Greetings all! I hope life is going great for everyone back home. You all are in my prayers and if you have any specific prayer requests, please email them to me at r.colinw@gmail.com!! I would be more than happy to lift up your requests to God.
Today was my first full day at EMS. The kids are a blast! They are hilarious and do so many things you wouldn't expect. For example... several of them find it fun to take a piece of black board chalk and throw it up in the air and catch it in their mouth like its a grape or piece of food. They then proceed to blow out as hard as they can so chalk dust goes everywhere, then they just spit the chalk out and run away laughing. I died the laughing the first time one of them did it. Its been a lot of fun to help out in the classroom and get to know some of the children. I've been seeking God and asking what his purpose for me being there is ever since we found out we would be there the next 2 weeks. I won't have a huge opportunity to impact their educational future, since I can't change or effect the instruction. I don't know that I will be able to teach the class as a whole some great life lesson. I'm pretty sure God has me there to influence just one or two of the children in a way that will matter, more than just their education. I know for sure one of the kids that he has for me, I got to meet him and see a lot of him today. His name is Chalida... he reminds me alot of myself when I was his age. He is full of energy.. probably too much and spends most of the day running around throwing things and smacking his peers with books or anything he has in his hand. I don't know what it is about him, or what I might be able to teach him... but please start praying for him. I just get a feeling that I should get to know him better. So please pray that I might influence his life for Christ in some drastic way or assist him in something he might be going through over the next 2 weeks that I'll be seeing him. Pray for the other students in my classroom as well and that I might be a great role model and influence. My favorite part about the school so far... is that all the kids call male teachers uncle, and the female teachers aunty. So I have 25 or so kids running around calling me uncle, which I find hilarious.
I finished another song yesterday titled Simplify. Its all about one of the biggest things God has been teaching me so far through this trip. I've been living on no electricity most of the time, so no tv, no media, no lights. It has been a "simple" life if you will, and its bringing me so close to God. I've found that so many of those things have just been distractions for me and God is showing me what life is all about without them here. So thats what that song is about... I still have a lot of work to do on it... but I think it might turn out o.k. =D
It seems like at least once a day God will give me some revelation or my perspective on something will get completely changed. I'm learning so much from this and its amazing to see my view on things getting flipped upside down. I can't thank you all enough for the prayers in this area, God is revealing so much to me and teaching me and growing me daily.
The church service on Sunday was fantastic. So much energy and community, I'm looking forward to it again next week. Toward the beginning of the service, the head pastor introduced all the guests at the church... which of course included brittany and myself. He had heard me playing guitar once in my room when he came by to visit, so he had to include in his introduction that I was a great musician, and insisted in front of the entire church body, probably 200 people.. that I would play with the worship band the next upcoming service... hahaha
So... I will be going to band practice tomorrow night and will see exactly what I'm getting myself into. Please pray for me in that area! =D
I'm horrible at journaling, or blogging, because when I start typing I have so many different thoughts flying through my head. And now at this point, I can't think of anything else to say. So I guess I will conclude. Please keep praying for the children at EMS, for my spiritual growth, for the safety of Brittany and myself, for peace in Nigeria, and for the future God has planned for me these next few weeks.
Thank you all for reading. Until next time... God bless you!
Grace and Peace
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
You'll have to try that chalk trick @ UK next semester - I'm sure it will be a big hit! Only kidding - you don't need any outside encouragement to be silly or rowdy! haha
I'll be praying for Chalida. Just tell him what you said in your post, "you remind me of myself when I was your age" and that will open up great dialogue and give you a wonderful opportunity to offer him the encouragement he needs for the hope of a future God has for him, that he can't yet imagine!
Can't wait to hear the new song lyrics. Hey - I'm still waiting on the Oyibo Tribute - coming anytime soon?
Love you and can't wait to see your beautiful smile! 33 days and counting :)
Mom
w00t w00t colin willis is out serving God!
I'm flippin' proud of you dude, and i love reading your blog. Keep it up so that we know what is going on in your life and we can keep praying for you!
Colin
You should know that your mom is having way toooooo much fun with this whole trip of yours. She's like a silly school girl every time she gets an email, text, or you blog!!! :) I know she's been asking you tons of ??? too. If she's asking too much, just let me know---I'll sit on her for you! On a serious note, I really liked what you said about God keeping you uncomfortable because it made you rely on God more. I'm challenging your mom with those words and trying to apply them to my life as well. You know your mom is trying to drag me to China to work in an orphanage--it would be way out of my comfort zone--but your words were convicting. I've started to save. (And the real truth is that I'm trying to convince your mom to go and get out of her comfort zone--so you know how to pray for the 2 of us now! and you need to keep reminding her to start saving as well.) It's such a joy to hear your mom talk about you--she really is like a silly school girl because she knows that your are so joyfilled to be doing the work the Lord has called you to do this summer. Stay safe, have fun and to God be the Glory. With love, Terry
Long time to see or hear...
My brother and freind. I am so proud of you! I have been following ur journy the whole time and have felt myslef becoming more and more proud, excited, nervous and jealous. I can only imagine what it is like being there. I am so proud of really listening and searching God for EVERYTHING you do.
I wish I could be there with u and life here in lex has been really different and hard without you, but I will manage. God has been great.
I love your stories and all the interactions you are having, they are awesome. Please try not to leave any out. I have been asking God to challange u every day and to keep u out of comfort zone continuously. And it sounds like u have been, haha. God is so BIG and AWESOME!
I beg that you keep searching for his direction with everyhting you do and that u come to realize that when are are challanged by being uncomfortable, scared, anxious, uncertain, or just confused that is when u grow the most in God. Being comfortable is Satan's way of keeping u not a threat to his reign here on earth. There is truly as spirtual war at hand!
Once agian I am so proud of u and so is everyone else. Keep doing what ur do b/c u do what u do-quote from Scrubs.
The latest blog, was so helpful keeping me on track and realizing that I don't need to sweat the small things, when God is in control, I have no reason to worry or stress about anything. That is when it should be the easiest for me, even though it may NOT be what I expect to happen, which is usually why God's plan is better :)
I pray that God will give u the eyes of Christ to see everyone as a child of God and see what they really need, to have the ears of Christ to listen to people and really undstand what they are saying and undstanding what they need, not letting anything become a barrier especailly langage to distact you, for Christ's tongue so u will be silent when words are not needed and to only speak words that come for God to only be helpful, positive and encouraging. Finally I pray that God will give u the heaart of Christ, so that u will first love God and second love others. These are your borthers and sisters in Christ, or "nephews and nieces" haha :)
Sorry I haven't blogged but I honestly just realized that people could. haha I am pathetic. I love u my borther and friend with all my heart. I am so proud of u!! U are missed deaply, and knowing that u are doing God's work helps. Peace and love!
-Always trust in the LORD
Post a Comment