Edmonton --> Camp Woodlands

So we left Edmonton on Monday. My sermon went well I think. It wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. I think I need more practice and I'll get the hang of it.
Edmonton was great. Some social highlights - West Edmonton Mall, movie game, good chats in the car with team & supervisor.
We were whisked away to Camp Woodlands via plane (sounds so exotic, doesn't it? haha). Our team led worship for a teen camp, did cabin devos for the kids and staff devos as well. It was a good time.
There were these two girls (twins) that were really not getting into the camp at all and I hung out with them and built some relationships. We went canoeing together in these hidden tunnels of water amongst the fields of the prairies. It's hard to explain - they were so well hidden. Anyway, it was quite an adventure. I love stuff like that. Sports that are not about winning and losing.
I also just finished reading the book that's been on the side panel of my blog for ages: Searching for God knows What. It really is an amazing book. I highly recommend it, and I'll be talking more about stuff that I got out of it next time.

Our team has arrived here in Winnipeg and are here for 10 days. The three of us cooked for 200 people for the drop in. Cooking for 200 people is harder than it sounds. It was...interesting!
We got a tour around the areas where they try to help out. We were driving and I caught sight of this body, so we stopped the car and the guy we were with went to check if he was alive, because he was tucked under a building and we couldn't see his face. He was breathing but unconscious so there wasn't much we could do. The big drug problem here is solvent use. People drinking Lysol etc. to try to numb the pain. Obviously it takes quite a toll on their bodies. So sad...
It's increadible that we get the opportunity not only to see these things, but to see the hope as well. We get to walk alongside the workers of the Salvation Army who are doing incredible things to bring hope to these people.
Please continue to pray for the work of the Salvation Army in these Urban areas. They need workers and some financial miracles as well, but they are bringing light to dark places. Amen.

Happy Birthday Joel!!!

Today my older brother JOEL is 25!


Happy Birthday Joel :)

I pray that God would truly bless you this year as you grow stronger in Him. May God give you the desires of your heart. Bless you!
You lil' sis,
Kir xox

PS One of the kids at the program that we're working at this week looked at this photo and said "Hey, is that Jesus?"
classic

Some pics!

Here are a few shots that I got off of Jono's (team member) camera


So this is my team. We were trying to look like Mod Squad. Yes? No? haha (I think I was getting into it more :P)


At teen camp in BC they got a mechanical bull. So here's Josh (brother) taking it for a spin. Yeeeeehaw!


The new man in my life - Jedidiah (means - loved by God). He is SO precious. Miss you!


The beach that inspired my blog called "In the Stillness"


Josh and me at the end of a hard day's work in Vancouver our first week. (I am not going to lie, I look shabby-liscious)

For those prayer warriors out there - I am preaching my very first sermon ever this Sunday for 2 different services. A total of around 150 people. Yikes. I am nervous. Please shout out a prayer. Thanks,

(Hope you liked the photos)

How Can We...?

I want to share a poem that was written by Paul Sweet, a friend that we met in Maple Ridge, BC. He has an amazing story of how God saved him from substance abuse, and a life of violence. He got saved while in jail, and has such a heart for God now. Truly a light in this dark world.

"How Can We...?"
How can we walk amon the wounded
And not lend a helping hand,
How do we face injustice
And dare not take a stand.

How can we hear the voices screaming
And not listen with an open ear,
How do we feel their hearts weeping
And ourselvs not she a tear.

How do we see the pain and suffering
And then walk away,
How do we knowthat we are needed
And choose not to stay.

How do we see fear running rampant
And still study war in our heart,
How do we see a world around us crumbling
And not rise up to do our part.

How do we see a hungry child
And refuse to give a dime,
How do we say it's not our problem
And not consider that that's a crime!

How do we sleep while others are homeless
And not toss and trun in shame.
How do we live our lives in abundance
And say "God bless you, in Jesus' name".

Paul G. Sweet

Stuff is stirring up

So today was suppose to be our "day off". Coincidently (or not) it was the day that I saw the most spiritual warfare going on.
It started off when I was sitting with this guy James at lunch who was telling me the first time that he ODed was when he was seven years old. His dad gave him a joint laced with pcp. Then at age ten his mom gave him his first hit of lcd. He now has a wife (or ex wife...wasn't really clear) that has a $500 a day cocaine addiction. He is living at the shelter where I've been staying this week. I couldn't believe it. The enemy has been working for SO long on people. He's forty now and going through recovery for the second time.
The police came to the shelter today because of a big fight that broke out in the front of the building.
Then we went out to the streets at 10pm-12:30am with a soup van. Some stayed there and other went to look for people. Jono and I were paired up and we came across a lady (who was high) who was part of a satan worshipping cult that were really beating on her. She kept talking about all the demons and 'satans' around her. She left quickly to go and talk to some people in this really shady motel. We kept praying that she's come out and go to the soup van, and praise the Lord, she did. But it broke my heart to talk to her. Everytime I spoke to her about the truth, she cut me off and talked about how she was a child of the devil. Pretty crazy stuff.
Then we were sitting and chatting with people and guys in a car drove by and threw eggs at the van, circled around and threw eggs at the volunteers.
Today has been super heavy, but I also give thanks to God because something must be happening in His kingdom for the enemy to cause such a strong defence.
Please pray for protection for "the Caring Place" here in Maple Ridge that is run by the Salvation Army. It's a shelter that also feeds about 80 people per meal everday and does a lot of good work in the community (cell groups, soup van, one on ones, prayer nights etc.)

