When Sean and I were in Asia, our team stayed 3 nights in a very rustic mountain village. There was no running water so that meant no showers. Using the toilet consisted of a trench in the ground with two beams of wood to squat on. There was little room for error! And did I mention there was no door? Living conditions were sub-standard to say the least. All of the adults were out in the fields working all day so when the kids realized they had Westerners in their village, we became their new playmates. These kids were precious, but they were not behaviorally trained. They grabbed things from our pockets, they hung on us, and they were very dirty. They demanded your attention and they didn’t understand the meaning of a “10 minute break.” We would play with them for hours on end and it never seemed to be enough. I share all of this because during a time when we were feeling completely zapped, God birthed a new song through Sean.
He was trying to play his guitar when one of the rowdy boys came up and started banging on his guitar. Despite the fact that his acoustic guitar is very expensive, Sean decided to bring it on our trip because he felt like it was a tool God had given him, and he didn’t want to be stingy about it. Sean tried showing the boy how to be gentle, but that was obviously not a word in his vocabulary. In the midst of feeling trapped and overwhelmed, Sean had a poetic prayer that entered his mind that would eventually turn into a worship song that we have been using here at Holmsted. The lyrics go like this…
Bring about joy
Bring about passion
Bring about everything that I cannot imagine
Bring about mercy
Bring about love
Bring about everything that can only come from above
Bring about life
Bring about hope
Bring about faith
Bring about truth
Bring about grace
Bring about peace
Bring about Your Holy Spirit in me Lord
There are times in life and in ministry when you feel like you just don’t have the joy or passion that once fueled you. There are times when it’s hard to extend grace or mercy or love. There are times when you lack the faith that things will change or the hope that they’ll get better. We have gone through these emotions recently. Not all at once, fortunately! But over the past few months we’ve felt the pain of struggle and being out of control and just being plain tired. But praise God that when our strengths and abilities end, His continue. So we would like to share some specifics of what we’ve struggled through and where we’ve celebrated recently. Let’s celebrate first.
:: NEW ROLES
We’ll start with Sean. Sean has played a huge role in leadership here at Holmsted. We have a leadership team that is responsible for making any major decisions that form and shape Holmsted. Sean was asked to be a part of this team and has faithfully been serving. He has also recently joined a team that has been working on Holmsted’s core values. Although we fall under the umbrella of Youth With A Mission, Holmsted has been reevaluating what God is specifically calling us to focus on. This will keep us from spreading ourselves and our resources too thin. He is also co-leading one of our schools called the School of Worship which started September 20. It will focus on developing both the heart of a worship leader and practical skills such as songwriting. With worship leading being a personal passion and gifting, he is stoked! The most recent responsibility he has stepped up to is Training Director. This means he is now responsible for overseeing all of our training schools. He will be discipling leaders while also maintaining and improving the quality of our schools. It’s an exciting role, but one that comes with a lot of responsibility.
As for me, I have been a part of a few projects. I am leading a team that is responsible for overseeing any special events that take place at Holmsted. I am also a part of the same team as Sean that is working on our core values. My more consistent role is that I am the registrar for our Discipleship Training Schools. This means that I help register and keep in communication with students as they prepare to come to England. It’s such a neat way to help others and get to know the students before they arrive. But since I feel God has also called me to mentor and disciple others, I will help part time staff our January 2009 school.
Both Sean and I have also been serving with our new home church, The Point. We are playing with the worship team about once a month. Through the summer, we were also able to lead worship a few times for a smaller venue and Sean even gave the message. He used a Lego demonstration and everything!
:: PARTNERSHIPS
As we have continued to be a part of the Discipleship Training Schools, Sean and I have really celebrated the fact that since we have been in England, we have had such a healthy partnership with Canyon Ridge. We’ve recently seen 4 young people from Canyon Ridge take an interest in these programs. Kyle David was on the September 2007 school, Erik Johannessohn just graduated our April 2008 school, Emily Bowles will be starting our September 2008, and Kayla McGill will be joining our January 2009 school. We love that even from overseas, we can continue to disciple the youth from Canyon Ridge!
Another great partnership was initiated from Canyon Ridge through Garett Fay. He has assembled a team that will be doing some ministry work in Germany and then will head over to Holmsted to serve our community through a room conversion project. This is such a Godsend, because we are in a financially tight place as a base, but we have been desperate to take care of this project but don’t have the manpower or funds to do so. Canyon Ridge is providing both. It will be great to see familiar faces from home.
