Trouble sleeping?

Three things we cannot get back...

2007-06-16T03:33:00.000-07:00

A word, once it has be said
An opportunity, once it has been missed
Time, once it has pasted

Don't miss out. Take today in your hands and go for it. Live for Him today, Him who lived to die for you... He loves you...

(the top part was not from my thinking... i wish i could say it was, but it was from a powerpoint pressentation a friend sent to me and it got me thinking... i hope it does you too)

Take care
Alex

Check it out...

2007-06-14T13:59:00.001-07:00

You have to check this site out:

http://spokemantour.com/default.asp?id=10

If you want to find out why this site, before you go to this site... check this out:

http://egyptianmonson.blogspot.com/

Oh boy what a day!!

2007-06-14T13:19:00.000-07:00

Oh boy what a day... Oh boy what a week...
I have been sat at my computer for a very long time entering data, moving data checking that the data i have is correct, gathering it into one spreadsheet... and then yesterday i tried to put it into alphabetical order. However, what i didn't realise was that when i hit the alphabetical ordering button, certain bits of info that were in groups, but did not have the group name in the same row went to the bottom while the group column was ordered alphabetically... OH BOY...
thankfully i was able to recover my mistake, a mistake that would have taken me another day to fix... (the undo button didn't do the trick however, i tried that and then got really scared about the consequences)... but yeah i managed, with some calming helping from the person i was working with, get it back in the right order...
however, today we were going to send out emails to people, and there was so much trouble with the internet and the phone lines... then there was a problem with the size of what we were going to send...
i thought good i get to play some football tonight, hopefully i will be able to enjoy it... but no... i think i played the most rubbish game i had played in a very very long time... everything i did was wrong...
OH BOY WHAT A DAY...
...
Alex

His Timing... can it be beaten?? NO...

2007-06-05T03:09:00.000-07:00

No, it can't. Its carzy... He is never late, and always on time... even when you don't know He is coming to visit you in some way... He is still on time...

I may have told some of you, but then again i may not have...

During a sunday evening event a few weeks ago now, this girl came up to me and said that they felt she had something to share with me. She said that she felt God was saying that He wanted me to know that anywhere i go i will be a blessing.
This took me by suprise, but also as a really nice encouragement.

About a week or two later, we were at church and we were praying out a family. For some reason and i can't place my finger exactly on it, but i was feeling really frustrated and annoyed. I think that it might be because as we were praying-out the family i just felt really lonely, or at least that is the closest feeling that i can relate the feeling i had too.

After the service the same girl came up to me and said that since the evening event she had been praying for me and that today as we were all praying she felt God saying that He wanted me to know that i was a blessing and that He loved me. She also had Ps 23 for me.

Wow... at first i didn't want to put this up because i felt like i was relying too much on my blog, and also now i am not putting up so that you know i am a blessing wherever i go or that God loves me... NO.
Through this example from my life i just wanted to encourage you in that God is there with us all the time. He knows what we need and He gives us what we need, at the exact time that we need it. He loves each and everyone of you... and i, i am lookig forward to seeing you all at some point soon...

Take care
Alex

2007-05-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Who are you?... No, i mean the real you... do you know?

Youth work...

2007-05-30T02:18:00.001-07:00

What an incredible way to live... To live to affect the lives of youth. Personally i think its great, but then after this year i would wouldn't i...
On tuesday we had a day event with the local kids. Four of them turned up, which in some cases i think a small group if better... and in this case it was better. I think that it was easier for us to connect and for them to have our attention all the time. We took them to the beach to play volleyball have a bbq and then do some climbing and absailing...
It was great... the smallest guy managed to complete the hard climb that we had set up... i think that he was really pleased with himself, and we, well we were ecstatic about it.

Apart from tuesday, i help in the setting up of a youth group in a place called Camarthern every friday. Since i have been here i have helped out in numerous camps and youth events, and most of it i have enjoyed... there have been the times where i think, oh dear here we go again. However, last friday, when i was feeling like that, i prayed for energy and enthusiasm, and well by the end of it, the person that i help set up the youth group had noticed that i was getting more stuck in that week and asked why... so i told him, 'I Prayed'... there is some more proof to you that prayer works...

This weekend we have another youth event, well a camp, please pray that our leader will be able to come on saturday morning, so that i can go with him... the thing is, because we are setting up the youth group on friday nights, we can't go to the camp out that night... and then on saturday the camp is on the beach... but i need a way to get there and our leader is the only straight forward way... so please pray that he has the car...
Thanks
Alex

This year..

2007-05-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

I commented about something today about my gap year, and a friend said to me, it seems as though you haven't really enjoyed this year really...

I would like to say sorry if that is what i have been putting across through my blog... I have enjoyed this year... sure it has been a bit frustrating and not all easy, but i wouldn't change it... I think that in every situation there is something that we can learn... unfortunately sometimes we need to go through the lesson several times before we actually understand it...

But yeah, thank you so much for your prayers.
I have enjoyed this year and i hope that the rest of it will be a great experience as well... Please forgive me if i sometimes over exagerate (without realising sometimes... obviously some exageration can be used to the benefit of telling a story... but i hope that i haven't exagerated anything to make you think that i have not enjoyed this year...)

Ta
Alex

Aim or drift? Or is it Aim to drift?

2007-05-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

What do you do? Do you drift through life and take things as they come? Or do you aim for something and take things as they come?

What's the difference?
In so many movies one of the ideas that they insert into our lives during that 2 hr slot that they have us held there, is that 'By Aiming for something, we can be disappointed when it fails'

But i want to stand against this thought pattern and say, hold your horses, if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time... Now i didn't come up with this, i wish i had, but i didn't. The person who did is someone i respect a lot.

Why aim at something when you can be disappointed? You are right, you can be disappointed, but at the end of time, when you are standing infront of the KING or Kings and the LORD of Lords and He says to you, i gave you talents, what did you do with them... then what will you say? oh sorry i thought that i wold be disappointed to i stuffed them under my chair and sat on them till now so that i wouldn't be disappointed... ... ... ... ...oh boy...

Stand and Aim. As i have started off by talking about movies, or at least what some say let me end with what one movie says... 'Why do we fall Bruce? To learn to pick ourselves up."
You will be disappointed, it is no secret... but through the disappointment/struggle, you will learn, you will grow... and through that, well there we go...
Alex

Brasilian

2007-05-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

There is a Brasilian team here at the moment learning english, although they all speak it really well. There is two guys here who i get along with well and they love football, obviously. They got invited to go and play with the men of a church and they invited me as well. It was just what i needed. It was so cool. Actually they had the heat up (inddors) so high that it was worse when i was sitting down than when i was running around, or maybe i just didn't notice it as much...

But it is so good to have some single guys here now. The majority of the people here are females, which is fine, but i have found it a bit frustrating, to just not have another guy here really. Someone that i get on with really well. And God provided two, two Brasilians. Amazing really.
At one point it was getting to me quiet a bit. I would ask my friends if they wanted to hang out and go grab a drink in the evening and they would agree, which was great. But the one thing i didn't really think about until one of the guys that i live with, pointed it out, was that all my friends were female. I invited him out, and he asked who was going, so i rattled off a few names and realised that they were all females, and he just started to laugh and said, 'Alex, how do you do it? Every time, just females. How do you do it?' That really frustrated me and so i didn't organise anything really, after that. I thought that he had a point and so i just kinda gave up... unfortunately Erika and I were talking about a week ago and realised that since the time i refused to organise anything social, we hadn't really hung out properly...
But now God has brought two Brasilian guys, who are single and enjoy my company and i theres.... it is a little more even now...

Alex

Winging it...

2007-05-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

That's how it feels a lot of the time, that i am just Winging It here. I feel as though i don't really have a qualfication that will allow me to do specific work here, and so i am really looking forward to going to Uni and gaining knowledge in coaching and general sports info...

However, God is good always and in the past three days we have had a great opportunity to travel down to two youth groups, this is the Youth Team. We were invited to do promotions. They both went really well and i really, really enjoyed them. The second one we did was more of a get-to-know-you-before-the-main-event in a couple of weeks. I think that the kids really warmed up to us. They have seen us and know who we are and so when they come down to where we are and we ask them to climb a wall or get in a kayak, they can trust us a bit more. There was this one kid there who learns arabic every sautrday and has travelled to Egypt about three times for holiday purposes. His dad is Sudanese. Some of the youth helpers there didn't know that, but he came up to me and told me right after i had shared a little about my life and my time here this year.
I realy enjoyed be able to talk to the kids and tell them a bit about myself and what i have learnt about prayer.

