What's next, Papa?

I feel like I have fallen off of the blogging planet!  It has been a very long time, as I find myself journalling more and typing less.  

Our lives seem to be taking a turn, a curve in the road....in a direction I was never certain we would actually go.  We have begun the journey to ADOPTION.  My husband and I have always considered this, never knowing when the timing would be right.  Not knowing where to adopt from, either locally or overseas, when is the best time for our existing four children, etc, etc.

Well, now seems to be the right time!  Our kids are currently 11, 10, almost 9 (in 2 months) and 7 and have been urging us to bring more kids into our family!  We are looking to adopt a sibling group through the Ministry of Children and Family Development here in BC.  This could mean so many things!!  There are so many different parameters to set, decisions to make as far as what kinds of issues we are willing to deal with, how old the kids will be, how many....

And this is where God steps in and lets us know that He is leading us forward.  Because the children that I cannot get out of my mind, the children that I am anxious to bring home forever, the children whom I have never seen and have no more information about them than a brief profile of on the internet, are in a sibling group of FOUR.  Yes, FOUR.  Oh, Lord, what are you THINKING?!? Do you realize this will DOUBLE my family size overnight?!!

Their current ages are 6, 4, 2 1/2 and 18 mos.  Three boys and the baby is a girl.  

SO many thoughts run through my mind all the time about them!  Can we do this?  Why are they in care? Can we handle the issues that come?  Do I remember how to parent toddlers?  How will this all work out? What if , what if, what if????!!? 

And God says, "Do you trust me?"  

God says, "You weren't perfect when I brought you into My family...I loved you WITH all of your issues!"

God says, "If this is My plan, how can you go wrong?"

God says, " I will give you the capacity to love beyond what you ever thought possible."

He says a lot of things!! :D

He equips us for everything He asks of us.  Every day we walk in God's grace, love, peace, freedom, wisdom, guidance, protection.  

I have been reading from the Message bible, and love the way some things are put.  In 1 Cor. 13:12-13 it says,

 "We don't YET see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.  But it WON'T BE LONG before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!......but as for right now.... TRUST STEADILY, HOPE UNSWERVINGLY, LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY.." (emphasis mine)

Trust, hope, love.  But not just that!  Steadily....Unswervingly....EXTRAVAGANTLY!! No holds barred, jumping in with both feet, excited for adventure!

And why can we do this?

Not from our flesh, not from our natural mindset. (Because really, who in their RIGHT MIND would do this??!)

We do this by opening up our hands and our hearts, handing over to God what we have to give, and trusting him to give it back to us in a form that He finds useful.  

Just like Moses with his staff, just like the disciples with the loaves and fishes.  Lay it down, and let Him work!  A good friend of ours preached on this very thing a few weeks ago (thanks, Jimmy!) and it still resonates with me. What is in your hands? God has given us gifts to use for His Kingdom, for His glory...what are we doing with them?

"This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life.  It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, "what's next, Papa?"  Rom. 8:15

And once you ask, be ready to embrace the challenge of the answer!

This life does not belong to us.  We are here with one purpose: to serve the Father, to further His kingdom, to be His hands and feet.  No matter what.

With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground.  And don't hold back.  Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.

1Cor. 15:58

Looking forward to this new adventure,

One day at a time,

Darcie.

Thy Kingdom Come

Travelling for the sake of missions is an eye-opening experience.  Going from a place where poverty is basically non-existent to a place where the same could be said of wealth, is like being transported into another era.  Things look different, smell different, taste different.  The people look different, act different, live differently than us.  Bigger and better traded for smaller and simpler.  Luscious and green traded for dry, bare and desolate.

But something happens in the midst of all of this juxtaposition. (my grade 8 LA teacher would be so proud!)  A faint glimmer of similarity rises up among us, black ,white, short, tall, English, Spanish, Indian, Ukrainian.

I saw it during worship services in every country I have been in.  I saw it in the driveway of a church in Krasni Mak, Ukraine, as we sang outside because the power had gone out in the hall.  I saw it in a small rooftop church in India that made me think of the Acts church meeting in the upper room.  I saw it in a dusty, dirt-floored, ramshackle church in Mexico.  Something that unites us all.  Are you ready?

it was the KINGDOM.

Floating around as we sang in the open air to nothing but a single, non-amplified guitar.

 As we sang familiar songs in a foreign land.  With many instruments or none, in tune or out.

You know what I have discovered?  The Kingdom of God knows no bounds.  I realize that I have known this in my head for years, but it is different to witness it first hand.

The Kingdom of God is not bound by borders, by culture, by race or language.

The Kingdom is in us, as believers, AROUND THE WORLD.  And this is not an easy concept.  We tend to think of the Church as OUR church, our community of believers, our city or town.  We read bible verses and think they apply only to us, because this is what we know and see.

But when you step out of your area and enter another, perhaps half a world away, you begin to see that they, too, are included in who the Bible is addressed to!

When I was in India we sang "God of this City"

"You're the God of this city

You're the King of these people

You're the Lord of this nation, you are

You're the light in this darkness

You're the hope to the hopeless

You're the peace to the restless, You are

There is no one like our God

There is no one like You, God

Greater things have yet to come

and greater things have still to be done in this city"

I realized 2 things in singing this song. The first was, "oh my goodness, is it ever evident that these people MEAN what they are singing!"  Their passion for their city and their nation was incredible, challenging and contagious.  My second thought was, as we ALL sing this song, we are addressing the WORLD!

The Kingdom is not bound by geography.

There are many things to consider when going overseas.  Dress code, how people demonstrate love, affection, emotion...these things really differ by country.  But God is constant!  He is the same in India as He is in Ukraine, as He is in Spain, Mexico, and Canada!  We, the Church, are a united people, whether we realize it or not.

I believe there is a lesson to be learned from this.  In Romans 12:2 Paul says, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

We cannot let our culture bind us.