:: OTHER CELEBRATIONS
Sean and I had an amazing time celebrating our ten year anniversary! It was a time to disconnect so that we could reconnect. And we got to see some beautiful places as well.
Another huge blessing was that we were given a car! A friend that used to live at Holmsted told us that she felt like she had been blessed with a company car and God had put it on her heart to give her car to us. We have had to put some money into the car because there were a few things wrong, but we had set some money aside to eventually buy a car and we’re still under our budget. We had to check our hearts though, because we had told ourselves that no matter how much money we had to spend to get the car operational, we would still consider it a blessing. As the bills started to pile up, it was easy to become frustrated that it wasn’t quite as “free” as we thought it would be. But as we looked at our situation, we realized that not only were we under budget, but we have an upgraded car to what we would have been able to afford had we just bought one. Our car is a 2002 Nissan Premiera. We are looking forward to having it road ready. In the meantime, Sean has his Provisional License and has to study to take his driving test. He says he feels like a teenager again.
:: STRUGGLES
It’s always easy to celebrate the cool things that we get to be a part of, but it’s always more difficult to be transparent and share the things we are struggling through. I guess there is the fear that our struggles may seem to overshadow the celebrations and we don’t want that to happen. But we also know that those of you who receive this update have wanted to be on our listing to celebrate as well as pray for us.
I think a burden that has been heavy on our heart has been our church family back home. Amidst the great things that are happening, there are several marriages that have been suffering. And several of those marriages belong to friends of ours that have been like family to us. I guess you never fully understand the distance between you and loved ones until you want to put your arms around a hurting friend and you have to settle for a phone call or email. And in all honesty, our marriage has recently been through the ringer. Some old wounds resurfaced and put up a huge brick wall between the both of us. And it seemed no matter how hard we tried to communicate and talk things out, it only intensified things and made the wall bigger. Fortunately, the community we live in is very loving and has tried to create a safe place for each of us to share our thoughts. They (along with several of you) have kept us in prayer, and we have been able to take quite a few of those bricks down. At times, I think we both had a hard time imagining things getting better any time soon, but we both believed that God was for our marriage and that he would restore whatever the Enemy had robbed us of. And He has been faithful. We have really been connecting well recently. Please continue to keep us in prayer as we continue to work on our marriage and communication.
Connected with our marriage has been our desire to start a family. We have been trying for a few years to no avail and have been patient to say that it’s just not the right timing yet. After our trip to Asia, we both felt an overwhelming sense that we are ready for that time to be now. We even looked into adopting an orphan we met on our trip. She is beautiful! She is 4 years old and she is deaf. Her basic needs seem to be met by the orphanage, but she doesn’t get the full love and attention she deserves. They won’t even begin teaching her sign language until she is 7 because the school that teaches it requires children to be able to be self sustaining. (They can feed themselves, hand wash clothes, etc.) Sean looked into an agency, but we had several things going against us. We are American missionaries living in England wanting to adopt a foreign baby. And the nation we want to adopt from has very strict guidelines as well. They wouldn’t even consider us as candidates until I was at least 30 and the process can take 3-4 years to complete. So here we are, ready to make the sacrifice to offer this little girl the chance for a new life and the chance to know the love and grace of Jesus, but as of now, our hands are tied. It really took the winds out of our sails. We only knew this little girl for such a short time, but she truly did capture both of our hearts. Please pray for patience and peace as we trust God’s timing on starting a family – whether natural or by adoption.
Probably the last prayer request that we have is regarding the transition here at Holmsted. As we are trying to redirect our focus, we have had to shift and change a lot of procedures, positions, and systems. Whenever there is change, it can bring a sense of instability. It doesn’t mean we’re heading in a wrong direction, it just means that it takes time to adjust to new ways of doing things and sometimes it takes some huge emotional and relational investment to make sure that the change isn’t taken personally. And sometimes, when something feels like it should change, the fear comes that it won’t change because “old habits die hard.” Right now, in the midst of all the transition, things feel really busy. Everyone seems to have multiple roles they are fulfilling and sometimes it leaves things feeling like they are getting done without excellence. This is a struggle for Sean and I because we came from Canyon Ridge which had spent a long time putting structures in place to help things operate smoothly and avoid mess, and we now find ourselves in the midst of “the mess” again. Please pray that we would have wisdom to offer during this time and that we would have patience to endure the “mess” as we implement new structures.
