We'll try not to keep the dog awake too long.
A Saturday like any other ?
As we drive at 3 - there won't be much going on in our world will there? There's a woman called Meghan who'll be excited about her new frock (also struggling to sleep because the world is watching her). There will be Liverpool fans dreaming of also going to Ukraine, and lifting the Champions league trophy in Kiev. In this world's interests, 3 blokes getting on a plane (with a good selection of knee pads and lots of sweets / little gifts for children) wouldn't rank well on Huffington post. BUT.., I believe we're part of something really big - GOD's PLANS.
GOD has a plan for this world which is far greater than what can be seen or touched. A new beginning and a certain future for every person who will trust in him. He is gathering people together from every background, country, language and ethnic mix to sing a new song of joy. A song of mess forgiven, of reconciliation with their maker, and a certain hope for this life and the next, This is a song louder than any bunch of scousers can sing (and boy they can sing!). It is a song that will never stop because it is conducted by the maker of this cosmos who came into his creation, to live with us, love us, lay his life down for our eternal safety, and then take it up again to defeat death and the enemies of GOD for eternal resolution. That's BIG!!! It is this big plan which has united us with God's family in Ukraine.
We are so obviously small people in the grand scheme of things, with very limited gifts and often failing abilities. In Christ however we are on a mission which will reap big results. We offer small prayers but in faith to a big GOD who can do immeasurably more than we can think or imagine. So we go with full and expectant hearts.
This will be a time to thank God for his amazing provision over 10 years and to look forwards to what he will do in the lives of 60 or so young people who come to find shelter not just with our friends in FONTANKE, but we hope also in the loving arms and care of the one who controls all things.
Our mission is clear...
ENCOURAGE - We hope to encourage those who spend their energies doing wonderful things in the name of Jesus Christ for those folk this world has no time for. We hope that some small gifts, some finance for building materials, some time spent on our knees laying some laminate, laying a few tiles and building the odd bathroom might encourage them to keep going.
BE THANKFULL - We want to give our praise to a GOD who has supplied our every need - quite miraculously at times. We go with the attitude of gratitude not least because an insurmountable project has become a completed one.
LOOK TO THE FUTURE - With the building phase complete, our relationship is just getting going for the true work seeing young lives changed for the better and set on a good course for many years to come. We want to find out in what ways we could be helpful in the future as the real work starts.
On June 3rd transition house opens (officially for the first time) and we will celebrate. Not just the completion of this work, but those new family friends who will baptised in Church and have become part of this amazingly Big story. Then we will move on to what can be done at the Black Sea camp.
Please come with us via this blog - we will do our best (when wifi and 3g allow) to keep you well updated.
Please pray -
- Pray for Dennis and Ken who need to endure me for 18 days.
- Pray for Mo, David, Liz and Emlyn as they join us in week 2.
- Pray for our health and strength please, our ability to get a lot done.
In the big scheme of things we are small people, a small team but we are on a mission for our great GOD. As we walk up the plane steps I am tempted even as an Evertonion to sing the anthem from across Stanley Park. I do not walk alone, I walk with an army of wonderful people who work with us (sending gifts, praying, coming with us (over 80 have come out on these trips)) and most importantly we walk in the purposes of a God who comes with us.
If you have a boring Saturday planned, or just a few snacks stocked up for a day in front of a glass screen... remember that in these things we are part of something much bigger. Thank you so much for being with us.
Walk on with hope in your heart, not blind optimism but firm conviction that GOD is fulfilling his purposes in history, and every day you are alive is one step further in his plans.
Catch up soon,
BIG LOVE BLOKSKI
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor 4:18)