It's not about our culture. Paul says not to copy the customs of this world! It is about the Kingdom, it is about spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  It is about Jesus.  And by letting God transform you into a new person, your eyes will be open and you will learn to hear His voice!

The Kingdom is what allows us to spend a week in Mexico developing a bond with 2 families who we cannot verbally communicate with.

The Kingdom is what draws Hindu people in India to accept the Lord.

The Kingdom enables us to heal the sick, to see the lame walk, the blind see and the deaf hear!

The Kingdom is here.  It is inside of us.  And all God wants us to do is to release it.

I don't want to be bound by my culture.  I don't want my traditions, teachings, logic, etc to dictate what I do for the Lord.

I am a disciple of Christ, I carry the Kingdom with me everywhere I go.  My culture is a Kingdom culture.  It unites, bonds, draws near, knits together people of every tribe, tongue and nation.  It is exciting to be part of a global force, united in expanding the Kingdom!  

The Kingdom is here, waiting for your words and actions to release it.

Step into the Kingdom culture

one day at a time,

Darcie.

Risk doesn't fit in a box

I like boxes.  They are square, stackable, neat and tidy. Everything safe and secure.  Baskets, too.  I LOVE baskets when I am in an organizational frenzy!  Life would be so amazing if everything was always put away, stored in it's rightful spot..all would be well with the world. 

We have been talking a lot about missions lately. In our church, in our home. And not just talking, but GOING.

With these trips there is a certain amount of RISK involved.  

Risk is uncomfortable.  It can be quite scary to step out into the unknown. 

 Risk doesn't fit in a box.

There are MANY, many awful things happening in our world today. Things worth standing up and stepping out for. Things we may need to risk something for. Poverty, disease, sex slavery, human trafficking, addiction, abuse, child soldiers, homelessness, the list is endless. I keep coming back to a passage of scripture in John 9:35-41 that hits me pretty hard when I read it.

v.39-41 says, " Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”     “If you were blind, you wouldn’t  be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see."  (emphasis mine)

Am I guilty? Are you?  Do we claim we can see, and yet turn our eyes from what is right in front of us?  I desperately do not want to be like the Pharisees, and yet some days I think we are more like them than we care to admit.

What reasons do you have for not getting involved?

I know what my reasons have been:

NUMBER ONE: I can't afford it.

number 2: I don't have time

number 3: my kids are too young

number 4: I am not ready/prepared spiritually

number 5: what will people think?

Look at these reasons as boxes stacked nicely on a shelf.  Packaging God up into neat little packages that we can organize and control. Everything in its place, as it should be. These reasons are all logical, valid reasons...from a human perspective, anyway.  I am the first to admit that the logical thinking comes in first.  

But what about the Holy Spirit?

What about God leading His people?

What about His plan and His provision for His purpose?

This is a very difficult mold to break out of.  Our society and our culture teaches us to be ultra-cautious, ultra-conservative.  Risk is seen in a negative light and frowned upon.

 

 I think what we really need to realize is that God is not bound by our thinking!! His views of our excuses are pretty clear:  His wealth is not reliant on our understanding of it.  His timing has nothing to do with ours.  We will never be prepared enough to go, by our standards, and who really cares what people think??!? We won't be answering to them in the end, anyway. Our actions do not have to take us over an ocean, away from small children. There is a definite season, I believe, where travel is not the top priority!  There are many local things we can be involved in, as mothers, that may only require phone calls or the occasional outing.  Having said that, I also know that there will be a time to GO.

I think it is time to unpack some boxes.  I believe that God would be happy to help!  God rarely throws money at people, opens the door, hands out plane tickets and says, "Have a great mission trip!" The degree that you risk is directly proportional to the amount He will provide. This has happened time and time again for me/us!  God pays for what He orders! He wouldn't ask us to do things if He was not going to provide a way.

So, now what?

Step out, I dare you. For the thrill of the adventure, for the excitement of seeing God step in as you step out.  Take a risk, with eyes that truly see.

One day at a time, 

step by step,

Darcie.   

MEXICO

I have recently returned from a trip to Mexico.  I didn't go on a cruise ship.  I didn't stay at a resort. I didn't have anyone bring me lovely drinks with a little umbrella in them. (we did get ice cream treats every day!)  The weather wasn't hot, although we did get a lot of sun! It was not your typical spring break vacation.  And let me say, there is nothing wrong with a relaxing, sunny vacation!  But not this time.
I went for these people:

I went so that they could avoid living in something like this:

I went with a team that wanted to give them this:

We worked hard for 4 days, hammering nails, measuring (twice!), cutting, painting.  25 people from our church just wanted to help where we saw a need.  And we did!  Two amazing families now have homes. They have some supplies, groceries, beds.  They have a leg up that may otherwise never have come.  

But I think that we received so much more than we gave.  We were honored by their strength, their resolve to work hard.  We witnessed family relationships that many here in Canada would envy.  We also witnessed a generosity like none other. The family we built for spent likely a week's wages to make a meal for our team to thank us.  So humbling.

The Bible tells us in so many different passages to feed the hungry, clothe those who need them, give shelter to the homeless.  So we took a step.

I remember when I was pregnant with my first baby.  I was sick, tired, swollen,saw my figure disappear, not knowing yet if it was worth all the effort of carrying this baby.  And then after going overdue, being induced, going through the pains of labor and delivery, I met my son.  

And let me tell you, it was WORTH IT.  Worth the pain, the effort, the work, the sickness, the swollen ankles, the weight gain, the stretch marks.  To see that little face, that part of US...it was a moment of wonder and amazement I will never forget.

My experience in Mexico was the same in this aspect.

It is worth every penny spent, every hour worked.  It was worth leaving my kids behind for 10 days even though I missed them like crazy!  It was worth my husband taking time off work.  

