Three weeks on the road... Week THREE: Pass it on Tour: Running to Stanthorpe!

Third and final week on the road... By this time we're all feeling pretty drained of our energy juices, but alas, we weren't giving up yet!

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On Sunday we went to churches and told them about our plans for the week.  We split off into our separate outreach teams for the week for service projects.  Sunday night, all of the teams except for my team Japan went to a different town many kilometres away so that they could run into the country town of Stanthorpe on Monday to symbolically and physically reclaim the land for Christ.  My team stayed back on Monday to set up the large tent in a park where all of our main events would be happening through the week.  My team Japan got assigned to help out at a local golf course.  It was such a privilege helping this man who ran the whole course on his own!  We helped him pull weeds from the bunkers (sand pits), did some gardening, moved sticks from around the course, etc.  In the middle of the week we took a break from that and went to a nursing home to do some heavy duty gardening.  The residents were patients suffering from dementia and other mental illnesses.  We weren't able to go talk with them, but they would go to their windows and simply watch us and smile.  It was nice to know that we didn't even have to say anything and we made their days better!  

Below is a picture of team Japan when we gardened for them :)

In the afternoons we had children's programs at the tent where we would make animal balloons, have a massive blown up soccer field, draw pictures, make braceletes, etc, all while connecting with the local youth.  It was a simple way to share the love of Jesus with them and build lasting relationships.
In the evenings, a speaker from around the town came and spoke to the community on the Father Heart of God, as well as what God has for the town specifically.  We had worship as well.  I was able to really connect with many of the locals and make lasting friendships!  On Friday we had a youth night, and Saturday was a barbecue and then a group from the Island Breeze came and performed for us world dances as well as a fire dance to top off the night.  Their show attracts such a crowd, for what would usually cost an audience a lot of money to see was free, and at the same time proclaiming the name of Jesus! There is such power in that, and I trust that God moves mountains through what they do.

It was definitely a very stretching week as we had been going on the road for several weeks without beds, normal shower privileges, or any real restful days.  But God showed me SO MUCH about myself, our group, and how to continue to encourage each other and work together when we're all drained physically and emotionally!  It's trips like this when we're stretched that we come to realize just how much more we have in us than we realize, just how to deal with ourselves when things aren't going just right, and how to rely on God to find rest and strength in Him.