Words

Words are such a large part of our lives. We use them to communicate verbally and through writing. They tell stories, instruct us on laws, science, and history. 

We should almost call ourselves experts at word use. However frequently it's our words that will be the very source of miscommunication. 

Of course this can be contributed to many factors. Body language can convey about 60% of our meaning without the use of words. Words can mean slightly different things to different people groups, they may be foreign words, or not our heart words.

Yet we persist in using words. 

Recently I have been reading a bible study focused around the soul. A large part of the study has focused on words we speak and words we allow to affect our thinking.

A child can be made or destroyed through the words we speak to them. 

A war can be started or relationships restored, God even created simply with His Word. We know from John 1 that the word of God is Jesus. 

Creation is literally made through Jesus, so when we read that we are a new creation in Christ, we know it is because Jesus is speaking for and through us.

I am challenged to use words wisely, to encourage and not decieve, to speak life and not discord.

Its also through words that I felt propmted to do more at church. I was thinking in the service how I would like to be involved. Then after the service a friend asked if I would like to be involved in preaching. Now Im no great preacher and I don't feel like I am any great expositer of The Word, but hearing the words after propmting its hard to ignore Christ when he leads. 

Often we worry about "am I doing the right thing? What does God want me to do?"

I say live for Christ and speak His Loving word, He will guide you with the rest.

Sandcastles

We build our castles in the sand.
When the tide comes in and washes it away,
we can be sad but say, it was a wave, what could I do?

We build our castles in the sand.
Its easy to make and fun to do,
yet it won't resist much pressure or stand the test of time.

We build our castles in the sand.
We look at other castles and compare,
how great theirs are, mine is bare.

Our castles are built from sand,
Then we have an excuse when they're labeled damned.
When next to glory we stand, our castles crumble.
We want to be worthy, but need to be humble.

We've been given tools for building a castle.
But ignore the hand offered to us still.
With faith, hope and love we build a foundation
Strong and delivered, free from sin.
Bound in unity by a love supreme
The Kingdom stands in peace, serene.

Let this love be joy abounding,
And flow out to all those surrounding.
Take time, be still, see all the same.
We are only saved by His name.

No more castles need be built of sand.
Let your Heavenly Father take comand.

my first week

My First Week... And the last 6.

 
 

Here are some pictures from my time on orientation and standardisation. I started two weeks of orientation with Swiss, New Zealanders, Aussies, Northern Irish and Indians. It was a thorough run down of MAF, our expectations, what to expect and all sorts. We enjoyed our last night together with an immensely fun culture night.

The top two pictures are from my flight standardisation course which I did straight after orientation. It ran for 4 weeks and I had two Swiss guys and a Canadian lady in my class.
I enjoyed the challenges, mental and technical of standardisation. There are aspects of our personalities that don't necessarily help us in difficult situations and a big part of our training is discovering how we react and how we make decisions. This enables us to know how to make safe decisions and what traits we should watch out for or even potentially have to ignore. The challenge of flying is thus a personal one also, challenging your very core beliefs when they may not be correctly aligned.

After my first week in Arnhem land Im still processing. Everything is new, is different, isn't what you're used to and requires extra energy.

My first night here I was able to join some MAF men for a fellowship night around a bonfire. Halfway through the night a Yolgnu lady came into the backyard and sat at the fire with the group of "ballanda" (foreigners). This is very unusual, women wouldn't usually go and sit with men, especially not foreigners and when they were having a meeting. We knew something was up and it seemed that there was some violence at home that she had fled. Some of the wives were able to come over and talk to her after the men had figured out what was going on but it was evident there was spiritual stirings happening. She said angels had led her to the fire and she felt safe there.

On friday I was given the work bus to drive and pick up the other pilots, my hosts children had been unwell all night and he had to stay home to look after the children. As I drove along the highway a buffalo came out into the middle of the road to relieve himself. After a bit of a stare down he eventually dissapeared but it gave us all an amusing story for the day.

On Sunday my Italian/Finnish host family took me to another families home for lunch. The couple (now with three lovely daughters) had both grown up in Nepal and he was now working in the hospital in Nhulhunbuy. They also happened to have attended the same church I had in Melbourne, so I felt very much at home!

Today the first week came to an end and I had my first observation flight!
We flew to Lake Evella (Gupwyiak) to pick up some rangers who were doing some training in Wundawuy, so we took them there and went back to Gove. We then carried a teacher who had some business in a homeland. We carried him out there and while we waited for him Matt and I were invited down to the beach where we met some men who were in town for a family members funeral. Some had just been fishing and speared a rather large one!
On the way back we flew along the coast at 1000 feet and I saw several Manta Rays swimming in the shallows. Needless to say it was an exciting first day and amazing to have wonderful views and meet some very friendly fellas!