 It is worth it to see the smiles on the girls' faces when their beds were brought into the house.  They have never had beds before!  It was worth it, knowing that 2 families now have proper shelter and will sleep warmly!  It was worth it to see the pride in the face of the men as they opened their new homes and invited their families inside. It is worth it, knowing that this will make a difference in their lives forever.  And once you see that change, you see the impact, there is no turning back. 

 We are beyond the time of knowing and doing nothing about it. This is our responsibility, our right, our great honor.

Still processing,

one day at a time,

Darcie.

What if??

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. There are so many things that have challenged me since my trip to India!  Like, what is our purpose? What is God calling me to do? What are we doing with what we have? How can we be better stewards of what God has given us?

The interesting thing is that many others are also pondering the same questions.  God is putting exactly the same scripture verses, passages, words, on the hearts of MANY.  My anticipation grows as I see things building and it is exciting to know that great things are coming!  Isn't it interesting that God can set things up ALL by Himself?! :) That he does not require our help to orchestrate His plan?  I love it. 

One thing I remarked on today as we travelled about to various activities was this: We are gifted people!  God has put us here, as Christians, for very specific purposes with very individual callings and gifting.  And those gifts have a 2-fold purpose: To edify the Church, and to expand the Kingdom.  There is no other reason why you exist, in my opinion.  Jesus said we are to Love the Lord, and love our neighbours.  How can we do this?  By using all of who He made us to be!! 

I wonder what this would actually look like.  I wonder how our churches would function if we were all actually walking this out.  Because, sadly, I do not think we are.  What would the church look like if we were truly each stepping into our callings, exercising our gifts to edify and expand??  And these gifts do not all need to be exercised solely in the church building!  The Capital C Church, the Church of North America, the Church of the world, is what I am talking about. 

Jesus told us that we would do greater things than He. (John 14:12).  Do you know why? Because He was one person, walking in the Spirit, doing what He saw His father doing.  And WE are MANY, walking in the Spirit, doing what we see our Father doing!  Our power is exponentially greater because we are MANY, working as the Church, for the Kingdom!

What will that look like?  What will it look like in YOUR area, in your church?  It will not and can not be the same across the board.  We are not carbon-copy people.  But it must look like SOMETHING. 

And SOMETHING may be uncomfortable for others. It may challenge the "way we've always done it".  It might actually start to look like the early church did, where disciples were sent out, empowered by Jesus' teaching and later the Holy Spirit, to edify and expand.

What if people got so busy working for the Kingdom that they could no longer attend church programs? 

Can we only spread the Kingdom within the walls of the church?  Will people be released to GO?

What if people stepping into their purposes would mean others have to share theirs? 

Is there only one person in any congregation capable of leading, encouraging, teaching, helping, serving?

What if by gripping so tightly to your calling you hold others back from stepping into theirs? 

What if we were all able to work together, to encourage each other, to build each other up as fellow disciples of Christ, and to help each other to walk out our purposes?

What would the Kingdom look like then?

to expand the Kingdom, and edify the Church,

One day at a time,

Darcie.

Well Done!!

"The master was full of praise. 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities.  Let's celebrate together!' "

Matthew 25:21

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED. (Luke 12:48)

 I have been processing these verses since returning from India. The stark contrast between our countries is not easily ignored!  I see so much great wealth around us, so many fantastic blessings! India, as a nation, has very little in terms of wealth.  They do their best with what they have.  In North America we are overflowing in finance, posessions- we have the ability to create wealth! We are truly blessed beyond measure. I have read these verses many times, and I used to think they related only to finance, that those financially blessed have great responsibility.  This is certainly true!  But I believe it goes beyond finance. 

I look at my surroundings and see a nice house with things that I love, cherish and find comfort in.  I see my family, my four beautiful, healthy children, my handsome husband who works hard to provide for us.  In the driveway are our two vehicles, our lawn tractor is in the shed, the skidoo sits awaiting a good snowfall. The land we live on stretches out behind the house, and we can see the mountains in the distance. We have been given MUCH.  We are indeed blessed, and are thankful for what we have daily. 

1 Peter 4:10 says, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Gifts are given for a PURPOSE, not merely to create happiness in the recipient.  We are asked to be good stewards of what we have been given and I believe that Jesus wasn't just talking about physical things! 

In 1Cor 12:7-11, Paul lists many spiritual gifts: wisdom, words of knowledge, great faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues. He says, "it is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts." (v.11)  We have been given MUCH!! 

He continues the list in verse 28: some are gifted in hospitality, some are teachers, apostles, prophets, those gifted in helping others, the gift of leadership.  How many of these can you relate to? 

I believe God has given each of us very specific gifts for very specific purposes. Nobody can carry out that purpose with that gift the same way you can!  These gifts are given so we can help each other, to edify the church, and to show the power of Christ to unbelievers.

SO...WHAT ARE WE DOING?

  As the Canadian Church, are we using our gifts as faithful servants?  I assure you, many are!  Many are pushing forward in the things of the Lord, eager to see His Kingdom advance.  This is good news!  Can you imagine the powerful advance that would occur with the sum total of all of our gifts being lived out in our daily lives???  That would be a sight to behold, and certainly a force the enemy could not contend with!  According to a 2001 survey, nearly 75% of Canadians claim to be Christian. I wonder, if this is even close to accurate, why is it not more apparent?

 Further on in the parable in Matthew we see the second part to this responsiblilty: "To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away." (emphasis mine).

What are we doing?  What danger are we facing of losing these great gifts we have been given simply because we chose to do nothing with them? A sobering thought. Shocking to me, actually.

I am speaking to myself here as well.  I am completely challenged in this area, and I write out of my own desire to change.

My challenge to you is this:

1.Identify your gifts! Ask the Lord, ask your friends, seek out the answers. 

2.Begin to ask the Lord what His purposes are for you in your gifts

3.Walk it out!  Let His purposes for you be know by all you come into contact with as you seek to serve Him, using the gifts he has equipped you with to do so!!

May His Kingdom advance as you step into the Lord's purposes for you,

one day at a time,

Darcie.

