from Czech to Bulgaria!

Wow! I cannot believe that today is day 12 of outreach. It seems like way more and way less all at the same time. Our team has experienced so many blessings and has been able to invest in relationships since we left Herrnhut, Germany on Monday, November 26. We spent about five days in Cheb, followed by visits to various cities around Czech, ending with a journey to Bulgaria. Read on for the fun details! :)

We began on Monday by revisiting Cheb, which is on the border of Germany and Czech Republic. We met high school students during our mini outreach in October. It was awesome to reconnect with those friends and make new ones as during our daily cafe ministry times! Two nights last week we reached out to prostitutes in the region, offering warm tea, words of encouragement and of their value, and prayer. The women really are so precious, and it was such a blessing to be able to connect with them. We spent a lot of time in prayer and worship as well. 

When I was in Cheb in October, I was nervous to bring up God in conversations. God was gracious though, and the students I spoke with actually paved the way by asking lots of questions about what I was doing and Christianity. Czech is mostly atheist, maybe the most atheist country in Europe. This time around, I asked God to help me to be bold, and for Him to highlight opportunities for me to bring up faith in conversations, instead of relying on the people I wanted to talk about God to to bring Him up! God is so good, guys, and he did just that. I was able to be the one to bring God up, and sure enough good conversations followed. God really is doing amazing things in the hearts of young Czechs!

On Saturday, we left Cheb with some of the YWAM Cheb team to do a four day tour of the Czech Republic, connecting with various churches and student groups to share about YWAM Cheb, which is beginning its first DTS this coming February. We spent Saturday and Sunday in Prague (such a beautiful city!), splitting up into teams and visiting different churches and staying with families that have a heart for hosting missionaries. I was so blessed to be staying with a family whose ministry is encouraging missionaries! I felt God's love in the nightly conversations, the warm shower, a delicious breakfast and the donation they gave to our team in a letter that said "to open after you leave." I visited two churches, one of which actually meets on a boat and has a cafe inside! That one had maybe 40 people in college or in their 20s. 

On Monday, we left for Pilsen, the third biggest city in Czech. After a 3 hour train ride, we gave a presentation to a group of university students. It was fun to set up the presentation which included worship time, a PowerPoint, testimonies and info about the Cheb base.

On Tuesday, I woke up and quickly showered. I am helping out with hospitality on my team, and we realized we needed one additional chocolate bar as a gift for our hosts, who allowed us to stay in a room rented by Christians above a club. I had a fun time running quickly to a store to grab it with just  enough time to leave to catch our train! :) We spent 6 hours on trains and buses to Berno, the second biggest city in Czech. This time our leaders were busy coordinating dinner and such, so I was asked to help arrange the presentation. We had a great time and there was a great group of high school and college aged students. That night we stayed with families from the church. It really helps our team when churches offer this to us, because on those nights we don't have to pay and on top of that can engage in new friendships with our hosts!

And then on Wednesday, we began what would be a 33 hour journey to Kazanlak, Bulgaria! We spent about 12 hours on a train from Berno to Serbia, and then another 12 or so from Serbia to Sofia, the capitol of Bulgaria. After the wait, we spent 3 hours on a bus and then our friends who are starting a YWAM base here in Kazanlak picked us up in an epic blue van. After many days of ministry, presentations, carrying around our massive backpacks and traveling, it was such a blessing to have today to relax.

I will be here for the next 3 weeks! I am super excited to spend time in the local community. We are planning to help in local kids clubs and orphanages, in addition to partnering up with local churches in what they are doing. Our days are split up in three ministry times: morning, afternoon and evening. One of my favorite things about doing missions this way is that we are partnering up with long term teams, so the seeds that are planted will continue to be watered even after I leave. I love being able to come into a city and be able to see what God is already doing and how He can use the talents he has given our team to be a part of it!

If you are supporting me through prayer, could you please pray for God to continue to point out areas for me to step out in boldness for Him, and for a healthy time in Bulgaria? I would so appreciate it!