Sorry that this has been a rather lengthy update. It has been a few months so there was a lot to share! And we appreciate the fact that we can share the ups and the downs. Because despite our emotional and circumstantial inconsistencies, we know that God is still faithful. We know that when we have hit the end of our abilities, that he can still bring about whatever it is we need – joy, passion, mercy, love, life, hope, faith, truth, grace and peace. We hope to be able to share a recording of Sean's song with you in the near future. He'd like to work on a "better" recording. We'd also like to share it with a few pictures from our trip. Just bear with us a little longer! Be blessed and know you are loved. Not just by us, but most importantly, by our Heavenly Father who never fails us.
Cheers!
Sarah and Sean
Monday, September 22, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Passing The Torch
Last Friday was the official graduation of the Discipleship Training Program that Sean and I have been leading. I think we both felt like proud parents that day. We, along with the rest of our team members, got to look out at all of our students with a sense of accomplishment. It’s one thing to look over a project that you have invested in, but when your investment is people…the reward is so much more fulfilling. These students carved out 5 months of “routine” life and are going home forever changed for the ordinary. Some are going back to normal jobs and to school, some are taking some time to rest and figure out a next step, and some would like to seek out ways to work in full time ministry…but ALL of them have learned how to persevere, how to fight for unity, how to authentically share their faith, how to consider others before self, and how to break free from unhealthy patterns in their life. It’s exciting to know that these students will go home and live different lives for the better of themselves and those around them, and that we had the privilege of walking along side these guys. We were vulnerable. They were vulnerable. We shared. They shared. We challenged and were challenged. We led by example, and we were also led by our students. This last 5 months is a season we are proud of and wouldn’t trade for anything. It was difficult to say goodbye, but we know that unless these young people are released back to their homes, then the fruit of their labor will never fully be known.
Almost all of the students left over the course of the weekend. So we as staff have been debriefing our experience. It’s been good to process and talk through our successes and the things we would do different. I think all of us are realizing that God has given us the grace to finish this season strong, because now that it is all done; it has hit us just how tired we really are! We’ll have some time to rest before we head into this next 6 months at Holmsted, but before I share our plans; I’d like to work backwards and give some details on our trip to Asia.
:: WHAT WE DID
We were busy! We did a lot of traveling and took all sorts of forms of transportation. We rode on buses, subways, sleeper trains, sleeper buses, boats, taxis, and of course we did a lot of walking. The first part of our trip was about 3 weeks and we served in HK. We did manual labor work with an organization that distributes donated goods to countries in need. They will distribute anything from rubber ducks to hospital beds. We visited with refugees, we helped some local youth with tutoring, we passed out flyers for free tutoring lessons, we worked with a sports outreach to young men trying to get off drugs, and we spent an afternoon working with Filipino domestic helpers. These women help in the home and many times are overworked and mistreated. They get one day off a week and thousands of them will gather to enjoy the day. We just went around to encourage them and chat with them. With each of these service projects, we would offer a listening ear and prayer. We also did a lot of prayer walking around the area we lived in. There are many idols around for ancestral worship. We learned that it’s not just paying homage to the deceased, but it is believed that if you don’t honor them in death and keep them appeased in the afterlife, that they can come and torment you. We prayed that they would be released from this fear.
After 3 weeks, we headed into the mainland. The first part of our trip was visiting 2 villages up in the mountains. It took about a 6 hour journey and 3 vehicle transfers. These villages are not “tourist” attractions. They are very rustic and everyone lives simply to say the least. We came out intentionally to pray that God would be known in such a way that life-change happens that effects the villages for the better, and that believing workers would come to serve these neglected areas. We also spent time serving the people by teaching English and playing with the local children. Village 1 was a bit more developed and that’s where we taught English. The students gave us a warm welcome, but the teaching environment was difficult. The teachers usually didn’t stay in the class, we only had one translator to share between 4 classes, the classroom size was usually 50-60 students per class, and the students were distracted because of their long school day. I believe they go to school for 12 hours a day! It’s no wonder we had students asleep in class!
