tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31216886935556324292024-03-14T04:19:21.024+01:00everywhere is somewhere we must go.in this case, we're headed north...Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-57251601990525991122009-07-20T22:59:00.002+02:002009-07-20T23:01:36.024+02:00new locationso, due to creative differences, i am now parting ways with blogger. it served well for a time, but it's now time for a different chapter in the life of <span style="font-style: italic;">everywhere is somewhere we must go</span>. <br /><br />the next chapter begins here: <a href="http://www.timothycdyk.wordpress.com">www.timothycdyk.wordpress.com</a><br /><br />thanks for following.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-41278058168079679852009-06-15T22:42:00.005+02:002009-06-15T22:57:13.052+02:00i'm a .com<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SjayRmLXTHI/AAAAAAAABak/ey7yrWh_MsM/s1600-h/timothycdyk.com.web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 253px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SjayRmLXTHI/AAAAAAAABak/ey7yrWh_MsM/s400/timothycdyk.com.web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347657622924774514" border="0" /></a>So, in an attempt to summarize the last few years' work into a sort of digital portfolio/library, I would like to introduce you to <a href="http://www.timothycdyk.com/">timothycdyk.com</a>. I figured before proceeding on to whatever ventures are next, it would be worthwhile to summarize some of the people, places, and issues I have been brought into contact with thus far.<br /><br />And I must mention that this website wouldn't be functioning had it not been for the in-depth coding know-how of <a href="http://www.baandc.com/">B.Alderman & Co. Technologies</a>.<br /><br />Thanks for reading/viewing.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-61574691087145116222009-04-13T18:43:00.004+02:002009-04-13T19:02:07.835+02:00Alas, I Still Love Washington (State).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SeNru9iMytI/AAAAAAAABaY/5sY2sNQ1ymY/s1600-h/040509_2348.edit.web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SeNru9iMytI/AAAAAAAABaY/5sY2sNQ1ymY/s400/040509_2348.edit.web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324217639018220242" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">On Friday, the 27th of March, I flew home from Copenhagen to Seattle. It is abrupt sort of adjustment to go from one continent to another in such a (relatively) short amount of time. To go from one place that is so highly unfamiliar, and the next day to be sitting in one of the most familiar places imaginable, such as my family’s kitchen table on 9th avenue, is something bizarre. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It looks like I will now be relatively stationary, at least for the time being. I am hoping to look for opportunities in which I can share the Sex + Money project around Ellensburg, as well as the general Northwestern region of the United States. Therefore, if you are interested in working with me to set something up in your area, please do feel free to let me know (you can find my email in my profile.) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Specifically regarding the book: If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Sex + Money: A Global Search For Human Worth, there is a “buy it now” link to the right hand side of this blog where you can make an order through your computer. If you would like to buy it in person, you can try to locate me in Ellensburg, WA. It shouldn’t be very difficult as our community is fairly small in size. Or you can find me at future events. Any of these are viable options, should you choose to pursue them. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A lot of plans are still up in the air, but one hope I have in the near future is to begin studying in University. I desire to take the time to make a prayerful decision on where I can best pursue the seeds and ideas God has dropped in my heart. As specifics become clear I hope to keep you updated. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Thank you for the interest you have shown in this project – even from the beginnings of the photogenX track in South Africa in September of 2007. I began this trip trusting that if God was the maker of the heavens and the earth and the trees and my heart, He could somehow provide for my needs, even if I couldn’t see how. Through your generosity, I was able to work with this project, and learn more of what it means to speak up for “the least of these.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Probably the main reason why I began the photogenX track in the first place was that I felt a strong tug on my heart to begin using my art (in whatever medium) to portray what God is doing in the world and/or what He is desiring to bring about in order to heal our broken and needy world. If this trip has shown me one thing, it’s that there is much more to be said for the needs of humans around the globe, especially the broken and destitute. Therefore, in whatever way I continue to walk, I desire to use the arts as a means of speaking truth regarding the issues we face in our world today. The body of Christ has a hope to offer the world, if we will only be willing. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The last two years' work with photogenX are not the finality of the hope we have to offer. I have much more to learn, but I'll proceed onwards from here...</span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-72768105505421200412009-04-06T23:54:00.005+02:002009-04-07T00:11:45.584+02:00a copenhagen finale.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp7Aj5ZvhI/AAAAAAAABZk/wUJFg-tiUKk/s1600-h/032309_1721.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 271px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp7Aj5ZvhI/AAAAAAAABZk/wUJFg-tiUKk/s400/032309_1721.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321701159257882130" border="0" /></a>On Thursday, the 19th of March, Koala and I, along with former (but still at heart) photogenXer, Anna Nielsen, arrived into Copenhagen Central Station, and proceeded soon thereafter to the hip and culturally diverse district of Copenhagen, known as Nørrebro (though spoken you will find the pronunciation of this name to be worlds apart from what you would think on paper.) This is where Koala and I would be based for a bit more than a week that we spent in Denmark’s capital city, thanks to København Kulturcenter (Copenhagen’s Culture Center,) who gave us a place to lay our heads.<br /><br />You just saw three uses of parenthesis in the previous paragraph. <br /><br />The first event we were a part of was a “Documentary Night” put on by the Culture Center. Here, an international group of young adults get together once a month to discuss and learn about different issues – this particular week the focus was human trafficking, so Koala and I shared a bit towards the beginning of the meeting, and our speaking was followed by a documentary about human trafficking in Copenhagen titled, “When the Moon is Dark.” The film was highly informative, and followed a couple stories of Nigerian women who had been trafficked to Denmark for prostitution. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp60TA1waI/AAAAAAAABY8/O1SCpQQMejw/s1600-h/032209_1256.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp60TA1waI/AAAAAAAABY8/O1SCpQQMejw/s400/032209_1256.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700948567245218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >(one of koala's photo's displayed in cafe retro)<br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">On Sunday the 22nd, Anna had arranged for us to put on a photography exhibition in Café Retro, a local coffee shop that is entirely non-profit. The entirety of their profits are given to support various humanitarian projects in developing nations – currently they’re working to help an organization in Sewa Ashram, India. To our delight, we were able to display nearly all of our 20 display photos in what proved to be fairly constrained quarters. However, it’s surprising what you can do with string, thumbtacks, and a small fence. Café Retro was a good environment for us to share our materials with people, as well as for us to hear from them of their thoughts on the current state of human trafficking, particularly in Europe. Public opinion seems to be shifting. Though there is much ground to be made, people seem to be growing increasingly aware of the ways in which human trafficking is taking place in our societies, and the ways (large and small) that we can be a part of choosing something different.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6RVBt1fI/AAAAAAAABYc/oglv2L7IUqQ/s1600-h/032009_1378.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6RVBt1fI/AAAAAAAABYc/oglv2L7IUqQ/s400/032009_1378.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700347812369906" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp61ImIB2I/AAAAAAAABZU/7JF1ow_GVng/s1600-h/032309_1696.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp61ImIB2I/AAAAAAAABZU/7JF1ow_GVng/s400/032309_1696.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700962950711138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp603pZ6nI/AAAAAAAABZM/axVsvanXqhU/s1600-h/032309_1675.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp603pZ6nI/AAAAAAAABZM/axVsvanXqhU/s400/032309_1675.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700958401063538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6R1vDhCI/AAAAAAAABY0/2Mn057yeODs/s1600-h/032209_1246.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6R1vDhCI/AAAAAAAABY0/2Mn057yeODs/s400/032209_1246.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700356592469026" border="0" /></a>Through some of the connections we made at the Copenhagen Culture Center, we were able to connect with a discipleship program that is currently in the developing stages. “Identity and Discipleship (I.D.)” is similar to something like a YWAM DTS, but it is more focused on integrating its students into the local church setting. The main leader/teacher/organizer of this program is a fellow American, Stephen, who has been living in Copenhagen for quite some time now. We were glad to share with their groups during a couple of their class times, but Koala and I both felt very blessed to be able to hear and take part in some of their teaching and discussions. Stephen and the students challenged us in how they are learning to relate to God not just in an individual way, but also through their surroundings – including their environments and the people around them. This sort of holistic Christ following, though a challenge, is something that becomes beautiful in learning to enact. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6Ro2kknI/AAAAAAAABYs/24HO0959VaM/s1600-h/032209_1236.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6Ro2kknI/AAAAAAAABYs/24HO0959VaM/s400/032209_1236.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700353134334578" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6RTy8qMI/AAAAAAAABYk/1RDSFnI5h0k/s1600-h/032009_1425.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6RTy8qMI/AAAAAAAABYk/1RDSFnI5h0k/s400/032009_1425.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700347481991362" border="0" /></a>On Thursday, the 26th, I escorted Koala to the airport, to bid him farewell, for now. It was an odd feeling, saying goodbye to a friend I have known, and lived closely with, for the last 18 months. Truthfully, it didn’t really feel like I was saying goodbye; I do feel I’ll see him at some point in the future. I hope this is the case. <br /><br />Koala has since returned to the University of the Nations campus, in Kona, Hawaii, to begin the Introduction to Biblical Counseling (IBC) course for the spring quarter. In July, he plans to return briefly to South Korea, before continuing onwards to visit his parents, who are currently working in Vietnam. In September, he plans to resume his studies of Economics and Accounting at his previous university in South Korea, though now he feels as though he has a bit more direction with these studies. His desire is to one day use his skills with economics in order to help develop more sustainable living in developing nations, amongst other things.