Passianate Prayer

This past week things have been going good and all, but missing a bit of home. Its around the holidays and what do you expect? I knew that this would happen, but you move on.

Yesterday at the night service that I attend the Vicar talked about the position of prayer. It has made me think about what I do in my life to pray. Do I stand still, am I walking or am I taking the time to kneel and not move and just PRAY??? He went to the Bible verse Ephesians 3: 14-21 A Prayer for the Ephesians: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his hole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in you inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled it the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more then all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

The Vicar talked about the position you are in when you pray. It has made me think about the position that I am in when I pray, the position that I am to do his work and the position that I am in to give everything to Him.

When Frog (the vicar) talked about the position of prayer he talked about the fact that we are unable to move and that we are just focused on what we are doing at that moment. That this time is just with God and no one else. Latter in the service he had us all kneel as we prayed. When he first said this I thought about my knees and that they had been hearting from a few nights ago when I went ice scatting in Hyde Park. After that initial thought I thought more and more about what time do I just give to God and how do I show him with my body that this is his time? As this thought has encouraged me to practice this simple step the past few days that this position is for him and not for anyone else. When I am out walking to school, it is his time, but is all of it his time....no. That's why I just need time with him and no one else. We all need that time! Time to talk, ask for forgiveness and just give everything that I am to him!

"To be a Christian is much deeper an wider then we can imagine. Our roots are established in love, and the knowledge of the love of God." Just give this statement a bit of thought .........................................................................................................................! It is a powerful one and to think that this is unmeasurable and that the Love that is given to us and that we give back, you can not think that your love is worth more then any others. That you have more to offer then the person that is next to you when you eat lunch. It is love and everyone has it, you can not see it, you can show it and teach others to love our God as he has done with us. It is one thing that no one can take away from you. You continue to grow in your faith with God and plant your roots deeper then what they are, to share the love of our GOD!!!!

What a Community!

What a community of people that are around me. This past week I have had my own version of Thanksgiving. The first one without my family. Three other Americans, the people around us and myself, had a great feast of food and laughs this Saturday. There were a total of 13 of us that came together to give thanks. It was great to see some other volunteers that I have not seen since I left the states four months ago. We were able to cook everything that we have never cooked before and it was eatable! That's something to be proud of!!!!
As my family back home had their Thanksgiving on Thursday. One of my cousins and I have been talking on skype and thought that it would be good to talk to other members of my family that are not so technology inclined as we are. It was great to see some of my family that I have not really talked to or seen since I have left!!
This past week has been a bit hard for me, missing my family and the community of people that I have back home. It is something that has not left my mind at all this week; all of the little things that I would be doing with my friends and family. This year I just have to create my own version of family and community. As volunteers this year have heard several times it is not wrong, it is just different. That is very true and a good way to look at things! Something to look at many different matters with and not just this one.
I have got all of my children assigned at the moment. I now have a total of 20 children that I teach. I just hope that this week I will be able to take all of my children at both schools. This past week I try ed to, but was unable to do so with them not being in class at the time that I could take them, or they were out sick. I just hope that I will have better luck this week.
Some of my children that I will be taking this next week for the first or second time are so wanting to come and work with us at Springboard. It is so encouraging to have such a positive work environment. I like to see results in the work that I do and I can see that in children and truly in the ones that I teach. I just hope that they continue to see all of the great things that I see in each of them to continue what they are doing and growing in all that they do.
Tonight was a great night out for a Sunday service. My two housemates and I went to St. Paul's to the Advent service. It was a wonderful service to see. I have never been in St. Paul's before. It was an experience that I would do over again, so that I can just stare at the ceiling. It does sound a bit funny, but it is just a sight to see. The service was so emotional and inspiring. It was so enjoyable to see everything and experience a service in such a wonderful church.

New Day

What a day can do for a person.... Today has been a long one for me. I was able to take 5 of my children today. A joy to start teaching a new one. How the child responds to things differently and what makes the child smile.
Working in the new school has been great! The school staff and other people that I am working with are great to have around. As I continue to grow in the relationships that I have here and what God has sent me to do while I am here. It is just a matter of giving everything that I have to Him. He is the one that can help me, encourage me and support me when ever I need it and how ever I need it. It is good to know that He is here 24 7 for us when we need anything. We just have to take it to Him!!
A lot to think about with the people back home and how they are doing. It is something different to be on the other sided of the world and hear how things are back home and you are unable to help or change anything. You almost feel just helpless.