Village 2 was a 45 minute ride away from Village 1. It was a beautiful landscape with mountains all around, valleys, and rice fields. In this village, there is no running water, so we went without showering for 3 days. We also got used to using the toilet (a hole in the ground) next to the pigs pen. We all slept in these houses that were basically barns with makeshift beds in them. It was so difficult because of our living conditions, but it was so rewarding to share life with these people. By our standards, the most they gave still didn’t meet the least of what we would give. But we quickly learned the depth of their giving because they weren’t giving out of their abundance as we do…they gave despite the fact that they had nothing! While we were in this village, our guide shared of the hopelessness these people live with. In a nutshell, the people spend all day plowing fields and doing strenuous manual labor. But there work isn’t to sell their crops…they work all day just to make enough food to survive off of for the year. The dynamic of the village is that it is filled with the elderly (working the fields) and young children (raising themselves) because all the middle aged have left to bigger cities to try and find a better job. So the hope for the children is education to help them find better jobs, but there isn’t anyone willing to come to these remote villages to teach because the conditions are so rustic. It is a sad and vicious cycle that leaves both the elderly and the children abandoned…both whom God specifically told us to look after! We spent a lot of time playing with the children and praying for the area…that people would feel called to come and serve these people in such a way that can help break this cycle of poverty.
After our village tours, we spent a few weeks doing a cultural exchange. It was an amazing program that allowed us the opportunity to learn about Asian culture while also helping their local university students practice their English. We learned a bit of the language and we also learned about tea art, traditional medicine, traditional music, paper cutting, calligraphy, and about their history. Throughout the course of our time there, we would make lunch appointments with students who showed us great hospitality. They loved sharing about their culture and taking us to eat local food (which by the way is AMAZING!) It was a privilege too because through the course of conversation, as the students would inquire, we were able to share our faith.
Lastly, we traveled on an overnight train to a new province and worked with 4 youth camps for special needs children. God’s timing was so perfect because we had all struggled a bit with seeing fruit from our labor. We had expectations of what fruit would look like (people coming to faith, being healed, etc.) So as we struggled with not seeing fruit, God put us on a fruit farm where the theme for the camps was the fruits of the spirit. Our time here was so rewarding. We learned so much about what it truly means to love unconditionally. The children we worked with all had either physical or mental disabilities and required a lot of attention. We were slapped, hugged, bitten, kissed, kicked, smiled at. To love them just felt so right. These are all kids who grow up hearing that they are nothing…even called trash because they have nothing to contribute to society. Some are even abandoned by parents because they need children who will be able to look after them when they’re older. Loving these children gave us a glimpse into the father heart of God.
One of the last bits of our trip was a once in a lifetime event. We were able to celebrate the passing of the Olympic Torch. We gathered with locals, we waved flags, and we were stopped by a security barricade. We didn’t actually get to see the torch itself because we were about a block away in distance, but we saw the motorcade that was following behind it. It was so special to be able to celebrate with the locals.
To end our time serving, we planned a bit of celebration by visiting HK Disneyland! We were able to stay at one of the Disney hotels and we visited the park for two days! It’s quite a bit smaller than the one we’re used to in Cali, but we still had just as much fun. That time was such a blessing to refuel and recharge by being silly!
Another major event that happened while we were in Asia was the earthquake. We want to say that we are so blessed to have friends and family like you who kept us in your thoughts and prayers. Because of our limitations on communication, we were unable to let you all know that we were not physically affected by this tragic event. We want to apologize for any grief this may have caused any of you. We can’t imagine what it’s like to have to sit and wait and hope for good news. It was a privilege to be in the nation and specifically pray for its people as they mourned the death of thousands. We grieved together.
:: WHAT’S NEXT
Now that the school is completed, Sean and I are really looking forward to this next season of first rest and then focusing on local ministries. Today we slept in and went and saw a movie. Admittedly, it was nice to only have to worry about us! We also had our 10 year anniversary while in Asia. We didn’t have a chance to really celebrate, but Sean has had that taken care of for a while. Unbeknownst to me, he has had a wonderful trip planned. We will be going for one day to Venice, Italy before we catch a cruise to the Greek Isles! I can’t wait! After we get back we plan on getting involved with local churches here in England. We plan on helping around Holmsted by being a part of a special events teams that connect Holmsted with the local community. Sean will also help lead another school in September that has a focus on worship music. Then in January, we plan on both leading another Discipleship Training School.
So that has been life for the last few months. It’s been hard work, it’s been tiring, there has been a lot of pouring out, and now the school is finished. But just as we tell the students, the journey is just starting. It doesn’t end. We now get to take these new experiences, these new learnings, and apply them to what lies ahead. It was very symbolic to be a part of the passing of the torch because that is exactly what we feel like we have done…both with our work in Asia and with our work in the lives of the students.
