Heather In Missions

scratching the surface?

2010-09-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

am i just scratching the surface of life?
Well now that its all said and done, and my life situation changes without my permission.
I feel again left with the choices: give up? move on? stand strong? hold on? new life?
These choices all leave me desperate for direction.

My dad once told me that if i keep investing in only the short term things in life i will only be scratching the surface.

I guess that drove me to long for more in life. Long for a stability that my 'short term mission mentality' never gave me. But also the blessing of seeing the fruits of sharing life with others, of breaking down the walls that we hide behind when its 'short term anyway'.

Staying put isn't easy for me. Sometimes i feel like a caged bird thats usually about the time i start to plan my next trip or my next move across the world. This feeling usually results in laying awake till four in the morning imagining all the possibilities.
I do realized that i really do want to move to the Canadian mountains some day, its the thought that has been in the back of my head all these years. And part of me is at peace with the knowledge that its not an impossible dream. It just needs to come in the right time. Just like the bible says "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven".

God is so good, His faithfulness is increadible.
Some how its hard to trust again. Hard to be motivated.
I find myself as:
Not a student, not working/looking for a job, living in a high rent room, at a dead end...
Feel like a failure, like i havn't come very far from where i was last year.
Even though i know that now i have a legal apartment with two great friends, paperwork finished that figured out all the dutch policies and taxes, i have furnature, cloths and dishes. I even have a laptop. Comparativly it is along way from the suit case i came with. The foundations have been laid. The question is weather i dare build on them. Weather i dare continue to invest in this place.

I started writing this without knowing the answer.
But now its become clear.
I want to be 100% where i am right now until the Lord calls me on.
May the Lord be glorified in North Amsterdam through my life.

HOPE

2010-08-07T14:56:00.001-07:00

What is trust and why is it such a hard thing.
After all my travels and trusting God with food shelter and money.
Why do i have to learn the same thing, again and again.
Like its not good enough just to do once or twice but God asks us to trust Him in everything. Trust Him with our lives.

I am now living in Amsterdam (summer 2010) and I am doing a dutch language test in two days. If i pass i can go to school in Holland. If not, I once again have no idea what to do in life, other than seek the Lord with all that I am.

I am learning how to trust Him again. It was always with the future, but now it feels more personal, so close to home.
I've wanted to study for awhile now and its all dependent on one test.
Yet I still find my self praying.
Not my will but Yours be done.

I wish i could get pushy and demanding with God.
But when ever i get in His face i get overwhelmed by His love and all my reason for wanting anything other than His plan fades.
Crazy how He is such a good father, lover and friend, not to mention all powerful increadible tingeling fearful God.

Yet some how He cares, about where I go in life. How I treat those around me. I can sometimes also feel his love for others like the man sleeping under the bridge that i bike by on my way to work.

I guess it all comes down to Hope. When i look at my future, its so easy to want to grasp something anything to hope on. Because hope keeps us afloat. Yet i feel like God is asking me to let go of my hope of an education and a man to love.
Then I remember what they used to always say in church.
Our hope is in the name of our Lord.
Gods not against my dreams but Hes been challanging to put my hope in Him.
My hope is in the Lord.

HELLO Cambodia!! welcome back?!!!

2010-01-23T23:23:00.001-08:00

What a trip...

on Thursday the 21st I was in Three countries in the same time zone, on the same day.... woke up at 4:30 in the Philippines headed out to the airport.
Flew to Hong Kong where i took a bus to the city and eventually met my mom. We had a good time together saw the city and relaxed. Later i flew to Bangkok wow i was so tierd really had the energy sucked out of me.
Having only had 3 hours of sleep for such a long day of travel wasn't the best idea.

I met Kitty at the lougage area (our plan A) it was so good to see her familiar face again!!! we figured out after talking to the info lady that we would just take a cheep city bus into town and a taxi from there to a bus terminal that we caught a bus to the boarder of Thialand and Cambodia. It was about 1:30 am when we got to the terminal and out bus left at 3:30 am. After a four hour ride to the boarder we were way exhausted.

Crossing the boarder was not fun, i had a bad experiance with crossing last time with my ywam team so i felt like i couldn't trust anyone. So we just started walking in Poi Pet (the boarder town). I got kindof worked up so we just took a moment to pray... a few minutes later a nice taxi driver offered us a ride for a reasonable price. Two hours Later we were in Siem Reap wow!
My friend Sokly hooked us up with a guest house right away and after we rested she fed us and showed us around the base...

We've been taking advantage of the delisous fruit here. Also learning about Ywam as we are meeting and hanging out with many Ywamers from all over the world.

tomorrow (monday the 25th) is our last day in Cambodia and then we'll spend some time in Thialand.

we keep moving
its been super good so far + super thankful for Kitty my travel buddy.

Saying good bye to the Philippines ... already :(

2010-01-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

Wow its already time to say good bye?!
I guess that is to be expected when i only stayed here for a week and a half.
It has been a very good time, refreshing and adventurous.
So the first five days in Manila were chill... seeing old friends and recuperating. I slept alot, visited YWAM antipolo base where i did my DTS. Joined Ate kit with her weekly childrens ministry. Went to Shekinah Christian Church in Nagtahan.

Sunday afternoon Ate Carol (who is on a ministry break 'furlo' resting here in Nagtahan) and I started out adventure. We were planning at first to go to Baracy (white sands beach) but the transportation wasn't running on the correct times and it just didn't work. So we planned out a trip up north. We took a bus trip to a friends place (Ate Dhel) arriving at 1am (bus driver really took his time).
We had a mini sleep and left @ 8 again. We took a Jeepney into the mountains Lagaue, bus to Ban toc 4 hours through mountains, high in the clouds, through remote villages, and unpaved roads along the mountain side.
In Ban toc we rode on the roof of a Jeepney up the mountain again to Sagada! this incredible village high in the mountains.
So funny during this trip we spend alot of time traveling on the road but I had such a good time it was so great.
Back in Manila now after a great adventure resting for a day before i head out tomorrow.

Tomorrow I fly out to Hong Kong to meet my mom for a half day 'mother daughter' time. Then I fly out in the evening to Bangkok... where i will meet my friend Kitty and we will travel together to Cambodia and around Thailand.

God shows his faithfulness a new all the time.
oh mini story along those lines that i need to tell you.
I had bought a ticket from Hong Kong to Bangkok but never received my e-ticket version or confirmation just knew that i paid in full.
I e-mailed the company so much but they never send it to me.
Finally it was 5 days till i flew out i posted it as a prayer request on my face book.
I received a response from a friend of mine Nynke who is a travel agent in Amsterdam. It turns out she works for the same company that I ordered my ticket from. She had read my statues randomly and found my ticket in her files and made sure i got it.
Wow i really wouldn't have gotten it if she wasn't there.

Gods faithfulness is overwhelming.

ASIA, I'm back!

2010-01-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

wow... one evening at the end of November I was hanging out with God praying and diving in the word when I started to dream. I planed out what I would do/where i would go/who i would meet, if i went to Asia. Then I started to pray for it and felt at peace so i went to check out tickets and see if it was reasonable financially.
After a day of fasting and prayer... God spoke to me that if i decided to go He would go with me. Also spoke to me about what He would teach me and show me on my trip.
It worked out with my job amazingly to take off for a month.
I bought the tickets without really telling anyone abroad.
The plans all came together.
( one night in Hong Kong, one week in the Philippines, three days in Cambodia, week in Thialand, one week in China)
Last week, the week before i left was very exhausting and i guess you could say it was a very productive week. I left Monday January 11th at 6:18am from my apartment in Amsterdam. Was so blessed by my friends Steven and Deborah who saw me off @ the airport. I started my long journey a'dam - frankfurt , frankfurt - Beijing , Beijing - Hong Kong... in Hong Kong i followed some crazy directions about busses and trains and found my self in a area called Tai Wai i bought a SIM card to call my parents but it didn't work. i almost gave up, as its so tempting to do when your exhausted and don't know what to do. Then i saw a mobile phone shop i went and asked them about my SIM and how i could call the number. They read the chineese character hand book i got with the SIM and hooked me up. I talked to my parents who in turn connected me with their friend who had a guest room ready for me and who took me out for some street food it was great i really enjoyed Hong Kong and wished i could spend more time there.. (i'll spend a day on the 21st with my mom in Hong Kong!!).
The next morning at 4:30 i got up, got ready, had a great breakfast and headed to the airport. Eventually flew to Manila where after some communication clarifications my friend Ate Kit and Ian (guy from the Nagtahan church) picked me up...!
I am realizing things about myself being here... about who i was and how i've changed. its really intresting... its good talking to Ate Kit and Ate Carol (who is also staying in Nagtahan). Today i'm making borritos for dinner and seeing a bunch of old friends!
God is so awesome!!!

the end of 2009!

