So I recently got back from my first ever mission with Sion Youth! I said to the rest of the team during the weeks mission in De La Salle all boys school that it seemed to me that this was what I've been waiting for. I felt like a bird that after being caged for so long was finally able to stretch its wings and take its first flight, and a great ride it was. It seemed that everything we had been doing in our formation time and everything I'd personally been doing to prepare myself for mission had just come together so well. What's more is that God has been preparing me for this in so many ways as well, and it was just incredible to see his plan for me in action!
I found my time during the initial formation period from August until September to be many things; challenging, educational and inspirational are but a few choice adjectives. But what it did for me personally is so much for the better. I feel like a much more well-rounded, confident human being. Not because of anything specific that I learnt during the formation period, but because of the things God taught me in the classroom of silence, in prayer. It's the basis of our prayer time in Community that I've found to be the most important thing for me. Then to take that out on mission is the best way to be sustained.
I could speak on our first mission and how it went for an age, but my hands would get tired and you would probably stop reading after a while. So I shall try and capture it's essence briefly. Firstly, it went well. God did some incredible things in a number of the young people that we ministered too, including a few of healings, and hopefully the fruits of that will be seen for a long time. We were in Jersey for a total of 3 weeks (although myself and the new team members were there for the final 2 weeks) where the All Girls and the All Boys Schools had week long missions each and sandwiched in between was a week where we ran evening sessions for the Islands confirmation candidates. But what I really want to say is what God taught me through our time there. There were two big things He taught me I believe about my attitude and sentiment when on mission. He taught me that I have to remember who mission is about, and that it's most definitely not about me! But having said that, it is about me. As if I'm not in the right frame of mind then I wont be the face of Jesus to those that I meet and that is what’s really important.
However, we have just under 3 weeks to wait until our next mission which seems like an age. My solution I have decided, is that with the grace of God, to get to work preparing myself to take on what He's taught me and to be able to hit the ground running. But this time with greater purpose and progress. I'll be taking the time to sharpen my mind, body and spirit, ready to make our next mission even better!
I found my time during the initial formation period from August until September to be many things; challenging, educational and inspirational are but a few choice adjectives. But what it did for me personally is so much for the better. I feel like a much more well-rounded, confident human being. Not because of anything specific that I learnt during the formation period, but because of the things God taught me in the classroom of silence, in prayer. It's the basis of our prayer time in Community that I've found to be the most important thing for me. Then to take that out on mission is the best way to be sustained.
I could speak on our first mission and how it went for an age, but my hands would get tired and you would probably stop reading after a while. So I shall try and capture it's essence briefly. Firstly, it went well. God did some incredible things in a number of the young people that we ministered too, including a few of healings, and hopefully the fruits of that will be seen for a long time. We were in Jersey for a total of 3 weeks (although myself and the new team members were there for the final 2 weeks) where the All Girls and the All Boys Schools had week long missions each and sandwiched in between was a week where we ran evening sessions for the Islands confirmation candidates. But what I really want to say is what God taught me through our time there. There were two big things He taught me I believe about my attitude and sentiment when on mission. He taught me that I have to remember who mission is about, and that it's most definitely not about me! But having said that, it is about me. As if I'm not in the right frame of mind then I wont be the face of Jesus to those that I meet and that is what’s really important.
However, we have just under 3 weeks to wait until our next mission which seems like an age. My solution I have decided, is that with the grace of God, to get to work preparing myself to take on what He's taught me and to be able to hit the ground running. But this time with greater purpose and progress. I'll be taking the time to sharpen my mind, body and spirit, ready to make our next mission even better!