I am GLAD that i am on the winning side, because the battle is REAL and it belongs to the Lord! Do I hear an amen?

In the Stillness...

Today it was a misty day in Maple Ridge, BC. We went down to the beach to participate in an inter-church outreach event/volleyball tournament, and it ended up that it got cancelled (to my relief - those who know me know that I am not a big team-sports person).
It was raining a bit, but it was so cool to see the trees and hills (no mountains at that particular beach) in the mist was breath-taking. I thank God for being an awesome Creator of ALL things. I took my shoes off and stood in the water, desperate to jump in with my clothes on, but had to stop myself in respect for the person who drove me there (not wanting to mess up their car).
God is so good. I thank Him for speaking to me in the stillness. Skipping rocks into the water and hearing the pitter patter of raindrops on the lake all around me was truly and wonderfully beautiful.

Psalm 95:1-7
"Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."

Sweet WORSHIP

Tonight I had such a beautiful experience of worship to the Almighty. How sweet it was. We had kneedrill (prayer/worship meeting)and a cousin of mine, Johnny Michel came and led worship. The Spirit moved and there was weeping, shouts of praise, sharing of the word etc. Thank the Lord for time of sweet communion with believers. Amen.

God has been showing me some really cool things here in Maple Ridge. My teammates and I eat all of our meals with the people in the community that we are ministering to - all of those who come to the shelter.
We were eating and at my table there were three guys who took their huge knives out and laid them on the table. This one guy laid down something that looked like an ice pick. Somebody whispered to me "Doesn't that make you nervous" and I reflected on it, and was able to answer in all honesty that it didn't. God is faithful to his promises and in preparing his servants to the things he is calling them to. I praise the Lord that I am not lead by a spirit of fear, but by the hand of our Great King.

Blessings

Maple Ridge

I am now in Maple Ridge. Just finished my first two weeks of Urban Salvos. Got to spend some time with cousins on my day off, so that was a real blessing.

I am trying to reflect on the things that God has taught me this past week at Camp Sunrise's teen camp. I was a counsellor as well as a co-leader in worship (with my brother) for the week. Even though it was a teen camp, there were some cool new perspectives that I got from the speakers.

One was a different perspective on the devil. I can't remember who it was that gave this image (Jon Evans???) that the devil has been damned from heaven and hates us so much, because we are children of God (loved by God etc.) that he will stop at nothing to take as many of us down to hell with him because it's the only way that he can get back at God. By hurting those he loves. Wow. What an image.

Another completely AMAZING story - the camp that is following teen camp is jr. music camp and they were suppose to have this man Ed Wong come to lead worship. During teen camp (he wasn't there, but during the time that teen camp was taking place) Ed Wong left his house to go to the store or something, listening to his ipod and he got struck with lightening on his head!!! ON HIS HEAD! It busted the ipod, he was burt from the head down, lost his teeth, has a wire or something holding his jaw together, but he's still alive. He came up regardless to partake in the worship. How amazing is God. Wow. That's an incredible story. Praise the Lord for restoring his life.

Hopefully I will blog soon on other things that God has been teaching me.
If you are wanting things to pray for me...
That I would find JOY in serving.
That I would be completely satisfied by God in every way.
That I would learn how to love well.
That I would have endurance and patience.

Incarnational Living

God is good.
This will be quick because I am in someone's office that I don't really know.
Over these past two weeks God has really been teaching me so much about who He is and where He is.
I remember doing a studying on "Experiencing God" a while back and the thing that i took from it was - Find where/what God is blessing and joing Him (rather than just asking Him to bless where you are).
I feel so blessed to be able to come and see where God is moving. To see Jesus in all walks of life.
I am not so pretentious as to believe that I am going out as a middle class white hero to bless those lowly poor people. Not at all. I have come to see the face of Jesus. I have come to be blessed by them, to learn from them, to have my heart broken at seeing the broken body of Christ.
I will write more later, but one really cool thing that I heard this week that has been rolling around in my head, echoing over and over was a quote from Mother Teressa. She was asked "In looking at all the poverty and devastation in the world, how can you say that there is a God?" to which she replied "Don't you dare blame that on God. There is poverty and devastation in the world because God's children refuse to share!"

Blessings