Cheers!
Sarah and Sean
Almost all of the students left over the course of the weekend. So we as staff have been debriefing our experience. It’s been good to process and talk through our successes and the things we would do different. I think all of us are realizing that God has given us the grace to finish this season strong, because now that it is all done; it has hit us just how tired we really are! We’ll have some time to rest before we head into this next 6 months at Holmsted, but before I share our plans; I’d like to work backwards and give some details on our trip to Asia.
:: WHAT WE DID
We were busy! We did a lot of traveling and took all sorts of forms of transportation. We rode on buses, subways, sleeper trains, sleeper buses, boats, taxis, and of course we did a lot of walking. The first part of our trip was about 3 weeks and we served in HK. We did manual labor work with an organization that distributes donated goods to countries in need. They will distribute anything from rubber ducks to hospital beds. We visited with refugees, we helped some local youth with tutoring, we passed out flyers for free tutoring lessons, we worked with a sports outreach to young men trying to get off drugs, and we spent an afternoon working with Filipino domestic helpers. These women help in the home and many times are overworked and mistreated. They get one day off a week and thousands of them will gather to enjoy the day. We just went around to encourage them and chat with them. With each of these service projects, we would offer a listening ear and prayer. We also did a lot of prayer walking around the area we lived in. There are many idols around for ancestral worship. We learned that it’s not just paying homage to the deceased, but it is believed that if you don’t honor them in death and keep them appeased in the afterlife, that they can come and torment you. We prayed that they would be released from this fear.
After 3 weeks, we headed into the mainland. The first part of our trip was visiting 2 villages up in the mountains. It took about a 6 hour journey and 3 vehicle transfers. These villages are not “tourist” attractions. They are very rustic and everyone lives simply to say the least. We came out intentionally to pray that God would be known in such a way that life-change happens that effects the villages for the better, and that believing workers would come to serve these neglected areas. We also spent time serving the people by teaching English and playing with the local children. Village 1 was a bit more developed and that’s where we taught English. The students gave us a warm welcome, but the teaching environment was difficult. The teachers usually didn’t stay in the class, we only had one translator to share between 4 classes, the classroom size was usually 50-60 students per class, and the students were distracted because of their long school day. I believe they go to school for 12 hours a day! It’s no wonder we had students asleep in class!
Village 2 was a 45 minute ride away from Village 1. It was a beautiful landscape with mountains all around, valleys, and rice fields. In this village, there is no running water, so we went without showering for 3 days. We also got used to using the toilet (a hole in the ground) next to the pigs pen. We all slept in these houses that were basically barns with makeshift beds in them. It was so difficult because of our living conditions, but it was so rewarding to share life with these people. By our standards, the most they gave still didn’t meet the least of what we would give. But we quickly learned the depth of their giving because they weren’t giving out of their abundance as we do…they gave despite the fact that they had nothing! While we were in this village, our guide shared of the hopelessness these people live with. In a nutshell, the people spend all day plowing fields and doing strenuous manual labor. But there work isn’t to sell their crops…they work all day just to make enough food to survive off of for the year. The dynamic of the village is that it is filled with the elderly (working the fields) and young children (raising themselves) because all the middle aged have left to bigger cities to try and find a better job. So the hope for the children is education to help them find better jobs, but there isn’t anyone willing to come to these remote villages to teach because the conditions are so rustic. It is a sad and vicious cycle that leaves both the elderly and the children abandoned…both whom God specifically told us to look after! We spent a lot of time playing with the children and praying for the area…that people would feel called to come and serve these people in such a way that can help break this cycle of poverty.
After our village tours, we spent a few weeks doing a cultural exchange. It was an amazing program that allowed us the opportunity to learn about Asian culture while also helping their local university students practice their English. We learned a bit of the language and we also learned about tea art, traditional medicine, traditional music, paper cutting, calligraphy, and about their history. Throughout the course of our time there, we would make lunch appointments with students who showed us great hospitality. They loved sharing about their culture and taking us to eat local food (which by the way is AMAZING!) It was a privilege too because through the course of conversation, as the students would inquire, we were able to share our faith.