2010-01-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

Time To Turn conferance

2009-10-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Time To Turn Bezielings Festival
It was awesome. So it was basicly a social justice conferance that happens every year. we had speakers and workshops on oils effect on countries and our consumtion rate. The third way Jesus calls us to deal with violence. Living in community for the good of the community (neighborhood/seeking the peace of the city). Letergical dance and theater for God's kingdom. All the food we ate was biological(organic) or rescued from a dumpster. We had some great times of coming together and praising God and prayer it was awesome. I loved when we had comunion it was so powerful being together as one body.

On sunday our heart for the end of poverty, war, injustice and voilence and our frustraightion to our enslavement to oil brought us to a point of sharing it with the city so that we would not me alone in the quest for a better world and celebrating the good news that Another World Is Possible. We held a funeral service for Oil right by Dam square on 'koop zondag' (shopping sunday) the streets were busy as we walked with our coffins of oil barrels. We were very sad realizing the amount that we use and abuse oil. But while we baried it we realized that poverty, war, injustice and voilence would be barried with it (to some extent). That gave us cause to celebrate. We threw a party with saying we wanted to start walking out that hope of another world we gave out cake and coffee to by standers and asked them to celebrate with us. The shaking shikes oil drum bad (made up of time to turners) played some awsome beats with the awesome phrase 'oil junk kan het en vatje minder'. 'oil junks make it a gallen less' (like we are oil junkies and we need to use and abuse less)
I had some intense and less intense interactions with the crowd. Some people went right into the gospel with me and others stayed on the shallow level of climate change. It was good to step out for truth proclaiming the hope we hold through Jesus.

!

2009-10-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

Wow God is good!
Last week on the 1st and 2nd of the month I was stressed out about how to move all my stuff and i needed a mattress etc...
God totally provided! Got a 120 E mattress for 17.50 at a kringloop, My uncle works in Wageningen right by Ede and picked me and all my stuff up and brought me to Amsterdam the same day that I SMSed him at 8 am. Wow it all worked out and I felt God speaking about the aboundance of His love for me as His daughter.
Its so wierd because i've been feeling kind of shallow in my walk with God not setting any real time apart for him but in those moments God is by my side loving me when i don't deserve it. I guess you would call that grace...
just experiancing Gods grace~! its awesome!

So this is the beautiful place i have for three months its right by my favorite park in Amsterdam (westerpark) where i love to run or go out for coffee. Also just down the street from the Shelter community house. I'm so blessed...
(the pics don't show but theres also a kitchen and a bathroom and a garden yard thing in the back!)

The adventures thus far with photos and explanations!

2009-09-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

Living at Marcos in the Oudezijs 100 community house apartment sitting in the red light district. This is where I lived my first two weeks in amsterdam with my friend Heather who was kindof in the same position as me. It was good to live with her she helped my transition time and processing life/relationships.

Amsterdam is beautiful i always wanted to go sailing, my whole life. A manager at the Shelter City took Tamar and I out on a day trip it was sweet. I loved it!

It was like a mini vacation/just enjoying life and deligting in the Lord.
Heather and I went hitchhiking one day to the beach it was great relaxing and a ton of fun!

We had a cool kind of community since we lived in the red light district (after marco's we moved down the street to house sit for another two weeks). So many of our friends from the shelter etc... would come over and find a haven of rest at our place spending next to no money of living we some how ended up eating so well and really just enjoying life, fellowship and time with God.

The first weekend in September I went to Ede to pick up some things from my lugage that i have in a garage there at my aunt and uncles place. I also went to meet my friend Asha.

We met a month earlier at a anti-sqat place in Niewegain with my friend Mattanja. Asha and i klicked right away one of those one in a hundred people who you are super comfortable and get along with real well from the get go. We planed a mini Vac we were going to hitch hike to the French beach but it was ugly weather that weekend so we hung out in Niewegain
The community house in Niewgain is very alternative and resourceful they go dumpster diving for 90% of their groceries. So as usual i taged along so i could also benifit from the finds of the night. A little late night grocery shopping.

Later we hitch hiked to Mattanjas parents house we ended up haveing an amazing relaxing weekend there really encouraging time.
Sunday after church we headed back to Amsterdam...

The next place I lived was with my friend Kitty on a house boat on the Amstel river.
Gods provision has been unreal.
During my time on the boat i went through a transitional process from christian bubble amsterdam to student/secular society. Her house mates had a BBQ it was great meeting and getting to know them but i was faced with how much diffrent my lifestyle and moral standards are.

I also a few days later got a job as a waitress at a steak house on Damrak. I didn't like it at first because one of my co-workers was making me uncomfortable. But now I love it because he respects me now and my managers are great. It actually feels a little like the shelter of course not the pop music and alcohol but the interaction with tourists. I always get questions of where i'm from and why i moved to Amsterdam etc.

After a sweet time in Ede with Asha this weekend it turned out i had monday off. So did a ton of shelter people so we went on a sweet trip to the beach on one of the last days of summer. We hitch hiked in pairs. We really had a great time.

still here!

2009-09-01T03:44:00.000-07:00

Yes i'm still in Amsterdam!
Only by the grace and provision of God!
I ended up house sitting for diffrent people and still find my self so well provided for. I havn't gotten a job yet but I have a peace in me knowing I'm right where I need to be.
Today I'm helping out at the shelter as a afternoon cafe trainer as they have a very high staff turn over. Its cool to be a part of whats happening here still to some extent.
For the rest just sitting at the feet of my Lord, and soaking in His presence.

Crazy flight and delays!

2009-08-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well on thing leads to another... there were some thunderstorms in Toronto which delayed out plane from coming in (it was stuck in a line on the runway) it delayed our boarding by 2 hrs. Then we got seated and they wanted to wait for people who had a transfer from Winnapeg. Then the fuel truck had to finish up so it delayed our take off an hour and a half.
Flight was okay some turbulation but nothing life thretening.
Got into London and had a bunch of line-ups. it was 9am by this time so I obviously missed my 8:15 flight from london to Amsterdam. Found out the only next flight to Amsterdam left at 16:00. Found internet access (friendly currancy exchange man gave me a £) I called the hostel at the air canada desk... thankfully my friend Martha picked up and contacted my sister and two friends who were waiting for me already at Schiphol (amsterdam airport). Now i'm waiting... thankfully the waiting is almost done and i got to kill the last hour on free internet place i found. yay i'll find out my gate number in 10 min.

its cool though i've been really peaceful and suprizingly patient... God is good!

Next step

2009-08-03T13:07:00.001-07:00

moving to 'Nederland'
I am trusting the Lord who lead me there
i don't have much money, any apartment or finalized job contract.
walking by faith...
every time the trust challenges seem to get harder and harder.
its good I'm learning to trust Him with all things
Got the next 22 nights figured out hopefully that will give me enough time to find out what I'll be doing.
I NEED PRAYER
as i have been praying allot lately realizing how much I really can't even pretend to have it together this time
I'm at a loss: broke, homeless and stranded in Europe.(technically)
I know God is my only sure thing in life so I will hold on to Him!