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6RIc6fXI/AAAAAAAABYU/uu0AwvT8bbA/s1600-h/032009_1349.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp6RIc6fXI/AAAAAAAABYU/uu0AwvT8bbA/s400/032009_1349.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700344436784498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp60kBQh1I/AAAAAAAABZE/8tisjUalbxA/s1600-h/032309_1663.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp60kBQh1I/AAAAAAAABZE/8tisjUalbxA/s400/032309_1663.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321700953132402514" border="0" /></a>So, for now we have completed what we originally set out to do with the three-month tour or Scandinavia, taking our publication and the message it bears to a large variety of places – from anarchist café’s in Iceland, to Lutheran State Churches in Sweden. Still, the work of exterminating human trafficking has a long way to travel, but I do believe that a significant amount of seeds have been sown. <br /><br />“For as the rain comes down,<br />and the snow from heaven,<br />And do not return there,<br />But water the earth,<br />And make it bring forth and bud,<br />That it may give seed to the sower<br />And bread to the eater,<br />So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;<br />It shall not return to Me void,<br />But it shall accomplish what I please,<br />And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”<br /><br />Isaiah 55:10-11 (New King James Version)<br /><br />I believe what we have sown with this tour will flourish, because ultimately, what we have sown in the book, in the photography, and in the stories, is from Him - the Lord. We often felt worn thin and weary, but as a whole, we can say the tour was a positive experience. We are reminded that the Lord is moving. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp7A764m_I/AAAAAAAABZs/VlK2CCACO9M/s1600-h/032409_1631.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/Sdp7A764m_I/AAAAAAAABZs/VlK2CCACO9M/s400/032409_1631.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321701165706550258" border="0" /></a>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-40861582073461003502009-04-06T20:24:00.005+02:002009-04-06T20:34:08.135+02:00pardon me.<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">In a previous post, "pinetrees, smokestacks, and holy water," from the time in Finland, i made a joke.<br /><br />I said:<br /><br />"there are no cars in finland. the most common form of transportation is sled-dog mushing."<br /><br />This was what some like to call a "JK," meaning, "just kidding." After arriving home, and hearing from some friends and family members, I figured I should restore a proper understanding of the nation of Finland. They have cars and drive them when necessary. I actually only saw one sled-dog-musher in my entire time in the country.<br /><br />Sorry for the potential confusion and/or heartache I may have induced through this statement.</span><br /><br /></span></span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-76112173794293415762009-04-01T02:01:00.005+02:002009-04-01T02:10:42.391+02:00odense, denmark<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsKvHv9I/AAAAAAAABXk/5CIuHEEcUPQ/s1600-h/032509_1547.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsKvHv9I/AAAAAAAABXk/5CIuHEEcUPQ/s400/032509_1547.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319507283209076690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsorOVEI/AAAAAAAABYE/j2ztyaYVpoc/s1600-h/032509_1612.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsorOVEI/AAAAAAAABYE/j2ztyaYVpoc/s400/032509_1612.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319507291245794370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsbquHhI/AAAAAAAABX8/M6_xEC40Vkw/s1600-h/032509_1607.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsbquHhI/AAAAAAAABX8/M6_xEC40Vkw/s400/032509_1607.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319507287754022418" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsCkxx8I/AAAAAAAABXs/TJeMraXVomA/s1600-h/032509_1594.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsCkxx8I/AAAAAAAABXs/TJeMraXVomA/s400/032509_1594.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319507281018210242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvXPTecJI/AAAAAAAABXc/O8U26nMJiVg/s1600-h/032509_1522.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvXPTecJI/AAAAAAAABXc/O8U26nMJiVg/s400/032509_1522.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319506923658047634" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvW4hXg0I/AAAAAAAABXU/InTEaDy1p9I/s1600-h/032509_1516.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvW4hXg0I/AAAAAAAABXU/InTEaDy1p9I/s400/032509_1516.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319506917542298434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvWpammXI/AAAAAAAABXM/1KIILmC37Zo/s1600-h/032509_1509.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvWpammXI/AAAAAAAABXM/1KIILmC37Zo/s400/032509_1509.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319506913487395186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvWUtWvGI/AAAAAAAABXE/X_3eBpQmpqA/s1600-h/032509_1487.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvWUtWvGI/AAAAAAAABXE/X_3eBpQmpqA/s400/032509_1487.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319506907928902754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKv1TXol7I/AAAAAAAABYM/zgociXD6tps/s1600-h/Neighbors.web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKv1TXol7I/AAAAAAAABYM/zgociXD6tps/s400/Neighbors.web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319507440145307570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvWUwTs1I/AAAAAAAABW8/-A35mc_cE00/s1600-h/032509_1480.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvWUwTs1I/AAAAAAAABW8/-A35mc_cE00/s400/032509_1480.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319506907941286738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsA-DT5I/AAAAAAAABX0/I7u9KFNZ_CA/s1600-h/032509_1600.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKvsA-DT5I/AAAAAAAABX0/I7u9KFNZ_CA/s400/032509_1600.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319507280587345810" border="0" /></a>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-48759772665483205722009-03-31T23:12:00.005+02:002009-04-01T02:10:23.108+02:00sjellebro, denmark<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLZw3IkI/AAAAAAAABV8/jaUYhgI9Pbg/s1600-h/031809_1748.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLZw3IkI/AAAAAAAABV8/jaUYhgI9Pbg/s400/031809_1748.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319504521283969602" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLxNc9iI/AAAAAAAABWg/LTu4hPLJEz0/s1600-h/031809_1838.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLxNc9iI/AAAAAAAABWg/LTu4hPLJEz0/s400/031809_1838.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319504527577904674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLuKyIUI/AAAAAAAABWM/C3CVbHEwe_k/s1600-h/031809_1792.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLuKyIUI/AAAAAAAABWM/C3CVbHEwe_k/s400/031809_1792.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319504526761402690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLsg5yrI/AAAAAAAABWE/VikwZzNHefE/s1600-h/031809_1776.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLsg5yrI/AAAAAAAABWE/VikwZzNHefE/s400/031809_1776.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319504526317308594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLjvrvhI/AAAAAAAABWU/OGeAnDKvkHw/s1600-h/031809_1830.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtLjvrvhI/AAAAAAAABWU/OGeAnDKvkHw/s400/031809_1830.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319504523963383314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtWuqgTII/AAAAAAAABWs/TfqFXbNpYDs/s1600-h/031809_1871.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtWuqgTII/AAAAAAAABWs/TfqFXbNpYDs/s400/031809_1871.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319504715873012866" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtXOFWsxI/AAAAAAAABW0/wJhnJbpAnI0/s1600-h/031809_1872.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SdKtXOFWsxI/AAAAAAAABW0/wJhnJbpAnI0/s400/031809_1872.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319504724307129106" border="0" /></a>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-49846410790760317572009-03-26T14:46:00.003+01:002009-03-26T14:49:48.486+01:00needing clouds.So this is the last day of "the track." Sitting in an s.bucks in the Copenhagen airport. I never knew that this is what it would be. But it's become true. <br /><br />Now it's here, the last day of an 18-month long school, and now I'm waiting to say goodbye to a friend in the airport. <br /><br />Life can be so complicated. And life can turn around and be so simple - cold, but straight-forward. <br /><br />Lord, would you bring some clouds to cushion this landing?Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-91014675016686561752009-03-18T20:53:00.010+01:002009-03-18T22:14:05.126+01:00pinetrees, smokestacks, and holy water.<a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTNj4MPaI/AAAAAAAABU8/HgDndauVSDs/s1600-h/031209_0830.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTNj4MPaI/AAAAAAAABU8/HgDndauVSDs/s400/031209_0830.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620527708224930" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Finland is a country of approximately five million people. According to wikipedia, there are over two million saunas in Finland. This equates to about one sauna per household. The amount of sauna-ing that transpired during our stay in Finland left our skin feeling rejuvinated, to say the least. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">During our time in Tampere, Finland, Koala and I were able to share our project with 6 different church groups, plus one night which combined a couple of young-adult small groups. Sometimes the times we shared were brief and summarized, but there were also many times where we were able to share on a much more in depth basis. Especially encouraging/mind-exercising were some of the conversations we had on the night with the small groups. Koala and I shared some of our experiences as we normally do, but the night turned into more of a multi-faceted conversation in which we discussed the potential of Christian involvement with matters relating to human trafficking, which naturally flowed into a time of prayer for the sea of needs that are present for these topics. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUF2-XYCI/AAAAAAAABVk/KDDVpPd3G7I/s1600-h/031309_0821.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUF2-XYCI/AAAAAAAABVk/KDDVpPd3G7I/s400/031309_0821.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314621494907068450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(koala, sharing at the Come Home group)<br /><br /></span></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRpEu2rxI/AAAAAAAABS0/GIL4c-8SjaU/s1600-h/2009-03-14_0016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRpEu2rxI/AAAAAAAABS0/GIL4c-8SjaU/s400/2009-03-14_0016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314618801360645906" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(for one exhibition, we had the help of a professional lighting engineer. his knowledge of kelvin variations and angles of illumination proved to be most useful. he also let us use some photos. keetos antti. photo: antti hiltunen)</span><br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRodYiAHI/AAAAAAAABSs/p08kuf6IVtw/s1600-h/2009-03-14_0014.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRodYiAHI/AAAAAAAABSs/p08kuf6IVtw/s400/2009-03-14_0014.