Lastly, we traveled on an overnight train to a new province and worked with 4 youth camps for special needs children. God’s timing was so perfect because we had all struggled a bit with seeing fruit from our labor. We had expectations of what fruit would look like (people coming to faith, being healed, etc.) So as we struggled with not seeing fruit, God put us on a fruit farm where the theme for the camps was the fruits of the spirit. Our time here was so rewarding. We learned so much about what it truly means to love unconditionally. The children we worked with all had either physical or mental disabilities and required a lot of attention. We were slapped, hugged, bitten, kissed, kicked, smiled at. To love them just felt so right. These are all kids who grow up hearing that they are nothing…even called trash because they have nothing to contribute to society. Some are even abandoned by parents because they need children who will be able to look after them when they’re older. Loving these children gave us a glimpse into the father heart of God.
One of the last bits of our trip was a once in a lifetime event. We were able to celebrate the passing of the Olympic Torch. We gathered with locals, we waved flags, and we were stopped by a security barricade. We didn’t actually get to see the torch itself because we were about a block away in distance, but we saw the motorcade that was following behind it. It was so special to be able to celebrate with the locals.
To end our time serving, we planned a bit of celebration by visiting HK Disneyland! We were able to stay at one of the Disney hotels and we visited the park for two days! It’s quite a bit smaller than the one we’re used to in Cali, but we still had just as much fun. That time was such a blessing to refuel and recharge by being silly!
Another major event that happened while we were in Asia was the earthquake. We want to say that we are so blessed to have friends and family like you who kept us in your thoughts and prayers. Because of our limitations on communication, we were unable to let you all know that we were not physically affected by this tragic event. We want to apologize for any grief this may have caused any of you. We can’t imagine what it’s like to have to sit and wait and hope for good news. It was a privilege to be in the nation and specifically pray for its people as they mourned the death of thousands. We grieved together.
:: WHAT’S NEXT
Now that the school is completed, Sean and I are really looking forward to this next season of first rest and then focusing on local ministries. Today we slept in and went and saw a movie. Admittedly, it was nice to only have to worry about us! We also had our 10 year anniversary while in Asia. We didn’t have a chance to really celebrate, but Sean has had that taken care of for a while. Unbeknownst to me, he has had a wonderful trip planned. We will be going for one day to Venice, Italy before we catch a cruise to the Greek Isles! I can’t wait! After we get back we plan on getting involved with local churches here in England. We plan on helping around Holmsted by being a part of a special events teams that connect Holmsted with the local community. Sean will also help lead another school in September that has a focus on worship music. Then in January, we plan on both leading another Discipleship Training School.
So that has been life for the last few months. It’s been hard work, it’s been tiring, there has been a lot of pouring out, and now the school is finished. But just as we tell the students, the journey is just starting. It doesn’t end. We now get to take these new experiences, these new learnings, and apply them to what lies ahead. It was very symbolic to be a part of the passing of the torch because that is exactly what we feel like we have done…both with our work in Asia and with our work in the lives of the students.
Cheers!
Sarah and Sean
Saturday, February 23, 2008
We're Gaining Momentum
Running a Discipleship Training School is a very FULL plate. Two weeks prior to the school starting, we began preparing for the students arrival. We made welcome baskets for each of them, we cleaned and prepped their rooms, and we also did leadership training. It felt like we finished just in the nick of time as students began arriving on January 17.
When we leave to pick-up the students from the airport, we take pictures that we have of each of the students, but we quickly learned that they weren’t necessary. The students were easy to pick out. The first give away is that they are carrying their “essentials” for the next 5 months; which usually consists of guitars and at least 2-3 pieces of luggage! The second give away is that they look a little confused and bewildered having just come through an international airport…some for the first time in their life! It brought back so many memories of my first impressions of England. The signs look funny, the English accent is cool, the steering wheel is on the other side of the car. And of course, when we pull up the drive, they almost always gasp when they see the manor that will be home for the next 5 months.
The students had a weekend to get settled and caught up on their sleep. We also do some practical introductions such as meal times, house guidelines, and tours of the house. Sean and I were not only busy preparing for the students, but we also had some personal guests visiting. Garett and Jenny Fay and her sister Katie Thomas came for a few days. It was so neat to see our two worlds collide: Vegas and England. We were able to get updates on their lives, on the church, and they came bearing gifts! We felt like it was Christmas all over again. We got coffee, gloves, a scarf, snacks, homemade toffee, and even SPAM! We felt so loved!