Summer in Canada

2009-08-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

I came to Canada for 'vacation' found out that its good to take a break and this was my chance, I really felt like it was a gift from God.
My first week I just started getting on my feet... realizing how much I love Canada, what a ghetto I used to live in, my heart for Hamilton, old friends who are always there for me. It was good.
The second week my friend Tamar from England who I met in Amsterdam came.
I spend two weeks hanging out with her, showing her Canada... we went on a canoe trip and to Niagara fall, Toronto, strawberry picking... etc. We had allot of good talks about God and just praying together.
My parents came in the last days of Tamar's stay. It was so good to see them, but when Tamar left it was a big adjustment to live with just our family. All of us had different emotional reposes it was hard. We got busy cleaning and doing random crafts and before we knew it, it was family camping.
From there a week later we disbursed. Marika went last minute to Amsterdam for August a week before me, Heit and Mem left for China, I'm leaving for Amsterdam, Eritia will be heading to spain for 2.5 months, Art is off to teachers collage in thunder bay, and Hobbe is busy hangin out with his girl friend and ministering with Campus for Christ in Hamilton.

leaving feeling is diffrent every time

2009-06-03T06:06:00.001-07:00

Sad leaving but knowing it wouldn't last forever.
Comforted by looking to the future and living out all that I learned at the Shelter.
Holding on to the faithfulness God displayed through that time.

katy and jens wedding photographer

2009-06-03T06:05:00.004-07:00

http://www.mywedding.com/jensandkaty/index.html

I was privileged to be a photographer for Katy and Jens's engagment photos.
I've know them as long as they've known eachother, Jens was our small group leader and mentored April and I when we took over leadership. Katy is a good friend and beautiful woman. Both have a strong desire to follow God.
I've been blessed by them.

(apparently the photography looks professional thanks to Katy's editing and Stevens camera)

closeing talk

2009-06-03T06:05:00.003-07:00

I really apreciated that the managers took time and energy to have a closing talk with us. I went out for coffee with Francien and it was a great chance to process my time and be herd.

bridge jumping

2009-06-03T06:05:00.001-07:00

Bridge Jumping is the best!
its one of the highlights for me
The last time i went was my last day there
we went by the Shelter Jordan and picked up a guest (girl from usa)
whom we made friends with and the cleaner supervisor who was just off shift
it was sweet we went by the shelter city and picked up a bunch of their cleaners
so we ended up with a good group
when we got there it seemed like the whole neighborhood showed up with families BBQing and kids flying off the bridge
I did the rope swing for the first time and it was awesome i realized what i had been missing out on...

Last week at the shelter! :(

2009-05-25T23:38:00.000-07:00

wow its already the last week here at the shelter.
The pace of life is so fast that time flies...
I am dealing with alot of random emotions connected to leaving etc...
We have a good bye lunch for Jolanda (my room mate) and I this saturday.
I'm sad to leave but I know I need to rest my weary body.

Bridge jumping!

2009-05-25T23:33:00.000-07:00

this saturday I went bridge jumping with some friends... there is a sweet bridge in the east of amsterdam its 12 meters high. Awesome drop and cold water!
It gave me an energy rush to last a week.

Latly

2009-05-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

Cleaner team is cool two of our cleaners are doing Alpha!
There are allot of emotions and jazz that is being dealt with I've been talking and dealing with allot of stuff. So glad that the time I spend with God in the morning empowers me to lean on him in the day. And direct people to His presence.
(picture of cleaner Tamar and I)

staff day

2009-05-14T07:25:00.001-07:00

Tuesday we had staff day.. we were going to go Canoeing but the wind was to strong and water to cold (they knew we'd be dunking) so we went to an open air museum on re-claimed land an hour train ride north west of amsterdam.
We hung out for the day in the beautiful weather... after we went to an Indian restrant... it was a good day.

Great God (using the prayer room)

2009-05-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

Cool testimony that I've been really encouraged with is my friend and co-worker Damara. She came up to me last week and told me how happy she is that we have the prayer room. She went on to say how she loves that its a space set apart for God without distractions (that we find so often in our own room)
After meeting with God regularly. He showed her alot about her time here at the shelter.
From now on I see the change in her that came from hearing the Lord and following His ways.
Her smile energy and love encourage me every day now and bring me joy!

peace

2009-05-11T00:37:00.000-07:00

So latly i've been experianceing alot of hospitality from strangers and friends. I guess it goes with not really having your own place your forced to allow others to offer hospitality to you.
One verse I have been constantly reminded of is in Matthew 10 when Jesus is sending out his twelve. Verses 12-16.
This has encouraged me to pray for each person I interact with and ask Gods blessings on those who blessed me with hospitality.

Life

2009-05-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

I bought my plan ticket to canada this week.
I'll be flying home on the 17th of June till the 4th of Augest.
Going home for 6 weeks..
processing all that jazz..
God bless

crazy hich hiking trip to Koln (Coloyn) Germany!

2009-05-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

So on monday morning I got up like a normal day off, went running and took a shower. While I ate breakfast I had a good chat with Carmi (south african newzelander) and we decided to use our two days off to hitch hike to Koln Germany. Also to see Katrina an old staff member who was going through a bit of a rough time in her exchange program study. We called up Coen (who is known as one of the hich hiking experts in our comunity) and he was up for teaching us. We headed out after Coen's morning shift, we biked/walked to the first highway petrol station and began to ask people who were tanking up where they were going and if we could get a ride with them. We met alot of intresting people and it took nine rides in six hours to get to Koln.
Katrina freaked out when she saw us camped out in the Dom square. It was a sweet reunion. We hung out and spent the night, we read the bible together and after an awesome breakfast of fresh breads and (carmi and coens beer) we got a chance to pray for Katrina! I was so glad that we could encourage her just by our presence.
Katrina had a packed schedual so we walked through town on our own and headed home. It took us 3 hours in the rain of walking from the centre and holding out our thumb till we got on the highway. From there it was rather breazy only taking about 4 rides in all to get home. We decided to stop in Utrecht to stay at Coens sisters place. It was cool we had a good time chilling. The next morning his sister bought us train tickets and we rushed to Amsterdam, I biked straight to work ariving just on time for my cleaner supervisor shift.
What a great adventure!
map is always nessary

eating chocolate sandwiches at a truck stop
Katrina sprinting toward us!
us in the uber slow elevator
Katrina and I in her dorm (Canadian sistas)
Beer for breakfast, rockin it German style
Carmi and the crazy cool 'DOM' church
Over the Rhine river we crossed a bridge with locks on it they all had names on them (like carving your name in a wooden bridge but not) we left a lock here also with our names on it and the date, we left our mark!
We need to get out of frikin gerrrmanyyyyyyyyy
Our free coke and coffee!

beach day!

2009-05-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

So this Sunday was the start of my three random Vacation days. I call them random because I had no idea what I was going to do. So I started off by going to church (good choice) after church I went to the shelter city (close to the church I went) because it was raining and I was bored. Ended up asking Coen (friend of mine) if He wanted to hick hike to the beach with me.
So we went, just like that. It was my first time we didn't have a specific destination just the beach. So when a kite surfer picked us up we just joined him to the surfing beach. The wind was really strong tho (thus the kite surfing) so we ended up hanging out in the dunes where the wind didn't catch us and blow sand in the eyes. Didn't do much just ate some and chilled.
Later we just walked to the busy road and a kite surfer woman picked us up and drove us home. (to our bikes)
It was a fun first time experience.
Kite Surfers Beach

Is it going to rain?!
Wijk aan zee
Hich hicking to A(mster)Dam

I got mail!

2009-05-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

This morning as i got ready for and on my way to work. I was thinking and praying for my church back home in Hamilton and for my family especially my sister.
God just put them on my heart.
Then I got mail.
About 6 letters from two families in my church and one from my sister.
They warmed my heart and reminded me that God is holding us all in His hands and that prayer is powerful.