Love and prayers from the mountains of Bulgaria,
Meg :)

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Does God care about injustice?

This week was the last week of the lecture phase (part one of two) of my Discipleship Training School. We discussed worldviews as they relate to justice. In our lectures this week, we looked at the question: Does God care about injustice? 

And the answer: Yes, God cares deeply. The prophets in the Old Testament talk about God’s justice constantly. And we know that God’s character does not change. Here are just a few verses:

Micah 6:8

Amos – the entire book

Ezekiel 22:23-31

I think that one of my friends put it well during a discussion this week: If God is your thing, then justice is your thing.

So, this week we will be preparing for outreach. We will also be celebrating Thanksgiving (my mom sent some stuffing mix and a fudge kit!)! And then on Monday, November 26, I will begin the outreach phase (part two of two) of my DTS.

Here's my outreach team and our newsletter! :)

If you’d like to keep up with us while we’re out and about, we will try to update our Facebook page here.  I am not planning to bring my computer, so I anticipate that updates on my blog might be much fewer and farther between. I will do my best, though! Please feel free to keep in touch via Facebook and email. :)

Go God :)

This week was amazing! Our speaker was Dan Baumann, and he spoke on loads of practical things—living with passion, decision-making as a Christian, priorities—and he also shared some AMAZING stories. For example… he almost died by falling off the side of a boulder but was saved by three blades of grass, he was imprisoned in Iran, and then a funny story about how he can’t get change in a drive thru the normal way due to a problem with his arm in college… among others. He is hilarious, authentic and a good story teller. Here are a few things I took away from this week:

• Everything you do for God needs to come from intimacy with God.
• The Christian life is about discovering the love of God over and over again.
• I would rather live my life stepping out and leaning into what I think God is saying and trusting in His character than stepping back and waiting until I know that I know that I know.
• God is more committed to fulfill His will for my life than I am to find it.
• God wants to give us His dreams and then wants to walk them out with us.
• How can we give Satan so much attention when God is so huge?
• Instead of making a list of priorities, how about having God in the center of everything you do in life?
• Comparison has killed passion.
• Your passion isn’t based on emotions; it’s based on the cross and on commitment. When you buy milk the morning after a wonderful worship time with God the night before, are you just as passionate about God? Sure; there isn’t a shift of commitment when there is a shift of emotion.
• Concentrate on who God is, not your emotions.
• Be a thermostat (changes & everything around it has to change) not a thermometer (changes depending on the culture around it).
• The preoccupation of our lives shouldn’t be sin; instead, joyfully repent and move on.
• God will fix you as you focus on His priorities.
• You can hear God’s voice better by spending time with Him and including Him in your life.
• Trust God’s character more than your ability to feel peace.
• Trust God’s character over your experiences.
• If something happens and you don’t understand why, put it in the mystery of God box and by God’s grace, move forward in your relationship with Him.
• God’s biggest will for us is to love God and love people (always a good reminder!)
• What God wants to do today is based on how great He is, not based on what happened yesterday or how you feel.

And a piece of advice from him to consider – If analyzing doesn’t bring joy and peace, shut it off.

We had more great lectures on justice! I’m reading Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community by Wendell Berry and it’s totally making me want to live more sustainably by supporting a local food economy.

The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. – Exodus 14.14

(what Moses said to people freaking out about the Egyptians coming after them before the sea parted)

Also, praise the Lord—due to great generosity I will be able to pay the remainder of my outreach fees this week! God is so good!

update on finances

Hi, friends!

I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to do this Justice Discipleship Training School. I am still so confident that this is exactly where God has me for these months. If you haven’t yet, you can read about my conviction to drop everything and do this here.

I want to take a moment to update you on finances. :)

• Through saved money and gifts, I have been able to pay for most of my school fees. I still need to pay 500€ (about $641 USD) for the remainder of the outreach portion of my school.
• I’m excited about the possibility of attending the Justice Conference! It is in Philadelphia at the end of February, immediately after my school ends. My school leaders changed the end date of our school to make space to attend. I would love to attend! In order to be a part of this, there are a few things that I will need to pay for (flight, conference fees and accommodation), and I estimate that it will be about $1000. 

