Just Stop.

Yesterday the time was taken to stop.

Beginning Thursday evening, the base went into a 22 hour fast, that ended with a straight 8 hour prayer meeting, and eventually dinner.

The leadership felt that although their hearts and motives have been good, they wanted to humbly stop everything and prioritize by keeping God central and seeing what he had to say to each of us individually, as well as to the mission and where he was leading us. It was open to everyone and anyone who didn't want to join in didn't have to, yet even still there were about 500 people there which is pretty much the whole base.

The meeting went back and forth, between prayer and music, between repentance and forgiveness. We prayed for the upcoming generation, we prayed for the older generation. It was a time of coming before one another and God and asking for forgiveness and letting God know you're available to him for whatever he wants to do, setting aside agendas, setting aside convenience. To be inconveniently devoted. Work stopped. Cell phones were turned off. Computers were abandoned. 

To say that; if we've forgotten, we're proclaiming again: it's all about You, and where You are is where we want to be.

At one point one of the high school girls got on stage and took the mic, and in front of 500, she admitted she was terrified of what we would think of her after she'd said what she was about to. With a strong voice, she asked that the church would stop ignoring this problem - that there are beautiful kids, missionary kids, pastors kids, and they are hurting and in pain and they have scars up and down their arms because they are cutting themselves. That she's so sick of watching the Christian church sweep what it doesn't understand under the rug. And as she began to cry, her voice became stronger and she proclaimed and petitioned for it to stop - the ignorance and the pain, the cutting, the depression, the suicidal thoughts, and the oblivious eyes. That being a missionary kid can be hard, can feel like you're being drug along under your parent's faith and that it's not your own and that the only outlet to that can seem to be by self-inflicted wounds.

 

I was locked on her while she spoke - you could tell she was obviously scared to be up there, but at the same time, you couldn't at all. She held absolute power and clarity with her words, and as she spoke and began praying for this to stop, the crowd came more alive than it had the entire morning. There were walls falling down with each yell and there were chains breaking with each word, and you could feel it, you could see it, and the catalyst was this young woman.

A while later I was walking through the room and turned my eyes to see them being met by hers. We exchanged knowing, warm smiles and passed each other by. I really hope I can find her again...

I tell you this because it stood out to me. I tell you this story because I want you to know.

The meeting, the time, it all was great. It was good to be in a place where people were willing to stop production, stop daily life, and focus. Focus on what really is the point, what really is the purpose and the goal and on Who really is important. To realize that the benefit to that break is immeasurable compared to the production of another day of work. Yet to realize that you'd do it no matter the potential profits.

That is a place I enjoy being.

That is a place that fosters things good and produces things that are good.

Not without flaw or fault, but with every attempt to do what they can to do what is right.

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In other news, this week we've had our first guest teacher, Gary S. Chapman and his wife Vivian here this past week. Gary's been teaching us about Photoshop CS3 and other techniques/programs etc. He has a great story, a great history and their life together is amazing too. Vivian spoke on what it is like to be married to a photographer and they shared their stories together. Just that side of it, the relational-personal part of this week that they shared with us, was just as important and encouraging and educating as the time spent on the computers. I met with them both this morning for a little while and it was amazingly encouraging in what we discussed and their opinions on my work and future etc.

Check Gary's website out here: link

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I'll introduce you to this organization now, but we'll talk more about it later.

To Write Love On Her Arms.

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Love you,

K