The first few weeks of the school

I’m trying to think about where I should start with this entry. It’s been a few days (over a week actually...) since I wrote anything here, and I’m not going to make excuses, but it’s been pretty busy here! (oh…looks like I did make an excuse…) So I’m trying to decide where to start in telling you about all the things that are going on…

I suppose I should start with the students! We have twelve students here currently. One more is on his way tomorrow, and another awaiting a visa (actually, talking about that, please can you pray for Fred Daniel in Rwanda that his visa would be approved and he’d be able to join us here in Belfast!)

The students are from a good variety of nations and backgrounds, and it’s been really exciting getting to know them over the last week a little, and watch them becoming this little community here in these small houses on the Shankill Road.

It’s also been a busy week and a half, we spent the first couple of days on the school doing some orientation, introducing them to the world of YWAM and the area of Belfast (I actually sent them on a “photo scavenger hunt” around Belfast one afternoon….somewhat miscalculating the amount of time it would take, and the distance they would have to walk…they only got about half of it done in the time I had written into the schedule…and they came back here shattered!) I’m yet to gather together the pictures that they took, but be assured when I do, I’m sure a few of the choicer ones will appear on here!

On Wednesday last week then, we took the school away for a few days to a place in South Armagh called “Darkley” to lend a hand to a ministry that’s been doing great things in that area for 28 years. It’s becoming a bit of a YWAM Belfast tradition that we take a group down there once a year to give them a hand doing some of the stuff that the small team working there would struggle to get done in a month! It’s amazing how much a willing and able group of 20 people can get done in 8 hours! So, it was a good time of bonding and working alongside eachother. A few of the students and I had a good time cutting down a load of trees and bushes in the rain and then burning them on a big bonfire. (Can you tell this was MY highlight?!).

We then had the weekend off, and I just spent it catching up with a few friends and spending some time with family. This week marks the start of our first week of following the proper lecture week schedule, and so we’re having some interesting times learning about the history of this island and discovering a bit more about our own national identities whatever they may be!

It’s funny after such a long time of us as staff preparing for the students, that they are finally here. And I just have to say that it feels so right. This group of students really are a great bunch of guys and girls, so eager to be here and to seek after what God has planned for them this year. I can’t wait to hopefully introduce you all to them at some point in the future!

On a Tuesday afternoon we have small groups, where the guys and girls separate and just get a chance to catch up in a group setting and share openly with eachother. Today we were talking about the expectations that we have for this year, and what they as students are looking to get out of the year. It was really encouraging for me as a leader to hear that the reasons and the things that we have been praying for them, and desiring them to come here seeking, are really the things that they are looking for during this time.

It’s a really exciting time right now, but at the same time, it’s pretty scary and a little daunting. After so long having these students just as pictures on our wall and names in our minds, it’s funny to have them living in the room next door! I’m just coming to realise the responsibility that’s on me for this year to really lead these guys well, to try and seek God for the best ways to act and teach them. So, if you’re up for praying, pray for that, for me and also our whole staff team, that we would take this really seriously, and honour God with the gift of these 14 people that he’s blessed us with for this 7 months.

Matt Huber, the brother-in-law of a good friend of mine, Jessica (and now, I think I can say, a friend in his own right) has been staying with us at YWAM Belfast for the last few days, just leaving yesterday. Matt, his wife Karen, and kids Jack & Ella are missionary appointees to Dublin with Greater Europe Mission, and he’s here on a bit of a vision trip right now to try and gain a bit of insight into the work that they’re hoping to be involved with, and to get a flavour of ministry on this island. Matt joined us in Belfast for a few days just to see what we’re up to here. You can read a bit about his adventures (and in the broader scheme of things, how their journey over here is progressing) by clicking the link to their blog on the right. They’re doing some good things in Kansas and it’s really encouraging and inspiring to see a family so intent on following the call of God on their life! So, check it out…

Well that's all for now! Hopefully I won’t wait so long to update you next…