Praise the Lord guys, He is so good. Every week i travel for about an hour or so with my team leader who is such a source of knowledge, that i can just ask him anything, and he will have a good thought about it, and will be able to explain it, and just talk about it with me. Thank you God for his experiences... It is sooo cool, and refreshing, just to have someone to ask things to, someone who is here and i can hold a face to face conversation with. Thank you Father...

Alex

Taking hold of the power given...

2007-05-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Today at church someone had a picture of ravenous wolves, with extra large teeth (out of proportion). They were in a pack, but then this person was walking up to them calmly, and although they didn't want to (the wolves) the parted. Not only did they part, but they bowed before this person, all the while they were growling and nashing their teeth. This person who was walking through, the lady said, that they were just pure holiness.
She then went to give an explanation which i can't recall, but the reason i am writing this is because this picture spoke to me in a different way to what she explained. I had been praying, during church just before, that God would give me the courage to take hold of the power that He has given us through the Spirit.

John 14:11-13:
11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.

And well, i saw the wolves as demons trying to hold us back, or hold me back from taking hold of that power. And the person walking, i was thinking that is someone who has taken hold of the power, and what great things he can do in the power given to all those who believe in Him.
There is still but hope for me, to take hold of this power...
Alex

For all the CARTOON lovers out there

2007-05-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

Mike Wazowski

Alien from Space Jam

Could be one of them...

2007-05-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know what my passion is... i was just interested to see if others knew what their passion is... thanks

As this academic year is coming to an end i have felt that i should be praying that i finish strong. That i get everything that God wants me to get out of this year. I don't want to leave until i have it all.

I want to Finish Strong...

Alex

2007-05-08T03:36:00.001-07:00

What is your passion?

France…

2007-04-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

To put it simply, it was an amazing trip. However, it would have been even better if there had been more males. Out of the twelve that went to France, there was only two males and one of them (not being me) was married…
Anyway, the fact that I was the only single guy there did not make it an amazing trip…
Lille was an absolutely beautiful city. I thought that it was amazing as soon as I laid eyes on it.
However, what really made this trip a really great time, was the fact that I was out of my normal surroundings and therefore subconsciously, I think, was in a way more open to God’s peace and word. Some of my thoughts were put into place. Words were put to my thoughts in a way that I couldn’t have done. Certain things that need to be thought about a bit more, and other things that just need to be put down for the time being…

...

2007-04-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Please pray for me, i find it hard to know how to act around some people. please pray that God will help me and give me the wisdom on how to be a witness for Him and not screw it up every five seconds. To think about Him more than just in the mornings and maybe sometimes in the evenings. But to be totally devoted to serving Him, who died for ME and loves ME with this unconditional love that we as a human race will never be able to understand while on earth, as we are too simple.
How increadible. I am too simple to understand the person/thing/GOD that loves me the most. i mean what a thought...

But yeah please pray for me because i am very capable of screwing things up big time, esp friendships

Thank you for your prayers...
Take care
Alex

Old love...

2007-04-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

Sup...
today i was talking, well more like listening, to this couple who will have been married for 60 years on thrusday. one of my room mates asked them, 'so how do you get 60 years of marriage?'
The man answered 'four words two at the beginning and then two for the rest of the time; 'i will' and 'yes dear''
What an answer... they both then went on to say there has to be loyalty and trust, and also humour. that is what they said in about 1 minute, and then they left, but i mean there is a lot more to keep it going, but that is what they said and i know that, that was jsut scratchin the surface...

Someone, and they know who they are, always used to say that they loved to see old people in love. I would always think, never out loud, that it was just not too attractive to me. But today after spending a bit of time with this couple, i can see the beauty in old love. There was something special about them, they still had the spark between them. It is something that i think you cannot, or at least i cannot put it into words. There are only a few things in this world that you cannot put into words. This is one of them, the love, the connection, the something between two people who are truelly in love, and i don't mean lovy dovy stuff, but the really stuff.
God is another thing you cannot put into words. We are celebrating his resurrection today. But think about it for a moment, whose resurrection and why did He have to be resurrected. it was for YOU.
Take care
Alex

Its been a while...

2007-04-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

It has hasn't it? The reason is not because i don't like you, and so i don't want to tell you what has been happening, but because, well i have been so busy that i had not see my computer for about a week. Now that is saying a lot. We had a camp here of about 48 people for a week. The camp was amazing. The theme was Peter Pan, don't ask why, that would be just silly (i don't really know myself, all i know is that it was and therefore i went along with it).
I was in charge of a specific group for the week, my group was the Lost Boys, and form the name you can see in which position we came in, yeah joint last with the crocodiles. Half way through the week the leaders that had come with the group decided to join the two groups and called us the Lost Crocs. The other two teams weren't too impressed, The indians came first with the Pirates close behind.
It was a race for the week. they had to save the four lost boys that had been captured by Hook and taken to his secret hide out. But first they had to get the fairy dust from down a cave, to stop Hook from getting it and then flying. They also had to get directions for different places by completing tasks such as climbing, jumping into a pool (walking the plank wit condifence) and then walking all over an area of Wales called the Gower. it was great fun, and extremely tiring. the second to last day we walked pretty much all night and so for the next two days i was going on 8 hrs of sleep. but it was worth it.

Now that it has finished, i am getting ready to go to France for three days to gain some Pastoral Training. This is something i see vital for helping Christians grow in their faith, not only when they take gap years but throughout their life, now it may have a different name such as small group, or mentor and it may also look a lot different. However it is the essence which is the same. It is the initial consern for a fellow Christian and wanting to see them grow. i know that i got a far share during my time in Egypt, esp from a guy who first came as a youth interen and then, well saw jsut how bad in shape i was and then came back to put my in line... no just kidding, but he did come back and was the assosciate youth pastor.
Please pray for the trip to France and that i get a lot out of it and can then use what i learn in the future...
Take care
Alex

We Sprang forward...

2007-03-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Well for those of you who didn't know or woke up late today, the clocks went forward...
therefore i went to bed at about one last night... Today was sunday. I didn;t really want to go to church last night or this morning really... For the last few weeks i have not been enjoying the worship... it has made me feel uncomfortable and just not really enjoying the services, and so i was thinking, oh look, it is one in the morning i need to wake up at nine, which means 8hrs of sleep, and then church which i wont really enjoy, why, why go?
But i went, and well guess what, i enjoyed it. The service was absolutely amazing. It was all about Grace. Not the girl... if you know anyone called grace (i know two), but the thing that Paul talks about... Grace is never mentioned in the gospels, not once, and yet it is the way Jesus lived.
He was full of it, everything that He did, was graceful... as in full of grace. The worship was also just really good. It was not making me feel uncomfortable, but helping me to actually worship... funny that huh... :) No really it was really good. We even watched a video clip, and i thought it was going to be something like watching another worship service (which it has been before) but it wasn't, and well it was all about Grace, and i really enjoyed it. Everything about todays service was good. This morning my prayer was to just have a hunger for God... I think that we can live in a lukewarm situation for too long and just pass on through life. I think that this gap year is allowing me to see that when i get too comfortable it is time to pray for Hunger... It works. I have prayed that prayer before, and whatever i have written about prayer before hand and whatever went through my head about prayer, was due to me praying about being hungry for more. God answers prayers. When you stop and think about it, it is crazy, but He does, and it is awesome...

I just wanted to share with you all that i was thinking about today. I wnet to church and i couldn't stop smiling, i couldn't figure out why, and then i realised, it was a God-thing, nothing more, just a really big, cool, amazing, awesome, incredible God-thing. I hope that you experience a God-thing too, no, actually i hope you realise when its a God-thing

Take care
Alex

Climbing nd more climbing... i love it

2007-03-24T04:29:00.000-07:00

Well here are some more pictures. This time they are of my last climbing adventure. I am really pleased with the amount of progress that i have had in the past few weeks with climbing. I can remember the first time that i lead a route. After it i was so pleased and siked, and now when i lead the same level of route as my first one, i don't get the same rush, but find it simple... in a way, and so i a looking to climb more challenging walls... it is a lot of fun, if you have never done it, you need to find someone who can take you... it is great, esp if it is not a competition, or there isn't any pressure on you, but you can jsut go with some friends and have a good time...

