Monday, October 30, 2006

Yeah, Nyssa!

We are currently in Idaho, having a wonderful time. We've been here for four days now (well, four nights at least, so technically today would be day five) and we're having a fabulous time. Our hosts are taking wonderful care of us!

I just wanted to give a shout out to The Lighthouse in Nyssa, OR. What a wonderful church family! We were all blessed to meet and spend time with the people there. Our team was given the opportunity to take over service and lead worship, do one of our dramas and give two testimonies. Each person in the congregation was an absolutely joy and blessed us tremendously. Thanks, Lighthouse, for everything! It has been a pleasure.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Comments

I'm not sure why, but all of a sudden I had 26 comments to moderate- some a week or more old. So there are some new comments on some old posts for everyone's reading pleasure.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Hello world

It was brought to my attention last night that in our busyness, we have neglected to mention on here where we are going internationally. So, without further delay, the winner is.... *drum roll please* TAIWAN. Our team will be leaving in less than a month for one month's time to work with a YWAM base there. VERY exciting. Be sure to stay tuned!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Closing of the Prison Tour

Well yesterday we had our last concert with Prisoners for Christ. For the last two weeks we have been traveling around the Seattle area to a bunch of different detention centers, rehabilitation centers, and prisons; doing between 1 and 4 concerts a day! Prisons have become one of my favorite places to play. We have had our most lively interactive crowds at prisons, and our most "singing to a brick wall like" crowds. Either way it has been a really good excperience just knowing that most of the people in the room aren't Christians, and you know that the've had some not so good things going on in there lives. Going into these places we were able to be one of the few outside influences on the prisoners. Through the many prisons I've been in and out of in the last couple weeks, we have seen God doing work through us. We've seen people laugh, sing along, cry on several occasions, and have had people ask us some good questions.

-We played in a juvenile maximum security cottage one day, and afterwards they let us spend time with the kids. I got to talk with quite a few of the guys, and one of the girls there actually asked us to pray for her, so the girls on my team got to pray with her.-Another day we went to a rehab center (where the prisoners go shortly before they are released back into society.) We just brought acoustic guitars in and sang some songs with them, including a few songs by request. The people in charge there had us stay an hour past when we were supposed to leave, just because the guys there talked and interacted with us so much. Which appatently they have a hard time getting them to interact with anyone.

-Then just last night we played at another juvenile center. I actually have family in the Seattle area (the Taylors) and they met up with me and I took them to prison! Aren't I a nice guy. Yeah we were able to get two more passes for them and they came in and watched the concert. The concert went very well. Most of the kids were pretty receptive to it. After the concert we were allowed to shake the kids hands. One of them asked us were to find the story of peter denying the Lord three times. Another kid asked my to write a note in his Bible for him. That was pretty cool, I just wrote a note encouraging him to keep following after the Lord. Also after the concert the Chaplain informed us that the Lord had really touched one of the counselors who was in the room that night, through our service. He said the music, the drama, and just the way we interacted really made an impact on this counseler. Apparently the guy had kinda been on the edge, really struggling with his faith, and the Chaplian said he thinks our ministry may have saved a marriage that night. It's always neat to see the direct results of the Lord using us.

Signing off

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Time for another blog :-)

Well hello and g'day everyone. I thought it was about time I did another blog so here goes......

We've been kept very busy the past week and a half. Leslie, our Prisoners for Christ contact, has been taking us to all these prisons and detention centers around the Seattle area. We've been doing 2, 3, sometimes 4 concerts a day, and traveling lots in our big green van. Most nights we haven't gotten home until 11, 12 and even 1am sometimes. So I think it's fair to say we're all pretty exhausted right now! We'd really appreciate your prayers for energy, enthusiasm and also health. A few of us have been fighting the deadly cold/flu thingy that loves small, close groups of people.

The prisons and detention centers have been an eye-opening experience for me. I had no idea what they were like, but now I'm getting used to all the security and seeing the inmates in rubber flip-flops and orange overalls. Do Americans call them overalls? Just wondering. Those all in one suit thingys where the pants are joined to the top. Anyway, they're not very flattering. It's hard to imagine sometimes these people are actually criminals. When you get the opportunity to talk to them, most of them seem pretty ordinary type people. It's kinda weird knowing you're being watched by security cameras all the time. We walk through corridors and have to wait for every door to be opened. By the time we get to the door, it unlocks by itself because the security people can see you're there waiting to get through. I'm glad they let us through! Prisons are not very inviting.....just in case you were wondering! Lots of cement.

Well well, enough reflections on prison life. Time for some well earned rest I think.

Goodnight.

Mosaic Ohana!

We seem to be lacking in our blogging abilities lately, so thought I'd step up to the plate and take a shot at it, yet again. We're still in the Seattle area, been keeping super busy with Prisoners For Christ (thanks, Leslie, for hooking us up ALL over the state), which has been amazing. It's different absolutely everywhere we go, but it's been a blast. We've also done a couple school chapels (what's up, NSCS and SCS?!). That's been a blast. My father had us over one night for two fabulous meals, we've also gotten to lead worship at a church in the area. Needless to say, it's been busy but wonderful.