Sometimes its the reason God puts people on your path so you can pray for them.

Queens day and its after affects

2009-05-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

ended early because of the celebrations. The city was packed with people, apparently Amsterdam is the place to be on this holiday. The celebrations actually officially started on the Wednesday night. Some staff members and I walked around the city observing and once in a while joining in. In our area 'Jordan' there were all the well dressed people listening to their jazz and a couple of bars were playing dace music these were all stages on the street mostly a live DJ or bands playing for the crowds. Once a friend and I just started dancing and everyone around us joined in. But walking around dam square and the area of the red light district it wasn't such a chill atmosphere. People were less 'safe' and chill. I got really tired at the end of walking around the entire city center and seeing every style of people and live music. We had the gay scene, the techno, the hard rock and the jazz/pop. We got to bed at 1am which is probably one of the reasons I was so tired on queens day. After my Cleaner Supervising shift I went straight home and chilled... on the way I saw three guys handcuffed by the police(never caught the story of how n' why). Aparently also earlier that day there was an attemted attack on the royal family. A guy drove his car into the crowd trying to hit the family beyond them. Because of the speed he used he lost control and smashed into a monument. However 6 people died with 12 in the hospital.
I went home and chilled relaxed until my head ache left. At 5pm i ventured the streets with my hippi freinds Heather and Jenny. We ended up scavenging the streets finding some abandoned piles of goods.
later in the evening I did it again ending up with a good selection.
On our walk however millions of people were heading to central station. all the main roads in the center were blocked off and it was just a massive flow of pedestrians.

looking from situation to situation I saw a lot of incredibly drunk people lonely sitting in their own urine and vomit. I saw people stumbling along unable to make coherent choices. I saw a lot of brokenness loneliness and sadness. As much as they 'celebrate' there were a lot of sad people that day.

it broke my heart and i didn't celebrate that day.
only prayed for this city and the people who were here this day.
not much else to do.

Queens day was crazy I had a cleaner supervising shift that went from 9:30-1:30

QUEENS DAY TEAM!

2009-04-29T03:33:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Queens day, just the biggest holiday of the year where everyone dresses up in orange and participates in a huge nation wide garage sale! Or drunken dance parties if your into that... or is that just amsterdam?!

Crash

2009-04-29T00:38:00.004-07:00

Wow so two weeks ago I had a burn out. On night I just had a bit of a mental breakdown. Not being able to control my emotions I began to have to process everything I've been involved in this past year. I realized that I haven't taken a break in a year. No vacation. Really no time to myself, I did Youth Works last summer starting at the end of May and I started that right after my two jobs. Then I came straight here. And it wears on you. I've been involved in this ministry for over seven months. So I got some sick days.
At first I went to my aunt and uncles home in Ede where I felt at home. Having their beautiful home to myself during the day and enjoyed my loving family around me at night. Got some good counseling and talks with my aunt (mothers sister). Wow I had alot to go through but that was a good place to do it. Taking walks in the forest was a regular with their family dog names Lara.
I went back to the Shelter after three days and tried function properly. I could just put my work face on but I knew I wasn't done yet. I knew God wasn't done teaching me and pointing things out in my life yet. So I had an intense meeting with my manager and really realized things I need to work on and ways I need to change in my day to day life and interacting with the people i work with. She gave me four more days off. This time I went to Zwolle where I stayed at a farm just outside the city. It was beautiful, stayed with an older couple (age of my parents) it was incredibly peaceful and quiet. I was faced more and more with myself and God showed me Himself as the way out of my cycles. I found freedom and forgiveness in Him. On the last day He really spoke to me about my future and gave me confidence and security.
One chapter in the bible God kept bringing me to was John 15:1-17. Reminding me to remain in Him in His love and apart from Him I can do nothing.
Also a CD that comforted and spoke out my heart during this time was Shawn Mcdonald's CD called Live In Seattle.
I also learned alot from the books, 'living on the devil's door step', 'Irresistible Revolution' and 'when people are big and God is small'.
Here are some Photos of my time on the farm near Zwolle.
(relaxing country side)
(cows)

(Quira and Mrs. Knol)
This next peice is something I wrote at the end of my processing speaking out to God my heart. Giving real reason for following Him with a full heart and also proclaiming truth and breaking lies i belived about prayer, scripture and worship. God is an awesome God.

I Am, not what I am not, nor I should be. I Am God's child, servant and friend. I Am called. I Am a lover of people; broken, rich, whole or poor. I Am, not what i do or don't do. That is not how i define myself as. - I long to pray more and I know that doesn't make me more holy or wise, just more connected with my Father, Lover, and Friend. I want a hunger for the word (bible) not so i can show off my wisdom, knowledge, or acomplishments but so i can know my Father, Lover, and Friend in a deeper way. I long to worship to a fuller extent of passion and freedom. To be inspired to lay it all befor the cross and give glory to my Father, Lover and Friend. -> Maybe through my closness to Him I'll be able to function as His daughter in the broken world. Love as unconditionaly as my Father, Lover and Friend. Forgive as readily as i've experianced in my Father, Lover, and Friend. Maybe i could be filled with a strenthening joy that brings life to those around me. Joy that inspires life through my Father, Lover and Friend. -> Through my relationship with Him I have been made complete and whole. He is delighting in me and loves it when I take time to delight in Him, He is such a faithful Father, Lover and Friend.

Cleaner Supervisoring

2009-04-29T00:38:00.003-07:00

Wow had a crazy cleaning team. They all have intense spiritual views and backgrouds. Its cool to walk with them, but also intense and hard. Other aspects of Cleaning Supervising that I've been learning to walk confidently in is the leadership aspect. How to modivate my team and get the best results witch is a great clean hostel. I have to force myself to make sure I walk as a leader not only a friend. Its starting to work but its not that easy.

Alpha with Omo

2009-04-29T00:38:00.001-07:00

We hired a cleaner from Seychelles (island nation) she had done a medical internship in The Netherlands earlier this year. She had stayed at the shelter city for a time. She came back to Amsterdam for the purpose of cleaning with us she also wanted to continue with the Alpha course that she started with one of the staff at Shelter City. So I took over going through the Alpha course with her. It was a great time to share with her and walk with her in her questions about faith. It was so great to see her many questions answered by the truths in the bible. Its like when the word and truth is spoken all the lies and doubts fall away into nothingness.

EASTER

2009-04-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

We had an extra hostel night this month to celebrate Easter!
I joined in, travelers nights are always a good chance to connect and talk with guests. I sat with two Norwigian ladies and one of their daughters. We had a good time talking and enjoying the meal. It turned out that they were christians and were very happy that they chose to stay in a hostel that celebrats the true meaning of easter. They told me their testimonies of how Jesus changed their lives it was cool to see that God is moving everywhere in the world!!! I was very encouraged by them and there testimonies.

