61,000 Donkeys

Wow I think I’ve just about come to terms with what went one... it was an exceedingly strange time. I went there thinking “why am I here” (something I often ask myself). I was not especially looking forward to it, it would be a lot of looking back and lots of people saying how amazing their time on relay was. Well I was right but I enjoyed it none the less.
Relay II was very practical, we had to do both an OT minor prophet bible study and a Evangelistic talk, both useful skills. So what did I learn.
· Joel- This is a scary book! Lots of locusts, armies or armies of locusts. Interestingly we have little to no info on Joel and who and when he wrote. Instead of looking for plagues or invasions in Israel’s history it means we should look ahead to what it tells us about God’s Judgement. First we see immediate judgment which is the removing of the blessing God gave his people in Israel, then later there is the Day of the Lord which is the final day of Judgement of the earth. It not nice, God here is the Holy Holy Holy one who will enter into Judgement against all, his Judgment will be thougher and complete no one will stand against it. However there is hope, if people will truly repent then God will forgive and bring back his blessing and give them shelter from his wrath.
· Mission, I do wonder to what extent relay is a reciting centre for IFES and OMF... Again John Williams (UCCF mission guy) spoke on mission without boarders. Very encouraging, basically Jesus sent his spirit out to the world and salvation was made available to all at Jesus’ death. So when people go to mission, Jesus is already there waiting for you. The context was people going out to the world but how true is this for all? When we move when we start new jobs etc Jesus is already there waiting for us.
· There’s nearly always another way to do something. We had a karaoke night, our team hadn’t practiced or got costumes so basically we would be awful. Now I can’t sing but I can think outside the box. So our team performed Alaniss Morrisette’s “Ironic” in interpretive dance. We have the music start... then stop, then Kath let loose on her bongo’s with intermittent performing of the lines from the song. All rather “out there” I don’t think they we ready for it. Special mentions to Sam who climbed up a pillar, Dan for his dry dry parched dry repetition of the line “ironic”. Not so special mention to Hoop’s who decide to tip a jug of water over me.... I said a cup Dave!!! We came 3rd overall... a decidedly good result for something that would either be amazing or stupid and was I suppose both.
· I am an Introvert. After a week of no “me” time I got back home. I just wanted to sleep and sit in my dark room with Tracy Chapman on softly in the background. Actually my housemates had guests for dinner, I had just walked in the door when they all arrived.... I was very good and didn’t scream “leave me alone !!” I made excuses and went to my room for solitude and refreshment and time to ponder over relay II.
· I also learnt what God is doing in my life. We had a “lets reflect time” so I reflected looking back at a letter I wrote on relay 1. BOY did I have a lot of issues... and still do. It was odd I knew God was doing stuff but I couldn’t see what. With help from Kath to reassure that things weren’t as stupid as I thought I went to the next talk. On Luke and being ready for the Lord. There were three points, two were we should have 1) Love for God’s people 2) desire for God’s glory. And yeah this is what my relay year has been about, learning to love my silly, random and much much love worthy students. And getting frustrated because the CU’s aren’t what they could be, God could do soooo much more and be soo at work.

Relay II, was not a waste of time as I thought. I actually enjoyed it despite the lack of sleep privacy and a hideous cold! :)

posted by Jonny:) @ 1:54 PM