I tried to book my training for a climbing award, and i was looking on the events calender to find some room. I found a gap in our schedule and checked with the others if they were able to do it then, which they all could. So i called the place to try and book it and they told me why i had found that gap on the calender... it was Easter weekend... thanks for telling me guys... :)
Oh well i am still looking...

Take care
Alex

Pictures from the Weekend...

2007-03-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

The task... building a raft of some sort to paddle on the dock... Against the other team... the blue barrel worriors... i think my team was called something pirates...

The team i was with, was ready to win...

The first barrel pops out of place as soon as it touches the water...

The second barrel a few minutes later...

And well after the third and fourth barrel go, the only thing left was to reach bouy and take it back for my team to touch, before the others go there...

Take care
Alex

Photos

2007-03-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

Climbing on a Saturday at the Gower... Great fun

Ok, guys here we go, back to prayer…

2007-03-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

After reading document a friend sent me and then finishing off the first part of Philip Yancey’s book called PRAYER, I wanted to share something with you all.

He is talking about the way females just go on about different things, moaning about the weather, the long walks that they were taking (in the scenario in the book) and so on… ritual lamenting. However, then he references it to the bible… now hear me out guys…

“Jeremiah whined, complained and filled an entire book with lamentations. Job, who gave the most irreverent speeches in the Bible, emerges as the hero in the end, the spiritual director for his censured friends… From the Bible’s prayers I learn that God wants us to keep it in the alliance, to come in person with out complaints. If I march through life pretending to smile while inside I bleed, I dishonour the relationship.”

Right, well ok, next question, why is it so hard to do this? Why do we struggle to bring our complaints to God? Or well I guess some people do that very well, and I can do that rather well on occasion as well, however, this evening I had washing up time. We wash up once a week and a bit on the weekends at the house I stay in, and tonight it was my day. There was a lot to do, and I mean a lot… The father of the house said to me, (can’t remember his exact words) ‘oh just tell God to come and sort things through with you, you are gonna be here a while.’ And I joined in and said ‘yeah, I am not going anywhere for about an hr and an half…’ but I found it really hard to even start, no I couldn’t. I couldn’t even just talk.
… also today was prayer morning, and I was praying by myself and someone came and sat next to me and then started to pray out loud. Everyone else was praying around someone… and I thought that I would just stay where I was in my seat and pray for which ever one I wanted to. I prayed once out loud with the person next to me, but I felt really weird. It was really strange and frustrating. I felt really uncomfortable… I just don’t get it…

oh well back to the book…

Take care,
Alex

Kayaking...

2007-03-11T09:32:00.001-07:00

What an experience. Have you ever been on a river in a boat? Well I have and I must say it is not something that I was able to pick up very easily, in fact I am still rather unsure of what I am fully doing.
On my first river experience I managed to dunk myself three times and get stuck. The nose of my boat was facing straight up and I was pinned to a branch that had decided to invade the path in which I was proceeding to follow.
The first time I went in, well I didn’t really mind it; apart from the fact that I got hit in the head but a rock and then when I decided to just peacefully, defensively swim (which means holding onto my boat and paddle lay flat of my back with my feet up) was struck again by another rock on my tail bone.
The second time I went in, I thought great, what fun, once again. However, this time there was no uncomforting rocks. The reason I had gone in that time was because one of the leaders had told me to come across to the other side of the river. I had tried to explain to him (jokingly) that I preferred the side that I was on. But he didn’t listen. And then once I had fallen in (I would like to add, not on purpose) and managed to get to the shore, which may sound easy, but trust me even after doing it as many times as I have, it doesn’t help having the current pushing you down stream. So I get to shore and look up and find that I was on the side that I was told to come over to, just a little further down stream, but everyone else had decided to go over to the other side. They just couldn’t make their mind up…
However, once I got stuck, I started to get rather frustrated. At first I thought oh this is great, I have done it all, it just can’t get much worse. I was cracking jokes the whole way. I asked for a cup of tea and a donut to pass the time. But when I saw one of the person’s face, who had to come and wade in with another two people to de-stuck me, I started to feel stupid and irritated with myself. I was only holding the group up really…
Right after the place where I had gotten stuck, there was a grade three rapid. (the grading system on rivers goes up to about 5, or at least it is recognised up to grade 5, rivers do get harder…) at first I thought that I would definitely not go down it, but then I thought well there is no way in which I can get stuck and really hold the group up really. Worst comes to worst I go in for a third time, which I did. When I went over, I thought that I would start to get out of the boat, but then realised that I was only halfway down the rapid, so decided to wait until I had gone down into calmer waters, on the way I realised that I was having to hold my breath and that I was running out, so I thought that I had better get out soon. I had forgotten that my boat was a little tight. But I am out and alive… a towline was thrown to me and I was pulled ashore. But I did let go of my paddle; I think more of out frustration that I had gone in yet again, than forgetting to hold on to it.
And Friday I need to brace myself for my second experience…
Take care
Alex

More on Prayer...

2007-03-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

Following up from my previous post on Prayer, Things have been
interesting, for example, i feel that i don't know how to pray and
this frustrates me. More so, i feel uncomfortable during prayer
meetings. Every thursday there is a prayer meeting, and this thursday i
did not feel as though i could stay through it, so i went to the
bathroom and did not return to it.
I would love to say that this was the extent of my prayer struggle,
unfortunately i haven’t really been having great prayer times on my
own either...
Right ok, this next part may seem to be a really big leap from what i
just said, but i am not too sure how to link them together, and in
my mind they lead on from each other. During this period of my prayer
struggle, i have been thinking what it means to be lukewarm. Also i
was thinking about me just not praying ‘properly’, and what effect that
had on my relationship with God.
Though this doesn't make me a bad person (well, in some ways perhaps it
does?),
but what i'm trying to say is that even non-Christians, and Christians who
have fallen away, or who are less committed can still be ‘good’ people.
I am NOT thinking
about giving up my faith, no not at all, i want to go deeper,
but prayer is such a big part of it and at the moment i am going
through a desert.
Another factor that has been influencing me over the past couple of
weeks is the thought: 'what puts someone off going to church?' 'why do
people get hurt by the church and how?' I am currently living with someone
who has
decided to turn away from his faith, and i want to understand why that is. I
also want to
know why people who are not Christians decide to become Christian...
What is
it that makes someone go one way or another...
The other day i found it. I was not really feeling up to being at
church and i was ready to walk out apart form the fact that it was
pouring with rain. We were having communion and i thought that it would be
wrong for me
to go up at that point, so i tried to find what it said
about communion in the Bible. Unfortunately i didn't find it, but i
did read Matt 26 (the middle of it) and at the moment i was intrigued
by Jesus. I realised what frustrated me so much, not in just church but
just in general with Christian communities. There seems to be a
‘fakeness’ to them. That’s what really gets to me.
Sometimes i really
feel ashamed to say that i am a Christian, because it has put so many
people off, and i can see it for myself right now. It is the fakeness
of the people. Please understand i am not pointing the finger at
anybody or any group specifically. But as i read the bible in church
on Sunday, i saw that Jesus was real with His disciples. That He was
kind, calm, knew what He was here for and followed the Fathers
wishes...
I don’t want to be fake... i want to get to know this Jesus that i
read about in the Bible. Who is real. I really just can't stand the
fakeness and what we, Christians, have made Christianity into. Not every
Christian is fake, hear me on the one loud and clear, but people have
been hurt through the fakeness of certain people within the Christian
community and therefore have labelled it that way...

By fake/fakeness I mean when people put up an image, and when they think that they know best for the group, or even when they just think that they know best and that they are better than people who don’t believe exactly the same thing as them. However, it also means something else, and I am trying to explain it, but I am having a bit of trouble, I guess it is the imperfectness that we, as imperfect beings have brought into Christianity. Sometimes you can just say no, this is not what Jesus would have done. I want to be able to do that, but then to go and do what Jesus would have done… Does this make sense?
Take care
Alex

Thoughts ah, head growing, not fitting, exploding...