India- Healing!!

Da da daaa!!! What you have all been waiting for!  :D  There is not much that is more exciting than seeing God heal people and bring them to salvation!! It's like the cherry on the sundae. 
At the beginning of this Journey of Compassion we had 2 days of training, as I have mentioned.  Steve taught a lot on the Kingdom and healing. The message of the Kingdom is of the power of the age to come!  The bible says that there is no sickness in Heaven, and to be healed is to receive a taste of the Kingdom. 
 John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness,
                   and the darkness can not overcome it."
Jesus RAN into the darkness!  Darkness is dark, sin is sin, but Jesus made the exchange.  We need to connect the supply of Heaven to the need in front of us.  Heaven is waiting for the words we speak, then power is released!
    And so, there are a few keys of healing.  The first is Expectation.  We need to move from the "hope so" to the "KNOW so".  The second is participating in Heavenly activity, and then recognizing that we are a part of what God is doing. Matthew 11:12 says that "the Kingdom of Heaven is forcefully advancing"! The last 3 keys are: understanding what the bible says about healing, (we need to study!) knowing the authority we carry to take back what the enemy has stolen, and knowing the delight of God- Jesus loves to heal!!
Now, there is a LOT more to all of this, but I'm sure you don't want my notes copied out on this page.  If you want more information, let me know!

We followed a very simple 5 step prayer model (Jesus doesn't need 5 steps, but it helps us keep things simple and allow Him to do the work!)
1. Ask, "What do you need?"
2. Listen to God
3. Invite God's Love
4. Command the healing (eyes open!)
5. Test it out!

Over 6 days of clinics and evening meetings in the villages we had MANY opportunities to pray for the sick.  In the waiting areas of the clinic, out in the village as we walked around, and in the evening meetings. The meetings would start with music, dancing and skits from the FM team. Then Steve or RK would give a salvation message and pray for those who would accept Christ for the first time. Then they would direct those who needed prayer to come to one of our team.  So many saved, and many healings as over 30 of us prayed for so many! 

One man with a very sore back was able to bend over and touch his toes, and came up smiling!  I remember him because of his smile :)
A woman with very painful, tight shoulders couldn't lift her hands above shoulder height.  After prayer she could raise them all the way straight up without any pain!
One woman had very poor vision due to cataracts.  After prayer her eyes went from cloudy to clear and her vision was fully restored!
There were two women with leg pains healed, and many with headaches and fevers healed as well!
One little boy had one hand that had been curled up for 2 years.  We shook hands while playing during the service.  Afterwards his mother came up to us to show that he could now freely open and close his hand!
One of our translators brought her mother to the open-air concert we took part in.  She couldn't understand why, with all of the healings we had been seeing in the villages, her mom was still almost completely deaf.  So we prayed, and her hearing was fully restored!! 
A young girl, from her apartment could hear the music from the same concert.  She had pills in her hand, ready to take her life.  As she listened to the worship music, she changed her mind!  Praise God for loud music! 
One young girl who had never spoken spoke her first words after prayer in one of the clinics. 
An elderly lady who was deaf and dumb received prayer and was able to speak AND hear again! She and her husband were overwhelmed with joy!
A woman who had been blinded by cataract surgery in one eye and had blurry vision in the other eye had her sight in BOTH eyes restored!
These are just a few, a sampling of what went on all week.  Mostly these are what I witnessed, others are testimonies from our team. 

I went to India hoping I would come home with a better understanding of how healing works, why some people are healed and not others, etc.  And sadly, I am none the wiser.  BUT I did learn that Jesus LOVES to heal, and every single person I prayed for was healed in Jesus name! 

  "And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind

and unplug the ears of the deaf.

 The lame will leap like a deer,

and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! "

Is. 35:5-6a

India- Medical Clinics

We spent 6 days doing medical clinics in 6 different villages.  Each day was run the same way, so here's the rundown!
5:30am wake up.  6am breakfast.  6:45am ready for the bus, load meds, bus pulls out at 7am.  We travelled between 2- 2.5 hours by bus to the village, using the time to listen to worship music (and possibly have a nap!). I thought I would be able to read and journal on the bus, but sadly motion sickness got the best of me if I tried!
In order to get to the villages we had to drive to a junction point where the roads branched out.  It was the only way to access them.  At the junction, we found out, police training was taking place.  This meant that we had to wait sometimes up to 25 min. until we could get onto the road we needed to complete our journey.  Sometimes we would use that time to worship together, some needed emergency bathroom breaks, other times we just waited patiently. 
Upon arrival in the village, this is what greeted us:

Notice the drum, the noise makers? And what you cannot see are the fireworks.  Yes, this group of Vijay's team greeted us and we followed them through the village with noisemakers, fireworks, cherry bombs and all, to where the medical camp tent was set up.  :D  It was so fun, we got better at waving at people as they came out of their homes to see what all the fuss was about, feeling like quiet the celebrities, Indian style! lol.  I did feel a bit sorry for the cows and chickens who had to endure the banging of the fireworks.

We arrived at the clinic, and this is what it would look like:





On the left is the intake waiting area.  3 of our team and 3 interpreters would take down information such as name, age, and what they needed care for.  Next came deworming, then a short wait to see a nurse.  The nurses tables were along the full back part of the tent.  One or two of us would be runners, taking patients to an available nurse, and taking finished patients to the pharmacy waiting area (front right side).  So we had 4 people working in the pharmacy, 6 nurses with interpreters working in the back, and a few of the prayer team praying for people in the waiting areas.  Others on the prayer team would walk around the village asking people if they needed prayer for anything.  Many would just approach us and ask for prayer!  We saw so many healings just on these prayer walks! (more on healings to come in next posting)


Let me back up a bit. Once we had arrived at the clinic, the women then formed a LONG line and followed some kind soul to a bathroom.  We prayed to see something like this:

squatter!! lol

but what we often got was this:

Looks like a cement room, right?  Well, it is. And you can't quite see it in this picture, but in the top left hand corner (which is the floor of the room) there is a small hole for drainage.  And a little bucket of water to wash things clean.  Now, you just TRY and do this without the splatter effect! lol. Enough said.