After the Fays left, it was the official first week of the school. And as part of that week, we as staff and all of the students share our life stories. It was very humbling to hear each of their stories. All of them had grown up in a Christian household, and most of them at some point had put God on the backburner. They were so vulnerable to share their personal struggles and fears. Some of them shared that it was by the grace of God that they even made it to the school, due to either financial troubles or personal struggles back home. But each also shared that they were excited to discover God in a deeper way during this next season. I believe that the deep honesty that was shared has already bonded most of these students together. And as their mentors for the next 5 months, we were humbled that these are the lives we get to invest in.
:: WHAT DOES A SCHOOL WEEK LOOK LIKE?
The basic structure of the school has the students attending lectures each morning and afternoon. The first week we discussed the topic of MISSIONS and our great friend Dan flew in from the states to share some insight. It was a challenging week as the students started a process of thinking through how they would make themselves available to share the story of Jesus in places where He is known or unknown. Sean and I had a great time catching up with our friend and it was hilarious to see him ask our English friends to imitate an American accent. It made him laugh every time. The following weeks have been RELATIONSHIPS, THE FATHER HEART OF GOD, and this week we are closing out ENGAGING THE CULTURE. To help the students process, they are asked to keep a journal that they turn in. The journal contains the things they were challenged with or the things they liked and didn’t like. We also have small groups to have open discussion about how the week has been going. We also meet once a week with each of the students in our small group and have a one-on-one. This creates a safe place for them to be specific and go deeper if they want to. It’s also a chance where we as mentors can challenge and encourage them. The week also contains “Community Care.” This is to help the students develop a heart of service and give back to the community that they are living in. For 2 hours a day, they help in the kitchen, with maintenance, with bathrooms, vacuuming, washing dishes, etc. Then twice a week we take our service to the local communities. We volunteer with youth groups, homeless ministries, at a refugee detention center, and we spend a lot of time praying for the local cities. The weekends are free. Except we were able to arrange a surprise visit to Bodiam Castle; not far from Holmsted. I love England! It is filled with such history!
:: WHERE ARE WE GOING FOR OUTREACH?
Many of you know that as part of the training, we take the students on a cross-cultural experience that allows them to serve in another country. Last year Sean and I had the opportunity to live and serve in Poland. It took us a while to settle on the locations for this school, but we finally know! We have a team going to Poland again, we have a team going to Israel, and Sean and I will be leading a team of 8 to Asia. Due to security reasons, all we can say is that it will be a “Five Star” experience.
:: CELEBRATIONS!
First of all, it has been wonderful to be a part of these young lives from all around the globe. We are privileged and we couldn’t do it without your support! In just over a month, we’ve begun to see freedom in their lives: freedom from their past mistakes and struggles. We’ve seen students begin to realize that they have the power to change the destructive patterns in their lives. And more importantly, they are beginning to understand that God loves them the same: yesterday, today and forever!
Another huge celebration is that our stuff arrived from America! It took almost three months, but it arrived safe and sound. I felt sorry for the delivery guys because we live three staircases up! I believe that when we should them they actually exclaimed “Blimey!” We gave them a tip and a cold Coke for the road! Even though we have all our stuff, it has taken awhile to unpack. Before we could unload our books and movies, we had to buy shelving. And to unpack our office stuff, we had to buy a desk. We are still looking for more shelving and a wardrobe, but all in good time. The biggest blessing has been having our own mattresses! I slept so well that first night we had them!
And some of you know, and some may not, but a huge celebration coming up is Sean’s birthday! This will be his second birthday in England. We’re not sure how we want to celebrate yet, but I’m sure it will involve good food! He turns 3? on Sunday, the 24th. Feel free to send him some love!
Sorry this update is a month late. It has been busy, but we have also been excited to share what we’ve been up to. We’d love to hear your stories as well, so please feel free to send us a personal update too! We love you all! Hope you enjoy the update.
Cheers!
Sarah and Sean
When we leave to pick-up the students from the airport, we take pictures that we have of each of the students, but we quickly learned that they weren’t necessary. The students were easy to pick out. The first give away is that they are carrying their “essentials” for the next 5 months; which usually consists of guitars and at least 2-3 pieces of luggage! The second give away is that they look a little confused and bewildered having just come through an international airport…some for the first time in their life! It brought back so many memories of my first impressions of England. The signs look funny, the English accent is cool, the steering wheel is on the other side of the car. And of course, when we pull up the drive, they almost always gasp when they see the manor that will be home for the next 5 months.