On a more personal note, I also have gotten to see my family, which is always important, this being my hometown and all. We just spent the evening with my small group, or at least most of the team did anyway. What a blessing! The welcomed all of us with open arms, as is the New Hope way, and blessed each of us tremendously. Thanks for being so wonderful, friends! It was wonderful to see you once more.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Shocking Illustration

This is us learning how to play the best game ever invented..




This is us about six hours later, discovering the full potential of this amazing device!



Friday, October 13, 2006

Simply shocking

So I'm out spending a week on the road with the team in splendid Seattle...

After spending the morning with the awesome kids and staff of North Sound Christian School (congratulations to all of you who sold lots of magazines & stuff...) we spent the day hanging out with Tiffany's dad, who cooked us up two amazing meals.

But it was the time between the meals that will be remembered, for during that time, we were introduced to what we can only describe as the "shock game." Forget the hot tub, puzzles, various wooden parlor games, Jenga made from 2X4's and pick-up-sticks on the scale of lawn darts... this one had us all captivated.

It goes down like this: up to four people grab one of the game's removeable metal handles with a button on top. A red light in the middle of the game flashes while a nerve-wracking and altogether musically non-pleasing theme song blares on for a random amount of time. The light eventually turns green and the music stops... at which point you are supposed to press the button on top of your handle. If you're the last one to buzz in, (or if you jump the gun) this thing shocks the eyeballs right out of your head.

It's got two intensity levels, and an "extreme" setting where EVERYONE gets lit up when the light turns green except the first person to press their button.

We played this game for hours. I don't know why.

Christian and Josiah definately pushed the envelope with some of their more "creative" handle-holding techniques. I suspect some video footage might be posted here eventually.

These boys aint right...

Saturday, October 07, 2006

yeah, Pacific timezone!

So, we're not exactly in my hometown yet, but we have officially changed timezones and are now in my home state. Needless to say, I'm really excited! In less than week I'll be home and introducing my wonderful team to many of my friends and family.

In the meantime, here we are on the eastern side of Washington, meeting more wonderful people. We did back to back concerts tonight and had a crazy (in a good way) responsive audience. It was definitely exillerating. It's been neat seeing our team grow more and more in the weeks we've been together, through work and through play. We're learning more and more about each other and I have definitely been challenged in my relationship with the Lord. He is growing all of us individually and together. Words can't begin to desribe all the Lord has done and is doing, but I'm so thankful and blessed to be part of this ministry for this year.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Finally, Internet access!

Finally, I'm able to get online to do a blog! I've been without internet access for a week which is why I haven't blogged for ages :-)

Well we've been having a great time on tour so far. I'm loving the long drives in the van - especially really early in the morning....I got some great piccies on Adam's camera this morning of the sunrise. I'm also loving meeting all our amazing host families! You guys who have housed us and welcomed us into your homes have been such a blessing! This ministry would not happen without your generous hospitality, so thankyouthankyouthankyou!

I've particularly enjoyed the highschool chapel services we've done. You highschoolers really get into it and your energy spurs us on! Looking forward to many to come :-)

bye for now,
Carolyn

Washington, here we come!

Needless to say, I'm more than a little excited that as of tomorrow we will be in my home state. In less than a week my team will be introduced to many of my friends and family. I'm super excited! Of course, I don't want to overlook all the wonderful people we've met along the way so far. I'm hanging out at my host fam's, doing laundry, checking e-mail and of course updating all of you wonderful people about what's up with us.

We have spent the last week or so running (okay, driving) all over Montana for these great shows. I wrote about one or two of them already, but wanted to give a shout out to some of the other places we've hit. Helena, where we were a few days ago, was a blast. Had a great time with the students and our host fams. Last night we did a concert at a church in Boulder (don't know where that is? That's right, it's a quaint town out in Montana) -- had a good time doing a show last night there. Got up super early, and drove into Manhattan, where we will spend our last night in Montana for this tour (at least if I'm remembering correctly, you can check the website if you want to know for sure). All in all, second week in, we're all still alive and kicking and can't wait meet even more of you.

Blessings

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

no worries, we rock on!

What's up, Montana! That's right, we have not gone silent intentionally. Rather, we have been without internet access for a week. We apologize for our lack of communication. We've talked about it but been without means to an end. So here I write.

We are well into our second week on the road and have had many adventures thus far! On Sunday night we performed our longest concert yet (by far!) -- 2 1/2 hours. Let me tell you, it was an honor to take part of an outreach like that in Boulder, MT. Things went off rather well, although we did incur some injuries. One of the most memorable to speak of was one of our dear guitarists, who made a leap off stage in the middle of a song, went to leap back up and missed. He's got some war wounds for sure to speak of. We hope that very gracious moment was caught on film. We shall see.

Other than that, it has been different living out of a suitcase and living off of the amazing hospitality of others. Thanks to those who have hosted us along the way! We have all been MOST blessed by all of you. More to come, and soon hopefully...