Tinas dream was out REALITY

2009-04-29T00:07:00.000-07:00

The night before our faith and fasting we all were busy with preperations, with no time or energy to go to the shelter for dinner we threw together a meal everyone who was around joined in, it was great because the weather was so nice we could sit outside!
That evening Tina came she was a new staff american member who came from doing ministry in england with 24/7 prayer communities. She joined us for two weeks.
Tuesday we had a ministry wide Faith and Fasting day (fasting from monday after dinner to tuesday dinner)We had a worship time with staff and managers from both hostels. After we split off into groups and listened to what God wanted to say to us and the ministry. God spoke alot! giving people visions, words and scripture. It was powerful to hear and see Him speak through each of us.
After our time of prayer and thanksgiving we took communion together as a ministry.
(Mo(hamad) black man in the pic is serving and leading the comunion)
>Me and the extra comunion bread
After communion we broke out into praise and feasting. There was a great dinner prepared for us. (with beautiful bookmarks)
To God be the glory!
After dinner I lead a mini dedication time for the prayer room. Told about the heart and history and how God made it happen.
Tina the girl I mentioned earlier piped up at the end of my mini talk, she said she wasn't going to say anything unless we talked about a tree... i did... so it all came out her story... here it goes.
Basicly two months ago her prayer comunity had a prayer week and one of the activies was a deam wall. She didn't have anything to write on it so she gave God the time to inspire. She ended up writeing the word SHELTER across the top of the page writing IS 56:4 "for this will be called a house of prayer for all nations" then she drew a tree around it. She was very confused by her dream and seeing it hanging on the wall a day before flying to Amsterdam she was frustraighted and crossed out the dream writing MORE FAITH over it. Coming to amsterdam she found our hostels were called the SHELTER + the verse IS 56:4 painted on our community house wall + a newly finished prayer room with a huge mural of a tree on the wall.

prayer room

2009-03-29T03:40:00.000-07:00

SOOOO kewl...
Every one is pitching in and its a happening thing.
Heather Klickna painted a beautiful tree mural on the wall...
Ard bought and transported a carpet..
coen helped me put our shelf together...
jorine ordered three awesome bean bag chairs...
So kewl, we are almost done just some small things still...

the first weekend in april we will have a dedicatioin ceremony during our prayer and fasting evening as a kick off for our prayer room. The head of 24/7 holland is coming to speak and pray with us!!

i'm excited!

hard work

2009-03-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

Every week I have a few cleaner supervisor shifts where I am in charge of up to three cleaners and to get the hostel clean.
Latly we have had a problem with people being faithful and trustworthy as cleaners and not alot have stuck around for as long as they sighned up for.
So there has been a few days of hard work on my part also.
Like Thursday when my cleaner left an hour into his cleaning leaving me to clean 40 beds and 5 rooms. Thankfuly there were two morning cafe workers that morning and i stole one to help me out. That was probly the most stressful day.
I enjoy being a cleaner supervisor (cs)keeping busy.

Travelers Night

2009-03-22T05:31:00.001-07:00

This friday we had a travelers night
where we make a free meal and program for our guests
these are always great opertunities to share Christ with our guests and visitors
I spoke with two chinees girls who were intrested in knowing what each religion was about
i spoke to them about a relation with Christ and how we don't have a set of rules like religions do

I'm happy to be where God has me and to see him work in crazy ways!

pR@Y3R RooM!

2009-03-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hey exciting thing are happening.
so i was telling you all earlier about how God put this prayer room on my heart.
Well so our house dad Dennis but me in charg of creativity. Throwing ideas out every one has diffrent opinions but no one is really excited to make them happen. Finally this week i just took ownership and made it my own project trying to involve people around me in every step.
Jen went with me to pick up paint and supplies.
Ard and Maaike helped me paint it. Heather Klick may help with the tree mural on the wall!!
God is good
leading us one step at a time.

cut coens hair - my only hair dressing experiance

2009-03-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

it turned out okay (i think)

The Word is awesome

2009-03-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

This week has been a feast.
Being fed and filled by the Word of God!
We had our monthly prayer and fasting this last week monday and alot of questions were stired up among some of the new staff about spiritual gifts and the spirits work.
These questions provided an opertunity for me to dive in to the word and see what God really says about these things and what His will is.
Its been so refreshing to share the word togeather as brothers and sisters i've recieved a new hunger for it and once again know that i find my foundation through the truth i read in the Word of God.
To God be the glory forever and ever...

Restored

2009-03-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

Today i went for a run with Larissa (a new staff from idaho,usa)
We had a good time processing life and pushing eachother in our run.
Walking home we passed a store run by christian designers who re-use materials and make products and sell them. Its a really cool store, we started talking with the owner. She knew some of our co-staff at the shelter so that was cool. She went on to really encourage us in Christ and our future. It was such a blessing to talk to her. At the end of our conversation she asked if she could pray for us.
It was so cool i felt like those things never happen, here we were in a random store being prayed over by the owner. It was such a blessing. Thank You Lord for Your encouragment!

pic of April and i in the same store 3 months earlier

Care closet to Prayer closet!!!

2009-03-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

changeing the prayer closet to a prayer closet.
so i know i told you a bit about this prayer room idea, heres an update!
So I had been reading the book Red Moon Rising about 24/7 prayer
I was really inspired and longed to have a prayer room i kept planning and thinking about the next time i have my own space to make space for it...
When i was praying about it one day i felt God saying it would come sooner that i should expect it to happen in this community.
I had some crazy ideas for a room but i gave up when i realized i'd have to speak with managment about it.
However two months later it came up in a community meeting that i didn't even attend
I couldn't believe it. They planned to do it in the same space that i had been hoping to use.
With this confirmation i knew that i would be one of the people lined up to make it happen. Yesterday Sam (night man), and some new staff went at it trucking all the juck out and organizing it. We took eight garbag bags full of cloths to a clothing drive bin. Wow that was alot of cloths that we would never use.

here are some before and after pictures of the room... now we are brain storming what we want to do paint/creative/decoration wise.

hostel life

2009-03-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

Shawn (old cleaner from Norway) and Martsy (Imi and Petras kid from Hungary) hanging out

Baptism and joy in prayer

2009-03-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

Today was a very busy day I have just been trained to be a cleaner supervisor so i have the responsibility to make sure the whole hostel is clean. It was crazy because we had 72 beds to clean.
I went to Marcos baptism this evening at 5pm
Marco is an old cleaner of ours from Estonia he has a crazy story of seeking God and purpose in life. Crazy how he ended up in Amsterdam and how eventually everything he owned was stolen. He had a few shelter staff guys really take time to listen and talk to him and lead him to the Lord.
Its so cool to see how much he has changed through his journey. He has really been touched by the hand of God.
The baptism was really cool as some staff played for worship and one of the night man spoke about growing in the Lord and the culture shock that can be experianced through going from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
I love to see and hear real testimonies and see the evidence of Gods work in this place.
It makes me feel ashamed because i don't feel like i completely trust God or believe God for the impossible for the crazy things to happen like these lives He has touched and turned around.
I want to walk in Gods confidence.
After the baptism a few of us went to the Shelter Jordan (my hostel) for dinner.
After dinner i got a chance to talk to an old cleaner from Hungary.
I asked if i could pray for him.. we hung out and had a really good talk about God and the power of prayer... and also what He wanted to give to God. I'm so thankful for that oppertunity to pray for him. He also had a chance to process the last weeks and thank God for His goodness in His life.
Life is exciting as I continue to explore God.

oh one other cool thing is that Gods been waking me up early every morning like 1/2 hr earlyer then my alarm to hang out with him its been so good!!!

God is good thanks for being part of my life and tuning in
God bless

An exclusive excursion!

2009-02-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

The Great excursion... (history when why and how??): i got a ticket for two to ride the trains for one day for free for my sisterklaas gift. This was April (my prayer partner and co-smallgroup leader) last day off before she left. So we planned this excursion!
We started off in amsterdam riding the train to denhelder where we caught the ferry to Texel island. We borrowed folding bikes from our house dad at the ministry so we didn't have to pay to transport them and we didn't have to walk. It was so kewl biking around the island we got lost on purpose with no stress of time just enjoying ourselves... at one point when we were in the middle of the dunes by the sea we ran and lay on the soft moss talking about life. We couldn't leave that situation without lifting it up in prayer!... we eventually found the sea and loved it... then we headed off to Den Haag or The Hague. We visited the palace (queens office) hung out with the security guard who gave us directions on the hot spots of the city. We went to sea the peace palace wich is where the UN have there international court of justice. Then we picked up a coffee for our guard friend and went on our way.
Back home with sweet cute bikes...!

