I got involved in two events last weekend. Both gave me the opportunity to live out the Year of Faith's new evangelization theme which was great. I also got to do things I had never done before and to stretch myself. Always a good thing.
The first was to be part of the intercessory prayer team of the Archdiocesan Youth Day 2012. Thanks Amilia for saying yes, then roping the rest of us W2W Ministry women in so enthusiastically. The second was to help out with the Church of Saint Teresa's kid's camp.
So instead of our usual meeting on Friday evening, we gathered in the chapel of the Catholic Junior College and led the prayer teams in a time of prayer before the youth rally. We also prayed for the youth of each individual parish. And later in the evening, we led intercessory prayer during the time the prayer teams would be praying with individual youth at the rally itself.
Then on Saturday morning, at MacRitchie Reservoir, I read the story of Zacchaeus out loud to four groups of children aged between 5-12, as part of the morning's activities.
In the evening it was back to CJC for one more night of intercessory prayer.
Finally I was back at the kid's camp the whole of Sunday to help out as a mentor. It has been an exhausting weekend and I got burnt to a crisp, but it has also been an exhilarating couple of days.
I was humbled and awed by the depth of love and faithfulness I encountered in others. His Spirit is alive and touches me in an unmistakeable fashion; just as I had read to the kids, Jesus is like love, you cannot hear, smell or touch Him, but you know He is there.
More specifically, I was extremely glad to be able to enjoy of the gifts of my W2W sisters first-hand and I am proud to be associated with such God-fearing women. It encourages me that these are the women God has placed in my life to help me journey on the narrow path.
I was also deeply moved by the faith of the young adults who made up the prayer teams at the youth rally for I was nothing like them when I was their age. Young and so in love with God. What a blessing.
Finally I am heartened by the many good men and women, young and old, who pitched in to make the camp a safe and enjoyable experience for the children. I am sure the young campers encountered Jesus as much as I did in the people who served them by feeding them, entertaining them, affirming them, and teaching them by just loving them.
Denise and James, you are both my heroes, I want to be just like you when I grow up. I admire your boundless energy, patience and good humour; your availability to all and sundry; and most of all, your graciousness. You both reflect God's love in everything you do and are powerful testaments to Him. Thank you for inviting me to be part of the "camp" experience.
My learning lesson from this weekend is to step out of my comfort zone and go where I do not want to willingly go (I really wanted to attend the Charles Whitehead talk last Friday). Like love, which isn't love until you give it away, faith is equally potent only when you give it away, not just for the receiver, but it is a blessing that rebounds on you as well.
Of course, the success of the rally and the camp would not have been possible without loads of pre-event prayer, a heart for genuine service and the capacity to love that is fuelled supernaturally.
So my mantra for the remaining 12 months of the Year of Faith is simple: Pray Serve Love.
The first was to be part of the intercessory prayer team of the Archdiocesan Youth Day 2012. Thanks Amilia for saying yes, then roping the rest of us W2W Ministry women in so enthusiastically. The second was to help out with the Church of Saint Teresa's kid's camp.
So instead of our usual meeting on Friday evening, we gathered in the chapel of the Catholic Junior College and led the prayer teams in a time of prayer before the youth rally. We also prayed for the youth of each individual parish. And later in the evening, we led intercessory prayer during the time the prayer teams would be praying with individual youth at the rally itself.Then on Saturday morning, at MacRitchie Reservoir, I read the story of Zacchaeus out loud to four groups of children aged between 5-12, as part of the morning's activities.
In the evening it was back to CJC for one more night of intercessory prayer.
Finally I was back at the kid's camp the whole of Sunday to help out as a mentor. It has been an exhausting weekend and I got burnt to a crisp, but it has also been an exhilarating couple of days.
I was humbled and awed by the depth of love and faithfulness I encountered in others. His Spirit is alive and touches me in an unmistakeable fashion; just as I had read to the kids, Jesus is like love, you cannot hear, smell or touch Him, but you know He is there.
More specifically, I was extremely glad to be able to enjoy of the gifts of my W2W sisters first-hand and I am proud to be associated with such God-fearing women. It encourages me that these are the women God has placed in my life to help me journey on the narrow path.
I was also deeply moved by the faith of the young adults who made up the prayer teams at the youth rally for I was nothing like them when I was their age. Young and so in love with God. What a blessing.
Finally I am heartened by the many good men and women, young and old, who pitched in to make the camp a safe and enjoyable experience for the children. I am sure the young campers encountered Jesus as much as I did in the people who served them by feeding them, entertaining them, affirming them, and teaching them by just loving them.
Denise and James, you are both my heroes, I want to be just like you when I grow up. I admire your boundless energy, patience and good humour; your availability to all and sundry; and most of all, your graciousness. You both reflect God's love in everything you do and are powerful testaments to Him. Thank you for inviting me to be part of the "camp" experience.
My learning lesson from this weekend is to step out of my comfort zone and go where I do not want to willingly go (I really wanted to attend the Charles Whitehead talk last Friday). Like love, which isn't love until you give it away, faith is equally potent only when you give it away, not just for the receiver, but it is a blessing that rebounds on you as well.
Of course, the success of the rally and the camp would not have been possible without loads of pre-event prayer, a heart for genuine service and the capacity to love that is fuelled supernaturally.
So my mantra for the remaining 12 months of the Year of Faith is simple: Pray Serve Love.
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