I feel awful for not blogging in such a while, but things have really been crazy. It's funny to see the other YAGM blogs beginning with the same sentence :) I suppose that it's that time of year though. Things are on the home stretch and everything that hasn't been done yet needs to be done now - in my case that involves a lot of exploring outside now that the sun is shining, spending time with a community that will only be around for another few months and is just now really forming into a family, and working quite a lot.
I have been quite blessed with exciting work lately! Today I got the chance to begin working on a year 8 program! Now, SPEC usually only works with year 10 and up (for a states translation, think one grade younger i.e. year 8 means 7th grade), so having a year 8 group is quite unique. This year has been a new challenge for me - working with older ones. I am much more gifted in the middle/elementary school area, and I have been itching to get back to the younger ones all year. I am pumped! We don't have a lot of materials for these guys because we don't usually work with their age, so Brandon asked me to brainstorm a few ideas, and I have gone a little crazy - but it's a crazy that is really re-energizing me for these last couple of months!
The other re-energizer for me has been working on developing a new play for our year 10 materials. We got a grant to work with the Ten-Ten Theatre company to develop, write, produce, and perform a play that discusses issues that meet the needs of year 10 students. Part of the development process was thinking about what we would say if we could give a young person one message when they came to SPEC. The overwhelming theme was that of affirmation. So the play we have developed surrounds four main themes of: Family, success, forgiveness, and gifts. But it all reality it covers a lot more and is a fabulous discussion starter for the young people as well as the team. Today it sparked a discussion regarding dreams. Are dreams different from goals, aspirations.... and how does that tie in with success? As most of us are working out what our next steps in life are going to be, this is definitely getting our gears turning!
Another part of work that I may not have mentioned here is the final Mass we do with the young people before they leave their residential experience (an overnight retreat). About an hour before Mass, we have the young people choose in which way they would like to participate. They get options of music, art, drama, readings and chapel space. Sometimes we throw in dance as well. While I grew up being quite used to the idea of young people getting involved in church, it is a rare occurance over here, so the experience of acting out the gospel or choosing how the chapel will look is quite a profound opportunity for these young people. The dramas are always quite fun. The young people often choose to take the message and bring it into a modern situation. We end up with quite a few... questionable behaviours demonstrated to get across the idea of forgiveness ;)
But what this leads me to think about is how we can bring our own culture into worship. The latest Global Mission newsletter had an interesting article about contextualizing the Gospel which really hit home. Without connecting God's message to our own situation, it's just amazing stories - bringing it to our every day life is when it can come alive. How often do we sit in church and zone out? How many things about the service do we not really understand? How often do we ask about those things? I guess my encouragement is not to forget that we all - not just children and teenagers - need the opportunity to bring God's message alive in our own lives. But we must be active about seeking those opportunities and creating the place where we can gain a fuller, closer knowledge of God's love.
I had a fabulous experience a couple weeks ago. I had my first Sunday off in AGES (we usually have a retreat), and Erik and I decided to go to the local Anglican church in London Colney. The service was wonderful - reminded me of home (shout out to CTS!). It was great to be able to share Holy Communion for the 2nd time this year. But what I really loved was this old man we met after worship. I'm not sure what his actual title was at the church, but he was certainly heavily involved in the activities, the building, the history... he cared SO much about this parish and really had made it his life - his purpose. It was beautiful to see someone so content and happy his commitment. I think it is wonderful that as humans we have a need to be commited to something. To have something to live for. Some have families, some have churches, or communities, or activities... But we love to be connected -we love to be needed and a part of something bigger than ourselves. Isn't it fabulous that we have these yearnings? Without them, nothing could really happen - the love that makes the world turn would sit stagnant :). I am so happy that those things that we love are the things that we are meant to do!
On a personal note, my spiritual life has been feeling quite stable lately. God is really teaching me the art of blind faith - of following his calling without knowing what all it holds. It is really exciting, though, to come to the realization that my life will be full of surprises - one new thing after the next, which is an amazing gift from God - I definitely could not do better. My challenge, though, is learning to accept -and more so embrace - change. I am so blessed to finally feel home here. The people have truly become family and I have become a part of the place as well. It's a feeling I have missed all year, and it has finally realized itself. It does put a new spin on relationships with those in US home. I haven't quite realized that I'm leaving here, or that I'm going to be establishing yet a new home in August. There is a strange sense of calm about the whole thing though. I may be learning and adopting this idea of a global home. It's a comforting concept - knowing that I have multiple homes, but it does question the definition and uniqueness of each, which will be important to explore in the coming months.
I must close for now, but I do have a couple quick prayer requests. There are 8 of us headed out on pilgramage next week. We are walking the last leg of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. It is a pilgramage towards the Cathedral of St. James. Individual reasons for pilgramage vary greatly, and I'm not sure what mine is yet. Some go for reconciliation, some for peace of mind... I have a feeling my reason will find me on the way. I'm not quite sure what to expect other than the walking, but it is certainly a journey that involves physical, emotional, and spiritual elements. Please pray for this exciting journey!!
I also ask for prayers for SPEC as we head into this last stretch together - both for our work and for community. It's a weird place to be in that we have come so close together only to leave. We are all in the process of staying in the present even though the future is flying towards us.
And I'm saying a prayer for you. Thank you for all of your support. I appreciate it so much.
Cheers and God Bless!
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