(pics order might be messed up my apologies)
God is so awesome i've been having great times with Him!

wow its been along time since i've blogged please forgive me

2009-02-23T01:45:00.000-08:00

Yes i'm back!
so alot happened since November... i want to be honest with all of you the reason i stoped blogging is because i felt restricted just to talk about ministry things. Now i'm going to be writing with the freedom of whats up with life weather good or bad.

So here it goes, wow i can probly say pridy securly that i know God has done alot in our ministry but i don't remember it all in chronological order.
I know that December was a hard month for me i kinda came to my burn out phase where I lost sight of God and his vision for my time here. Also during that month we had an older Italian man as a cleaner who was also a cook. He would continually coment on my cooking. it was kewl i foud alot of freedom in the kitchen good times of prayer and reflection as i would spend the entire afternoon by my self in the kitchen.
April whoes my prayer partner and co-small group leader has been a really great support. Her and I planned out Christmas dinner for our hostel. We spent a crazy day cooking away. Sam our night man poped by with his sister so we enlisted their help.

I was really blessed by the many helping hands that made that great three course meal happen. 40 guests came to our dinner and most of them stayed to watch 'the Nativity story' - by the way i really enjoyed that movie it really spoke to me of the truth of the bible made me relize once again that it actually happened.

This is on our Ice excursion when the ice was just hard enough to walk on we went and found it! i just missed Canada so i wanted to stand on ice for a bit...

This was at our night man Maros birthday party he asked us to come dressed up. He also lives in a christian comunity in the middle of the red light district so that was intresting walking like hippies with taurian the TV through the red light district.

New years eve was crazy, the whole city was packed with to many people for the about of hotels and hostels. At Dam Square (city centre) they set up a stage and the whole area was one huge mosh pit with people drinking and smoking (pot) all around. I went there with about 10 shelter people and we stayed for the countdown. Later when i got our of the crowd i found my coat and camera case smelling of alcohol and pot.

We eventually went to the shelter city (where Marika works) and prayed in the new year. later i walked home with some girls trying not to laugh at the random people sitting in windowsils and walking the streets almost naked. The streets were trashed and it took the city at least 2 weeks to clean up all the remnants of the festivities away. The next morning i had Morning Reception, the first guest that came for breakfast came at 8 am they just came in from partying and had breakfast before sleeping the day away.

In January April, Taurian and I went to Coens home in Alblaserdam close to the kinderdijk where we walked it was beautiful!

In January God really got to me. I had a mini revival in my life that consitsted of sitting in Gods presence hours on end each day. It was very refreshing to be in His presence. Also one evening when I stayed up late talking with a fellow staff member about my God and prayer life we both got inspired to spend some time in prayer. Remembering that one of the churches we were involved in had their 24/7 prayer week we headed there at 1am to pray. the door was locked so we prayed outside... i guess we got a little loud and carried away in prayer because the people in the prayer room herd us and let us in, we stayed there praying until 3:30 am.
Imi was a cleaner with us from Hungary he has a wife and child (who are now here) they have a crazy situation that they could potentially find themselves on the street. God has been so good to them but they still don't acknowledge Him. My prayer is that they find Him in these crazy times.
At the end of January and the beginning of Feburary my whole family came to holland for my grandparents 50th wedding aniversary. My oldest brother Hobbe flew from Scotland, Art and Eritia flew from Canada and my partend from China. It was good to be reunited and see everyone face to face. I was showing my family around amsterdam the day art n' eritia arived.

Marika, Art, Eritia and I spent two days traveling to Antwerp Belgium and around The Netherlands (spent alot of tims on trains)

The community at the Shelter Jordan hostel was really cool for about 2 weeks. We had 2 archtecture students, a graphic design guy, guy from england and a gurl from australia and a few more random guests. they were all tight with us staff we would hang out a bunch i even brought them to the YWAM cafe for their live jazz night it was good times. I love the life that is happening at the Jordan latly i'm really encouraged by just living side by side with the people there.
On the 18th of February i had an interview with Eindhoven Design Acadamy one of the most prestigus design schools in the world. I was excited about my interview not really living in expectation of weather i'd get in or not more just wanting to know where i was at for my future. Wether it would look like 4 years of school in Holland or something completly diffrent. Well i didn't get it so its going to look diffrent.
I'm really at peace at the moment knowing that i can fill my life up with all kinds of enjoyable jazz but i just want to walk in Gods plan.
So in January i was reading the book Red Moon Rising - about the 24/7 prayer movement and how it started ect... after praying in the churches prayer room that night i felt like i couldn't wait to have a place of my own and set up my own prayer room. Then i felt like God was telling me not to look to the future but the now. Looking at the comunity house i thought of diffrent ideas where we could have a prayer room. Marika and I both had a vision to change our care closet (room with random cloths and items for staff in need) into a prayer room. But knowing that i would have to talk to those in authority i got lazy and didn't push it. This last week on out once every three months community meeting they came up with having a prayer room in the exact same location. I was so amazed. God is so faithful in his promises. So we are going to make it happen. Our house dad Dennis is 100% on board.

wow i just wrote alot, I know that its not all there is to share.
I want to thank you all for your continued prayer and support and to remember the Freedom we have in Christ Jesus our Savior.
In Christ,
Heather

Oh Canada!

2008-11-26T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last night I had quite a busy day Small group in the morning etc...
while I was getting ready for my evening reception shift I was praying asking God for an oppertunity to share the gospel.
Almost imidiatly after I started my shift a girl came up to me and heard my accent (or lack of one) and asked if I came from Canada. This turned into a national bond because she was also from Canada. We talked a bunch then she went out to get some food.
We eventually ate dinner together in the Cafe as my reception shift was so slow I could do it out of the cafe.
We talked alot about Canada. She also opened up about why she came to Europe. She said she was on a journey to find herself and get over/away from a hard break up she recently had.
Then when Jens one of my co-staff invited us to Bible discussion she said she'd rather just chill and talk.
That got her on the topic of religion.
It was kewl.
I had a great opertunity to tell her about the gospel and grace.
Sharing with her my testimony and how i'm just longing glorify God and be where he wants me to be to serve Him.

That got me excited I love Canada and am still praying for my country

this weekend...

2008-11-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

crazy reception shift on saturday...
i wasn't smiling as big because of the unending line of people and the constent phone ringing and the random situations that came up... but life is still good
and God is still faithful and amazing.

good day with my father

2008-11-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

I just want to thank God right now for a great day full of Him.
This morning I woke up early and full of energy I spent time with my father, when it was time for small group I knew we hadn't really assigned any one a task so we just let it flow. I prepared breakfast and during worship April was inpired to share from the word.
This afternoon I listened to some great David Wilkerson sermons while working on some art work for a portfolio i'm puting together (school aplication).
Then before my evening shift when we prayed together we had a great encouaging time of sharing stories of Gods power and faithfulness.
God is good, hes answered my prayers of September.
To be living in him and experiancing His presence daily.

God bless, be encouaged, our God is big!

God is @ work

2008-11-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

Gods in the buisness of changing lives, not only lives that don't know Him
The community that I live in as a Shelter staff know as 'Whillem Straat' has been changing. We've been unified and spiritualy renewed. After the crazy dramatic thing that went on in our home we've all been more serious about the life we live and allowing God to work in every part of it.
We've come to a point of having a prayer and worship hour every evening at 9:30.
Its so great really unifying us and lifting Jesus as King and Lord of our home!

This is the German girl who gave her life to Christ and Jens who spoke that night. He is also German so they could talk about God and the decision in their mother tounge.

So it was my small groups turn to lead and organize hostel night this last week.
However we were sick of just pulling something together randomly and hoping they work. So Tuesday during our small group it was my turn to share so i shared my heart and asked us to pray as a small group for guidence and that it would be Gods words and actions not ours.
My co-leader and I were a bit concerned when we had nothing ready even up to the day before but we knew that God would do His thing no matter how crazy we were.
We met as a small group friday morning (day of hostel night).
We ate breakfast together.
God had really been speaking to Jens (a small group member)so he shared what was on his heart and we put a program together with that.
At the end of the great meal and a powerful message Jens asked anyone if they wanted to recieve the forgivness and life he'd been talking about.
He waited a bit and one lady raised her hand.