The students had a weekend to get settled and caught up on their sleep. We also do some practical introductions such as meal times, house guidelines, and tours of the house. Sean and I were not only busy preparing for the students, but we also had some personal guests visiting. Garett and Jenny Fay and her sister Katie Thomas came for a few days. It was so neat to see our two worlds collide: Vegas and England. We were able to get updates on their lives, on the church, and they came bearing gifts! We felt like it was Christmas all over again. We got coffee, gloves, a scarf, snacks, homemade toffee, and even SPAM! We felt so loved!
After the Fays left, it was the official first week of the school. And as part of that week, we as staff and all of the students share our life stories. It was very humbling to hear each of their stories. All of them had grown up in a Christian household, and most of them at some point had put God on the backburner. They were so vulnerable to share their personal struggles and fears. Some of them shared that it was by the grace of God that they even made it to the school, due to either financial troubles or personal struggles back home. But each also shared that they were excited to discover God in a deeper way during this next season. I believe that the deep honesty that was shared has already bonded most of these students together. And as their mentors for the next 5 months, we were humbled that these are the lives we get to invest in.
:: WHAT DOES A SCHOOL WEEK LOOK LIKE?
The basic structure of the school has the students attending lectures each morning and afternoon. The first week we discussed the topic of MISSIONS and our great friend Dan flew in from the states to share some insight. It was a challenging week as the students started a process of thinking through how they would make themselves available to share the story of Jesus in places where He is known or unknown. Sean and I had a great time catching up with our friend and it was hilarious to see him ask our English friends to imitate an American accent. It made him laugh every time. The following weeks have been RELATIONSHIPS, THE FATHER HEART OF GOD, and this week we are closing out ENGAGING THE CULTURE. To help the students process, they are asked to keep a journal that they turn in. The journal contains the things they were challenged with or the things they liked and didn’t like. We also have small groups to have open discussion about how the week has been going. We also meet once a week with each of the students in our small group and have a one-on-one. This creates a safe place for them to be specific and go deeper if they want to. It’s also a chance where we as mentors can challenge and encourage them. The week also contains “Community Care.” This is to help the students develop a heart of service and give back to the community that they are living in. For 2 hours a day, they help in the kitchen, with maintenance, with bathrooms, vacuuming, washing dishes, etc. Then twice a week we take our service to the local communities. We volunteer with youth groups, homeless ministries, at a refugee detention center, and we spend a lot of time praying for the local cities. The weekends are free. Except we were able to arrange a surprise visit to Bodiam Castle; not far from Holmsted. I love England! It is filled with such history!
:: WHERE ARE WE GOING FOR OUTREACH?
Many of you know that as part of the training, we take the students on a cross-cultural experience that allows them to serve in another country. Last year Sean and I had the opportunity to live and serve in Poland. It took us a while to settle on the locations for this school, but we finally know! We have a team going to Poland again, we have a team going to Israel, and Sean and I will be leading a team of 8 to Asia. Due to security reasons, all we can say is that it will be a “Five Star” experience.
:: CELEBRATIONS!
First of all, it has been wonderful to be a part of these young lives from all around the globe. We are privileged and we couldn’t do it without your support! In just over a month, we’ve begun to see freedom in their lives: freedom from their past mistakes and struggles. We’ve seen students begin to realize that they have the power to change the destructive patterns in their lives. And more importantly, they are beginning to understand that God loves them the same: yesterday, today and forever!
Another huge celebration is that our stuff arrived from America! It took almost three months, but it arrived safe and sound. I felt sorry for the delivery guys because we live three staircases up! I believe that when we should them they actually exclaimed “Blimey!” We gave them a tip and a cold Coke for the road! Even though we have all our stuff, it has taken awhile to unpack. Before we could unload our books and movies, we had to buy shelving. And to unpack our office stuff, we had to buy a desk. We are still looking for more shelving and a wardrobe, but all in good time. The biggest blessing has been having our own mattresses! I slept so well that first night we had them!
And some of you know, and some may not, but a huge celebration coming up is Sean’s birthday! This will be his second birthday in England. We’re not sure how we want to celebrate yet, but I’m sure it will involve good food! He turns 3? on Sunday, the 24th. Feel free to send him some love!
Sorry this update is a month late. It has been busy, but we have also been excited to share what we’ve been up to. We’d love to hear your stories as well, so please feel free to send us a personal update too! We love you all! Hope you enjoy the update.
Cheers!
Sarah and Sean
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