2007-02-24T01:31:00.000-08:00

No, not really, just kidding. Thought that i would over exaggerated it
a lot. The other day someone said to me that they do not see me staying
on here for another year. This got me thinking, why not? I went away
that evening thinking about it, and i came to the conclusion that i
could not stay on here for another year, because in effect i am not
doing all the things that my heart loves doing. I haven't played
football since before Christmas, and that is something that i love, and
i mean with a passion. I have always looked to the future and wondered
what it will bring, and a lot of the time it has frustrated me cos i
wont know unless God shows me a glimpse or i get there... But when i
asked
this person what they meant, they said to me that it was because from
the beginning of the year, i have been sort of uneasy (now this is me
trying to remember what they said and then try to get it out in
writing... forgive me), in a way unsure of what i was doing here, the
same way they felt about going to University and in the end not going.
It made a lot of sense to me then, and now i am not sure that i am
making any sense... but that maybe this was a transitional period of
what i had been doing or more of what i knew before and the unknown
that was to come.
Some of the people here(where i am) have my blog
and may be thinking this strange of what-have-you, but well for one
thing, i will be trying to play football for a club from the area in
which i live, and i would tell you the club name, but i can't spell it
cos it is WELSH... but also at the same time, i am not thinking what am
i doing here (anymore) am i supposed to be here, but more of 'ok, i am here, what does God want to show me, who does God want me to meet, what can i learn...'
Thank
you all for your prayers and you care, i am looking forward to seeing
all of you who are not here with me now, very soon, God willing, (EnShaala)
Take care
Alex

2007-02-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

Ok with this post i need some feedback, more feedback than normal... I want to pose a question about prayer "Do you understand prayer?"... I don't... We are told that it is the greatest weapon against the devil, and yet we struggle to understand our greatest strength... I see that as a strategic move by Satan. He has fodged up our view and understanding of prayer, so that we do not use it to its full potential.
Right, lets jsut break it down, what do we know about prayer? It is a conversation between 'me' and the God, WHO? the Creator of the Universe, the One who keeps my heart beating and my lungs breathing, without it either of those things passing through the intricate series of nerve to my brain, to say pump and breath.
What does a conversation invovle? Talking, Listening, Talking, Listening, Laughing, enjoying yourself (possibly, some conversation i know that i could do without... ), so it is TWO WAY. Not just me talking. well the not talking for me is not too hard, but the focused on God is silence, well that is just taking it to the next level, and you may still just find me staring blankly into space...
Next thing we know, (i say we cos i want to know what you think)... Prayer is a powerful thing. There is prayer for healing and for taking demons out. But then the thing that gets me is, why does it not always work? I have never tried to cast out a demon, and i have never really prayed for healing for someone because i am scared that it will not work. I have never seen a miraculous healing. I have prayed with a big group about two different people at different times, both in the past year, and both of them have been healed, but in both cases i did not see a difference straight away. Maybe others who were closer to the two people did, but i didn't.
Having said all of this however, last night, which was between this paragraph and everything else i have written, i was at a youth concert at the church that i go to and i have had a really bad stomach and all that goes with it, but i said to God, well i would really like not to have to rush off halfway through the night and then also on my walk home (which is about 40mins). and well although i did run off after the concert and then once i got home, i haven't been since... which in a way just adds to the confusion.
I really just don't understand it very much, and one thing that i really struggle with is praying in groups. Why talk out loud to God, who you can;t see, in front of other people. I know we need to be doing it because we are commanded to, but i still struggle with it a big. i would much rather pray by myself, most of the time. However there are times when praying with a friend is really good and i really enjoy it.
Well what do you guys think?
Take care
Alex

Scotland 2007 pictures...

2007-02-14T01:18:00.000-08:00

Me and Joel

Nick (the leader) and me

Sarah killing the ice...

We climbed there...

Ben Nevis...

At the top of Ben Nevis...

Oh what a rush...

2007-02-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

Well we are back from Scotland, all in one piece. It has been a crazy hard week, everyday waking up early, and then setting off to walk or climb a side of a mountain, in the snow and cold. But truth be told, we had amazing weather. On wednesday the skies cleared and, oh boy oh boy oh boy, what a view... I would love to have shown you what i saw that day but i lost my camera film while going up Ben Nevis, which is the highest mountain in Britain, so you will have to make do with what other people saw, which is pretty much the same as me:)...
A few facts of the week for you:
-My beard froze three days out of the Five
-For a few moments i was the tallest person in all of Britain
-It was cold
-There was a lot of snow
-I had fun and probably do it again, but only after a while, so that i forget the pain in my legs...
The community that we had was just really cool. I feel that we are got that much closer while on the trip.
On the personal development side, one thing i was thinking of was that we have all been created individually, by that i mean that we are all different and that is what we are supposed to be. I many situations where i have found myself in a bit of a stux, i have also found myself thinking what someone i respect would do in that situation. But as i walked through the snow, making my own tracks instead of following behind with the others, i realised that i was being an individual and that i was being different and that God made me like that and that He delights in us when we are ourselves...
Well pictures will follow....
Take care
Alex

Craziness has happened at last...

2007-02-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

Hello, this is a really short post and a really quick one, but none the less an important one. Please pray for me for the next two weeks.
On Sunday i leave for a Scotland Winter Mountaineering training course for a week, which will be intense. please pray that i will have a great time and we will all get on with each other and learn a lot but also just be able to give glory to God for His great creation.
Then once i get back we have a youth camp for a week during the half term, with local kids who have been kids out of the schools. Please pray that it goes well, esp the organisation and that we are able to get through to the kids and that i will just be a witness to them.
Once that is finished, well actually before that is finished i have a student weekend that i still need to finalise plans and get everything sorted for it. Please pray that it goes smoothly and that in all i have a good time.
Thanks for your support...
Take care
Alex

Enough words...

2007-01-22T05:25:00.000-08:00

I have had a complaint about not having many pictures on for a while, and to be honest with you i was thinking the exact same thing.
Enjoy...

My first upfront rugby game...

both of them missed...

what a dive....

Action ready...
but still after that i would have to say that i still prefer football...

Take care
Alex

Prayer...

2007-01-20T06:03:00.000-08:00

I am reading the book by Philip Yancey called Prayer. It is really a really good read. I personally struggle with prayer, as most people do, that is why he wrote the book… in the first chapter he raises some really good points, such as “We pray because we can’t help it”, and a quote from Thomas Merton: “’Prayer is an expression of who we are… We are a living incompleteness’”.
“In other words, prayer has features in common with all relationships that matter.” And his last paragraph of his first chapter starts like this: “If prayer stands as the place where God and human beings meet, then I must learn about prayer.”

One interesting question that he asked many people is, does prayer satisfy you? I asked myself and I must confess that only sometimes does it satisfy me. The other day I was struggling with a lot of frustration about all sorts of things, and I can remember writing an email of just BLAAAAH, to my parents. When I read the reply, I felt so compelled to pray, that it was incredible, I can’t really remember very clearly a feeling like this before. It was just a groaning from my inner being. After that prayer I was satisfied, but I want more of those experiences, I want to feel close to God and to learn more about Him and grow in Him.

Well may you encounter God this week like you have never before…
Take care
Alex

Thoughts that cause problems...

2007-01-18T04:35:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking for about a week now, where is my place. It may have something to do with me moving out of the compound, but i think that, that is only a small part of it. I think that there is a bigger picture involving God. It always involves God, but this is special. I have moved out of my parents house and their protection, now how do i fit into the world? What is my role? Where do i go to University? And after that? Then what? These are all questions that only God can answer, and i am waiting to here from Him. I can see that there is room to do things for God in the very place that i am right now, but i don;t know how to go about it. Also i don't know anyone for more than four months, but those people are not really around me most of the time, it is new people, new responsibilities, which means again settling into something that is new in a way, a frustrating way, as i have already been in the same building for three months, but have to start again with the getting to know my role, my place and those around me....
Well i hope that you too have troubling thoughts, not so that you find it hard, but because it i during the troubling times when you rely on God more and then He as able to move in you more powerfully...
Take care
Alex

Moving...

2007-01-18T04:21:00.000-08:00

Since my last post a lot of things have happened. For one i have now moved out of the dorm, or as other people like to call in the compound, which i have been staying in for the past three months. It was a great experience but now that, that is over i am in for a lot more new experiences. For example, me moving out signifies that the first part of my gap year has come to a complete, and now i am moving into the next part.