Support Raising

A response.

I'm torn, between a wave of enthusiasm to undertake this long envisaged passion, 

and the torrential fear of the unknown. 

Excitement bubbles, yet this awareness of a new reality, taking on a duty of responsibility, seems to instill a spine tingling silence at the precipice. 

An individual steps forward from the line, bold but hesitant.

Hopeful, yet completely surrendered of control.
Isolation seems present, will I have to stand alone?
My Humanity is not greater than God's Holiness.
My sin seems to engulf me.
Jesus knelt at his disciples' feet, and washed them.
He prayed for all the saints, isn't His Grace Enough!

I can feel despondent and daunted.

Yet God is still true.

My feelings come and go unwarranted.

Yet God is still true.

Time Consumes.
Our most precious resource we squander.
On His Holiness I must ponder.
His Love Prevails,
His Work Unveils.
His grace and kindness is not unkown,
HIS joy has my heart won.

Thoughts on the process:

Some days it feels very lonely and like you have to generate the support completely by yourself. 

I know people are backing me and praying for me. Should I not also be backing them so whole-heartedly?

But also this is my job and they have theirs and their lives. We're all busy.

I hate talking about support raising with people when it comes to percentages. It feels so impersonal, business like and avoiding the truth of what people's giving is for. Rather support raising is about enabling the absolutely amazing work I believe in. It feels as if people are just "targets" and the money is just an amount that people might feel burdened by. However it's really like a hug, or helping a friend move. It's an act of kindness and love that enables gospel movement and relational love.

Support Raising is an immensely humbling experience. It has bursts of sheer joy and excitement, then stretches of quiet waiting, almost boredom and re-running every single plan and possible sequence of events out in your head till you wonder why you weren't a military general or tactician! It runs between weeks of sheer exhausting visiting and work, and weeks of near isolated helplessness.
Often I didn't even bother telling people of the latest developments as I knew they would probably change by next week.

So far I feel like I've really grown in many ways, but also been exposed in so many others. However one thing has taken precedence. They are no longer "weaknesses" to be ashamed of. No one's perfect. It is simply things I can work on, and pray that God will give me grace to be stronger in those weaknesses and that he will give me humility when I am wrong or unloving.

Am I excited? Yes, this is what I've wanted for 10 years. The challenge of learning to adapt to a new completely different culture and working full time to help people in the most remote areas, through aviation. Am I nervous? Yes. When I think of "pilots" I don't really think of myself. I think of the sharp, intelligent looking Airline Pilots walking around large airports. I think of Top Gun or some of my friends who I studied with who just seem to be born to it. I love aeroplanes, I love what they can do, the thrill of flying and landing. But I don't think of myself as a pilot, rather someone in a chain or a part of a body competing in a race.

Support raising is the first half of building the chain, or the warm up before the race. Soon I will be full sprint in the race, but eventually I will cross the line and then the body needs rest and refreshment.

In the last month of my time in the UK my progress was stalling between 85-95%. It seemingly took an eternity to get that 10% and then appeared to not want to budge higher. However in my last week God showed clearly His soveriegnty and control. I passed 100% support one week before I was due to leave for Australia, and on Friday, 4 days before I was to leave, my working visa came through also.
I visibly remember at the start of the week thinking, that's it, I've done all I can. I can't do anymore. Which was completely true, but God could!
He has absolutely blown me away with the provision of being able to leave the UK with 100% financial support and a working visa. He also gave me great joy in knowing His faithfulness and kindness.

BCDO

Big Church Day Out

 Where's wally? Can you spot me in the crowd at the Rend Collective gig?

Worshiping with thousands of Christians from many nations really touched me.

 The MAF flight simulator trailer, info truck and Cessna 150 display.

Jonny and I listening to Steph Mcleod sing and share at the MAF stand. 

I had a wonderful time sharing with many potential pilots and engineers the work of MAF and encouraging them to pray about serving God in this capacity. I remember being at an event when I was 11 in Northern Ireland and having a go on an MAF simulator and just being so excited!
Seeing many children at this event with the same enthusiasm was so great, hoping that like me maybe one or two of those kids would be inspired to serve God in this way, but that all of them would know the love of Jesus and want to share it!

Yo Maan ta Mero, Nepali ho!

Nepal.

Life goes on in our cosy bubble.

While you desperately search the rubble.

I've never know a deeper heartache.

I pray to God for your sake.

The trees, mountains and flowers still stand,

But quietened now by a funeral band.

The smells, sights and sounds have all now changed,

It would be so foreign, disconnected and strange.

