God Is With Us

Merry Christmas
"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 
Matthew 1:23
It amazes me to think that the God of the universe chose to enter the world as a helpless, dependent baby.  God could have come as a fully grown adult, or even another type of being, but God chose to come and be one of us, to be God With Us.  What kind of a God does that?  Our God!  Enjoy our God this Christmas!

 I plan to spend this Christmas in London with a wonderful friend from home - Kaila! Kaila moved to London last month to work with Greater Europe Mission and More than Gold. Check out her blog here.  I'm really grateful for this huge blessing of being able to spend Christmas with a dear friend :)  I'll be in London from the 22nd to the 27th, and then it will be back to work. 

 By the way, these pictures are from the Mentoring Clinic that I was a part of from December 1-5th. They were incredibly full days - starting at 9 or 9:30 in the morning, and going till 9 or 9:30 in the evening.  There was a break in the afternoon, but we had homework to do then as well.  Here are some things I learned and some highlights from that time:
- Everyone can be a mentor!  We all have something that we can pass on to someone else.
- We need a variety of mentors in our lives.  One person can't fulfil all of our needs.

- The 'mock' mentoring session.  On the last day we had a chance to put our learning into practice.  We split into pairs and took turns mentoring each other in real life situations.  It was wonderful to see how practical the teaching was, and be able to use the tools they gave us.
- Our trainers!  They were really funny, but also able to teach.  I especially enjoyed hearing from Elke (pictured to the left).  For some time I've been on the lookout for female leaders who lead with competence and confidence, and she did that well! 

Switching gears... way back in September, we had an adventure week which was kindof an orientation to being back at Lifehope.  One day we had a photo scavenger hunt all around the Black Country and Birmingham.  The winner of this scavenger hunt could pick a prize.  My team, pictured to the right, after a long day of running around, finally won!  More than three months later, we picked our prize - dinner at Jamie Oliver's restaurant and a movie - Sherlock Holmes 2.  It was wonderful!

A few pictures of baking and decorating sugar cookies with some of the students and staff!  We got quite creative in our decorating - I made an American shaped cookie and did the American flag on it, and also the Canadian flag.  The one with the circle and black lines is the South Korean flag, and the red cross is the English flag.

Today it was so nice and sunny outside that I went for a walk to one of the parks nearby.  Solo walks in nature are always a treat for me, and it was especially nice that I could do it this late in the year!  I didn't even wear a winter coat!  Enjoy some pictures from the walk...

A little hard to read, but it says "Halesowen: Once Nail Making Capitol of England."  This used to be a very industrial area, thus the name "Black Country." 

I realize when I post all of these pictures of 'fun' things, that it may look as if that's all I do...but I wanted to clarify that with the strict child protection laws in the UK, it is hard to get pictures of work with young people.  If they are under 16, you usually have to get permission from the parents.  Where it is possible, I'll try to show pictures of ministry.   Thanks for your understanding, and for your incredible support over the last months.  I truly appreciate it! 
Shalom,
Tami

Prayer Letter #5

 

Come Apart and Rest Awhile...

 I've heard the saying, "come apart and rest awhile, or you may just come apart!"  It's true, isn't it?  If we don't take time to rest and rejuvenate, fuel up if you will, then we have a diminished capacity for life in general.  Plus, God rested in the beginning, so why do we think we can escape from it?

This picture on the left is from my day off on Sunday.  I took a long walk (3 hours) to Clent Hills.  It's a local area that has been protected as a nature reserve.  The scenery is amazing, but points to an even greater God who created it all.  I found my first geocache of my time here so far, and enjoyed the rest (visit www.geocaching.com if you're not sure what it is).

 A little humour for you.  Very little.  I saw this sign on my walk back home from Clent Hills.

 This picture is from a girls night that Elizabeth and I hosted for some of the students here.  We had a chocolate fondue, face masks, and hand massages.  It was also a great time of relaxation! 

 One way that I connect with God is intellectually, and what better way to nurture that than through a stimulating debate?  I had the privilege of attending a debate between William Lane Craig and Peter Millican on the topic, "Does God exist?"  There were over 1000 people there, as you can see from the photo on the right.  It was so nice to be in an academic environment again, and it made me miss school.  Please pray for the people who attended the debate, that it would be clear to them not only that God exists, but the character of God and his desire for a real, transforming relationship with them.

 From October 13-16th I had the chance to visit OM Germany for some Teenstreet meetings.  I wanted to go to learn more about OM's ministry with young people, of which Teenstreet is a part.  Teenstreet is an international conference for Christian teenagers.  I didn't know much about it before the meetings, but began to see the impact that such a conference can have.  A week-long conference with over 2000 teenagers from around the world, getting together to worship God and learn more about what it means to follow him.  What are some elements?  Arts, sports, giving, serving, singing, small groups...there's so much!  Visit www.teenstreet.de for more info.