If you would like to come alongside me and partner with me financially, I would be so honored! I have hooked up PayPal to my blog (see the button to the right!) for donations. Also, my mom is happy to receive checks to deposit on my behalf. I’m happy to answer any specific questions about finances, DTS or anything else. You can connect with me via Facebook or email (meghanecross [@] gmail.com). 

Thank you so much for supporting me via encouraging words, finances and prayer. I am so encouraged by your love!

highlights from week 10

My 10^th week of DTS is coming to a close. This time has been so full; it baffles me that everything that’s happened has fit into ten weeks! This week was particularly rich and inspiring for me. I would love to share a few highlights with you!

• Last night, I had the opportunity to meet an inspiring Canadian couple (Jay & Michelle Brock) that makes up the organization Hope for the Sold. They visited Herrnhut for about 24 hours and shared with my DTS about their calling to create documentaries about sex trafficking. I am so inspired by these modern-day abolitionists: they lead “normal” lives and do this in their free time. They aren’t filmmakers (read: no special training), but they make documentaries. Their first one has been used all over Canada for things like raising awareness about sex trafficking in high schools and for training for border patrol. You can watch it here. Also, Michelle’s blog about sex trafficking is totally worth checking out! (Sidenote: I love that this couple has the calling to do this together. They are a testament to how powerfully God can use a marriage to fulfill his purposes!)
  

• In this week’s lectures about justice, we discussed Sabbath economics: a holistic look at our lives and how we spend our resources—time, money, everything. The following bit may be overwhelming. If it is, I encourage you to ask "What is the next right step?" (I snagged that helpful question from Jay & Michelle's talk last night!). I have tried to include questions to get you thinking and helpful links. In our lectures, we discussed seven areas of life:

A picture of my notes to make all the words below a little less overwhelming :)

• Surplus capital – This is the money you have in your bank, in your pocket, etc. How is your money being used? Is the bank and are the stocks you have money in investing in and profiting in an ethically sound things? 
• Negative capital – Debt. We talked about cash advance companies and their exploitive nature... I thought of 38^th Street. Did you know that a lot of banks we use own a lot of these? I didn’t. After I post this blog, I plan to look up where my bank uses its clients’ money. It's next on my "To Do When I Have Access to the Internet" list. :)
• Giving – We discussed giving as a lifestyle and an art. When I stop to think about it, I can think of specific people who are creative givers. Who comes to mind for you? I would love to grow more in the area of artful, creative giving!
• Environment and green living – We were given stewardship over this earth. How are we taking care of the earth that God created? You can find out your environmental impact on myfootprint.org 
• Consumption – Looking at products for spiritual satisfaction is idolatry. We have the opportunity to develop an alternative mindset and, in this age of infinite information on the internet, to be conscious of where our products come from. You can learn more about consumption by watching The Story of Stuff and by taking a fun and interactive survey at slaveryfootprint.org. As someone who sometimes goes to Target with no intention other than to see if there’s anything to buy (I can't believe I'm admitting this in online), this topic challenged me. I also have had a hard time going to thrift stores and Goodwill for clothing in the past. This week is making me think twice about my aversion to pre-owned clothing.

If this is an area you would like to explore in your own life, here are some questions to think about before buying things:

• Can I borrow this item from a friend or neighbor?
• Is there anything I already own that I could use or repurpose instead?
• Were those who labored for this product paid a fair wage?
• Were their working conditions fair and just?
• How was the environment impacted by the production, transportation and packaging of this?
• Are the resources that went into this renewable?

• Solidarity – Standing as one with poor, oppressed and marginalized people. This means aligning your location (or maybe vocation? I kept hearing both), life, vision and hope with them. Where would Jesus spend his time where you live?
• Work and Sabbath – There is a time for work and a time for rest. We explored the Biblical idea of the Sabbath: setting a day aside and intentionally doing things and intentionally not doing other things in order to rest and spend time with the Lord. What do you intentionally DO on your Sabbath day? What do you intentionally NOT do on your Sabbath day? Being intentional about this is new for me!