After the bathroom break we would meet for worship and prayer as a team for a few minutes, then get organized and open the clinic by about 10:30am.  We took a lunch break in shifts around 1pm, then closed intake by 2:30 so we could be done by 3pm.  In that time we saw anywhere from about 280 people to 320!  We worked like a well-oiled machine! :)  Our team and Vijay's guys who were interpreting, setting up and tearing down, worked so hard and everything went so smoothly.  It really was a wonder to see!


Not all of the jobs are medical, as I have mentioned.  Other than the 6 nurses we had 6 on intake, 4 on deworming, 2 runners, 4 in pharmacy, 2 on crowd control, 2 on kids ministry, and the remainder on prayer!  I had the priviledge of doing kids ministry on 3 of the 6 days :)  We colored, painted arms (they didn't want their faces painted- no mirrors!), blew bubbles, played frisbee, relay games, sang songs with actions, and had a ton of fun!

coloring time!

the finished products..notice the black hair in their pictures? :)

bubbles!!

The other three days I worked on intake (which I loved b/c it was a sit-down job!), deworming and as a runner.  It felt so good to be part of this amazing team working so hard to serve the people in the villages!

Our awesome interpreters

more bubble fun!

India- Arrival and Preparation

I am not too sure where to start, so I guess the beginning is as good a place as any! :D

    When I arrived in Vizag, India, I was greeted by Impact Nations founder Christina Stewart and Vijay Chris, leader of Friends Meet ministries, as well as a few members of his team.  They gave me a garland of flowers to welcome me, we loaded into the vehicle and were off to the hotel.  The traffic was the first thing I noticed.  So many vehicles on the road, sometimes 4 across on a 2 lane highway!  It was common to see a bus, a truck, a car and 2 motorbikes spanning the width..everyone seemed to fit and there were no accidents! We also saw multiple people, even whole families on one motorbike, no helmets, babies included!
     We stayed in the Best Western Ramachandra, a 6 week old hotel.  The manager is a friend of Steve and Christina and he insisted our team stay with him.  It was very nice, clean, new, good food, amazing service.  Each one of our team was paired up with a roommate.  I arrived a day early so mine was not there yet.
     The next day everyone else arrived and we met as a full team in the evening.  32 people from 5 nations: Canada, US, Holland, Australia, and UK.  We got really good at tuning our ears to all the different accents!
Our first full day together was on Monday, Jan. 15th.  We met as a team for the entire day for training, teaching, worship and to get to know everyone.  Steve taught on the Kingdom (same as he did in our church for those of you who were there in November).  He taught about healing and authority, discipleship and prayer.  I won't type out my notes here, but if you are interested in more info, let me know!
Tuesday was more teaching from RK Castillo about what causes a Jesus epidemic.  Understanding our purpose and calling, the necessity of signs and wonders.  I was so challenged and encouraged by all of this teaching!
We spent some time on Tuesday sorting meds, toys, coloring books, etc into 6 days worth for the 6 clinics we were doing. 
Tuesday evening Steve and Christina held an impartation service for us, praying for each one as we were preparing to go into the villages the next day for our first medical clinic and healing service.  It was a very special time as we were ministered to and received impartation for healing, words of knowledge and compassion!

Talk to him, tell him about Jesus

" Talk to him.  Tell him about Jesus." 

This is what I was told after handing lunch to a man who lives on the streets in Vizag, India.  We were waiting for a few more meals to be brought over to us, so this was my instruction for while we were waiting. 

My first thought was, " Talk to him about WHAT?!?  Can't you see he is HOMELESS? "  I can't exactly ask him how he is doing or how he's enjoying the weather. I had no words.  So I asked what I should talk to him about.  "Tell him about Jesus" was the reply. 

What was I to say?  "Jesus loves you?" , "He cares for you?", "He died for you?" All I could think was how angry that would make me if I were in his situation.  And so, I am ashamed to say, I looked at the pastor I was with and said, "I don't know what to say." 

Ouch. I am, after all, a Christian, have been so for many years. I KNOW Jesus!  I love Him, and love to tell others about Him.  

  I couldn't see past his situation.  I couldn't see past the hopelessness he was living in in the physical.  But I have learned something.  What was being asked of me was not to speak to his situation, but to speak to his HEART. 

 Jesus didn't come that we may live perfect lives of peaceful harmony.   He didn't come to change our physical situations.  He came to seek and save the lost! (Luke 19:10).  He came to offer us an eternity with Him so that when we are done with this cruel world we have HOPE!!

He came to set the captives free, to renew our minds, to fill us with hope, and to lift our burdens.  He came so that in our times of desperation we have someone to lean on, to find shelter in, and cast our burdens upon.

THAT is what I should have told the man on the street.  To speak to his spirit and give him hope, no matter what situation he may find himself in. To tell him that he has worth, that he has value, in a place where his life screams of worthlessness. Where even other churches in his area cannot understand why we would bother to help him. Many of these people will never even have record of their existence.

 Because the truth is, Jesus DOES love the man on the sidewalk.  He loves him the same as he loves the man in the office, the woman on the bus, the child on the playground. He died for the rich in the mansions, the poor in the shacks, and everyone in between.  He makes no distinction of class or worth- ALL are sinners, ALL have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23).  

An abundant life doesn't mean one filled with the riches of this world.  In Christ, a man on the street can live in more abundance than the rich without Christ.  

So, what would you say to this man?  What would you tell him about Jesus?  What you believe about the King will determine the way you live your life. It will determine what you say.  Who is your Jesus?  

I believe we need to have an answer. We cannot be caught off guard as I was that day. We need to know the heart of the King we serve so that we can give an accurate picture of who He is to those He died to save. 

