exodus...

so i'm back... 4 days...crazy adventures...thank God it wasn't any longer! :)

sunday morning we were sent out, backpacks strapped, team flags in hand (looking like COMPLETE FOOLS :)) on a scavenger hunt all over the town. we had to hitch rides everywhere and then collect a bunch of stuff, and then meet in IAO valley once we had everything...
it was pretty interesting...met some really cool people that helped us get around, and had an incredible time...

we all met at the valley, and melissa gave a lecture on the importance of quiet times, and spiritual disciplines. just a bit of a prep lecture for when the DTS actually starts...

we then got bussed to our camp location...which was on the side of the volcano, right along the coast...middle of NOWHERE...but absolutely beautiful...and we set up camp there. not much camp to set up cuz we pretty much slept under the stars...we had a couple tarps and a fire pit...that was about it.

we really took a lot of time just getting to know each other...playing cool games, and giving our testimonies around the fire. all we had to eat was plain oatmeal for breaky, and mr. noodles (or raman, as the americans call it) for lunch and dinner...

so yeah...40 people...middle of nowhere...no clean clothes, no toothbrushes, no anything...we got close quick! it really was a learning experience just in trusting in God, stepping out in faith, and being stretched. and OH am i thankful for the littlest things now :)

so yeah...we were out there for a few days...and even though things were starting to wear on us, everyone had such awesome attitudes...and on what was our last day (not to our knowledge) they told us to pack up camp cuz we were moving to a different location. we had been playing these crazy games all day. we were all REALLY dirty, salty, and muddy...and just wanting hot showers, cozy beds, and a BIG meal...SO, we ended up at this church, where all the other staff from the base were waiting for us, all decked out and smelling FABULOUS..with a MASSO meal for us...we were guests of honour at a love feast. It was incredible. After the meal, the staff actually came out, knelt, and washed out feet!

at that moment, God just broke me, and i had serious revelation of what it really means to be a disciple of Christ. i realized how much the people on this base REALLY love us, and how awesome of an example they are of real love. It made me see that ultimately, that's what it comes down to. all we need to do is share the love we have for Jesus with everyone else. be servant-hearted, and really truly, honestly, fully LOVE people. so simple, yet so profound. God is amazing...

when i first got here, i was so worried that i wasn't gonna be on the same page as everyone else, and that i wasn't going to be able to really hear God's voice...but i have found that over these last days, He has surpassed everything i could ever imagine. all i needed to do was fully surrender myself to Him, and in doing that, He has met me, and spoke so clearly into my life. i have had some of the most incredible revelation of His heart, and His will for my life, and He has amazed me over and over again...even in such a short period of time.

so lectures started yesterday. our director Andy is speaking this week on intimacy. and wow. yesterday was along the lines of experience and knowledge going hand in hand...and how curiousity leads to intimacy, which leads to obedience. He spoke about the relationship John had with Jesus, and how we need to be able to refer to ourselves as the "one that Jesus loves" as he does. It was cool though because the Holy Spirit decided to move the focus a little, and Andy began to challange us to really take ownership of our roles as men and women of the body of Christ...He said some really direct and serious things, and told the guys they really need to be the spiritual leaders in this group, and in the church, and that the women need to support and submiss to the leadership...and that if done out of honest love for each other, we can fully be the men and women God has called us to be. most times people tend to get their backs up about stuff like that...but the guys in the class really grabbed ahold of it, and we ended up in a SUPER POWERFUL prayer session where the guys prayed over the gurls, and the gurls prayed over the guys...It was awesome because after that point, all walls and strongholds were completely shattered. It was like the ways of viewing guy-gurl relationships that are moulded and ingrained into our minds by our twisted society were completely broken, and we just became brothers and sisters. It was the best way to end the first day of our DTS. :) God is doin some incredible things in all of us here, and i can't even WAIT to see what He's gonna do next!

i know that i am seriously RAMBLING on and on...but SO much has happened in the last days, i can't even fit it all in!

they told us that this dts can basically be measured up to about 7 years of church in a matter of 6 months. CRAZY! so yeah...it's pretty intense!

we found out today that we as a group will be doing a short term outreach to Thailand beginning of december for about ten days...so we're all really really excited about that...and we are now in the process of deciding where our groups will be going for the rest of our outreach. i'll either be going to indonesia, bangladesh, or nepal...i think we'll find out tomorrow! so please keep us all in your prayers over the next couple days as this planning is goin on...just that God will lead us all to the places He wants...and i'll keep ya'll posted!

anyways...i have SO much more to write, but i will save it for another post...love ya'll and wish i could bring everyone here to see and experience all the amazing things i have been...but this is the best i can do!

loves.

jes~