 Since these meetings were held in Mosbach, Germany, I had the chance to reconnect with an old friend - Tina!  I hadn't seen Tina in over 4 years, so it was wonderful to catch up, even if it was only for 45 minutes...  That's us, above.

To the right is a church in the town centre of Mosbach.

 Let me introduce you to Lianne and her son Ezra.  Lianne us currently involved in the finance department at OM Lifehope, but she wants to get involved with youth ministry in the future.  Her son Ezra and I have gotten along quite well, and he is most adorable!  Right now he doesn't come to me, but one day...one day he will. haha :)

 This is another photo from a day off.  Betsy, Alaina and I got together for a real, North American pudding party.  My lovely parents had sent me some pudding from home, so I made chocolate and vanilla pudding, with toppings - cinnamon, coconut, and whip cream.  It was delightful to host them, and they enjoyed getting off the base to a real home.  We had good food, good conversation, and watched a funny movie.  Very relaxing!

 This picture is from a training day that Alaina and I attended which was put on by Youth for Christ.  It was a really great day where we learned about schoolswork, making God more visible in your youth group, and dealing with challenging behaviour.  Very helpful and informative.  We could also network with local youth workers with YFC, and discuss how we at OM can partner with them.  Just up the road from us, in Quinton, there is a YFC centre where the office is in the local highschool.  The leader of the centre, Dani, shared about her work there, and the connections and opportunities God has given her in the school.  Praise God for how open (in general) the schools are to Christian input.  Pray that this would continue.  Some people are concerned because recent government legislation has taken Religious Education out of the English Baccalaureate.  Basically, this means it isn't seen as an important subject for the higher grades to focus on.  Many Christians, and people of all faiths actually, are lobbying for it to be re-assessed and included as an important focus.  Regardless, keep on praying for the schools and for all Christians working in the UK school system.

Well that's it for this update!  What about you?  What's going on in your life?  I'd love to hear from you :)  But before you finish this blog entry, think about your life...do you need to come apart and rest awhile?  If you don't, you may just plain come apart.

Moving, then Going 'Home'

My Room (above & below)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!  

I write to you today from a different location - I've moved from living at the OM Lifehope base, to a flat (apartment) across town with a lady named Elizabeth.  Elizabeth has a great sense of humour and is very hospitable.  She grew up in Micronesia, but has German and American parents.  She is part of the training team at OM Lifehope, and prior to joining OM, she worked with young people in Germany for over 10 years.  

I can't even express to you how much of a blessing it is to have my own room and to enjoy some independence.  Although the people at the base are great, I am a kind of person who needs my own space to stay healthy.  I could feel it wearing on me to not be able to be alone.  Working and living in the same building was difficult.  Praise God for this blessing!  I've included some pictures so you can have an idea of what this new living arrangement is like :)

Living Room (above & below)

 Ministry-wise, Alaina and I have been continuing to seek God's will and direction.  We have felt God impressing upon us a few Scriptures in particular - Psalm 1 and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.  Psalm 1 contrasts the righteous with the wicked.  The righteous delight in God, and consequently are like "a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season...in all that they do, they prosper."  1 Corinthians 3:10-15 uses the idea of constructing a building, where Jesus Christ is the foundation, to talk about how important it is to build with the right materials.  When judgment day comes, our work will be tested as with fire.  If it survives, we'll get a reward.  If it burns up, we'll suffer loss.  What does this have to do with ministry and God's direction for us?  Well, as we are pioneering this ministry, we need to make sure we are putting down our roots in the right place (the tree), and building with the right materials on the Solid Rock (Jesus).  When we have the right foundation and the right roots, what comes from that will be good and pleasing to God.  We have been working on putting together a biblical and theological rationale.  Basically, this is a document that contains key points and verses from the Bible that will guide our ministry and be a firm foundation for us.  Pray that we will persevere in seeking God first.  This takes more time, and it can be tempting to try and shortcut the process.

(enjoy a few more pics, and I've written more a little further down)

Dining Room

Kitchen

Janet (a church member) & I out for supper at Pizza Express

Monmouth Baptist Church
Praise God that the church has grown since I was last there. 
More young families are attending!

Enjoying some ice cream after a long walk in the
Forest of Dean with the Pastor and his family.

This was one of my favorite spots when I lived in Monmouth

Visiting Links Youth Club, which I used to help with in Monmouth.  Please pray for these youth to come to know Jesus deeper.  Many of them are Christians, but it isn't easy to be a young Christian in Britain.  Marisol, the girl on the right (dark hair, blue shirt), is interested in missions.  Pray for her to continue to seek God in this, and for guidance.  Pray for God to raise up more young people for missions, and moreover to have a missional lifestyle.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go back to Monmouth!  If you recall, Monmouth is the town I worked in when I was last in the UK (2006-2007).  So, I hadn't been to Monmouth or seen the church in over 4 years.  I was a bit nervous as to what this would be like, and just prayed that I wouldn't be disappointed.  God did more than I asked or imagined.  It was like coming home!  I couldn't believe it, because I didn't know if I would ever see my church again...and here God had blessed me so abundantly with an entire weekend there!  When I last saw the Pastor and his family, they had two children and were pregnant with a third.  Now they had four!  They used to joke about re-populating the Sunday School... haha.  