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314618790798033010" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(photo: antti hiltunen)</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRpVWWD1I/AAAAAAAABS8/Oi6mdHd4O64/s1600-h/2009-03-14_0048.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRpVWWD1I/AAAAAAAABS8/Oi6mdHd4O64/s400/2009-03-14_0048.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314618805821247314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(photo: antti hiltunen)</span></span><br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRq16-juI/AAAAAAAABTM/qI7_U5XMbUs/s1600-h/2009-03-14_0172.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRq16-juI/AAAAAAAABTM/qI7_U5XMbUs/s400/2009-03-14_0172.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314618831744700130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(photo: antti hiltunen)<br /><br /></span></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSErpZqQI/AAAAAAAABTU/KK0spzohr6c/s1600-h/2009-03-14_0193.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSErpZqQI/AAAAAAAABTU/KK0spzohr6c/s400/2009-03-14_0193.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314619275663223042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(photo: antti hiltunen)<br /><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">Saturday the 7th, the first night we arrived in Finland, we were sharing with Vapis United, a youth group at the Free Church in Tampere. As I have done a few times before, I was sharing about one of our class’ experiences, telling the story of when we handed out flowers to some of the Prostitutes of Amsterdam’s red light district. As I spoke, I began to be re-impressed with the realization of how powerful such a small gesture of love was on that single rainy evening last spring. As I look at my daily life these days, I see how I often become forgetful of the power of the love of Christ that resides in my heart. I can so easily go about my days, forgetting how love of Christ that lives in my heart has the power to transform the world around me, including individual people and their relationships, in addition to larger, more complicated entities, i.e. communities and red light districts. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUFTg19eI/AAAAAAAABVc/wCOf1i4-IjI/s1600-h/031209_0884.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUFTg19eI/AAAAAAAABVc/wCOf1i4-IjI/s400/031209_0884.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314621485388002786" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUFN-HVFI/AAAAAAAABVU/AsEk8AbXlJQ/s1600-h/031209_0874.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUFN-HVFI/AAAAAAAABVU/AsEk8AbXlJQ/s400/031209_0874.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314621483900163154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">As we travel to different communities, churches, schools, and other groups, Koala and I continue to share our experiences that have been most relevant to these issues of human trafficking. There is always a bit of variation in how the stories are shared, but still, often it is hard to feel that we are sharing anything of significance, as we ourselves have heard and told our experiences far more than we can begin to recount. One evening at one of the youth meetings, with the Come Home group, also at the Free Church, one of the pastors we met (who was also our translator) proved to be a deep encouragement to us. His work consists largely of traveling to the public schools throughout the entire nation of Finland, teaching about Christianity as well as sharing about his own personal relationship with Jesus. We were encouraged by the ways that he continued to keep his walk with the Lord fresh even in the midst of consistent message giving. One of the verses he spoke struck me profoundly:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> ...The Lord bless you and keep you;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> The Lord make His face shine upon you,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> And be gracious to you;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> And give you peace.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Numbers 6: 24-26</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And I’ve heard this over and over in church benedictions, and I always remember having liked it, but I guess I had forgotten about it. In it I saw though how even with heavy luggage, repetition, and weary feet, we can continue in what God has directed us to, even just because is face is dwelling on us, granting us the peace of his directed gaze. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUETsZ0vI/AAAAAAAABVM/5LXZmJVjr98/s1600-h/031209_0855.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUETsZ0vI/AAAAAAAABVM/5LXZmJVjr98/s400/031209_0855.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314621468256621298" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTN8MuFwI/AAAAAAAABVE/RRYrsuutfh0/s1600-h/031209_0839.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTN8MuFwI/AAAAAAAABVE/RRYrsuutfh0/s400/031209_0839.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620534236780290" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTNcmog2I/AAAAAAAABU0/_To4to8zzCI/s1600-h/031109_0568.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTNcmog2I/AAAAAAAABU0/_To4to8zzCI/s400/031109_0568.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620525755532130" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(holuoksa sinappi? (<span style="font-size:78%;">btw, this spelling is probably wrong.</span>))<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTMv7-1RI/AAAAAAAABUk/p3oMn0loOUE/s1600-h/031109_0491.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTMv7-1RI/AAAAAAAABUk/p3oMn0loOUE/s400/031109_0491.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620513765479698" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(each thursday the church gives out free pea soup to citizens of tampere)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTNBeqyYI/AAAAAAAABUs/GWNw91hb7GQ/s1600-h/031109_0582.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFTNBeqyYI/AAAAAAAABUs/GWNw91hb7GQ/s400/031109_0582.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620518474369410" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(i don't know if they had napkins)<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0ncwFqI/AAAAAAAABUc/uYZuXMOaB0M/s1600-h/031109_0486.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0ncwFqI/AAAAAAAABUc/uYZuXMOaB0M/s400/031109_0486.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620099170145954" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(they told me how to say pigeon in finnish, but i've since forgotten)<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0dOjZ1I/AAAAAAAABUM/puxN_zpkK8w/s1600-h/031009_0702.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0dOjZ1I/AAAAAAAABUM/puxN_zpkK8w/s400/031009_0702.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620096426239826" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(tampere, in its early days, was driven by industrialisation)<br /><br /></span></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0eK-0xI/AAAAAAAABUE/delBVU8yxAU/s1600-h/031009_0648.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0eK-0xI/AAAAAAAABUE/delBVU8yxAU/s400/031009_0648.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620096679695122" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSz-OVqHI/AAAAAAAABT8/Yh9NDqJ3nOI/s1600-h/031009_0623.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSz-OVqHI/AAAAAAAABT8/Yh9NDqJ3nOI/s400/031009_0623.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620088103839858" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFC4PEYI/AAAAAAAABTs/V1Ze6tvOBqM/s1600-h/030809_0795.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFC4PEYI/AAAAAAAABTs/V1Ze6tvOBqM/s400/030809_0795.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314619281899458946" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(pyyhajarvi means <span style="font-style: italic;">holy lake</span>. we would later swim here.)</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFN2AqcI/AAAAAAAABTk/jD3f1hMp6kk/s1600-h/030809_0761.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFN2AqcI/AAAAAAAABTk/jD3f1hMp6kk/s400/030809_0761.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314619284842916290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(there are no cars in finland.<br />the most common form of transportation is sled-dog mushing.)<br /><br /></span></span></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFIeOFmI/AAAAAAAABTc/syRpnJQXrv4/s1600-h/030809_0730.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFIeOFmI/AAAAAAAABTc/syRpnJQXrv4/s400/030809_0730.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314619283400955490" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRqHlCiDI/AAAAAAAABTE/jQZ3YHeZDR4/s1600-h/2009-03-14_0081.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFRqHlCiDI/AAAAAAAABTE/jQZ3YHeZDR4/s400/2009-03-14_0081.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314618819304654898" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(sauna: 125 degrees centigrade.<br />pyyhajarvi: .5 degrees centigrade.)<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFtqMqlI/AAAAAAAABT0/oWsZHundjuA/s1600-h/030809_0806.edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFSFtqMqlI/AAAAAAAABT0/oWsZHundjuA/s400/030809_0806.edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314619293383305810" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(seppo + hanna (harrakka) taipale)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0pfRR-I/AAAAAAAABUU/-JmYySTa88M/s1600-h/031009_1092.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFS0pfRR-I/AAAAAAAABUU/-JmYySTa88M/s400/031009_1092.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620099717580770" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(päivi + the k-bear)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:arial;">It would be hard to mention our experience of Finland without mentioning our beloved hosts, Seppo and Paivi Taipale. They showed us much about what it means to follow Christ in the normal, day-to-day living. They were kind to introduce us to the Finnish way of life, which includes, but is not limited to:</span><br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">sauna</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">winter fresh-water swimming</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">ice Skating</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">snowy sommersaults</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">floorball</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">makkara (Finnish Sausage) </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUF-bZ1oI/AAAAAAAABVs/1-egwKr6uA8/s1600-h/031509_0999.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUF-bZ1oI/AAAAAAAABVs/1-egwKr6uA8/s400/031509_0999.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314621496907912834" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(watch out, the yankee has a destructive slap-shot)<br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">This is the paragraph where I was going to ask you to pray with us for a place to stay for our upcoming time in Copenhagen. A couple days ago, we hadn’t an idea where we would call home during upon our arrival in Denmark’s capital city. My eyeballs were tantalized this morning when I saw in an email that our contacts had found an apartment for us to stay in at a local church. So, tomorrow when we take the train into Copenhagen, we can rest easy knowing we have a place to lay our heads at night. Praise the Lord. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Secondly, we would value your prayers for open doors to share the project with groups in and near Copenhagen. We have a couple events planned for certain, namely a documentary night with a social awareness group on the 19th, and an exhibition in a café on Sunday the 22nd. Copenhagen is a big city, and we feel able and willing to share nearly anywhere, we just need God to direct us to the right places and people. Pray for encounters that are ordained and directed by the hands of the Lord. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Lastly, I also wanted to inform you that due to visa limitations and other circumstances, on the 27th of March, I will be leaving the soil of Europe to return to the blustery but beautiful state that is Washington. The entirety of plans are uncertain, but I do know that for now, God has placed it in my heart to share the project in Ellensburg, throughout Washington, and wherever else it would work out in the good ‘ol U.S. of A. I will do my utmost to keep you posted on the dates, locations and other details of such events.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUPs6th3I/AAAAAAAABV0/_P3kXQGjRCk/s1600-h/031609_1168.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/ScFUPs6th3I/AAAAAAAABV0/_P3kXQGjRCk/s400/031609_1168.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314621664006080370" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(bye bye helsinki)<br /></span></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-72908091497323917412009-03-09T14:35:00.004+01:002009-03-09T15:26:36.878+01:00farewell stockholm / hello tampere.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwiDhl1oWQcSDBkZ0QHWxaN96qFMebsbrrDpeVJed2wLpHi-2L_iMEUPuMom178TGaiSf5aaitAiaVXHtUYhw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">music: </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"För Sent För Edelweiss"</span><br /><em style="font-family: arial;">Håkan Hellström</em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">För Sent För Edelweiss</span><br /> <span class="music" style="font-family:arial;">2008 EMI<br /><br />Saturday, the 7th of March, we arrived in Helsinki, Finland. We then proceeded by bus to our current location of Tampere. We have been warmly welcomed by the parents of some Finnish friends we met in Kona. We have been showered with hospitality and introduced to the wonders of the Finnish sauna, complete with snow-sommersaults. <br /><br />It looks like we will be sharing in various churches and groups in the area until next Monday, March 16th, when we will leave for the final leg of the tour in Denmark. <br /></span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-52530322486610564942009-03-09T12:40:00.011+01:002009-03-09T23:47:49.727+01:00from the swedish bible belt to a famed biologist's former stomping grounds<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUByGEkHrI/AAAAAAAABRc/oxJ0EibmvZI/s1600-h/022809_0274.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUByGEkHrI/AAAAAAAABRc/oxJ0EibmvZI/s400/022809_0274.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311153295688212146" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(jönköping is a pleasant city on a lake)</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;">Monday night, the 23rd of February, Koala and I arrived in Jönköping, Sweden. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">First of all, I must clarify the pronunciation of this city. I think the most accurate way I can describe this with American English spelling is to say: Yonshepping. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">After the difficulties we had in Stockholm with trying to make connections, it was such a relief to arrive in a place where we already had previous friendship established. Our friend Bella, who we knew previously from YWAM in Kona, Hawaii, has been studying in </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Jönköping</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> for the last couple years. We were excited to find that she had been able to set up quite a few different events with both public high schools, and some of the churches in the area. For our week spent in Jönköping, we were able to share in three public high schools, and four churches. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBya0reHI/AAAAAAAABRk/ah1K7im0IqI/s1600-h/030209_0207.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBya0reHI/AAAAAAAABRk/ah1K7im0IqI/s400/030209_0207.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311153301258729586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(sofia kyrkjan, where we shared with a small discussion group)<br /><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">Public High schools always prove to be a good challenge. In these places, we were certainly given restrictions on how much we can actually talk about our faith, but it challenges us to translate the gospel into more common forms of speech. Every time we share in one of these settings, it becomes clear how practical the gospel of Jesus can be. For example: we were able to talk with a Media focus high school (most of the high schools in Scandinavia seem to have some sort of focus.)<br /><br />One of the things God put on my heart to discuss was truth. I believe with my whole heart that if people in the media (whether it be news television, newspapers, radio, design, etc.) were to be searching for the ultimate truth in any topic or issue, they would be brought face to face with a need for solutions, and these solutions ultimately will be found in the infinite wisdom and knowledge that is found in Christ (Colossians 2:3). We discussed a bit how if they are willing to portray the truth of an issue, even if it is hard for people to hear, even if it makes some people uncomfortable, the whole-truth they communicate will stand out, even when it is compared with a host of well-prepared half-truths.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBYD25fEI/AAAAAAAABQ8/eJAv7R5RVns/s1600-h/022809_0225.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBYD25fEI/AAAAAAAABQ8/eJAv7R5RVns/s400/022809_0225.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311152848417422402" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(ali-john, who we met at the local train station. he's originally from gambia.)<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBYaLRUYI/AAAAAAAABRE/MmrGv1kh3a8/s1600-h/022809_0246.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBYaLRUYI/AAAAAAAABRE/MmrGv1kh3a8/s400/022809_0246.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311152854408450434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Whether we’re sharing in churches or schools, often people will ask us, “What can I do to help these people (those affected by the abuse of sex and/or money)” It’s a good question. </span><br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I am challenged because I can’t give people a direct plan to end human trafficking in the next five years (or some other concrete date.) This becomes an interesting issue in that we see it is something that we have to be willing to engage with in the way we live life. It is not just something we can donate money to, and it is not just something for which we can boycott a product or a company. It seems like this issue requires a bit more of an engaged response. And for myself this is a challenge. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We’ve talked to churches that are concerned about human trafficking and prostitution. Many churches want to establish ministries to deal with these problems, and to bring the women, children and men who have been affected into places of healing from the abuse that they have endured/given. This, however, is not so easy as just walking out to the streets and beginning “ministry.” If people are to leave lives of prostitution behind to build fresh, healthy lives, they are going to need new places – havens - where they begin something new. It would be hard for change to take root if we only love people for a couple hours only to let them return to their “night jobs” – but change can begin to take root when we see that life and ministry aren’t two different things. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And I hope this is not taken as a hypercritical diatribe. It is something I struggle with myself. How to I prevent my life and my faith from being two separate things? I’m learning to become convinced that being a follower of Christ must induce a tangible difference in the state of our world. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBY64lwZI/AAAAAAAABRU/2b4z7_4QXSk/s1600-h/022809_0269.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBY64lwZI/AAAAAAAABRU/2b4z7_4QXSk/s400/022809_0269.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311152863188468114" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(johannes, johan, and koala on what is arguably the longest bench in all of europe.)</span><br /><br /></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBYjCjO2I/AAAAAAAABRM/-FlSlht_HFg/s1600-h/022809_0262.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBYjCjO2I/AAAAAAAABRM/-FlSlht_HFg/s400/022809_0262.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311152856787794786" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBXzR5q8I/AAAAAAAABQ0/FToouzWfAuQ/s1600-h/022709_0287.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBXzR5q8I/AAAAAAAABQ0/FToouzWfAuQ/s400/022709_0287.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311152843967278018" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(some photos on display at pingst kyrkjan)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDbnf83DI/AAAAAAAABSc/y22Ptt5PvF4/s1600-h/IMG_2121.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDbnf83DI/AAAAAAAABSc/y22Ptt5PvF4/s400/IMG_2121.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311155108547714098" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(uppsala is a university town, with a lot of bicycles)<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDbYS0NqI/AAAAAAAABSU/tTmoFJPEVZo/s1600-h/IMG_2114.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDbYS0NqI/AAAAAAAABSU/tTmoFJPEVZo/s400/IMG_2114.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311155104466089634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(there are also a lot of canals in uppsala)<br /><br /></span></span></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDa8CjsmI/AAAAAAAABSM/EAocqJB5zWk/s1600-h/IMG_2106.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDa8CjsmI/AAAAAAAABSM/EAocqJB5zWk/s400/IMG_2106.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311155096881705570" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDag07pXI/AAAAAAAABSE/qqz7LTXNjsc/s1600-h/IMG_2086.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDag07pXI/AAAAAAAABSE/qqz7LTXNjsc/s400/IMG_2086.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311155089576797554" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBzThMESI/AAAAAAAABR8/WI_M7v-7MCY/s1600-h/IMG_2053.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBzThMESI/AAAAAAAABR8/WI_M7v-7MCY/s400/IMG_2053.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311153316477800738" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(dom kyrkjan)<br /><br /></span></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBzN9XcBI/AAAAAAAABR0/JqhxsYJMYjI/s1600-h/IMG_2030.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBzN9XcBI/AAAAAAAABR0/JqhxsYJMYjI/s400/IMG_2030.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311153314985373714" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBy8K70yI/AAAAAAAABRs/SElB-9X6SAg/s1600-h/IMG_2007.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUBy8K70yI/AAAAAAAABRs/SElB-9X6SAg/s400/IMG_2007.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311153310210446114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Tuesday, March third, Koala and I waved goodbye to Jönköping and traveled by train to the city of Uppsala, which is a bit less than an hour north of Stockholm. Uppsala is also the hometown of the founder of binomial nomenclature, Carolus Linnaeus. Here, Bella also helped to arrange for us to share in three high schools, and a young adult group in a church. It felt to be a very productive time, and we received positive feedback from many of the students – it is evident that many young people are concerned for the state of our world, and this to me is an encouragement. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As we shared Wednesday evening with the college aged group in a church, God directed me to a verse, which I found to be edifying as we continue on the journey of learning to walk out the practicalities of Jesus –following. I Peter 1:3 says, </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In accepting forgiveness of our sins through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the God who created the planet earth (and all of it’s surrounding accessories) gathers us towards His hope that is a moving reality. This hope to me lies partly in knowing that a hope in Christ is not one that is static or stationary, but rather one that is kinetic and transportable, jumping up and down.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We often feel dry, but it is refreshment, rehydration even, to come across scripture that speaks so directly to what we’ve been in need of. So, we continue to share about need in the world, and we continue to share about hope – though now we are pleased to keep in mind that the hope is moving. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDb-pGt4I/AAAAAAAABSk/DF1TsXaY3CA/s1600-h/IMG_2130.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SbUDb-pGt4I/AAAAAAAABSk/DF1TsXaY3CA/s400/IMG_2130.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311155114760124290" border="0" /></a>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-63860628397411591462009-03-05T20:30:00.004+01:002009-03-05T23:52:27.911+01:00Huskvarna/Jönköping: February 23 - March 1<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwERKCluDp8QUXzeLh2oi_qhtA_0xAXEoImikK672uAWbosi8vvKBX-L2Z9j32oxoVIZTH3U1tTUoMh2WngVQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-20294433592288416672009-03-05T19:41:00.001+01:002009-03-05T20:23:51.625+01:00tall spires, tall deeds.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh27hDDAI/AAAAAAAAACE/KZWhzfO2H3M/s1600-h/022009_0584.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh27hDDAI/AAAAAAAAACE/KZWhzfO2H3M/s400/022009_0584.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309781188242770946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Stockholm is beautiful. As we de-boarded the bus from Helsingborg, and began to transport our mass amounts of luggage up to our hostel, we were sweating and tired and frustrated with unruly baggage, but we were also struck by the peace of large, slowly falling snowflakes. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For the first few days, we were able to meet up with our school leader, Paul Childers, for a sort of pastoral visit. Paul was on his way through Europe as part of an around the world trip for photogenX and some of the other ministry work He is a part of, so he was able to make a quick stop to connect with us. We were able to discuss the tour thus far, as well as discuss the logistics of what is to come. It was refreshing to do business in person, as well as watch CNN, discuss world politics, and visit the Nobel Museum, amongst other things.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAheC1Xn5I/AAAAAAAAAB0/Bk_-z0SuEFM/s1600-h/021909_0688.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAheC1Xn5I/AAAAAAAAAB0/Bk_-z0SuEFM/s400/021909_0688.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780760710324114" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(santa klara kyrkjan: certainly not our normal venue)<br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">During our time in Sweden’s big city, Koala and I were able to connect with one of the state churches in downtown Stockholm, Santa Klara Kyrkan. It is not uncommon in Sweden to see massive, beautiful churches, but it is quite unique to work with a church whose action can back up such tall spires. It was always a surprise to consider the variety of walks of life that the people were coming from: within a matter of an hour, I talked to a Romanian Gypsy (we spoke in Spanish), a Pakistani, a Chilean, and a Frenchman from Algeria – and these were just a few of our acquaintances. The church has a large influence in the community of downtown Stockholm, as they minister to the homeless, immigrants, and prostitutes on a regular basis. I was taken aback at all the activity and people that come through the building on a daily basis: this is certainly not a church that is sleeping. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">They allowed us to share a small bit as part of their prayer meeting, and they also had us pray for a couple of the women in the church who are committed to working with local prostitutes on a regular basis. It was evident that we weren’t necessarily telling this group something new; more so, I think, or at least my prayer is that we may have been an encouragement for them to continue in a direction in which they are already moving. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh35oeHYI/AAAAAAAAACc/nGnJlRUJ5Ho/s1600-h/022009_0659.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh35oeHYI/AAAAAAAAACc/nGnJlRUJ5Ho/s400/022009_0659.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309781204916903298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh3gYu_rI/AAAAAAAAACU/Eh7sKhpTv7w/s1600-h/022009_0642.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh3gYu_rI/AAAAAAAAACU/Eh7sKhpTv7w/s400/022009_0642.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309781198140014258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhF0C2q7I/AAAAAAAAABM/mWKjErT-2zk/s1600-h/021809_0400.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhF0C2q7I/AAAAAAAAABM/mWKjErT-2zk/s400/021809_0400.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780344423492530" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh3UIkYKI/AAAAAAAAACM/FfvTD4Kk0YI/s1600-h/022009_0603.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh3UIkYKI/AAAAAAAAACM/FfvTD4Kk0YI/s400/022009_0603.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309781194850984098" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhebXLQII/AAAAAAAAAB8/IxhrFBki2Cw/s1600-h/022009_0556.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhebXLQII/AAAAAAAAAB8/IxhrFBki2Cw/s400/022009_0556.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780767294570626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhdhhr7_I/AAAAAAAAABs/LWSL3OnxSrU/s1600-h/021809_0474.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhdhhr7_I/AAAAAAAAABs/LWSL3OnxSrU/s400/021809_0474.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780751769399282" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhdSgo8kI/AAAAAAAAABk/29fCLqump_k/s1600-h/021809_0459.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhdSgo8kI/AAAAAAAAABk/29fCLqump_k/s400/021809_0459.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780747738477122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhEzH7loI/AAAAAAAAABE/LC6z4iah378/s1600-h/021809_0395.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhEzH7loI/AAAAAAAAABE/LC6z4iah378/s400/021809_0395.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780326996481666" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhdCZVPsI/AAAAAAAAABc/T2f_u5OjH7c/s1600-h/021809_0456.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhdCZVPsI/AAAAAAAAABc/T2f_u5OjH7c/s400/021809_0456.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780743412858562" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhGdYG9II/AAAAAAAAABU/7jzMYXpRw9Q/s1600-h/021809_0410.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhGdYG9II/AAAAAAAAABU/7jzMYXpRw9Q/s400/021809_0410.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780355518493826" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhEPQmpvI/AAAAAAAAAA8/60GYz0kiEt4/s1600-h/021709_0494.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAhEPQmpvI/AAAAAAAAAA8/60GYz0kiEt4/s400/021709_0494.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309780317369181938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAgxbcczFI/AAAAAAAAAA0/QSmPsGaWLgw/s1600-h/021809_0413.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAgxbcczFI/AAAAAAAAAA0/QSmPsGaWLgw/s400/021809_0413.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309779994222578770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Later in the week we were able to connect with a couple of other churches, New Life - an international church which includes upwards of 45 nationalities - as well as Tomas Kyrkjan – a smaller church with a beautiful mix of traditional liturgy and more “modern” forms of worship. We stayed around after these services to introduce our project to those who were interested. This always provides for great conversations and new connections.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">One of my favorite quotes from the week came from the pastor of Tomas Kyrkjan, an American citizen who has become the pastor of a Swedish congregation. In trying to describe the origins of the Swedish language, he stated:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">"If German and English had a baby, it would be Swedish."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">This was certainly a statement for the ages, but Koala and I were thoroughly impressed as we eventually heard him give a sermon entirely in Swedish. Impressive I must say. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh4c4FqRI/AAAAAAAAACk/FV68N4bHPtc/s1600-h/022009_0677.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b64MXWSsqig/SbAh4c4FqRI/AAAAAAAAACk/FV68N4bHPtc/s400/022009_0677.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309781214377650450" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The time in Stockholm was a challenge in that we had not been able to pre-arrange any sort of events with the churches. The ways in which we were able to share were blessings considering the short notice with which they were planned, but we sometimes found ourselves frustrated, wondering how the project was really going anywhere. This was a good time to keep in mind the deeper goals behind this project, knowing that this is information that must come into the light, whether we are able to share in huge church settings, or just single conversations, one by one.</span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-11909737167565502572009-02-25T09:34:00.002+01:002009-02-25T09:54:46.542+01:00a week in stockholm.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxA7XmJKX8spyOEJdUGHP145Ad-VVAFaBphZcC98YvyYLOSC52kBghudVZ51ChFdFAkwoRL48z_mEdel5f0vg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />stockholm in short. more words to come...Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-89675086493131631412009-02-17T21:59:00.003+01:002009-02-17T22:03:44.311+01:00settling vs. transience<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsl0m2uyYI/AAAAAAAABQs/UDaboL5AEwI/s1600-h/021209_0107.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsl0m2uyYI/AAAAAAAABQs/UDaboL5AEwI/s400/021209_0107.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303874571872422274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">As we are once again on the road, I have begun to consider the differing values of settling and transience. And it’s not that I think one is better than the other, it’s just that I’m beginning to notice that they each have their positives, and they each have their negatives. With the amount of places we are passing through, it is beautiful to see the friendships God continues to bring us. However, with the amount of the places we are passing through, we are also challenged in learning how to put those friendships on hold, while still allowing them to be preserved for a later date. When I’m settled, I know I long for something new, but as I travel, I often long for something familiar. What I’m learning is that wherever I am is where I need to, and can, find the Lord who loves me. Perhaps it’s not easy, but I’m glad I’m learning something. </span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-23258109758479805902009-02-17T21:29:00.007+01:002009-02-17T21:57:52.489+01:00a quick dip in skåne.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAyn2cfI/AAAAAAAABPM/xPRWjAFy2Uk/s1600-h/021209_0097.