Saturday 28 April 2012
Travelling…
After a really lovely ending to Shine I hopped on a plane on Wednesday
evening heading to just outside Kiev in the Ukraine. As we drove through the
night the 100 km from the airport to our destination, I was trying to get a
sense of what the Ukraine is like. Driving through the city there were shopping
malls and fast food places identifiable by lit up signs in bright colours. In
other areas there were high apartment blocks side by side towering over
everything else. Then as we got outside the city, all I could glimpse in the
dark were trees.
About 4:30 am on Thursday morning (after several delays on the way) I
arrived at the Jeremiah Hope camp
where the Shine Anti-Trafficking Network Gathering was to be held.
Time. It’s so lovely to have time. We do have a full schedule with
speakers and networking, yet at the same time there is more time. I think I
also realize how much not having internet for a little while is a real
blessing. No emails requiring urgent responses and not being distracted by the
plethora of things you can waste your time on when you have access to the
internet. I hope I can use the internet less when I get back to Amsterdam and
spend time on other things.
Sunday 29 April 2012
Networking and people.
Jeremiah’s Hope is a lovely location for a conference. It is
so peaceful and yet I know the reality for the villages in this area is not
very good. Someone said the village here is the last one before entering the
Chernobyl zone. It really made me think. I remember growing up and hearing
about Chernobyl and seeing dying children because of the radiation. Yet, being
here it’s so close and it makes it so real. Real people lived in the area where
the disaster hit. Real people’s lives were affected and ended by it. And real
people still live here and I wonder if they are still experiencing the
consequences of that which happened so long ago? I know this country has been
affected by being under communism. I hear stories of people without hope who
believe this is it and that nothing good will never happen. Yet God is good.
And He does bring good things into impossible situations.
As I spend time here with people, I realize that as much as networking
is about connecting with ministries and seeking to find how we can help each
other and share resources and contacts; networking is mostly about people. It’s
about individuals and life and about connecting with people who are walking
similar journeys. Networking is also about gaining strength and encouragement
from realizing that there are others out there who have also chosen to partner
with God in carrying His heart for the broken and destitute. It’s connecting
with people who also go through joys and struggles, and be able to encourage
one another in the season we find ourselves in. Networking is people and I
never want to lose sight of that.
Rhythm. I was listening to a teaching this morning and one of the things
that really stood out to me was finding rhythm. I’ve been looking at how I can
find “balance” in life, “balancing” the different parts that make up my life,
but I realize that what I need to find isn’t balance, it is rhythm. I need to
find the rhythm that fits my season and enter into that. And I need to realize
that the rhythm that worked in the last season might be different in this one,
but that it is possible. It is possible to have a rhythm in every season of
life that is life-giving. A rhythm that won’t lead to exhaustion. A rhythm that
will provide time for everything that is important. And a rhythm that will keep
me connected to God and not distant from Him.
As I ponder this I lean into God and ask Him to show me the rhythm. The
rhythm for today and for this season. That as I return to Amsterdam in a few
days, my life can be in sync with the rhythm of the season and that I can find
fullness of life as I walk in that rhythm and pace, bringing in what is
important and necessary and putting aside that which isn’t important and will
disrupt the rhythm.
Monday 14 May 2012
Experiencing Kiev and returning to Amsterdam.
I’ve been back almost two weeks now, but I wanted to write about my Monday
in Kiev. That day there wasn’t really any program at the conference location,
so I squeezed into an already full van and headed into the city of Kiev to see
something other than fields and trees. The van driver dropped us off at the
Metro station and a group of us shuffled our way into the metro station. It was
a surreal experience to suddenly realize that I couldn’t read or understand
anything written and if I’d been on my own it would have taken a considerable
effort to figure out how to get to the city centre. But thankfully a few of the
people I was with either spoke Russian or were familiar with the city so I put
my trust in their ability to guide us to the right place.
When I stepped out of the metro station I was immediately struck by the
huge high-rise buildings and the grandeur everything had about it. I think we
were in the financial centre at first and just seeing the huge banks and
statues and other huge monuments was a huge contrast to the country side. I wished
I’d done some research before coming as I kept taking photos of buildings and
monuments without having a clue what they were.
It was a good day walking around, taking in the feel of the city and
seeing beauty in so many things. Beautiful churches in bright colours,
beautiful flowers in different places, colourful souvenirs at the market, rows
and rows of beautiful paintings for sale lining the pavements, and beautiful
people. I am always so struck but the different features and expressions on
peoples’ faces in different cities and places. And the shoes. I am amazed at
the balance the Ukrainian women have. Some of their high heels would make me feel
dizzy just from the height. And yet they walk around as if they were in the
most comfortable shoes you could get. I was quite impressed.
At one point we took this elevator/tram thing from the top of a hill to
the bottom. It was quite an experience, I think the part that most blessed my
heart was the lady driving it feeding the pigeons on the ledge at the top
before getting in and driving (or rather pressing the button for the tram to
make its way down) us down.
For lunch we went to what seemingly was a very typical Ukrainian
restaurant. The menu totally in different letters and so through translation I ordered
something along the lines of chicken and was served what looked like quail, a
small bird grilled with not too much meat on it. It was a fun experience
though. I love discovering new places and cultures!
My heart was moved as we passed a young street man sleeping on a bench,
and I realized that also here people are making the streets their home. I asked
the girl who works in Kiev if they work with the street people and she said
they do. I am glad there are people who are loving them and offering help and
hope.
After an eventful day in the city we got back to the campsite in the evening
and on the Tuesday flew back to Amsterdam.
The past couple of weeks in Amsterdam have been busy. Trying to get
Shine wrapped up (almost there) and attending a Seminar with Ed Khouri (which
has been excellent), and discovering that my capacity and strength have become
depleted, and this weekend having some days away from the city to just rest and
reflect and process the past months.
Life is good and God gives peace.
I will leave it at that and write more later.