Pick up your cross and fallow me.

When I woke up this morning I had this in my head. "Pick up your cross and fallow me." Over the past few days my household has been having several talks about churches around here and what things are like for us here and how they are different from home. We all understand that things will not be like home here, but we look for a bit of home when we attend a church. Durring this time it has made me really think about what differences there are and what I believe. Questions that ask about what my faith really is and where I am going with it. All of this has made me LOVE my church back home even more then what I did before. Not that I don't like things here, but the community has changed and the little things that to me make a service more interesting and enjoyable to take part in the service.

Today we had an enjoyable lunch. We were invited to a coordinators house to have lunch and go to her church. I must say that it was really worth going. This coordinator has such an open love for the things around here and so welcoming. Such a lovely lady! We were served a wonderful British meal. Chicken, salad, potatoes and pudding were served. I must say that I could have ate the hole pan of pudding; it was GREAT!!!!

Happy Birthday!

Today is a great fun day of gathering with the people that have now become my family here. Today is Matthias Birthday now 19 years old. We are having people that we work with come and close friends. What a wonderful feeling of community.

Today I started my new school!! YEAH! A very welcoming school, to springboard. They have been on a waiting list for 4 years now, and are happy to see results with children that we are going to have. All of the children are so excited about coming and want to learn. It is such an amazing feeling that we have with the schools and children. We will not be teaching children for a few weeks yet. As we still have to test them and see where the kids are at and what ones we will take on.

Testing

Today I was about to test 4 kids that I might be teaching through out the year! Was good to see that I will be getting more children and that there are more minds to fill with more information!! Some of the kids were from 1st grade. They are located on the lowest floor so I got my work out for the day going up and down stairs. Was good to test my endurance! Many of the kids when I went to go and get them were asking if they could come with me. All of the kids think that it is so much fun to come and spend time with us. It is good to see that drive in them to enjoy what we are doing when we are teaching them new things to fill their minds.
Tonight I also had a good discussion with my housemate about learning problems and language difficulties. It was good to see what another person that is doing the same thing that I am; to see it in their prospective. As I enjoy talking about our children and what we learn and teach from them. It is such a wonderful feeling to have unlike any others!
Tomorrow I will be doing more testing, but at my new school!!!

Long Time!

Sorry its been a while. This past week was half term and had the week off!! Lots of relaxing! Also allot of sight seeing. Where did we go this week? Well Matthias went back to Germany for the week, so it was just Judit and I. We went to Tate modern and the British Museum. From the two of them, we decided that we all can become famous artists! Some of the pieces were how should I put this? Well I would be able to create something to go in there and I could pass for a great artist. Though it was fun and now I can say that I have been there; but not something that I would do again. We also went to go and see several churches that were built by the same man that built St. Paul's. As some were destroyed by the great fire and not in the best condition. They were all some what different and interesting to see. The man that built these churches (I can't remember his name) he made 38 churches with in like a few miles of each other. Later this week, Judit had some friends come to stay with us; and they are here until next Wednesday. The four of us went out to see the main parts of London, the big tourist sights: Big Ben, Westminster Abby, Horse Gard's, Buckingham and St. James park. All of these sights I had seen. Some new things that I was able to see were: Chapter House, Wellington Arch, Apsley House and today we went to Greenwich. At Greenwich they have the zero latitude and longitude line. It goes through the park there. The park has a beautiful view of the city and a large area. This I think would be better to see in the spring when everything is in bloom.
This week I also found out more info about my new school that I will be working at. I think that it is one of the smaller schools that Springboard works with, because there are 15 children what will come to work with us. The largest school has like 70-90 kids that we work with. Any way it is in East London, and I get to start there this coming Tuesday. I will be testing the kids to see where they are and if they need our help, or where we need to start working with them.
The week before I left for half term, I had to say good bye to the children that I had at Brockley. It was hard, but I think that God had been preparing me for what is to come at the end of the year. Its hard to leave the relationships that I had worked on for only a few months and to think about leaving ones that I have worked on over a year with a child. Sad to think of, but reality has to set in sometime.
The past couple of weeks a lady that I have been working with has been having some family problems with her children and the police. It was very powerful to see what the power of prayer has done in her life and what kind of things come from prayer!!!!

How many stairs to climb?