• This week in our DTS lectures, we learned about worship. I thought of all of my creative friends and the worship team at itown... you guys would love this! This YWAM base is particularly creative... the other Discipleship Training School going on right now is called Marriage of the Arts and the people in it focus on different things: writing, music, art, photography, dance. To all my creative friends: you would love it here. ;)
  

In short, it was a wonderful week!

my community :)

Hello! Here's a picture of my wonderful community in Herrnhut:

I definitely encourage you to watch the flash mob with live music the other Discipleship Training School (Marriage of the Arts) did on their mini-outreach here. It's seriously so awesome that I almost cried when I saw it! For a comprehensive update of all the different things going on related to the base, check out the base blog here: http://www.ywamherrnhutblog.com/.

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I have learned so much about community and seen the great value of living in community these past two months. We are called to live like Christ, and the chapters of the Gospel have the context of community. Jesus lived in community with his small group and with those who no one else loved. We are given a model of how the first Christians lived in community in Acts 2:42-47 & Acts 4:32-35... pretty cool, yeah?

A group of us have house church at the Justice House on Sundays--worship, a delicious homemade lunch and listening to a message from a podcast. As a group, we are pretty pumped about the topic of community, so today's podcast was about community. It emphasized that we are called to live in and invest in community, and it reminded us that we are also called to go out: the Great Commission calls us out into the world, meaning not always staying in the comfort of community. And this phrase really stuck out to me: godly people hold each other with open hands.

It got me wondering: Do I hold people with open hands? And then beyond that: What do I hold with open hands? What do I not hold with open hands? This can apply to so many things! Time, finances, life direction, people, so many things. I'm going to be chewing on this idea for awhile, I'm sure.

And I got this picture: our lives are like vessels. And we can decide which kind of vessel to make our life, ranging from a milk jug that is opened occasionally but mostly kept safe in the fridge to a beautiful fountain. And of course we can't keep giving if we aren't receiving... we can't and we don't have to, since God provides and it's only by God's power that we can give and love so much. Here's a good one by Mother Theresa: "I have found a paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. - Jesus, in Matthew 16:25
 

cheb

Ahoj! Ahoj is Czech for an informal hello and is pronounced "ahoy," as in "Ahoy, mateys!"

On Friday night I returned from two weeks in Cheb ("Hyeb"), Czech Republic--my mini outreach! There is a YWAM base in Cheb that will have its first Discipleship Training School beginning in February, and we were able to meet the staff and a few of the students who may be in the school. Cheb is an amazing city. The architecture is amazing, and the people that I met are great.

That isn't to say that it's perfect--in fact, as a border town it is an area for prostitution and sex trafficking. Brothels are in plain view. They are called "night clubs," but function the same way. German men cross over the border, since sex is cheaper in Czech.

Twice our team did red light district outreach, meaning a few teams went out and spoke with prostitutes--offering prayer and warm tea in the evenings. Part of our team would stay back and pray over the outreach.

In fact, prayer spotted our entire time in Cheb. We did a mix of prayer and worship most mornings. I learned what a prayer walk is--walking through the city, asking the Holy Spirit to lead, and praying over the city. Sam Hofmann, our speaker for last week, led us in prayer in front of two brothels during the day. We also spent a morning in prayer over the city on a hill. God is so good.

We also had the opportunity to teach English classes in one of the local high schools. The students were awesome! We kept meeting up with them throughout our time in Cheb. I loved having friends to meet in cafés! One new friend invited a group of us to visit her town, which was just outside of Cheb :)

We got to talk about all kinds of things--boys, the sex industry in Cheb, how kids grow up too early there (sounds a little like the US, yeah?). Athiesm is super common in Cheb, so we had some cool conversations about God too.

Now I'm back in Herrnhut for the next four weeks or so! :)