It happened to me.

So although I love evangelism, meeting students and sharing the Gospel with them, I also love the times when we can come together as European missionaries to learn, share, support, and encourage one another.  Another bonus, though, is that there is an ease that comes with knowing that these people share the same faith and values as you.  In a sense you don’t have to be on your guard to be on your best behavior.  Instead, you can trust that they will love you for who you are.

Well… I don’t know if that is always true, but, for me, I am going to choose to believe it. 

So this last weekend we had the third SWOT (student workers outreach training) weekend of the year here in Belgium.  Its crazy to realize, but I have been here long enough to have gotten to know people from around Europe, so it was fun to get to see many of them again.  And, as always, the training and time we have to pray together is always really powerful.  The story, though, that I know you are waiting for is the one that happened the day after SWOT. 

So I said that I am trusting that people will love me for who I am, not what happens to me. Here is my story.

The Gappers from Belgium and London

The gappers from London stayed for an extra day to spend a day together as gappers, so on the Monday after SWOT we all packed a picnic lunch and went to this little park in Leuven.  The park is really a beautiful little park with a cute- actually kind of nasty- pond (this will be important later).  After eating in the sun around the pond, we conceived a brilliant plan to try to capture one of the little ducklings that was swimming around the pond.  Practically this meant that we crafted a net from police tape and reeds and proceeded to chase the ducklings (whose mother deserted them not long into the ordeal) around the pond, corner them, and try to get them to swim into our bright yellow, homemade net.  Ultimately, despite the close calls, both on our part as we teetered on the edge of the pond and the part of the ducklings who almost became the official gapper office pet, Operation Duckling Capture was abandoned and can successfully claim no casualties. 

The wild goose chase having been called off, it would seem that the excitement would end.  This, though, is the irony of the situation.  After carelessly chasing these ducks around the pond, scrambling over slippery, muddy shores, jumping onto rocks to get in their way, and leaning out over the water to extend the duckling net, we were peacefully sitting on the shore, watching the tadpoles when, next thing you know, I am in the pond.  Literally, I was sitting there one minute and the next I was in the pond.  In case you didn’t understand- I (a responsible 18 year old young adult) FELL INTO THE POND.  You would think that this kind of thing only happens to five year-old boys, but apparently not.  How do I know this?  It happened to me. 

Despite my blindness

We had about nine days off for Easter break.  It was really a whirlwind: During the first 7 days, I finished and submitted a scholarship essay, went on a silent retreat day, spent five days in Prague, and came home Friday morning to prep for Easter activities that weekend.  To be honest, I was exhausted and just looking forward to getting through the busy weekend.  Despite my attitude, though, the Lord took this celebration of His Resurrection and used it to show me more about receiving New Life in Him. 

In one of my favorite verses from Revelations, Jesus says “Behold, I make all things new.” (Rev. 21:5)  Throughout the weekend, this verse really came alive to me in a new way.  I realized that my life has been richly blessed.  I have been born into a strong and loving family, am supported by faithful friends, am surrounded by a community of witnesses, and have been handed the rich legacy of the faith.  Yet, maybe in the overwhelming magnitude of these gifts, I have lost sight of their value.  Instead of being appreciative, I was caught up in what I was missing. 

Through His words ‘Behold, I make all things new’, the Lord showed me that His was remaking my view of the gifts that He had specially given to me:

Prague

Prague, although known to the larger world as a political, cultural, and economic center in central Europe and the fourteenth largest city in the European Union, will always be remembered by me as the setting for my four day adventure that included plum flavored ribs, breathtaking views, original Mucha posters, at least 7 different architecture styles, and way too many pictures! 

A transformative decision

Last night we had the fifth session of the Life in the Spirit seminar.  I know that I have mentioned the seminar series before, but before I explain about the fifth session, I would like to give you a quick summary of the series.

It is set up in such a way that each week builds on the previous weeks, talking about and expounding on different truths of Christianity. The series begins by telling participants about God’s love for them.  Then, in the weeks that follow, we talk about the ultimate sacrifice Christ makes for us, the gift of salvation, the new life that He offers us through His Holy Spirit, and what it means to receive these gifts.  The fifth week of the series is really the action week.  It is the evening where participants have the opportunity to choose for Christ after all that we have been discussing over the last few weeks.

white paint

Imagine coming out of your business class and seeing the already unusual sea of bikes parked outside of the university building all sporting pink and red seat covers.  Despite the huge heart design, you know that Valentine’s day is already passed and what could possibly elicit bike seat propaganda?

It turns out that the first week in March is dedicated to community service by an organization known as iCare.  They blanketed the city with bike seat covers, hoping to invite students to join in on one of their hundreds of service projects throughout the week. 

Clare, my housemate, and I decided that we did 'care' and signed up to help paint the public library.  Though they handed us white paint to repaint the already white walls, it was a great opportunity to talk to other students, share with them a little about what we are doing here in Leuven, and laugh together about our complete inability to see which part of the wall we had already painted.  

Despite the physical white paint that we were given, pink and red were really the colors that we painted with.  When you serve someone else, you give them a piece of yourself.  It was life giving and, I think, important to ban together with other students and create a splash of color in the city with our time, elbow grease, and passion.