Yesterday my housemates and I went to Dover for a day trip. We went to the pier and to Dover castle. We enjoyed our day out; wondering about in no hurry for anything. That was the best part as there were no time limits on to where we had to be at a certin time and no one telling us what to do. Those days are always the best! When we went to the castle there were several sets of stairs and hills to climb. Made you think about all the stairs in life that each of us climb. That each stair is a step to something that God wants us to do, a step to serve him more in our everyday living??? This next week is my last week at Brockley. I am excited to go to a new school, but in the same breath....upset that I have to leave my children that I have been teaching for the last two months. Children that in such a short amout of time have come so close to my heart. I also know that at the new school I will have children that do the same. It is always interesting to see what God has in store for us all, and how he puts us to work!!

The power of prayer!

Today was a wonderful day this week was a wonderful week I should say! As yesterday I was able to see allot of London more then I would have thought. My housemates and another full timer and I decided to do a Monopoly rally and go and see all of the places on the board. Well we did do all 40 of them and let me tell you we saw a lot.
For the week I got some new news as I have been praying to be getting some more children to teach. I got a phone call saying that I would be changing schools for my Tuesday and Thursdays I will be teaching full days at Heathbrook and leaving Brockley. My time will be needed more there and they have more children that need help. I am sad at the same point, as the children that I have been building a relationship with; I will no longer see them. I guess that God wanted to prepare me for the end of the year when I do have to say good bye to my kids that I have had all year. My changing of schools will happen at half term in late October.
Today I attended church at Christ Church during the morning and also had been praying about how God wanted to use me in a church and what kind of relationships I was able to build in a strong sitting like in a church. As I had emailed one of my friends about praying in the morning before I had left to go to church. I got to church and for the talk of the day the vicar talked about the power of prayer and that they wanted people to pray for the church and that they needed people to lead a prayer team for the church. My housemate looked at me and we decided to lead this team to pray for the church. During the evening my housemates and I also attend All Saints church in Peckam. Also for the Vicar at this church he talked about the power of prayer and what glory meant. I think that God is wanting me to see something......

What a Day!!

What a day today. I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. You know those days that you just are so comfortable and you don't want to move. Well today was one of them. As I went to teach at Oliver Goldsmiths today. I was able to teach 4 of my children today. As some are so enjoyable to have and you can not help but laugh, and others you can see the light bulb go off in their head when they get something. It is such a wonderful gift! Latter today my housemates and I were invited to a dinner at Cheryl and Blessildas place for dinner. They also work for Spingboard. We had a wonderful meal and played some board games. Other then that not to much of an eventful day. But with children you never know.

Testamonials

Sorry for the delay! As I have been trying to play catch up with my emails and working; with not having internet for several weeks. I hope to share what I have been doing for the past while with you!
This last week my housemates and I were invited to attend a church (as we have been invited to attend about 4 others as well), and at this church service this morning I was so inspired about the fact that every service they give testamonial about how God has worked in their life and how the out come has been. This one women that gave one stood up in front of the church and told us that she was a single mum with 3 children and her washing machine had broke about a monthe ago and you all know that not having a washing machine and 3 children that wouldn't be fun; and a lady that also attended this church that found out about her situation took her to the store and put it on her card so that this women could have a washer and that she could pay her back when possible. On the way back from going to the store, the lady that bought her this washer had 30 pounds stollen from her. Later that day she had recieved 50 pounds back from another source. It made me think about what others do for each other and that the power of giving is unmeasurable. I want to thank the people that supported me to be here as they have also given a gift that is unmeasurable. Durring this service the teens leave for another part of service for them. The women that is getting this washer on Wednesday left to go and teach. Another lady went up and told the congrigation that they were taking money to help her pay off her washer and that they had all ready recieved 50 pounds. My housemates and I also attend a night service that is people that are worshiping that are around our age. Tonight they were also doing testamonials, but they only do them every so offten. It was wonderfull to see what God has been doing in these peoples lives.
As I know that many of you have been asking about what I am exactly doing over here and maybe just don't know. I am teaching children that need help with reading, writing and spelling. I teach each child twice a week and for about a 20-50 min session, depending on the child. At the moment I have 9 children and will be getting more in 2 weeks at half term. I will be getting a new school that has decided to link up with springboard. I am working in 2 schools at the moment; Oliver Goldshiths and Brockley. Most of the schools are in Peckam (where I live). As I would love to hear about your testamonies and what is going on in your lives as well please feel free to send me an email at amanda.wieland@hotmail.com