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAyn2cfI/AAAAAAAABPM/xPRWjAFy2Uk/s400/021209_0097.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867084608270834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Last Monday evening, we arrived into Oslo on a train. It was apparent to Koala and I that we have more luggage than ever. You would be surprised how much luggage you can actually carry if you put your mind, and biceps to the task. In our estimations, we are each carrying upwards of 55 kilos in personal belongings, camera gear, photo exhibition materials, and most of all, multiple copies of our color photography publication. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We were greeted by an acquaintance (who would that evening become more of a friend) who guided us back to an apartment he shared with a few others. It was quite a journey, but we made it in time for dinner, before we met with their Norwegian “Media Village,” – basically a group of Christians who are working in various areas of the media, who gather each week to discuss and consider how they can be bringing the mind of Christ to the media. It was a privilege to meet with such a group of people, who are being intentional to use their abilities and knowledge to speak the truth to their society. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As we shared our project, we in turn had a very in depth discussion on many different aspects of media, communication, photography and the like. As we were talking about our project, God brought me a bit of a revelation about the importance of an individual, something we’ve been talking a lot about in all the places we go. Just as we were traveling the world, in many developing nations, we saw that there was so much that could come of individual encounters. We would always be surprised to see the stories God brought us into contact with as we did our best to be sensitive to the individual people God brought us into contact with. Now, as we share about how we can be a part of bringing hope to the needs of the world, we are also being reminded to see the importance of individual people. I saw that maybe one individual would see our project, and be prompted to go give a cup of coffee to a homeless person on the street, while another could be prompted to go and work with abused women and children in the brothels of southeast Asia. Not that one of these is better, but we can never be entirely aware of the works God could be bringing about in the hearts of people as we do our best to communicate what we have seen of a needy humanity. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfALQVN3I/AAAAAAAABOs/Zs8Luqr3PSE/s1600-h/020909_0221.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfALQVN3I/AAAAAAAABOs/Zs8Luqr3PSE/s400/020909_0221.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867074040641394" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(oslo, with the media village)</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfvhQr0bI/AAAAAAAABPc/zYkpvbZ22i4/s1600-h/021309_0000.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfvhQr0bI/AAAAAAAABPc/zYkpvbZ22i4/s400/021309_0000.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867887401554354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">The next morning, one of the friends we made in this group was kind enough to drive us (and all of our luggage) to the Oslo bus station, where we caught our bus to the south of Sweden, where we would eventually arrive in our next destination of Ängelholm. One of the friends we made during our time in Hawaii, Frida, was kind enough to host Koala and I at her family’s home. They gave us a location to settle that was warm in both temperature and friendship. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Thursday, we spent the day in Café Engel, which is a youth café run by one of the local churches. A lot of youth and young adults come to the café during the week, and are able to have a healthy place to spend their time, with very affordable brownies and coffee. We set up some of our photos, and had a small table for our books, and shared very briefly about our project. The afternoon provided us with some opportunities to connect with a few people on a more personal basis. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Friday night, Koala and I were able to share more in depth with the youth group at Frida’s church. It was a fairly normal evening, as we shared our project and stories like we normally do. It is always a good experience to share these types of things with the youth in the places we go, as it maybe can help them to see that they do have so many opportunities to be a part of ministering hope to the world. It was a nice evening, of sharing the general information about human trafficking, but also sharing on a more personal basis of what God has been teaching us as we’ve been moving around. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAqT3FpI/AAAAAAAABPE/NofiFOtiVYY/s1600-h/021109_0191.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAqT3FpI/AAAAAAAABPE/NofiFOtiVYY/s400/021109_0191.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867082376943250" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAT-eVKI/AAAAAAAABO8/jsP-BpiKkec/s1600-h/021109_0169.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAT-eVKI/AAAAAAAABO8/jsP-BpiKkec/s400/021109_0169.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867076381660322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(helsingborg)<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfwIJAa8I/AAAAAAAABPs/B_RD4XIjg9U/s1600-h/021309_0017.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfwIJAa8I/AAAAAAAABPs/B_RD4XIjg9U/s400/021309_0017.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867897838332866" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(lennart, a kind host to pancake night)<br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfvkLiWrI/AAAAAAAABPk/u0iQKuZh4wo/s1600-h/021309_0007.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfvkLiWrI/AAAAAAAABPk/u0iQKuZh4wo/s400/021309_0007.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867888185268914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfwRpfaSI/AAAAAAAABP0/BCLYnQmrsh8/s1600-h/021309_0060.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfwRpfaSI/AAAAAAAABP0/BCLYnQmrsh8/s400/021309_0060.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867900390500642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">After the youth meeting on Friday night, we were introduced to something new: Pancake Church, or Pankaka Kirkjan as they call it in these parts. Our new friend, Lennart, along with others from the church, have begun to cook pancakes on the main street of Ängelholm, to give out to whoever may pass by on a Friday night. Going out to take part in pancake church, I did experience the cold soaking up from the ground, through my shoes, and into my feet, but even more so, I experienced a group of people who are effectively changing the atmosphere of a place that would normally be filled with emptiness, bits of chaos, or plain drunkenness on any other night. People understand cold, people understand love, and people understand pancakes. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgNeDuYyI/AAAAAAAABP8/d67KGVarJlo/s1600-h/021409_0226.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgNeDuYyI/AAAAAAAABP8/d67KGVarJlo/s400/021409_0226.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303868401937965858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgNpEtOiI/AAAAAAAABQE/UhYvw4qqM-Y/s1600-h/021409_0262.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgNpEtOiI/AAAAAAAABQE/UhYvw4qqM-Y/s400/021409_0262.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303868404894874146" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgN3KdTeI/AAAAAAAABQU/RZ0bAluOakw/s1600-h/021409_0296.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgN3KdTeI/AAAAAAAABQU/RZ0bAluOakw/s400/021409_0296.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303868408677092834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(a man decided he would build some structures out of driftwood)<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgNils-kI/AAAAAAAABQM/NLttoe2S2hU/s1600-h/021409_0282.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgNils-kI/AAAAAAAABQM/NLttoe2S2hU/s400/021409_0282.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303868403154221634" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(i spy a koala bear)<br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgN1_0woI/AAAAAAAABQc/NjW6LNRm-jc/s1600-h/021409_0299.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsgN1_0woI/AAAAAAAABQc/NjW6LNRm-jc/s400/021409_0299.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303868408364057218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Sunday morning, we shared briefly with the main service of Frida’s church. It was just a quick introduction to the issue, but I’m confident that it was effective for the audience. We stayed around for a nice time of coffee, cakes, and good conversation afterwards (this seems to be the norm in Scandinavian churches, a custom I very much enjoy.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Yesterday evening, Koala and I arrived to our current location, Stockholm. We have spent much of today (Tuesday) with our school leader, Paul Childers, discussing the last couple months, and also discussing details for the months to come. In a city with which we are unfamiliar, it has been nice to be in touch with someone familiar. Today, we were able to get in touch with a local church her in downtown Stockholm, and they have allowed Koala and I to come share at their missions prayer meeting this Thursday afternoon. We are hoping that we will also be able to get in touch with a couple of the other churches in the area as well. I believe God will continue to open the doors in the places He wants us to be. If you think of it, pray that we will be sensitive to where He is leading us. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAZZVKfI/AAAAAAAABO0/aGK7T8Igx1I/s1600-h/021109_0158.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZsfAZZVKfI/AAAAAAAABO0/aGK7T8Igx1I/s400/021109_0158.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867077836483058" border="0" /></a>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-84004304770234678182009-02-17T01:30:00.001+01:002009-02-17T21:59:47.225+01:00The Dollar Bills<span style="font-family:arial;">With this amount of moving around, it has become a bit challenging financially. If you are willing, I would appreciate if you would prayerfully consider if God would have you to give towards my continuation of this project. If you feel God is leading you to give, donations can be sent to:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Mercer Creek Alliance Church </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">1407 North ‘B’ St.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ellensburg, WA 98926 </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">*Checks made payable to CMA, with <span style="font-style: italic;">Tim Dyk – YWAM</span> on the memo line. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Or, there is also the option to pay with credit card through Paypal, as you can see at the right-hand side of this blog.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I do want to be open in communicating this need, but I do not want you to feel guilty if God does not direct you to give. Even if you aren’t giving money, your prayers and interest in what God is doing are an incredible blessing. Throughout the last couple of years, God has continued to provide in ways that are both normal and wild, and I believe He can do the same in this instance.