The next part involves an a lot more active role, meaning, that instead of taking lectures most of the day, i will be out and about, hopefully getting my kayaking and climbing awards, doing student work and other many more adventures. For about 4 weeks from last week, we will be doing two trips, one to a mountain and then leading ourselves all over the place to learn how to use a map and walk about, and the other trip to a cave so that we can see the beauty that God has created beneath the ground....

Also, i need to make a note of this, becasue i have moved out of he compound it means that i cannot just sleep in and get up just in time for some breakfast and then straight into whatever is happening that day. No, not anymore, now i have to wake up early enough for breakfast, making my packed lunch, and then riding in on my newly found bike which takes about a half hour. However i hope to shorten that time once i have sorted my bikes' back wheel out. At the moment it rubs against the frame of the bike, slowing me down quite a bit when i am not peddeling...

But so not to end on a moan, the family that i am living with now is great. They foster two boys aged about 8 and then there are also two of the guys that i work with every day who also stay with the same family. It is really nice community there. However, please pray that i can quickly settle in and start to feel like it is my home as well, or at least that my room is my home but i also live here... Thanks

Enough of my move for now...
Take care
Alex

Prayer matter...

2007-01-04T02:48:00.000-08:00

Readers of my thoughts, welcome to them once again. I have come to realise that i lack the power to have authority over kids. I lack it but i really need it because at the moment most of the kids use my as a jungle jim and i end up running upstairs just to survive. I don't know how to say no, but to still retain their friendship. Please pray that God will show me how to be able to do this. There was someone here during the first part of my year (the three months of training), who had the respect from the kids, was able to say no to them, and to tell them to sit down until they had finished their food, and yet still the kids came to her for story times. Not that i want to do story times with the kids, just that i woud liek to be able to have a handle on the kids instead of them having a handle on me...
Take care and thank you
Alex

2007-01-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

The Beginning Of The New Year....

Today was an adventure and a half. I got up at 8:45 in the morning and got ready to go out for a walk by the sea on the Gower. I thought before i went that it would be crazy and that i was mad for getting up to go. I knew that it would be cold and wet, but i also knew that if i didn’t go that i would be bored all day and would just sit around. So i went...

The walk was incredibly. I was cold, but it was worth it. I did get wet but i dried off. My fingers went numb, but after driving for about 50 mins in a warmed car, they regained their consciousness. We started off at the car park, where we could see the sea. The waves were so big and so many that i would have loved to have been in a kayak if it weren't for the coldness. However, we had more of an adventure on land. I took a picture of the rain over the ocean, and as i was walking towards the others, the rain hit us. It was a lot, but only lasted for about 10mins. When we got to the beach, we started a game of rounders (similar to baseball), half way through the game a wave decided to join in and took out a few players. We all scrambled to the rocks, when it started to rain again. The rain came harder and didn't seem to relent, when it turned into hail. In the midst of trying to find shelter, the organisers of the expedition, realised that they had lost their dog in the chaos of wave and rain. We all started calling for the dog. (The rain and hail had stopped) All of a sudden we looked on the mountainside and saw about 5 sheep leap out of the way of a black and white dog. The dog was our dog. It chased one sheep all the way to where we were. Someone with us thought that the Max the dog was very kind to have brought us some lunch on such a fine day.

Once we had gotten the sheep back up the mountainside, we decided that our day in the outdoors was over and that it was time to go home. Personally i think that today was a great way to start the new year. It was a beautiful starting point for the many more adventures that i will be having in the months to come...
Take care
Alex

2006-12-31T09:37:00.000-08:00

Here is a ninja picture for all you ninjas...

We be trained in many different arts...

2006-12-31T08:41:00.000-08:00

My crazy family and other animals.....

2006-12-30T05:35:00.000-08:00

Well i am back...

I have returned form a three week holiday in Cyprus. I was given the opportunity to work for a friends dad's company, which was really good, as you all already know. But what some don't know is that i got to spend time with my family, in the SNOW. I have some friends saying that they haven't had much snow, but in Cyprus, good old cyprus we have had snow, up in the mountains, bu it snowed when my family and i was there...
It was great to reconnect with my family and to spend time with them again, unfortunately it was only for a week that i got to see them, but i am greatful about that. I was also able to see all my friends there, which was a blessing.
Now that i am back, thoughts of the next six months are becoming reality. Please pray for me that i will not get scared by all the new things that i will be doing and just curl up, but that i will be able to try and see everything from a point of view of, how can i experience God in this new situation, and how can i be a witness....
Well guys the year is coming to a close... just one more day in the year 2006. That is kinda scary in a way, another year gone and another is coming, thoughts of have i done well this year, what will i do next year, fill my head when i think about it... But you can also think about it form the view of, okay, one more year has gone now lets tackle the next one that is coming and pursue God even more whole heartedly than last year...
take care guys
Alex

2006-12-18T06:29:00.000-08:00

Yo Ninjas...

Chuck Norris knows what Willis is talking about...

2006-12-15T06:23:00.000-08:00

Pride...

The great hunter, pride, lerks in the shadows and comes out whenever you feel you are on top. It searches and targets your weakest points, making you think that you are strong...

Have you ever puffed yourself up so much that a simple smile from a complete stranger can bring you down like a bag of bricks. It happened to me the other day. I was feeling really good and big with myself as i had a job that i was enjoying and i am growing up and doing new things and not fully realying on my parentals. That day i was heading back to the office with the cypriot, and we were in a hurry. We stopped off at the main shop in town to pick something up. We parked and ran in, picked up what we needed and ran out. There was a person in a car that was blocking our way out. With him was a female in the front seat and they were both looking at what seemed to be their daughter, who was outside the car. The daughter was unloading some bags with things that seemed to be newly bought. She was really excited and happy to be showing her parentals her new things. I got even more frustrated with the innocence of the little girl. Her father started to move the car and she realised that she had to move. she turned around to see why she had to move and looked straight at me (or at least it seemed to be straight at me) with a great big smile and just a lot of happyness to be with her parents... It completely broke me...

No matter how big we think we are, we are still so small and are nothing without love and for that moment in time i was without love and full of pride...
Take care
Alex

2006-12-14T21:48:00.000-08:00

Work...

For those of you who don't know, i am in Cyprus, where i will be spending christmas with my family and friends here. Also i would like you to note that i have a job for two out of the three weeks of my stay in Cyprus. This way i will be able to raise some money for my next six months. Oh by the way my next six months will be spent in Wales. Some may know that at some point i was not sure where i should be spending my six months, but the decision was made and i will be staying in Wales, which i think is great for several reasons. One i get to learn some really cool things, eg climbing, kayaking, youth work, communication ect. Two the people there are excellent and so i know that i will learn so much...
However, this post is not about what i will be doing in the next six months but about my job. This job is a blessing. It is the first job which i have kept for longer than 24hrs. I have had two previous jobs, that within the first 24hrs i have quit. Now for me to stay in this job, says that i am enjoying it. And i am. Today is the end of the first week of work, one left and then holiday with my family...
Yesterday i went to Ayia Napa and Paralimny, where i helped install an electric lock and five hanging signs, and took a safe and a mini-bar. It took us all day to do all of this, which was really nice, i really enjoyed it. Apart from enjoying the work i also enjoyed the long ride as i was able to think about my future a bit and what i want to do. Life is so confussing...
Today unfortunately was not as interesting as yesterday. I helped set up an electric telescope automatic door, and well it still doesn't work. The person i was helping called and asked for a manual from the door suppliers, and the person at the other end was having a good laugh as he had stopped selling this particular module 10 years ago, and yet the door that we were working on was brand new, two years old, but not used...
At the office there is a selection of people from different countries. The big boss is a Cypriot. Then in the department that i am working in, there is a Lebanese man, a German and a Cypriot. These guys are excellent. Heka funny. I can't really explain it, it is just heka funny. The german is trying to fix up his newly aquired apartment and is always coming in with new problems or successess. The Cypriot loves to find the best deals around and to make fun of the German, while the Lebanese man keeps the order really... It is a pretty cool atmosphere, which is the main reason that i have really enjoyed staying and working with them.
Well have a great day and hope to see you soon, where ever you are...
Alex

2006-12-05T04:43:00.000-08:00

These are the two who brought on the damage...