Its kewl to be a part of Gods work of change no matter what part it is, weather its planting seeds or reaping harvest!

Thanks for your prayer and support, know i'm praying and thinking of you also.

God has victory!

2008-11-04T11:27:00.000-08:00

Brothers and sisters in Christ I thank you for your prayers,
yesterday we started our monthly prayer and fasting with worship
this became a prayer time of confession and cleansing
Later on last night there was some intence spiritual warfare going on in our house we stayed up till 2am in prayer reading the word and worshiping God.
This was an intense time however it also reminded us all of the battle we are in, that we arn't fighting against flesh and blood. EPH 4
We know and are reminded of the authority that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are reminded of the victory through Jesus death on the cross.
I ask for prayer for the staff involved, for a unified comunity, Christ centred n focused.
God is working greatly in this place as we learn to live by the spirit.
Your sister in Christ, Heather

City Walk

2008-10-25T14:45:00.001-07:00

Well today I led a tour through the shelter Jordan it was my first tour, however i had a slow afternoon cafe shift this week and in that time i revised the tour into my own still covering the same amount of information.
This morning I had seven guests join me for my walk. They were all women and we had a good time.
Its a kewl way to continue to develope relationships with our guests. This evening i had a great conversation with a lady that came on the tour this morning.
Its kewl how when you share a little bit of yourself with people it makes them comfortable.

Today i went to the Albert Koop Markt, and i had my first freshly made stroop wafel i was so excited because i've been craving one ever since i heard they exsisted.
That was a highlight!

Well i'm heading out... nighty night

Smit day

2008-10-20T14:43:00.001-07:00

This Saturday was my Pake and Beppe's 55th wedding celebration
i got to see and hang out with cusins i hadn't seen in five years
it was great! we hung out in the country and in the afternoon we did a GPS hunt thing... it was good times..
we spent the night with my Om Gert n' Tante Janke and hung out with our cusins there
one of my younger cusins made marika and i a balloon and gave it to us before we left so i attached it to my bag... when we were traveling on the train every kid that saw the balloons were wide eyed..
one kid even said as she was passing by to get off 'dag vrow met de ballon','good bye lady with the balloons'

Baptism

2008-10-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

So Friday was an exciting day very busy...
i had morning cafe, staff meeting, then we set up for hostel night outreach, went to Tobys baptism, came back to host hostel night.
Tobys story...
so Toby was a guest the Shelter City(the shelter where Marika works)
He started to work as a cleaner and started to read the bible... He loved the peace he felt after reading it and soon just couldn't put it down... he began to attend every bible discussion... soon after making a desision to follow God he was done his month as a cleaner and had to move on God provided a job for him and he stayed at our hostels... As the shelter family the managers asked him if he was serious about his desision to follow Christ and asked him if he wanted to be baptised...

This is another one of the lives that God has been working in that we have a privolage to be part of.

great night, God at work

2008-10-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

so I had a really great day today did morning cafe and had a chillin afternoon which ended in a biblestudy in the book of Hosea with a gurl in our community house.
After that i had a huge heart to heart with God laying everything on the table.
I kinda regained vision through that. I went to the Hostel again for dinner and bible study that i was schedualed to attend. However there wasn't anyone intrested in the discussion so instead of giving up Tim (the bible leader) and I scatered into the crowd and i played a game with three German girls later Tim and another guy joined us. Eventually Tim asked the guy if he still wanted to do the discussion and we all decided to do it! It was great we discussed our conflict in life between our seeking justice and mercy. We also pointed to Jesus being the only way this conflict is perfectly solved. Gods true justice being satisfied and mercy in Christ.
I love explaining the gospel because it always confirms the truth and reality in it to myself also.
The guy also had a cool story of how he was seeking for more and left america to find freedom and himself. On the flight over a missionary sat beside him and talked his ear off telling him his testimony and about his relationship with God. It changed this guys life and his first day at our hostel he processed it and recomitted his life to Christ. By nothing we did but to Gods glory. Now its cool because we are able to guide him and encourage his young relationship with God!!!
God is awesome so beyond i ever thought or imagined!

ministry and life

2008-10-02T06:17:00.001-07:00

Yes its been busy here in the shelter ministry in Amsterdam people are leaving and not enough people are coming so we are a little stressed and spread thinly here which makes taking time to talk to the guests and interact with them less likly.
However every evening we have a bible discussion at 7:30. One of us staff is schedualed to be a bible leader and one of us is schedualed as attender. We invite guests to join us. Its really great to see the diversaty of people that come and the questions that are produced at these dicussions.
This Tuesday i was schedualed as bible leader and i got really stressed out, any way i ended up preparing a bit but my attender and i had a hard core prayer time before we started and God really took over. Its the first bible leading that i did that i am confident and satisfied at the out come. God always does his thing and speaks to our guests or cleaners where their at.
Yesterday a guy from cali who was running from God came to amsterdam searching for more he just flew to euope to spend three months just sorta figuring out life. He had some great conversations with staff and last night told us how he made a re-comitment to God and is excited about following Christ.

Prayer requests:
-God would raise up more staff members to partner in this ministry
-my digestion problem has come back
-protections on present stafff so they will be focused on God as priority

Processing Life...

2008-09-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

yes i need your prayers, this last week and still now my mind and heart has finally started caught up in processing this crazy summer and all the changes and challengs i faced and face now. Its draining and annoying.

back to the future???....!!

2008-09-25T01:13:00.000-07:00

So how did this happen why would we be crazy and take pictures while being dressed up?! well i do have an explanation weather or not its good is up to you to decide.
Basicly about a week ago Misha (from the Czech Republic she has curly blond hair) , April (from Wisconsin she has straight/wavy brown hair) and I went briefly to the Amsterdam libary after work. We were all really struck with the Moderness of it, it was quiet the experiance. So we were inspired to make an apointment and do a photo shot in the library.
This is such a kewl creavtive space i would sugest it as a site to see in amsterdam if you come here on your travels. (they even have a furry wall!)
So thats the story of our crazy Wednesday evening!
Jolanda is my room mate by the way (straight blond hair)

love God love life!

2008-09-24T02:10:00.000-07:00

Well well well I just want to say God is good!
Its been a good week just experiancing God and my need for Him
when i came here i felt like i wasn't beeing real with my self and those around me, and especially with God.
Then this week i had a team glitch this is a nice way of explaining personality and cultural clashes. So through this experiance although not enjoyable at the time i've become real. every one knows now that i'm not perfect and in huge need of Gods grace
like i can't earn Gods love like we like to think so often.
We had a devo this week about freedom in Christ and that freedom is also from religiosity of being bound to the rules of religion but being free in a relationship with Jesus.
Latley i've been processing alot and i'm happy about that cuz it means i'm not comfortable and standing still...

Last friday was my day off and i went to Zandfort aan Zee or to the ocean with Marika and an american friend Julie.
We also went to Harlem on our way back and we found this awesome hippi bus!
that evening my small group hosted a travelers night where we provided a free meal and presented the gospel and introduced ourselves and why we were working there. We also had table discussions about Paradise and it branched into talking about the gospel!

Today I am leading a bible study with guests i'm excited about seeing what happens though it because every time God takes over and we learn or talk about unexpected topics etc...

I just love how no matter how good or bad you feel God is always by your side.

Small Group n' Life

2008-09-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

So life is okay i finally started working again today and i did okay made dinner with out to much trouble, so thats good... !
Also had Small group last tuesday which was awesome!
we eat breakfast together check in do some worship and prayer. At the end one of the members shares some living words that Gods teaching them or a testemony. Its great!
April and I are the new small group leaders which just means we make sure people know what they are doing when we also keep our group in prayer and are there for them if they need our support or a listening ear.
this is a picture of our small group:
Top left is Mo from England, April from Wisconsin USA, ME!, Jochannan from Holland
Bottom left is Misha from the Czech republic, and Jens from Germany

okay i'm a little beat up..