May we never be at a loss for words.

Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

 Who is the King of glory?

The LORD, strong and mighty;

the LORD, invincible in battle.

 Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

 Who is the King of glory?

The LORD of Heaven’s Armies—

he is the King of glory.

                  Psalm 24:7-10

Making mistakes and learning,

one day at a time,

Darcie.

It is a weird thing, travelling and switching time zones.  i managed eight lovely hours of sleep last night, until nearly 6 this morning!  felt amazing after so many hours of sleepless travel.
At this point there are 9 of us who arrived a day early. We met for breakfast this morning, then left for church at 7:30
  The traffic makes me laugh here.  Stop signs that are apparently a waste of material, no helmets on motorbikes, lines that are also a waste of paint! People just honk for everything.  To warn they are coming, to get into a spot, to move out of another.  It actually seems like magic, how everyone weaves in and out, pedestrians included, and nobody gets hurt!  Not the family of 4 on a motorbike, not the women sitting sidesaddle on the motorbikes, nor the children and babies between parents on motorbikes.  It is probably the most facinating thing i have ever seen!
Anyway, i digress.  We went to church held on the top floor of a little apartment building, a congregation of about 20.  I was surprised to see electric guitar, drums and mics!  This is a group of people passionate to be Jesus for their city.  They work days and nights, feeding the poor each week, putting on concerts, prayer each morning and all are invited to come and work at the office for any time they can.  All available hands pitching in.  Such an amazing picture of the body working in unity!
The service lasted 3 hours, and we were on our way, first to the pastor's home for a visit, then back to the hotel.  Today another 20 people are arriving for our team, and training starts tonight! The anticipation of what God has in store for this week is growing...it's gonna be great!

travel so far

wow...that about sums it up.  independent travel is not difficult (until the exhaustion starts to slow brain cells) but it certainly is quiet and a little lonely.  i am currently in the Mumbai airport awaiting my final flight in a few hours!
I have managed to only make minor mistakes and am thankful for helpful people!  a little creepy that all the helpful ones here carry guns,  but at least they can be trusted to keep me safe!
one of my biggest obstacles so far was how to get out of my seat by the window over the 2 sleeping men in the seats beside me! i contemplated standing on arm rests, but ended up waking one up and stepping over both.  not my most graceful moment, but i had to go!  lol
lots of hot curry even in the airplane food!  the weather was 24C when we landed at 1 am, very humid even in the airport. Everyone speaks english, thankfully, although it is very soft-spoken!  What!?!? either i'm getting old or all this flying is affecting my hearing!
i find it interesting how we tend to label people.  When you think of what someone from India looks like, a very distinct picture likely comes to mind.  it really comes down to, people are people wherever you go!  i'm sure the picture will change when I'm in the village, but for now, it's been a good experience and erased a few stereotypes I previously had.  Looking forward to a good sleep tonight, and the beginning of team training tomorrow!! )
cheers for now,
Darcie.

Ukraine and BEYOND.....to India!!!

Do you ever wonder if there is more to life than what you are currently doing?  Work, school, finances, social life, church, eat, sleep, do it all over again?  The constant feeling of, "there MUST be more than this!" has not left me for some time.  These past few months have been very challenging for me, in that God has been stirring up in me a desire to DO something.  

Last month we had a guest speaker at our church, Steve Stewart from Impact Nations.  He spoke of the difference between believers and disciples.  One believes and will go to heaven, the other believes and brings heaven to earth!  He spoke of praying for the sick and seeing healing take place before your eyes.  He spoke of practical ways to help the poor of the world, not by sending money only, but by going and teaching certain trades, ie sewing, to help them have a start in being able to support themselves.   

Steve spoke of Journey's of Compassion that Impact Nations coordinates.  People from multiple countries meeting in one country to do dental/medical clinics, pray for the sick, feed the hungry, and to tell people about Jesus.  Their next Journey is to take place in January 2012 to India, and I AM GOING!! 

Visakhapatnam, India lies on the Southeast shores of the country.  A city of nearly 2 million people, combined with over 30 nearby villages brings the population closer to 4 million.

Visakhapatnam is home to India's navy, boasting the only natural port on the entire east coast.

A rich, ancient culture.

We will be feeding the railway people, who are born, live and die on the sidewalks.  Our team will be spending time in the village of Vizag, near the city.  We will be putting on medical clinics as well as praying for the sick and telling people of Jesus' love for them!

I anticipate many things on this trip. Joy, pain, tears, love, compassion, healing.  I am excited to see what God will do for the people of Vizag!

Impact Nations is involved in many projects worldwide.  For more information on these as well as the India Journey, please visit:

http://www.impactnations.com/

Please think about this, as I have been since I first heard Steve speak:

If not this, than what?

If not you, than who?

and

If not now, than when?

Listening and obeying, one day at a time,

Darcie.

Show me your faith

What is Faith? Many of us as Christians claim to have it. But what IS it?  What do we do with it, and how does it impact our lives, the way we live day to day?  Or DOES it impact us?

Faith, according to the dictionary, is " believing without proof".  In this sense, most of us have faith.  We belive in God, a creator.  We believe in heaven, Christ raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit.  We believe these are possible, that they exist, even though we do not see them.

How does this kind of faith affect our lives?  We may have hope, trust, expectation.  We may find happiness in knowing there is something to look forward to.  Nice and simple, neat and tidy.

Interestingly enough, this kind of faith is the least spoken of in Scripture.  The faith of the bible, according to the Greek definition, PISTIS, is more than hope.  It  means, "assurance, reliance upon Christ for salvation, the truthfulness of God."  It takes the word faith from the WHAT to the WHO.  From a noun to a verb, from the predicate to the subject. (can you tell what we have been doing in Language Arts in our homeschool? :)

Faith is not simply a noun, but seems to switch into an ACTION- RELIANCE on Christ. James 2:14-26 has this heading: FAITH WITHOUT GOOD DEEDS IS DEAD.  I encourage you to read the passage.  Here are a few highlights:

verse 14 says, " What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions?  Can that kind of faith save anyone?"

verse 17 says, " So you see, faith by itself isn't enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."

verse 19: "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. (dictionary!) Good for you! Even the demons believe this and they tremble in terror."