It was great getting to know you two... Helen and Erika... Ninjas... Alwayz Dat...

2006-12-05T04:34:00.000-08:00

Time to show you what the girls did to our dorm...

There was more but we don't have the photographic evidence...

2006-12-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share some really cool pictures form the last week of the course...

2006-12-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

Well guys you know how i have just told you about hitting the gilrs dorm, well here is a couple of pictures to show you what we did...

The reason for these tow boys coming to life is in the next picture but also toilet paper drapted all around the room, unfortunately we did not take a picture of it...

2006-12-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

We have about 30 mins before our good bye party, and i have about 7 dvds to copy and then more tomorrow and i need to get ready for the party and here i am writing on my blog...
well to redeem myself, i am at the other end of the building all alone and burning dvds...
there is a lot to write about soon. i just need things to die down a little more. But just for a taster, ther have been certain wars between the dorms, wars as in things appearing, such as toilet paper everywhere, or rubber cloved/yellow bag head men, and such other things. I need to get the pictures and show you exactly what i mean...
well for now i will see you...
take care
Alex

2006-11-23T14:04:00.000-08:00

Hey, this is a big thank you...

Thank you so much...
Alex

2006-11-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

New look with a view of my bed in the left at the back of the room... Always the best bed in the room, far left...

Alex

2006-11-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

Two more pictures that i really like...

Alex

2006-11-23T13:18:00.000-08:00

Bling Bling...

Oh happy day, i have decided for my placement that i will be staying in Wales. It is really cool here, i really like it here and there are some really cool people that i would get to be working with. The more that i think about it the more it makes sense for me to stay here. I will be hanging out with youth, which is what i love to do, plus kayaking, climbing, mountainerring and all that good stuff along with meetings about stuff i don't know about and student promotions and really fun things, with a bit of travelling thrown into that.

Please pray for me that i will be able to get along well with all the people that i will be working with and hanging around. Also please pray that i will find a job during christmas in scotland because it would be good to have one to gain a wee bit of money for the rest of my year.

Also please pray for the end of these three months. Some really good friendships have been made here and it is harder every time to say goodbye. It never gets easier, never. There are some really stinking cool people here who i can really just talk to and enjoying talking to and using their phrases and all, so please pray that the goodbyes will be done well and that we will all really feel that we were able to say our goodbyes. Some of the people will still be here when i get back but others will have left...

Well thanks again for listening to my messages

Take care
Alex

2006-11-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

A few India shots that friends took...

2006-11-20T12:58:00.000-08:00

India Pictures...

2006-11-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

Friends, Foes and Contrymen/women...

Well let me tell you some more of my thoughts...
Main struggle at the moment is where to go for my placement. I am looking at staying in Wales and doing a variation of things, or going to a different country... My fear is that i will not grow... I wanted this year to be a time of growth, and so far i know that i have grown, how, well that will take me a while to say and i don't have my trusty yellow note book with me, which is where i try to keep track of the rampage of thoughts that i have each day.

This morning i was reading my bible, the gospel of John, and i had the same feeling that i had, had yesterday when reading John. This feeling was so warm and just releaving to know that Jesus was truth and still is. That Jesus is the way and the only way. Just how incredibly amazing it would have been to see Him and to witness His attractiveness even though we are told that He did not have anything which would catch people's eyes, but that it was what He taught about and talked about. It was the way He was real with the people. So sincere and loving and calm and wow. It really made me feel peaceful inside...

Enough thinking
Time for more pictures...
Take care
Alex

2006-11-20T12:39:00.000-08:00

My new look... What do you think???

2006-11-17T01:02:00.000-08:00

TROUBLE SLEEPING...

Back form India... and I am awake. That is not right. India is five hours behind us and travelling back took about 27 hrs form hotel to home, and i have only slepted about 9 30 hrs, and i am awake and kicking. Oh well it fits perfectly with my original theme...

Well it is really good to be back. For the past three days, in my mind, it was all about travelling to get back. We went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and for that we had to travel to get there and then we had to get to Delhi, more travelling and then there was the flight, well that took a long time. So being at my final destination is really good.

India... well how can i put it simply. For those of you who have been to Egypt or live there, it is very similar i feel. The traffic, the look of the locals and then all the craziness and madness that surrounds you when you are out of the comfort of your building. Going back into a culture like that was hard for me. Also the people there are really friendly, a little overly friendly at some times. They see a foreigner and they think, great time to practise my english. That is a much better view to have than most westerners about foreigners, but still, by the end of about 2 weeks i was ready for a bit of coldness towards me.

India is huge, and so to get anywhere, you have to spend a long time travelling. We took the overnight train to Lucknow, which took about 12 hrs. In Lucknow we got to go to a college that one of our leaders had been working as a volleyball coach for about a year i think. It was really good and a lot of fun. I think that out of the entire trip the following time was my favourite. We were about to travel to Agra to see the Taj, but we missed our train, not by 5 minutes or 10 or even 30, but by a whole 24 hrs. The ticket was wrong. That day i was really ready to leave Lucknow, but that extra day there was really needed, personally. We got to go back to the college and play more volleyball. After the games, just like before we went to one of the players dorms and had chia (the indian version of tea, which grew on me). This time was different than the last time. I felt more comfortable with the guys and i think that they felt more comfortable with us. I really enjoyed their company and the next day i felt really relaxed about leaving.

Did i enjoy myself? On the whole i was struggling with not wanting to be there and the fear of maybe going back for 6 months. So on the whole no, i did not enjoy myself.
Where there good times? Absolutely. The best was descibed above. I also got to meet one of the language students in Dehra Dun and spent the day with him and his three friends on the back of a mototrbike. We went up into the mountains to see a Hindu temple, which was not my idea of fun, but i could not say no to them as they had planed the whole day. We then went to a restaurant and then to each one of their homes. That was fun. I enjoyed that part, of talking to them and jsut getting to know them. It made me a little homesick... but all is well.

A lot has happened in the past two weeks, but for now i will leave it for another troubled sleeping time...
Take care
Alex

2006-10-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

Hey guys just a very quick post...

I would like to ask for your prayers. At the moment i am struggling wiht one other person on the course here. He is a great leader and more vocal than i am. Unity is something that is very important, because with unity we can prevent the devil entering in and attacking us. Also i think that by this guy being such a good leader and more vocal than i am, my pride is being challenged. Please pray that God will help me not to be so proud, as this produces divitions and again provides the devil opportunities to attack. Also please pray that God will give me the words to talk to this guys. I know that i have to talk to him, because unity is something that is very important and if i cannot be honest with the people around me then how will i be united with them.

Thank you for your prayers
Take care
Alex

2006-10-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of different outings of mine. the first two are of me kiteboarding, of trying to. the others are of our climbing outing yesterday...

2006-10-17T23:41:00.000-07:00

Hey guys...

Well i thought that this post would be something that i have learnt over the entire time that i have been here. it is about spending time with God personally. it is something that everyone should be doing. it is somehting that is really important for personal spiritual growth. now you may say "yeah i know". but jsut to emphasis it i want to share with you what it has really ment to me.

At the moment i find it hard to spend time with God by myself. when things kick off here, they really kick off and i struggle to get away. i enjoy peoples company and so when others are around i want to be with them. however i have started to feel that i don't spend enough time with Him. actually i have felt that for a considerable amount of time.

Before God would reveal small things to me that i thought nothing of really at the time, they just bothered me. later on i would find out, if i had not said anything, that what i had seen played a vital part in whatever was happening. now, i haven't noticed anything for a while. at the time it frustrated me cos i would have to step out of my comfort zone and speak up, but now i really feel that something is missing...

well that's all folks...
Alex

2006-10-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

HEY, HEY, look what Faraz sent me... this picture is about 3-4 years old. This jsut made my day that much better...
Alex

2006-10-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Week in Southall...

It has been a while since I have updated my blog, the reason being that I have had one week in London and then another week doing crazy outdoor stuff. I will write about both but first I want to share about my week in London...

The trip to London was an educational trip. The aim was for us to learn about different religions, specifically Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. During the week we had classes in the morning about these religions and then in the afternoon we would be taken to one of the temples to have one of the leaders of the specific religion tell us about it.

