1 May - We were all packed up and 35 of us piled onto a double-decker MegaBus in London to make our way up to Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. After a few hours of enjoying the UNUSUAL UK sunshine, we walked with our luggage on our backs to one of the churches were would be staying at to meet the people we would be working with as well as having a time of worship and expectation for the days to come. At this point, we were still a bit unsure as to what exactly our role would be in this big event know as Ignite Hope 2012 but we soon found out and the excitement grew.
In a nutshell - This long weekend event was a gathering of youth groups from different areas of south Wales to come together to learn more about Jesus (some for the first time) and spread His hope and love to different communities.
First order of business for our group, as well as another group from Colorado (can we say collision of 2 worlds?) to help set up meeting tents as well as the biggest tent I have ever set up. Though come to think of it, I've never actually set up a tent before...but it was big. So our first 2 days consisted of unloading trucks, walking through mud (wellies are the best investment I've made to date...ok that might be an exaggeration but they were well appreciated), shoveling wheel barrowing wood chips, tea breaks, setting up tents, blow up castles and trampolines.
The rest of the weekend, we were able to take part in the amazing worship and teachings as well as working around the site running the bounce castles and such for the community. Each morning the youth groups would come to the tent for worship then go out to bless the communities. While they were out we stayed at the site for open family fun days for anyone around to come. Every evening started with playing outside, then worship and a message by some amazing guest speakers and time for anyone to give their lives to Jesus. After which, it was back outside for more fun and games and mud. It was definitely long hours and extremely muddy conditions but again, wellies solved that one real quick.
This also helped with the long hours...
After the event came the tear down of everything, in the rain, and mud and more mud.
I really loved this week and it was so great to start outreach with all of us as a whole DTS serving together. I loved getting to see everyone in such a different environment outside the comforts of the Oval and live out what lectures have taught us. Although it did make splitting up a little bitter sweet.
The Newcastle and Manchester team
But now we are all in our 3 respective teams and I am currently here in Greater Manchester working with different churches in the surrounding area of Manchester serving where we can. More on that as time goes on. But things are shaping up and there are a lot of opportunities for us to be plugged into which is awesome.
It has definitely been a challenge being on the other side of outreach as a leader. It turns out, there's a lot more responsibility when one is on staff. But I really do love it. I am learning so much and I'm excited to continue to desperately seek God in everything I do because if that doesn't happen, well then outreach doesn't happen.
So please keep us in your prayers as we go out.
ALSO!! If you want to keep track of what we get up to and stories of what God is doing, check out our outreach team's blog. We will try to update it regularly. - http://manchesternewcastle.blogspot.co.uk/