</span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-70098275622103737722009-02-10T16:07:00.001+01:002009-02-11T11:30:30.485+01:00internet on the bus<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxSI7363gCGUFmBNqa97M7Jl6XLk6-W3Ia8BiGQ5_N2ul0g0OO-aWpiJYSQlDqpHhZZfSfz1VlAEP6IEvaDkw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Beings as the bus on which I'm currently riding has free internet, I figured I should make use of the bandwidth to post a small video. This is my view as we move down the western edge of Sweden, to our temporarily-final destination of Angelholm.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-43485010331518921812009-02-09T23:08:00.000+01:002009-02-09T23:39:08.490+01:00hamar to oslo central<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwWadJXqLfjYMkwFVSFXBsHhzjNoiIugswc5FrItDiKsAGf3efsiZqh77MOToAZ2H8o1pZKflIX9J2GvY-0BQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes, the good Lord gives you some time to think. </span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-69697543390352935702009-02-09T11:20:00.000+01:002009-02-09T11:42:27.864+01:00to oslo and beyond<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUPZFYaI/AAAAAAAABOM/0GyLx3eP8Ng/s1600-h/020409_0140.edit.web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUPZFYaI/AAAAAAAABOM/0GyLx3eP8Ng/s400/020409_0140.edit.web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741507190710690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">In 1994, skating for the United States of America, Dan Jansen won the first and only gold medal of his Olympic career, in the 1000 meter speed skating, setting a world record in the process, with a time of one minute, 12.43 seconds. All this transpired in the small Norwegian town of Hamar, in the stadium is known as Vikingskipet, meaning “viking ship.” The arena is constructed to look like an upside-down Viking ship. As I watched the 1994 winter Olympics, I was about seven years of age, and was under the impression that the Viking ship I saw on my TV screen was actually an ancient Viking artifact that had been turned into an Olympic venue. Little did I know I would one day visit the blessed site of this American speed-skating victory, and come to the realization that the stadium was simply a piece of creatively-designed modern architecture. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUbtuD7I/AAAAAAAABOU/RyJofzxMh1o/s1600-h/020609_0105.web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUbtuD7I/AAAAAAAABOU/RyJofzxMh1o/s400/020609_0105.web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741510498488242" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >(friday morning at with the media class)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left; font-family: arial;">Speaking of architecture, the high school in which we shared this last Friday was a new school, and proved to be most efficient for setting up our presentation. Video connections, microphones, and even lighting were a breeze to operate. This left us much time to speak to the group of Media students who came to hear about the project. <br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left; font-family: arial;">It was such an amazing opportunity to speak to students who will most likely go into fields where they will be communicating issues and ideas to other people. In some ways, it was difficult to share, as we had to be careful not to make our presentation “too spiritual.” This opened my eyes to see just how much a part of our project God was, but it also opened my eyes to just how practical the heart of our God is for the world, as even without becoming “overly spiritual,” the fact that God has concern in His heart for the neediness and broken-ness of humanity is extremely relevant to humanity, whether we consider ourselves “spiritual” or not. So, whether or not these students profess to be followers of Jesus or not, I trust that the truth in Christ’s message of Mercy, and Justice, and Faith can begin to grow in hearts that are open to cultivation; this at least is a start.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUXYrf0I/AAAAAAAABOc/hpIYDyaebdE/s1600-h/_MG_5932.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUXYrf0I/AAAAAAAABOc/hpIYDyaebdE/s400/_MG_5932.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741509336497986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(with the creative class at hedmarktoppen)</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left; font-family: arial;">After finally feeling settled into a new place and group of people, it is never easy to leave. This was definitely the case with leaving the group of students and staff at Hedmarktoppen. It was only a week, but it was a week of seeing different aspects of Christ come to life in different individuals. Each place we go, we make friends, but leaving is always a challenge.<br /><br />After leaving Hedmarktoppen Friday night, Koala and I shared our project with a youth group at the Free Church in Hamar. It was similar to a lot of times that we share, but it was also interesting as the standing youth pastor is planning to join the photogenX DTS this coming April.<br /></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUHvuOpI/AAAAAAAABOE/IiIi-_dMwU8/s1600-h/020209_0066.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEUHvuOpI/AAAAAAAABOE/IiIi-_dMwU8/s400/020209_0066.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741505138178706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6XZgCII/AAAAAAAABN8/zVQvI1k8j2k/s1600-h/020209_0041.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6XZgCII/AAAAAAAABN8/zVQvI1k8j2k/s400/020209_0041.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741062663342210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6I4lWPI/AAAAAAAABN0/qzYtRO-9Zfc/s1600-h/020209_0029.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6I4lWPI/AAAAAAAABN0/qzYtRO-9Zfc/s400/020209_0029.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741058767182066" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For the last weekend, Koala and I returned to the YWAM base here in Grimerud, where we spent a couple days recuperating from the busy-ness of the week previous. I’ve even been able to find some room in my heart for the sport of nordic skiing. If one were only to watch, it wouldn’t seem to enticing of an activity. However, once the skis are on your feet, to glide across a smooth layer of snow is surprisingly exhilarating. I pray I am blessed with more opportunities to further enhance my nordic skiing capabilities. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqauZzJI/AAAAAAAABM8/YD6WNNIoYho/s1600-h/012909_0224.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqauZzJI/AAAAAAAABM8/YD6WNNIoYho/s400/012909_0224.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300740788678413458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(ywam grimerud)</span><br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6P4rsXI/AAAAAAAABNs/Ps7RJjcOyXI/s1600-h/012909_0278.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6P4rsXI/AAAAAAAABNs/Ps7RJjcOyXI/s400/012909_0278.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741060646646130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6MIr_bI/AAAAAAAABNk/XPhZ23EPI1w/s1600-h/012909_0263.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAD6MIr_bI/AAAAAAAABNk/XPhZ23EPI1w/s400/012909_0263.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741059640032690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqvtNUWI/AAAAAAAABNU/fGbhqmz5aKA/s1600-h/012909_0253.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqvtNUWI/AAAAAAAABNU/fGbhqmz5aKA/s400/012909_0253.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300740794310545762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqcifv1I/AAAAAAAABNM/QmTwsnz6ZT8/s1600-h/012909_0230.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqcifv1I/AAAAAAAABNM/QmTwsnz6ZT8/s400/012909_0230.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300740789165342546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqchXxaI/AAAAAAAABM0/Uqru_XaiRaM/s1600-h/012909_0161.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqchXxaI/AAAAAAAABM0/Uqru_XaiRaM/s400/012909_0161.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300740789160625570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqV22BGI/AAAAAAAABNE/Ka8d2-Te1Pg/s1600-h/012909_0225.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZADqV22BGI/AAAAAAAABNE/Ka8d2-Te1Pg/s400/012909_0225.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300740787371639906" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This afternoon, along with our large family of luggage, Koala and I will head down to Oslo for the night. We have plans to meet with a group of Christians who are working in different areas of media in Oslo. It sounds like it will be a fun evening, as we share with them in their apartment about our publication and the Scandinavian tour. Tuesday morning, it looks as though we’ll be boarding either bus or train to head down to Angelholm, Sweden, for the next main stop of the tour. </span><br /></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEURx9aTI/AAAAAAAABOk/dunYaFprZpE/s1600-h/_MG_5838.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SZAEURx9aTI/AAAAAAAABOk/dunYaFprZpE/s400/_MG_5838.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300741507831916850" border="0" /></a>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-10893351982599896262009-02-08T19:44:00.000+01:002009-02-08T20:00:32.096+01:00all aboard!here's a bit of a flavor taste of the future. I hope to begin posting more video footage, as a way to make you feel even more apart of the journey. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxwlh4XeEL3Dhlu6_EuL049j1QAo8uTiiokh9wJA8wYEOIJwtl849t8pfbBz3ffgT6ovsGsTqm83biTUBbA1Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-64218615809309730612009-02-05T14:47:00.000+01:002009-02-05T15:17:23.900+01:00the Lord, He is a'movin'Yesterday was our final day of teaching photography with the creative class here at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hedmarktoppen</span>. It has been a stretch for us to learn how to communicate clearly about the multitude of technical aspects involved in photography, but it is a stretch the Lord was faithful to walk us through at every step.<br /><br />Some of our time was spent teaching with words, and some of the time was spent helping the students with some hands on photography learning. We even got to do a bit of "light painting."<br /><br />Last night we were given the opportunity to share in the corporate meeting, where all the schools come together to have a sort of mid-week church service (we taught in the creative school, but there is also a couple sports schools, a global missions school, and a performing arts school.) Like we normally do at events like this, Koala and I explained a bit about our trip, shared a bit of information about human trafficking, and went on to share some of our personal experiences from traveling around the world. At the end, we gave a challenge to the students, to consider the ways that they can be using their resources and talents and ultimately their lives to be seeking the Kingdom of God, rather than the Kingdom of themselves. As we ended with a bit of music and time for prayer, a few came forward to pray with us, some stayed where they were to pray with friends - all in all, it really became clear that God was speaking to people where they were at.<br /><br />Talking with some of the students in our time here, it is evident that the Lord is moving forward in Norway, and in our world. A couple people have shared with us how it is so easy to build walls around ourselves, hiding our eyes from seeing the real neediness or our own hearts, and the neediness of the world outside of our own self-constructed walls. It's easy to not see our need for the Lord if we can temporarily cover such a need with an immediately tangible material. I am encouraged in challenged by the students here, in that they see these walls that have been built around them, and they want to find out what it is to experience the need of the world outside of their walls. They know that it may hurt, but they are also seeing that they will be seeking something that is real, that has a value beyond this life.