Day one was Islam. I chose not to go in; it scared me a little bit. I felt more peaceful when I stayed outside. I was very disappointed about not hearing the imam speak about Islam. I felt oppressed and I now have a real desire to learn more about it, and to really look at what they believe. A friend of mine was given a koran, and because it was a little too big for him to carry with him, he has given it to me, which I will read and look at.

Day two was Sikhism. I felt a little better about going into the temple, but I also felt scared because I knew even less than what I did the day before. However, I decided to go in as a step of faith that I felt I had to take. The temple was big and impressive, but it felt sort of empty. After listening to the guide talk to us I was a little bit confused about Sikhism.

Day three was Hinduism. I was pretty sure that I was going to enter the temple. We were told that the Hindus have about 33 million gods. When we got to the temple I took my shoes off and went up to the gold doors to enter, but I found that I felt really uncomfortable and was not able to walk through the doors. Two other friends came out just as I was putting my shoes back on. One of them told me that the person who would be leading them round told them that the deities were sleeping, which really scared me.

That week was really beneficial to be able to see which religion I am most interested in learning more about. I have realised that I am really interested in Islam and would really like to learn more about it. It was a tiring week, mentally, physically but also spiritually. I was continually trying to be aware of what God may be telling me and wanting to follow Him. I really enjoyed it but I was really glad to get back home to base.

2006-10-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

Some more THOUGHTS...

Dear readers, friends and family, today we went to a church, as it is sunday, and this was like no other church service that i have been to before. it was in a small room with leather sofas and stuff. there was a drum set and a bass and a guitar or three. it was really small quarters, which made me feel uncomfartable, as well it didn't seem to fit, i am not sure why really, but it was another experience. in about 3 weeks, the church will be moving back into their chapel which they are renovating.

However, something that i realised today in the service was something that i realised that i need prayer about. being a leader. i am finding it really hard cos there is someone else here with us who is also a leader, and is louder than i am. last year i think or at some point in time i went through a book about leadership and it was talking about being a dispencable leader. someone who trains others to become leaders, so that the "followers " will not be dependable on that one leader. so please pray, thanks

Well...
Take care
Alex

2006-10-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of our trip to London Southall...

2006-10-07T04:06:00.000-07:00

A picture to sum up our experiences so far...

Take care...
Alex

2006-10-07T03:53:00.000-07:00

The Girls...

I thought that i would put some pictures up of the gilrs so that you could see some of the other people that i am with for the next few months. From the left it is Rosie, Erika, Helen and Hannah, hannah has already done the training and now is jsut working in Llanelli and hanging out with us

The picture on the right is of (from left) Karen, Jemima, Rosie and at the top is Rachel.

2006-10-07T03:44:00.000-07:00

Ninjas

Ninjas are everywhere. You can see these two fine ninjas trying on new outfits. From the left it is Jon and then me. If you have any ninja photos of yourself por of friends send them in to alex.santamas@gmail.com and possibly you may see it posted.

2006-09-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Great Unknown...

Being out in the world by yourself, you soon find out that you do not have your parents to stand by you, to tell you what to do, to do your washing for you and all that other good stuff. However, now that i have been out for about a full two weeks i think that i am very knowledgeable about what to do...

During the service on one Friday in Cairo, we were singing Surrender. Pastor Dave, i think it was, told us all not to sing the words unless we really ment it. After that i found it really hard to sing that song, because i wasn't sure that i really surrendered all. However, when we first sang this song here, i found that i could sing it and not only that but that i really wanted to sing it. I wanted to surrender all to God, to the God that holds my future in His hands, to the God that loves me unconditionally and knows what is best for me and takes care of me. I thought that there was nothing else for me to do but surrender all.

I just want to share with you a couple of verses that we have been meditating on and what they have ment to me. the first one is Exodus 3:14. This verse is where God tells Moses that "I AM WHO I AM". That to me really just says it all about God. It is as if God is saying I AM all-powerful, I AM all-knowing, I AM your God, I AM the only true God... It is just sort of all God needs to say, I AM that I AM.

Also today i was reading Deuteronomy 30 in verses 11 and onwards where it says that He has not made it impossible for the Israelites to follow His commands. This made me think also just how He does not set us impossible challenges.

Well i think that this is enough deep thinking for one night, i hope you all sleep well...
Alex

2006-09-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Being a Stranger...

Hey guys and girls, how are you all. Well don't worry about answering. The internet has been down here in Wales, as some of you may already know, but what you do not know is that now i have to quickly look through a lot of emails.
Well i just wanted to write you all something to let you know how i am feeling. Well to be honest i am really enjoying my time a lot, but i think that today and yesterday i have felt a bit home sick, or at least sick of being around strangers 24/7. Everyone here is pretty much on a one week basis. It is not too hard to be with the people here, because we are all here to get to know God more and get deeper in our faith, but me being me, am wanting to see some familiar faces and have a coffee with a friend that i know for more than a week.

On another note, the place is great, with the town a 5 minute walk away. The weather has been great, with the only time that it really has rained and has not been at night, being today, when i went to town.

we have had a few sessions, actually we have had a lot. For the past two days we have had 4 sessions on the biblical basis of missions and now we have to write a five hundred essay about why our God is a God of misions.

Well guys and girls i think that this is it from me, because i am really tired and i have probably talked too much already.

take care,
Alex

2006-09-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

i thought that you would like to see of our, or at least my first time kayaking. since then i have been kayak surfing. same principles of surfing, but in a kayak.

2006-09-27T05:17:00.000-07:00

and this is a picture that Jon took, which i thought descibed the way we are, rather random. i am happy to see this picture cos i have now found someone who also likes taking really random pictures

2006-09-27T05:13:00.000-07:00

hey guys i thought that you would appreciate to see something that the guys get up to. the guy in the white t-shirt is Jon and the other one is Josh. the four guys that are doing the gap year are called, Jon, Josh, Joel, and then Alex. yeah i am the odd one out

2006-09-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

WALES...

Have you ever been to Wales. I now can say that I have. The journey over was interesting. I have a five hour flight, very boring, apart form the move that came on half way through the journey and at first i could only watch it in a foreign language with arabic subtitles. Then I realised that if I changed the channel that I was listening to then it would be in english.

Well you all know about my other six room mates. Supposidly, one of them, which would be the third one leaving another three to arrive, has come, but I haven't seen him, they must be LIARS. NO, NO, i am joking he may be round here but I can find him, not that I have really looked.

The area that we are staying at is right on the sea. It is at a very beautiful area. BEAutiful.

I had failed to mention in my previous entry today that my room mates and I stay in a room with no window. Please pray that we do not kill each other from our beautiful odour. While you are praying for that please also pray that I will be willing to be molded by God, and that He will really challenge me and get me ready to face the world head on.

Take care
Alex

2006-09-13T01:47:00.000-07:00

Ladies and getnlemen...

Ladies and gentlemen, friedns and family, who have nothing better to do than read what I write, I am truelly touched by your kindness. I wanted to inform you that I have arrived safely and am getting to know a lot of people. Last night had been a bit daunting. I am the first of the gap year students and so there isn't really anyone arround. I mean there are a few but you know what i mean. I thought, oh dear where have I come so far away. But today and last night it was good. I met two of my six room mates and they are great. One american and one brazilian.

Enjoy your day, as will I, and please ask the Lord to send me every now and then some sunlight, so that I can feel nice and warm on the outside too.

Alex

2006-09-09T03:18:00.000-07:00

Just want to see how long it takes to upload a picture of Loukios and me.

Well not too bad but only for this size, I will have to add some more and show you all.

Till next time

2006-08-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

The beginning of the summer…

At the beginning of the summer I came to Cyprus to partake in a camp that the youth group here in Larnaca get to enjoy each year. Every year a team come and help with the youth group. This year two of my friends, Tony and Loukios would be part of it. They would also be the only two guys on the team. The team was made up of another four girls, two of which had come on the team last year. Therefore out of the six that were to come and lead the camp and other youth activities I already knew four of them. The names of the team members were Tony, Loukios, Kaitlyn, Jenny, Bekah and Laura. I was really looking forward to going to camp because I knew that it would be a lot of fun and it may hopefully be cooler than Larnaca. To our joy it was much cooler and the fun, well I will attempt to describe it below.

