The summer (by Dave)
I realise that I haven't written on the blog for a little while and, since I have left my diary in Purley, have no idea whose turn it ought to be today. I know I've probably missed one of mine, so let me fill you in on some nest-flyer detail.
As usual, I am sat at my computer typing this in the northwest of England, though not in any Mancunian mansion. Instead, I am in a somewhat austere setting (see picture below) about ten miles outside of Shrewsbury, teaching English as a foreign language to some of the 252 7-18 year old students who are here for a few weeks. It's a heavy schedule, with seven lessons each day and countless trips to establishments that WAM might also frequent (Laser Quest, bowling and so on) as well as attempting to help the children soak in the culture of places like Chester and London and not spend too many hundreds of pounds on clothes whilst they're there. Whilst I have found a few other members of staff who are Christians, there do not seem to be any church services to be had on a Sunday within walking distance (this is the sort of rural area where the church around the corner might have an 8am service on the fourth Sunday of the month, except in August), but there are whole vistas of the beautiful Shropshire countryside to be enjoyed under the hot sun, so I found a quiet spot on a hillside this morning to sing a few songs and listen to a sermon downloaded from the Internet.
The summer has seemed to be 'in full swing' for a couple of weeks now. From the 21st until the 28th of last month, I enjoyed a rather damp week as a leader on a CPAS camp for 11-14 year olds. I was a little saddened when I signed up for the camp that it meant choosing not to attend Momentum (the Soul Survivor festival for students) -- and I guess thus ensuring that a group from WAM didn't go -- but it many ways, it was well worth it. You should join me next time. Not only is a great fun to serve on team with a bunch of like-minded folk and all the escapades therein entailed, but it was a real privilege to encourage the boys in my care to become disciples of Jesus. After all, there's nothing better.
Aside from the rain, the week was dampened by the news that a good friend from Manchester had taken his own life. I attended the funeral in Bristol last week. Please take a moment to pray for his family and friends.
After two more weeks here, I'll be back in Purley for the Wastewatchers holiday club, and then heading north to do something similar just outside Nottingham. Much to look forward to. I'd appreciate prayer that I may be an effective witness to staff and students here, and that I'll not burn out from doing too much. I don't think it was coincidence that the sermon I listened to this morning happened to emphasise just what I felt was my biggest lesson from my gap year: that in order to DO what God wants us to do, we need to BE the people he wants us to be, and that only comes from finding time to rest in his presence and learn from him, and then rolling up our sleeves and getting involved.
As usual, I am sat at my computer typing this in the northwest of England, though not in any Mancunian mansion. Instead, I am in a somewhat austere setting (see picture below) about ten miles outside of Shrewsbury, teaching English as a foreign language to some of the 252 7-18 year old students who are here for a few weeks. It's a heavy schedule, with seven lessons each day and countless trips to establishments that WAM might also frequent (Laser Quest, bowling and so on) as well as attempting to help the children soak in the culture of places like Chester and London and not spend too many hundreds of pounds on clothes whilst they're there. Whilst I have found a few other members of staff who are Christians, there do not seem to be any church services to be had on a Sunday within walking distance (this is the sort of rural area where the church around the corner might have an 8am service on the fourth Sunday of the month, except in August), but there are whole vistas of the beautiful Shropshire countryside to be enjoyed under the hot sun, so I found a quiet spot on a hillside this morning to sing a few songs and listen to a sermon downloaded from the Internet.
The summer has seemed to be 'in full swing' for a couple of weeks now. From the 21st until the 28th of last month, I enjoyed a rather damp week as a leader on a CPAS camp for 11-14 year olds. I was a little saddened when I signed up for the camp that it meant choosing not to attend Momentum (the Soul Survivor festival for students) -- and I guess thus ensuring that a group from WAM didn't go -- but it many ways, it was well worth it. You should join me next time. Not only is a great fun to serve on team with a bunch of like-minded folk and all the escapades therein entailed, but it was a real privilege to encourage the boys in my care to become disciples of Jesus. After all, there's nothing better.
Aside from the rain, the week was dampened by the news that a good friend from Manchester had taken his own life. I attended the funeral in Bristol last week. Please take a moment to pray for his family and friends.
After two more weeks here, I'll be back in Purley for the Wastewatchers holiday club, and then heading north to do something similar just outside Nottingham. Much to look forward to. I'd appreciate prayer that I may be an effective witness to staff and students here, and that I'll not burn out from doing too much. I don't think it was coincidence that the sermon I listened to this morning happened to emphasise just what I felt was my biggest lesson from my gap year: that in order to DO what God wants us to do, we need to BE the people he wants us to be, and that only comes from finding time to rest in his presence and learn from him, and then rolling up our sleeves and getting involved.
posted by Dave at
11:41 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home