I walk the streets in my childhood minds eye,

I don't see the pain, I don't hear the cry.

The love the joy and heart of the people,

buried under a temples steeple.

Keep digging, keep living dear Nepali's

Stay strong work on please, Please!

You have my heart, prayer and love,

But place your trust in Our God Above!

The Shock.

So far there are over 9500 confirmed deaths following the earthquake in Nepal, with at least double that injured. UN estimates 8 Million people affected with 1.5 Milion left homeless and needing urgent access to food and water.

 The death toll will surely rise as most of the rural areas have just begun to receive aid today. These villages near the earthquakes epicenter are traditional Nepali villages similar to what I grew up in. 200-500 people, living in mud built houses on the side of mountain sides prone to landslides. 

http://nepalitimes.com/article/nation/langtang-destroyed-in-earthquake,2205#.VUAsn37iSJk.facebook

Nepal is just coming into the Monsoon and heavy rains have already hit the country triggering landslides, slowing down aid from moving and restricting the helicopters flying aid out.

Most people in Kathmandu have been sleeping outside for fear of the aftershocks which continued 3 days after the first earthquake. The structural integrity of buildings is severely suspect.
Its not uncommon to have 16 hours + power cuts a day in Nepal, with bad  water supply and intermittent internet.

Memories

I remember living in Kathmandu for 6 years expecting a massive earthquake at any time. Nepal has had a large earthquake roughly every 70 years, this was 81 years after the last one. We had an earthquake alarm meter, which went off after the 2003 boxing day tsunami, and a "go box" of survival supplies. 

I can empathise with High school students trying to study for exams amidst this destruction. When I was 16 we had 30 days off curfew in Kathmandu that ended 3 days before my first IGCSE exam. 

I knew this was coming, but I can't believe it. I can't imagine being there in it, the sense of not knowing. Having to rebuild, not from scratch because the ruined buildings have to be cleared first, a city and a country. 

I've always said my blood might be from Northern Ireland, but my Heart is Nepali!

A response

I wish I could fly in and be there to help. However I would be another mouth to feed, and somebody shortening the already lacking water supplies.

But now more so than ever, the people need leaders. 

The Nepali's are scrambling through ruined buildings with nothing but their hands.

The world has responded. Aid has started getting in, then getting stuck at the airport.

Here is a good video blog of the situation:

https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/nepal-earthquake-relief-fund--6

Please consider giving, there are plenty of NGO'S and aid agencies helping there.

 The world keeps spinning, Nepal has already been replaced on the headlines by the sad events elsewhere. The people of Philipines are still rebuilding after the cyclone a year ago. Lives affected and torn apart, but forgotten amongst the ever consuming media world.

Please while Nepal is still "current news" do something, make it visible, and when its gone from the news, continue to pray.

Praise.

God is in control, somedays you wonder why? How? But He Is.

This quake struck on a Saturday when most people were not in their homes. The reality is probably 70% of buildings in Kathmandu still stand, considering the soft earth they're built on, how packed it is and the terrible building standards, it is a miracle.

MAF have sent two people in to Nepal to see if they can be of use, it was two MAF pilots in Kathmandu when I was 14 that gave me the desire to join MAF and helped me see a call from God.  Maybe this will lead to MAF finally being able to set up in Nepal?

But most of all I pray that people will be open hearted, that the pain will not cause hard heartedness. That in their need, YHWH's Love and endless Kindness will shine through, and His Kingdom will be spread throughout and people will lean on Him!

Easter Reflections- 2015

Imagine everyone in the world contracted a deadly virus. It was incurable and would affect every further generation from birth. 

A man was born who didn't have this virus. He was immune to it, and it turns out that His blood was the only cure for the virus.

His blood couldn't be transfused with other chemicals or diluted through any process. It had to be directly injected into your veins. 

How would our world go about choosing who would be treated for this virus?

Who would get this treatment? Surely it would be so precious and coveted that its value would be exorbitant. 

Presumably we would treat world leaders and the rich who could afford it first. 

But would there be enough blood for everyone to be cured? 

What if this man decided he did not want to donate his blood, would we imprison him and force it out of him in regular measured doses? 

Imagine we took this man and executed Him. Mocking His death, and wantonly splashed his blood about through floggings. 

It would seem unimaginable that we could be so naive and that we would allow this one chance to escape us. Rather than treasuring the cure we revile against it. 

 This is what has been challenging me since Easter this year. I need a blood transfusion. Jesus' is the only blood that will do. And there is enough of it to cover or cure every single person in the world. He even gave it willingly in the most excruciating execution. 

However He also was not done there. His Father raised Him to Life! So His Living blood gives life!
That blood which was in Him flows in our veins.