I had been asked to help out at camp by being a camp leader. The role came with the responsibility of being in charge, with another team member, of one of the four teams that the youth had been split up into. I was to be partnered with Jenny and we were responsible for the Green team. It was the first time that I had been given such a role at camp. Other times I had gone along as a camper and had a great time. This time I was going as a leader and I still had a great time.

Up at camp I never knew what we were going to be doing. I would take the day as it came. Some of the campers would ask me, “So Alex, what are we doing next?” or “What game are we going to be playing?” I had no idea the answers to these questions. I friend of mine that is here on holiday enlightened me on how I could have used that to my advantage. For example “So Alex, what are we doing next?” The answer could have been “It is time to make me and the other leaders a nice cup of coffee tea or hot chocolate, whatever they each prefer”

We would start off the day with breakfast at about 9am and then have our camp meeting, where we sang hymns and had a devotional from one of our team members, followed by our quiet time and then a talk by the BIG camp leader, Cliff. For the rest of the day there would be lunch and dinner with a bit of free time, a few games and another talk in a certain order. The games were of course team games, where there would be points awarded to the winning team.

This year the team system was new, and with it came coloured t-shirts for each team member and a point system. This is where being a team leader had its advantages. As a team leader I was able to give points for anything I thought should be awarded points, to any team apart from my own, that being the Green team, but could only take away points from my team. An example is when I awarded points to a camper for letting me and another leader both take showers before him. This system was great. The campers lived in fear of the words “watch it; I’ll take points off…” It was a way of control, which worked.

One of the games that we played was a scavenger hunt. The evening before, the team stayed up to try and get the clues ready, and I joined them. We sat under the stars and started to plan. Well we didn’t all start to plan. Bekah was the one that was trying to get us to help. Laura and Tony we the most helpful followed by Jenny. Loukios, Kait and I stayed with them and although we offered, we received no cry for help so we continued sitting there saying stupid jokes that later we would not find amusing. I had brought some biscuits that my grandmother had made, and at that point I got them out. Kait and Jenny were all to willing to eat them. When offering them seconds, I wasn’t able to finish my sentence. “Would you like….” “YES!”, thirds, “Would you…” “YES!”.

Well apart form staying up late trying to get the next days games and other activities ready we had good talks, good food, a hilarious variety night, where the girl counsellors did a skit making fun of the guy counsellors and only after watching it on the camp video, did we realise that they were really making a lot of fun of us.

All that to say that we had a lot of fun and I am looking forward to next year where I will be doing outdoor activities with youth and camps.

Thanks for reading
Take care
Alex

2006-08-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

Dear friends due to a few technical problems I have found that I am unable to upload any pictures at this point in time. The problem is that I do not have a fast enough internet connection and I don’t want to spend most of my day uploading pictures. Therefore when I go somewhere, where there is a faster connection I will be sure to upload some pictures.

2006-07-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Cliff...

Cliff, I thought that I would dedicate this entry to you, seeing as I know that what I am about to say is funny.

I am pealing...

Take care guys, thanks for reading, I promise there will be more to it next time...
Alex

2006-07-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Randomly, Suddenly, just like that...

Have you ever thrown up for no apparent reason, just randomly, suddenly? I did just that only a couple of days ago. Three friends and I went out to a café in Lefkosia, the capital of Cyprus. We spent about two hours there just hanging out and enjoying each other’s company. To our dismay the café did not have any air conditioning, and even though it was an old house, which meant it had high ceilings, the heat really go to me. None of us had any alcoholic beverages. By the end of two hours and several glasses of water, I needed the bathroom and some cool fresh air. I had a really bad head ache and I knew that when I stood up I would feel even worse.

We started to leave. I climbed down the 4 or 5 steps at the entrance and started heading up the way we had come. By the way, the road that this café was, did not look like a road that was meant to be full of life, but one that if there was less light, one where people would get mugged. The road was narrow and there were houses on both sides, with not much light coming through. At the end of the road there was a metal fence that had been knocked down, and inside the garden did not look very well taken care of.

Any way, we turned the corner and as we were walking, I suddenly realised that something was wrong. It was not my head ache, that was still there, and when I closed my eyes the world still spun. My friends were all still there talking about something or other that was of little significance really. By the time I realised that I was throwing up all I could think of was what a mess I was making, and who on earth would clean it up. My friends stopped and made sure that I was ok once I had finished. The weird thing was that I had no idea that I was going to throw up and that at the end of it I felt a bit better than before. It was great.

Take care.

2006-07-19T05:07:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that everyone is different? Have you taken the time to get to know different people? It is really interesting, or at least to me it is. I had a really good friend when I was younger, someone that I would spend a considerable time with. Even to this day we spend a lot of time together whenever we are in the same country. However, at one point we separated, him being three years older than me, we found it hard to get on with each other. This was the period were I was still in primary and he moved up to secondary (middle school). During this period I started to spend a lot more time with someone that was a few years younger than me. Unfortunately the same thing that happened with my first friend happened again in this relationship. To make things worse my family and I moved to Egypt during that period. Therefore my friendship with the younger guy was not ever really redeemed the way it was with the first guy. During this summer I have found that I enjoy his company again, the same way that I once did before. This is a bit unfortunate, only because it has taken about 7 years for this to happen.

It is interesting to think that there are so many different people out there that we could be great friends with, people that we have a similar humour to or who would look at the situation in the same way or differently but either way would be able to help us through it. There are so many different people in the world, that it is a shame we only get to meet an extremely small percentage of the population. You could see someone on TV whose house has just been hit by a flood or whose government is corrupt and they are suffering because of the government’s decisions, and you would never know if just maybe they had been in a different situation, lived a couple blocks away from you, whether or not you would have been friends.

It is a great shame that some of us, me included, would spend a whole life time with a small set of close friends, and never know the greatness of a wide circle of friends. Now I am not saying that having close friends is bad. I long to have close friends and I thank God for the gift of my close friends, even though they may not be in the same country as me, I am honoured to call them my close friends. However, I also realise that it is not enough to just wave at people from the sidelines and pretend to care. I have a cousin that I grew up with, and sadly once I moved to Egypt, we also started to move apart in our relationship, and now I hardly know him. And it is depressing because he is family and also he is a human being; a human being that has a great sense of humour and a wonderful character.

I guess what I am trying to say is that we can live in a bit of a shell and not pay much attention to who and what is going on around us, but it is better to get out of my comfort zone and meet new people and have fun with them. Hopefully I will put that into practise and not just think about it now and again.

Trouble sleeping?

2006-07-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

Do you have trouble sleeping? I have found that I do not really have much trouble sleeping, I may not sleep as well as some others but I do get enough rest. I have some friends however, who have no trouble sleeping. For example a friend in school could fall asleep wherever and whenever she felt tired. The first time I experienced her sleepiness, was during a biology class.

The class is set up in a way that we have two desks connected together, longwise, facing another two desks placed in the same way, with a bench in between the two desks. There are two of these set up in the room, so the class can fit comfortably, 18 students and a teacher, with enough room to work in. I sat at one desk and my friend sat at the one next to me. The board is placed at an angle that for us to see we have to turn our heads 90 degrees from our desks and I sat at the desk closest to the board, therefore my friend sat relatively behind me.

While the teacher was explaining something on the board, my friend nodded off. I turned to make a stupid comment about what the teacher had just said when I realised that she had fallen asleep. Now, you have to understand that when placed in a new situation, I tend to just sit around and wait it out to see what happens, therefore the next time that I am placed in a similar position I will know what to do. At this point it was a new experience for me and I wasn't sure what I should do. I looked at her and then turned to face the teacher, to see if she had noticed, hoping that she hadn't realised that a quarter of her class was dreaming. Thank goodness she hadn't seen my class mate. I turned back to the sleeper and decided that it would be best for me to try and wake her before she got in trouble, so I shook her once. No reaction. I shook her again, and there was still no reaction. The teacher then suddenly asked, annoyed: "Is she asleep?". I looked in horror, fearing what would happen to my friend. The teacher tried waking her, who just moved a little and continued her reserved thinking. To my shock and surprise my teacher was not mad, just frustrated. She turned to the rest of the class, consisting of two other girls and myself, and said "Oh, well just leave her."

I wish I was allowed to sleep wherever and whenever and not get in trouble for it. In fact now that I think about it I wish I could fall asleep now...............