It was also nice to see a number of church members that I had got to know quite well.  The picture to the left above is with a lady named Janet.  Janet is a really wonderful lady who has a huge heart for others to know Jesus, and basically just a big heart!  The evening I arrived she had made up the small house where I was staying, and had filled the fridge with food - there was even a bouquet of flowers!  Please pray for Janet's husband and son to come to know Jesus as Lord of their lives.

Going to church on Sunday morning was also very nice.  When I walked in I saw my prayer letter on the bulletin board, and my name in the prayer list in the bulletin.  The church has been praying for me over the past four years.  Wow!  The pastor, Jonathan, allowed me to speak for 5-10 minutes in the service to update people on what I've been up to since I was last in Monmouth.  It was a wonderful time.

Since a picture can be worth a thousand words (so they say), I've included some here and will leave it at that instead of writing more.   Blessings!!!  --Tami

Moses & a Picture Update

Exodus 3:11-12

"But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.""

I recently got an email from someone with these verses.  See, I've been feeling like Moses a lot these days, asking God "Who am I that I should go to England and start up a youth ministry?"  And just like Moses, I am asking the wrong question.  It's not about me, my talents, or my abilities.  It's about me being obedient to God's call, and submitting to what God wants to do in and through me.  God says, "I will be with you."  I need to know that this is enough.  Please pray for me in this.

Here's a few pictures to update you on some recent happenings...

Not the best quality picture, but here's me with my current roomates.  L-R: me, Betsy, Alaina, Christina

Enjoying a picnic in the park with Betsy

One of the pictures I took in the park :)

At Oasis Church on Sunday... it was different than I'm used to, but it's always good to see that God can be worshipped in so many ways!

The church uses the Midlands Art Centre to meet, and it's located in a big park.  I went outside after church and here's something I saw

A touch of home.  Lots of Canadian geese!

Be blessed friends!

Prayer to the Letter!

Hiya, you alright?

I've finally been able to write a prayer letter to update you on where things are at over here.  How are things with you?  How can I pray for you?  Please send me an update when you get a chance.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Tami

GO Conference

After this, I saw a large crowd with more people than could be counted. They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands, as they shouted, "Our God, who sits upon the throne, has the power to save his people, and so does the Lamb." 

Revelation 7:9-10

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus!

I so wish that you could be here with me at the OM GO Conference in Holland!  I've been so blessed to experience just a taste of Revelation 7:9-10.  Each time we sing together, I look around and am amazed at over 300 people from many races, tribes, nations, and languages, shouting variants of "Our God, who sits upon the throne, has the power to save his people, and so does the Lamb!"  Isn't it just awesome that so many people can be brought together with the same purpose - glorifying God?  Only God could cause such a thing to happen!  The next time you are singing together with other believers, look around you and marvel at what God has done.  Don't get distracted by what they're wearing, how off/on tune they are, or what style of music you are singing - just enjoy that you can praise God together.  I also ask that you would pray for each of these new recruits, volunteers, and staff, as they go out to countries around the world to spread the love of Jesus.

Just in case you are wondering what the GO Conference is, it is an orientation conference for all new recruits joining OM for more than 6 months.  It's a time of learning what OM is, about God and culture, and being encouraged as you are sent out to your country of service.  Since I've already attended a GO Conference the first time I joined OM in 2006, I am serving as a volunteer.  The first week I served in the kitchen, preparing food and cleaning, and this week I am working at the Information Desk, doing a variety of administrative tasks.  I've also had the opportunity to attend a number of the sessions in the times where I'm not working.  It's been a great time of getting to know new people, being re-oriented with OM, being encouraged, and worshipping God in many ways.  I've been here in Holland since the 21st, and will fly back to England on Saturday the 3rd.  I will update you on what things will look like in England as soon as I know.  For now, I hope you enjoy some pictures from the Conference below!

In Christ,
Tami

 I really couldn't resist this picture in the Amsterdam airport.  This country has WonderWoman stores, and cookie spread for your toast (called Speculoos) - what more could you want?

 This is a picture from the conference site.  All the buildings are really quaint, and there are bicycles everywhere!

 Another picture from around the conference site

 I took the picture below on a walk into town. There's lots of fields and cows around this area of Holland.

 This is the inside of an old church in the town of Delden.  It was absolutely beautiful, but it felt so dead.

A friend who also came to the conference, who has spent the last 3 months in England with OM Lifehope.

 This pic was taken during an activity at the Conference called 'Mission Possible.'  Participants are led through a series of stations designed to mimic what it could be like going through immigration, customs, etc. in a new country.  It is hoped that the participants will take it seriously and be better prepared for what's ahead.  The staff and volunteers do a really great job of running it - even dressing up in army costumes, dimming the lights, and burning incense.  It can be quite intense!