So then, how does faith, PISTIS faith, affect our lives, taking faith beyond a belief system and into action?  The bible says in Romans 3:28 that, " ..we are made right with God through our faith.." but as we can see, faith by itself isn't enough.  The bible calls it DEAD and USELESS, no better than what demons themselves believe!

How is faith evident in your life?  Some great examples of faith are written in Hebrews chapter 11. 

" It was BY FAITH that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying....BY FAITH Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood...BY FAITH that Abraham obeyed....BY FAITH that even Sarah was able to have a child...Isaac, ...Jacob,.... Joseph, ...Moses, ...Rahab... " the list goes on!

These people made for themselves a reputation of faith.  I guess it was pretty noticeable to be put into the BIBLE!

What do people notice about YOUR life?  What do you do to put your faith into action?  Do you shut the mouths of demons and rise above their simple belief?

There is a choice: To live your life WITH faith, to have hope, expectation, even salvation! OR  To live your life BY faith (Heb.11!)  Day to day, stepping out, trusting the Lord, living, breathing, identifiable FAITH!!

I believe it is time to stand up. To read your bible, BELIEVE what is says, and to put your faith into ACTION.  We are a called people, with a very real job to do.  This will look different for each person, in each circumstance.  But we must act.  Let God say, " Well DONE my good and FAITHFUL servant" !

Working it out, one day at a time,

Darcie.

way too long...an update

Ok, i realize that it has been FOUR MONTHS since i last updated this blog!  Let's see, what's happened since April?

We finished our school year, went for a visit at my parents house for a week in May.  We came home and started packing and moved out into the country in June.  July was directing teen camp and driving to Ontario and back for our holidays. And that brings us to August! WHEW!

Some big changes happening for us.  The most important is that Gabe is now an independent contracting instructor and H2S safety hand!  We officially have our own business, Infinity Safety and Training Services.  It's a bit of a learning curve, figuring out how to do the books, etc. but as this is only our first week, i'm sure we'll learn quickly! 

With September fast approaching, our school books are ordered and on their way, gearing up for a new year, adding our youngest, Jaxon to the mix.  We will be doing Kindergarten, and Grades 2,4 and 5.  It's hard for me to believe our oldest will be 10 in a matter of weeks!  My piano students are all lined up, 11 at the moment, I am hoping for 15 this year.

The final goal for our Fall is to attend Next Level International's Eurosummit in Coventry, England in October.  The summit is a "connecting point, relational event, a sharing of effective ideas and resources so that we can achieve more together than we could separately".  During Eurosummit we will be  "exploring and sharing about transformation taking place in Europe; transformation economically, socially and spiritually.  God is certainly at work in Europe today."(taken from nlieurope.com)

We are excited to be a part of what NLI is doing in Europe!  Our purpose for going is twofold.  One is to take part in the summit, connect with people we have met and worked with over the past few years, and to see what our role may be with them in the future.  The other part of the trip is a 5-day Expo to Crimea, Ukraine, to meet and encourage "some of the most courageous believers on the planet"!  We will be travelling with some NLI staff and friends, meeting church planters in southern Ukraine.  At the end of this expo we are hoping to meet with one particular pastor in Sevestopol.  He and his church are planning to start a Christian school.  They are looking for a native English-speaking couple to come and run/facilitate the program, and have expressed interest in having us come!  We have many questions, as do they, i'm sure.  But we are going to explore the prospect of this job and ministry, to see if this is where God would have us serve!  Please pray for us as we prepare to go!  We believe God has called us to minister in Ukraine, and we are eager to see what He has in store for us on this trip!  Our travel dates are tentatively Oct. 4th-14th.  Please pray for our finances, our kids while we are away, and clear direction from the Lord as we seek to serve Him in Ukraine. 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith"

Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus is our champion, He has already won!  May faith abound in all things that we may spread this truth wherever we go.

One day at a time,

Darcie.

Can't build a house without a hammer

We spend a LOT of our lives waiting.  We spend a lot of our lives wondering WHY we are waiting too!!

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for wind to fly a kite.

 Or waiting around for Friday night

 or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil or a better break

or a string of pearls or a pair of pants

 or a wig with curls or another chance.

 Everyone is just waiting.

~Dr. Seuss

 Have you ever tried to build a house without a hammer?  I know, you are probably thinking, "what does a hammer have to do with waiting?"  Well actually, not much.  :)  But it has a LOT to do with TOOLS.  A builder would not start a house without the proper tools in his belt.  He needs all of the materials, contractors, and tools to take it from a hole in the ground to a finished house on a firm foundation.  I think God works on the same principle.  God will not ask us to GO or DO without first giving us some instruction, tools, and some TEACHING to help us do His will.  He will not put us in a place where we are unprepared or ill-equipped to do the job He requires of us!  And SO.... we WAIT.  We are waiting for a promise, a dream to come true, wondering why it is taking Him so LONG to get us where He said He'd take us?!?!  I have been learning that those moments require me to take my focus off of the "prize" and focus on the process.

The question, is, what are you doing while you wait???

Philippians 1:9-11 (New Living Translation)

9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ[a]—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. (emphasis mine).

Growing in knowledge and understanding requires a desire to learn, and an open, attentive spirit that is constantly wondering, "Lord, what do you want to teach me here?"  To "understand what really matters, so thatt you may live pure and blameless lives....filled with the fruit of your salvation".  And the fruit he is talking about in this verse is your RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER!!  Now, i'm sure if you're like me you have had enough "character building" to last you a lifetime.  Lord, I'm just BURSTING with character, could we move on to the next part please?? 