<br /><br />Tonight, Thursday, we have a photography exhibition at Cafe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Uno</span>, here in the town of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hamar</span>. We are told many young people come to the cafe to hang out after school, where they can be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">around</span> a positive community of people.<br /><br />Tomorrow (Friday) morning, we have been given the opportunity to share in a public school in the area. We're told it is not easy to get the opportunity to share in the schools in this area, so it seems as though the Lord has put this opportunity before us, and we're trusting He'll give us the proper words to say. Please do pray for us in this though - ultimately, we know that nothing we say will have any value unless God is moving in the people we will be sharing with. It is a great opportunity to take this message outside of church walls, and we believe the Lord can accomplish something lasting in the hearts and minds of these young people.<br /><br />Tomorrow evening, we will be sharing our project with a local youth group, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Freik</span>. We value your prayers for this as well.<br /><br />Thank you for continuing to be a part of the places and people to which God continues to take us.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-22288726455338037582009-02-03T22:02:00.000+01:002009-02-03T22:15:36.295+01:0021:52 / welcome home, kind of<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SYiymwmO9zI/AAAAAAAABMs/oPuQJwkJecQ/s1600-h/020309_0355.web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SYiymwmO9zI/AAAAAAAABMs/oPuQJwkJecQ/s400/020309_0355.web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298681340551427890" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >welcome to our cozy cabin in hedmarktoppen.<br /></span></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-11744969959472140622009-02-02T22:24:00.000+01:002009-02-02T22:53:49.095+01:00from Hedmarktoppen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SYdrSxuOocI/AAAAAAAABMk/XiUcrxWejzI/s1600-h/IMG_0651.web.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SYdrSxuOocI/AAAAAAAABMk/XiUcrxWejzI/s400/IMG_0651.web.1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298321456953729474" border="0" /></a>I write to you from -14 Celsius. Certainly much colder than our previous destinations of Iceland and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Faroe</span> Islands. It is good to be here, amongst the trees that are soft with frost.<br /><br />Wednesday evening we arrived at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Stange</span> train station (near <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hamar</span>), where we were greeted by softly falling snow, and eventually a kind man who we had arranged to pick us up, and drive us back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">YWAM</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Grimmerud</span>. The buildings at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Grimmerud</span> were once used as a boarding school, but they are now home to various <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">YWAM</span> ministries which we were soon introduced to.<br /><br />Thursday morning we were able to share with some people in a prayer meeting. This was a cool time for us, as we were able to enter into prayer for issues relating to human trafficking with new people. The fresh words and inspiration they had in their prayers were encouragement to us as we continue to take this message with us to different locations.<br /><br />Friday morning, we were given the opportunity to share with a class of international students studying the Principals of Children's and Youth Ministries (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">PCYM</span> as they say in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">YWAM</span>...everything seems to have an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">acronym</span>.) I was excited to share our project with people who are preparing to invest in the lives of children and young people in practical ways.<br /><br />Sunday night, we took a short journey to the north side of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Hamar</span>, to where we now reside, a school called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Hedmarktoppen</span>. In Norway, young people are given the option of attending schools where they have the option of taking courses, where they can invest in learning a variety interests. It is basically a year that encourages the students to develop more socially, before they continue on with university or other career options. This school here is Christian based, and they have a variety of different focus' for the students to chose from.<br /><br />From Monday until Wednesday, Koala and I will be teaching photography to some of the students here. It is a very new experience for us, and we would certainly value your prayers as we step into this very new avenue. We know God has equipped us with something that we can in turn share with others, but we lack much experience in actually communicating our knowledge of photography to others. Please pray that the Lord will direct us in a way that is clear, creative, and effective.<br /><br />Later this week, we have a few more events. I will do my utmost to keep you completely within the loop of the current events.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3121688693555632429.post-39520510952910081202009-01-28T02:18:00.000+01:002009-01-28T02:52:10.517+01:00from economic protests to small green islands<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-3sPb-K3I/AAAAAAAABLk/9YI9hqVnvHg/s1600-h/IMG_0479.edit1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-3sPb-K3I/AAAAAAAABLk/9YI9hqVnvHg/s400/IMG_0479.edit1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296153657496972146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">I am told via my elder sibling, who was informed via </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wikipedia</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, that </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Faroe</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Islands translates to "sheep" Islands. This is confirmed to me through our local contacts. Early this morning Koala and I will be leaving these Sheep-laden Islands, and should be into </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Grimmerud</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, Norway by sometime tonight, via Copenhagen and Oslo.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The last couple weeks have been pretty full, but I am thankful to say at least they have been full of goodness. The last week of Iceland involved a trip around the Island, to the towns of </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Egilstadir</span> in the east, and <span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Akureyri</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> in the north. Each of these places taught us a lot about the value of meeting together with other believers, even when small in number. Sharing in the personal setting of homes warm with love was a privilege.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The last few days in Reykjavik also provided a few more opportunities to share our book and traveling-photo-exhibition, in a couple different cafes, and a couple different churches as well. I continue to be </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">surprised</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> how God has directed my words by the wisdom of his Spirit, rather than any "insight" of my own. I'm seeing that so much of what God needs us to be is simply available.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4cYvzGeI/AAAAAAAABL8/-ZDG6OO9CSM/s1600-h/011509_0231.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4cYvzGeI/AAAAAAAABL8/-ZDG6OO9CSM/s400/011509_0231.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296154484629772770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(cafe rot)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4chKpNjI/AAAAAAAABME/OdokOFfLTT0/s1600-h/011609_0186+copy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4chKpNjI/AAAAAAAABME/OdokOFfLTT0/s400/011609_0186+copy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296154486889854514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(islenska kristkirkjan)</span><br /><br /></div><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4FRQzFjI/AAAAAAAABL0/7163exlWhF8/s1600-h/012009_0018.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4FRQzFjI/AAAAAAAABL0/7163exlWhF8/s400/012009_0018.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296154087483708978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">You may have heard about civil unrest regarding the economic downfall of Iceland. We were able to see a small bit of what was happening. It was very eye-opening in regards to my understanding of world affairs, and human beings in general.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-3396a7sI/AAAAAAAABLs/i3RwCwJVKFU/s1600-h/012509_0118.edit.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-3396a7sI/AAAAAAAABLs/i3RwCwJVKFU/s400/012509_0118.edit.1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296153858951278274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">For the last week, we have been in the </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Faroe</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Islands. We have been blessed by the natural beauty, lack of commercialism, and small percentage of tourism in the area. These islands are definitely one of the most unique locations on which I have ever set my feet. Even more than this, we have been able to partner with the local </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">YWAM</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> team to share our project with the body of Christ here on the island. More and more we are blessed to see how his body transcends buildings and denominations. We have shared mostly in church buildings, but also in church meetings held in homes.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4ckSf3EI/AAAAAAAABMM/u3ki_in1uAE/s1600-h/012609_0324.edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4ckSf3EI/AAAAAAAABMM/u3ki_in1uAE/s400/012609_0324.edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296154487728102466" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4c2rzNFI/AAAAAAAABMU/ORWp2ypqa6Q/s1600-h/IMG_0179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4c2rzNFI/AAAAAAAABMU/ORWp2ypqa6Q/s400/IMG_0179.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296154492666066002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(koala and our faithful translator, eydstein, at the salvation army)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4dIM209I/AAAAAAAABMc/8NGVJrCofqs/s1600-h/IMG_0303+copy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cs2qGBz31xs/SX-4dIM209I/AAAAAAAABMc/8NGVJrCofqs/s400/IMG_0303+copy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296154497368118226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(faroe fish factory)</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">...one of the church meetings from a home also networked us into the opportunity for a tour of a local fish factory. If you ever get to take part in a house church, maybe you may also be blessed with a similar sort of field-trip.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">So, once again, Koala and I have packed up, and are prepared to hit the sky. I am learning to specialize at slumber in upright positions. I look forward to writing from </span><span style="font-family: arial;" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Grimmerud</span><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391367060319699358noreply@blogger.com2