May has been chockful of activities!
Breakthrough!
Life in the Spirit Seminar
27-30 May 2008
,20 youth gathered in our mission centre for 3 and a half days experienced the power and love of God breaking through into their hearts and lives as they opened their hearts to receive the Holy Spirit.
Praising and worshipping God on the final day of the seminar, proclaiming:
"How awesome is the Lord Most high!"
That's me giving the first teaching on God's love. The pictures were used to illustrate the various attributes of God's love for us and I also shared how the little sparrow was instrumental in teaching me about my worth in God's eyes!
My cell group posing with pictures that spoke to them personally about God's love for them.
An intimate moment of adoration during the seminar. It was during the Sacrament of Reconciliation which ministered deeply to so many of the youth who experienced coming home to God that day. It was very touching to hear them share about their journey home to God.
Over the days we could see God's liberating truth and love breaking through as the youth opened up like flowers under God's tender love and grace.
Many shared how they were touched by the unconditional love and acceptance by God their heavenly Father during this time.
It was "God be with you!" as we bade farewell to the youth last Friday who packed themselves into a jeepny. There will be a follow up with them in a couple of weeks. Till then we pray that they continue to be open to God's grace at work in their lives.
For me, it was a journey of trusting more in God and of letting go and truly letting Him be God.
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In the middle of May, we hosted 6 children from Montalban at our home for 2 days. During this time, we spoke to them about their identity and value in God and encouraged them to dare dream dreams. We also translated the values taught to them into practical tips on how they can take care of their own bodies and personal hygiene.
I had 3 of them (Riza, Michael and Anna Louisa) helping me in the liturgy ministry. Together we beautified the altar with the message "Come as you are" received during their time of worship with us on their first morning here.
Their presence in our home filled my heart with joy. During the time they were with us, I felt a lightness in spirit and knew that God was blessing me through the children. Thank you Father God!
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Every Saturday we drove down to Montalban and spent the morning and afternoon with the children. The theme of May's teachings was on the Holy Spirit.
Therese having a great time teaching about the fruit of the Spirit :-)
Teaching them the actions for the song, "Every Move I Make" and linking it to Acts 17:28 where St Paul says, "In Him[the Holy Spirit], we live and move and have our being."
Did you realise that there's a "van" in "EVANgelisation"? Well, that truly was the case on one Saturday morning when it began to rain in the middle of our session in Ate Bing's garden!
All 12 kids were packed into our van which truly became a vehicle for evangelisation. HAHAHA!
Celine continued her teaching from the front passenger's seat while Therese stood by the side of the van and shared her testimony of how God's power helped her through a tough time in her life. God truly has a sense of humour! ;-)
My session was about Pentecost. We re-enacted the day of Pentecost to give the children a visual teaching of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and how the power of the Spirit changed and can change the hearts and lives of people.
We ended the session with praying for each of the children and for their personal intention which they had scribbled down onto their journals.
Some of the new people that God is sending into my life here in the Philippines!
For a fruitful month lived in the Spirit, thanks be to God!
Come Holy Spirit! More of you in my life!