James 1:4 says, "So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." 

Now THAT is where I want to be.  I have a feeling it won't happen until we hear some pretty major trumpeting and see a white horse coming out of the sky, but...YES. Perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

So for now, I wait.  I watch. I listen. I learn.  I fill my tool belt a little more each day.  Because I KNOW  He has a plan for me!  And i want to be ready to go when the call comes!  :D

Colossians 1:9-11 (New Living Translation)

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy (emphasis mine)

learning to enjoy the process,

one day at a time,

Darcie.

Cancer and Missing Dogs UPDATE!!

 "no matter what, no matter what i do or don't understand, no matter who is being healed and who is still sick, the lyrics are true.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU

and

YOU HOLD MY WORLD IN YOUR HANDS."

I just wanted to give a huge PRAISE update on this topic!  The first, on our lovely puppy, Taffy.  On Saturday we got a call from the SPCA.  They thought it might be our pup that had just been dropped off!  So off we went, trying not to get our hopes up.  When we arrived, THERE SHE WAS!! waiting at the front door!  Somebody had obviously found her and fed, bathed, etc, kept good care of her for 3 WEEKS and then decided NOT to keep someone else's dog?!?!! (slight irritation, if you can tell).  Thank you Lord for bringing our puppy home to us safe and sound! 

I think Missy is happy to have her sister home too! :D



More good news, about my uncle.  His biopsy results came back... and it's NOT CANCER!!!

Praise You Lord for your healing touch, for the care you give, and for the plans that you have!

Thirdly, my friend's surgery went well, she is recovering and staying positive, and is about to start chemo treatments.  Thank you God that you are in all of this.  You have no unknown.

Thank you for your prayers, they are so appreciated, and the Lord is listening!! :)

One day at a time,

Darcie.

My life as a Box Maker

DON'T PUT GOD IN A BOX! 

have you ever heard that before?  Who ME??  Why would anybody ever put GOD in a BOX? is that even POSSIBLE??

oh, but it is. 

i think that we have many boxes.  maybe one for faith?  maybe one for finances?  maybe one for relationships, occupation, or our future?

in our Faith box, we say, "I have THIS much, and it fits in here quite nicely! Thank you Lord, for my faith!"

in our Financial box, we say, "I am so thankful for the Lord's blessings, look how full my box is!" or, "Here is my box Lord, please fill it up."

Our relationship box may contain the perfect description of our future mate, our idea of what marriage will be, or can be like.  "Looks wonderful, thank you Lord!" or, "I would be lucky to get this in the least!"

the Occupation box is full of our ideas and dreams of the perfect job, the best salary, benefits, position and title.  we say, "Lord, you have blessed me so much in my work", or maybe "if I can achieve this in my life, i will KNOW the Lord is blessing me!"

finally, we have our Future box.  This one holds all of our dreams of what our life will be like, how it will happen, our hopes, fears, and the unknown.  "Lord, here is my future box.  Isn't it nice?  Inside is a list of everything i've ever wanted out of life.  Thank you very much for taking the time to read it. But please be careful with it, it is very fragile." 

We like boxes. they are square, stack neatly (for those of you as obsessive about storing things as i am!) They contain just the right amount of things, nothing overflowing, spilling out, making a mess.

WONDERFUL!

There is just one little problem:

i think God is claustrophobic!!

and today, i believe he looks like a stick of dynamite, ready to blow that stuff WIDE open!!

the problem with boxes is that they are in our minds, and we try to decide with our FINITE minds what our INFINITE God may or may not be capable of.  

Challenge yourself this week to identify some boxes,

 then allow God into them!

once He's in, they won't be able to contain Him, and you will be left with...

NO LIMITS!!!!!

And a life FULL of all the fullness of God.

 "And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Eph. 3:18-20

 

 Happy unpacking!

take it one day at a time,

Darcie.

Cancer and missing dogs

what an unfaithful blogger i've been!  not even sure if people notice or not, but oh well!

It's been a rough few weeks here in the Voorhees house.  My uncle was diagnosed with cancer in his liver.  They're doing a biopsy tomorrow and then surgery i imagine? The same day i found out about him, my best friend emailed me with the news that she has breast cancer (at 31) and will be having a double mastectomy (which happened today).  We lost one of our new pups who we believe has been "adopted" by some random person with no conscience....what else?

a LOT of praying going on in this house, i can TELL you! 

did i mention that this is all leading up to 3 weeks of fasting and prayer, and a special "church explosion" weekend we're having??  the enemy is working overtime on me, i think.  there must be some GOOD stuff coming up that he doesn't want to happen!

would you pray for my friend?  Her name is Eleanor.  She's married, has a little baby boy.  She is young, vibrant, beautiful and strong.  I cannot imagine her recovery, treatment and "new normal" that awaits her..but prayer will lift her up!

My uncle is not optimistic with his prognosis, although nobody's told him not to be. Please pray for his spirit, his will to fight.  Pray that the Lord would be made real to him.

I sat down tonight to sing at my piano, and the song "Healer" came to mind.  I COULD NOT SING IT, only cry and play.  It is just too hard for me today. 

These are the words:

You hold my every moment

You calm my raging seas

You walk with me through fire

You heal all my disease

I trust in You

yes i trust in You

I believe you're my healer

I believe You are all i need

I believe you're my portion

I believe you're more than enough for me

Jesus you're all i need

Nothing is impossible for you

You hold my world in your hands

This song is easy to sing when you have a sore back, or are trying to get over a cold.  It is simple to sing when you know that IF anything went wrong, he WOULD be your healer.  But when it's all staring you right in the face??  I ask myself...is Jesus really all i need?  Can i truthfully say that He is my portion?

YES. I . CAN.

Because no matter what, no matter what i do or don't understand, no matter who is being healed and who is still sick, the lyrics are true. 

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU

and

YOU HOLD MY WORLD IN YOUR HANDS.

and i wouldn't have it any other way.