2008-09-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i worked in the morning and was sad i missed all the morning services so i check the net and found a church that had an evening service. So i went with my sister Marika and a guy I work with Sam. On our way over i got hurt, fell off my bike actually. These are the days I ask why am I so accident prone.
So it wasn't really bad i was just in alot of pain as my knee is in pain and bruised and my arm is bloody. Marika and Sam took very good care of me and i got home okay and am in the process of healing i took today off to recuperate...
i'm still really sad i didn't get to go to church.

new life

2008-09-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hey all i'm here again!!!
yes i'm doing well..
definatly alot of things happen, each day seems to drag on forever because so much goes on...
at the beginning of the week we had class and working shifts at the hostel so it was really busy.
On Tuesday i lead a Guest bible study it went well considering God took all my ideas and did His thing speaking to people even through my broken uncollected self.
Also that night a co staff and i spoke with a English guy all night He was an artist and we spoke alot about world view and hoplesness and selfishness of humanity. We also lead Him to the word and the cross wich he seemed very scared about. However he really enjoyed our chats and kept coming back for more insite and discussion.
I am still praying for him as he continues his travels and a type of quest.
But this week i got thursday and friday off. a friend from Canada randomly droped by so i showed him the city thursday morning then i took to friends (americans) to Ede my uncle and aunts house to get away from the city.
It was great the small town was quiet and their home is like a home away from home.!
we had a really great time and felt quite rested...
however i did get a cold yesterday its been pridy bad and i've bin trying everything to get better...

april my prayer partner

marika @ reception

Dam Square with Sam a random homeschooler i knew stoped by and i showed him the city.

Amsterdam MINISTRY

2008-09-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

Crazyness....
so we got here last Thurday night spending a small week visiting relatives all across Holland...
so we ran around Amsterdam on Friday and found the bank i'm gonna go to when i have a SIN number and reallized how crazy this city is really...
then saturday morning i started working got trained in Morning Cafe serving breakfast to the guests... it was cool...
then i slept at the hostel as my sleeper shift...
sunday i went to a sweet church although it was all in dutch i was really touched by the worship an the great people... i'm still gonna check some others out but i'll keep it on my possibility list...
monday was intro in class all day.
then tuesday and wednesday i worked in the monings and went to class for intro and training in the afternoons and i was really busy it was crazy so its good to finally chill right now
i also finally got to move in to my room yesterday wich was amazing my roomate is kewl shes like marika so we get along great.. also a fellow YWAMer and knows my contacts in Cambodia
ya ministry wise i've been attending the hostel bible studies they have been intresting and a really good oppertunity to share the gospel with guests..
God is good
He is present in our everyday
God be with you!
Heather

2008-09-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

my neigborhood in Amsterdam
and street!!!

we also went to Utrecht twice once with our uncle Friso my fathers youngest brother, he told us about the history of the church and university there.
The second time i went with our cusins Willma and Annelien on a canoe tour through the motes...

we went to Ovalte a small tourist location where you can learn about the history and farming... my uncle Gert works there with a government funded work program placeing people with in experiance or diability and teaching them job/life skills...

wakker in de midde van de nacht

2008-08-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

so i woke up at about 2 am this morning and i havn't been able to get to sleep so i spent some time in prayer and reading the bible. God is good he really gave me a renewed passion for His word and i dove in the word hungry for more. I'm excited about that because this summer at Youth Works i didn't have much time for bible study and meditaion so i lost my passion for Gods word and it scared me and i felt more distant from God because i wasn't frequently filled with His truths.

So right now i'm just killing time, i woke up starving so i ate an apple i found in the room i'm staying in randomly. Any way good news its about 6:30 now and some birds have started their song!
This picture is a tiny taste of what i'm experiancing
God is Good all the time and worthy of our trust and praise!

Amsterdam Finally.. or more like already?!

2008-08-23T06:23:00.001-07:00

Hey all so after Marika and my long journey to Holland through the evening we are here!!!!! It feels like one continuasly long day.
We got off our plane, got our lugage and hoped on a train to amsterdam central station where we looked around for our pick up guy and eventually just took a taxi to the staff housing location (it turns out He slept in but he would have walked so we would have needed to use a vehicle and how with all our akward lugage)
So we met some staff from the hostels but most of them are leaving next week so there will be a fresh crew starting with us. The staff are from around the world but also alot from Canada or USA. We got a huge intrecate tour of our living arangments and got to put the bulk of our lugage in their office for safe keeping as we spend a week visiting family. So right now i'm in Ede where my Om Johan and Tante Magret live. There one of the families we are closest with so its great to come to open arms and familier faces.
For me its been great I relize I really havn't been here in long time, and since i'm so used to traveling alone its awesome having Marika with me. She lived here for a while so shes really confident riding the trains and taking care of buisness.
Well thats that just trying to stay awake so we can get over the jet lag ASAP.
On the list of things to do for me is:
-Buy cell phone/activate it
-Get dutch SIN # so i can get a dutch bank account
-Get settled and comfortable once we're back in Amsterdam ready for around 8 months of living in community and serving those around me.

God is good i thank Him for keeping us safe in our long travels and for helping us find the way!

Blessings - Heather

Off to Amsterdam... in a week!! already, i just got home

2008-08-15T11:08:00.001-07:00

Next week friday i'm flying to Holland with my sister Marika.
we are going to drop off our stuff @ the Hostel staff house and visit relatives for a week then start working the last day of augest.
Marika is working at Shelter City by the red light district, and I am working at Shelter Jordan close to the Anne Frank house.
So I'm busy packing and trying to relax and reenergize after an intence summer.

I want to thank you for your support and ask you to keep us in your prayers.
Continue to give thanks to the almighty God for who He is!
In Christ
-Heather

Youth Works! summer crazyness

2008-08-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hello there! Wow its been awhile since i've updated and i'm sorry about that.
This May i was hired by Youth Works, my possition was to help out where needed and an extra staff incase one of the other staff quit. So in may Youth Works flew me and all the Canadian staff to Denver for training. We spent a week there then flew together to our sites. I was with the Thunder Bay staff, they needed the extra staff member since they only had one prep week before they started hosting youth groups and churches and providing ministry opertunities for them.
It was great we had up to 72 people on site at a time the youth were great and really steped out of their comfort zones.
I stayed in Thunder Bay for a month, one prep week and three weeks of service trips.
Then on the Thursday of my third week i got called out to be a Site Director in Vancouver BC.
So that Saturday morning at about 4 I flew out to BC. When i was picked up at the airport I went straight to my new team and hung out with them.
My area director trained me that week on what exactally the Site Director role intailes.
I had to keep the schedual moving make sure everything that needs to get done is getting done or will get done. Communicate to the adult and trip leaders about the schedual any changes. Addressing any concerns they may have. I had to live into three staff memebers facilitating staff meetings and connecting with them in One on Ones.
It was stretching and challenging i was exhausted and warn. God was my strength in every situation. All the promises He spoke into my life during the fall didn't change they were what i held on to. All the joy and passion was from Him. He took so many situations in His hands. He taught me alot about myself, about other people. It was intense.
God knew i was ready for it!!! I love that He knows me so well, knows what i can take !

2008-03-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

I like the snow but I'm ready for the fresh new life of spring.

2008-03-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome!
In this blog i hope to walk with my friends and supporters as i minister to those around me. Right now i'm in Hamilton working at Living Rock Ministries and Poco Loco Tex-Mex Take-out. I am also invloved in a churchplant in downtown called New Hope Church. I'm a leader at 'girls club' at Street Light Ministries in down town every Thursday night.
Thats sort of what i've been up to, i look forward to shareing more of my life with you as the life goes on.
Thanks for your time and love.