope you appreciated it and don't think I have completely lost it!!

Welcome to Phuket (Doulos Story Series)

2008-09-30T23:50:00.001+01:00

After leaving India, we sailed to Phuket, Thailand. It was certainly a change in cultures and in surroundings! Our berth (aka place we park the ship) in India was sadly next door to some kind of sewage treatment place and was super smelly. India can be somewhat overwhelming to the senses, both the sights and smells are often more than I could handle. So, when we arrived in Phuket and saw all of the fresh geen land surrounding us, well, we were all pretty excited. I enjoyed taking walks near the ship and enjoying the views of the ocean and all of the palm trees. It is certainly paradise.
I quickly found out that the beauty of Thailand does not always extend to all aspects of the society. Phuket, Thailand has a serious problem with prostitution. During my first week there I was asked to lead an overnight team. Our task was to go out on a Friday evening to a street known for it's bars and for the number of "bar girls" working there. We planned to go, walk, pray, and maybe talk to some of the girls. We went with a local pastor who had a small church in the city that was reaching out to the girls. We had a great night, and managed to talk to a few of the girls. The following day we didn't have anything planned so we drove over to Sirie Island and did a kids programme in a small fishing village. It was very impromptu but the team was excited and everyone was very experienced, so it went very well. Then we just played with the kids for a while before driving back to the ship.
The coolest thing to come out of this whole thing was a continued bar girl ministry. Many Doulos teams continued to go back, and got to know many bar girls. It was not really official ministry - just something that a few people felt passionate about and so most people did it in their limited free time. That is a great thing about the Doulos - so many people are willing to give of their extra time to help with whatever ministry is happening. What do you do in your free time? Home much of your time are you willing to invest in people who are lost? Are you even aware of the ministry opportunities available to you? My challenge to us all is the we don't waste our time. Make the best of those free moments - I promise you will never regret it.

Great site for aspiring missionaries

2008-09-30T07:05:00.000+01:00

Thinking about Missions? Not sure if you are ready? Have questions? I just came across a great site that seems to have some great resources if you answered yes to any of those questions!

http://www.preparingtogo.com/

They even have a cool video section with real missionaries sharing tips and testimonies. Check it out.

TV Show for world travelers

2008-09-29T05:52:00.000+01:00

If you have done a bit of world travelling and enjoyed sampling some strange foods in different places - then I recommend you tune into a great show on the travel channel. It is called "Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern." Basically, its a guy who travels around the world eating strange foods. I was just watching his trip to Phuket, Thailand. I was able to spend a month there, so I really enjoyed hearing his impressions of the food and the culture. Sometimes it is a bit gross, but all in good fun :) And, by the way, I watched him eat ants, worms, and other nasties but then he didn't want to try the Durian. Now I don't feel so bad about refusing to eat it in so many countries.

**Durian is this absolutely horrifyingly disgusting fruit (sorry if you like it). It is available in many SE Asian countries. When I was in Thailand I would walk into a market and think to myself "why do they always have rotting food in these places?" only to discover that it was just the durian.

India - My hero (Doulos Story Series)

2008-09-15T17:20:00.000+01:00

It was hot, it was smelly, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen before.
These were just a few of my thoughts as I walked down the gangway for my first
view of India. The city was Chennai, and I had been selected to go on a 2 week
outreach team. I had not even had the chance to get a feel for the country, and
I was being bussed off for 2 weeks of ministry with my small team of 5 from the
ship. Our first adventure? Getting out of the port with all of our luggage and
equipment. With that task accomplished, we loaded into the van and headed on our
way.

Indian traffic is quite possibly the most convoluted and complex that I have ever experienced. The only rule seems to be "don't follow the rules." Basically, if you can find a gap, go ahead and drive into it! Our driver had obviously mastered this system, and I discovered my own system, which I like to call "close your eyes and pretend it's not happenning." This system made the van rides bearable for me.

In between van rides, we had a myriad of opportunities for ministry. Our plan was to visit a different slum each day. It is hard to really describe what this was like. We would get up early, and take a "shower" with the bucket of cold water. We would then enjoy a nice spicy curry breakfast. After loading ourselves and supplies into the van we would then brave the traffic and head to our destination. Usually the first stop was the Church, to meet the pastor who is ministering to the slum. When I say Church you might picture the one that you attend, or the building withe the big steeple that you pass on your way to work. Well, this is nothing like that. I want you to picture a small cement block building with straw mat seating. From the exterior it is hard to tell a church from the tiny homes that surround it. Check out the photo of the interior of a church, where the pastor's mother is busy preparing spices for cooking. Now you get the idea. The pastors of these Churches were really not much better off than the people they minister to. Their jobs are not glamorous, and their needs are barely provided for, but they are doing the work God called them to and are content.

After making the plan with the pastor, we would hit the "streets," which were glorified paths that wend their way through the slum. By this time there are already about 20 children just dying to meet us. We start the programme for the day - a drama here, testimony there, followed by an explanation of the gospel message. All of this going through translation of course. At the end many people would want to be prayed for, or would invite us into their home to pray for a sick relative. Once I was called into a home and asked to pray over a bottle of medication. At some point we would break for lunch - more of the curry of course - and would take a short afternoon break including tea. Tea was one of the constants of our day, actually.

After lunch it was back to the streets, or on to the next neighborhood. Sometimes we would find a school and get permission to do a small programme. Once, while doing a programme outdoors for a group of school kids, their cow walked right up to us and began to eat our spare paper for sketch boarding. He was finally chased away by one of the teachers.

During the 2 weeks I learned so much about what poverty really looks (and smells) like. I realized that I can endure more struggle than I thought. I also came to appreciate the amenities of the Doulos much more than I had before. I am not sure how much of an impact we had on the individuals who we shared with - I will never know the answer to that. But I know that we were an encouragement to all of the Pastors we worked with, and I believe we were God's instruments to bless them and to energize them to continue the good work that God has set before them. The pastors in the slums of India are my heroes, and I will never forget them. I pray that God will continue to mold me and you into people who will serve Him with that same passion and perseverance.

Doulos Story Series

2008-09-15T17:19:00.000+01:00

I am going to start a series of posts going back to my time on the Doulos. I have so many stories and experiences to share with you, and I pray they bless you as I was blessed at the time that they happened!

New Blog

2008-09-15T17:17:00.001+01:00

This is my new blog page. You can still read my old posts from my time on the Doulos at http://itsaship.blogspot.com, but from now on I will be blogging here at http://wanderingsandwritings.blogspot.com. I just felt that a blog called "it's a ship" no longer fit with my new direction. Hope you all keep reading!!