Week of Prayer Observation

Hey All

Last semesters prayer week was a real battle of my emotions, and giving them over to God. It was a heart wrenching and life changing experience in that room. I spent many hours crying and yelling to God in frustration why things were so hard and why I hurt so much. God really taught me what it was to persevering through trials and consequences. To really give my all to him. Like James says perseverance has to run its full course for maturity to happen.
It has come to a very strange conclusion for me this past time of prayer in the prayer room. I am one who always has something on my mind, and never gets a rest from it. I think when I don't want to be thinking and my mind constantly processes things whatever the situation is. This week though it was so weird. I actually had nothing to think about or coming into my mind. Like I felt like there was something wrong with me, not having something to think on or of. My mind was at peace and it freaked me out! I don't recall a time I have had that before and I personally just couldn't comprehend the feeling.
Because of this peace that overwhelmed me I found myself getting extensive amounts of rest. Not just sleep but just sitting and listening to my audio bible through my headphones. As well I did fall asleep for 4 hours on the floor of the prayer room. Many of the guys tried to wake me but it was pointless, cause I was at such a peace that nobody could wake me up. Not that a deep sleep is rare for me, but just having the peace and comfort to lay out and sleep like that. It was probably some of the best rest I have gotten in a long time while being here at Kaleo.

God Bless
Aaron

Hey All

So we have been busy with getting some last minute school work done for the weekend. This whole weekend has been a kind of slur of homework and then the 24 hour week of prayer. Even though things seem to be going smoothly and according and I am ahead in my work, I still feel as though I am at a loss for time. Maybe it is the very fact that I have got so much done and I am looking at what the next couple weeks will be subjecting us too =P Our schedule is going to get crazier as the semester moves on.
Well the highlight of this weekend has been a specific youth event, that isn't actually a church organized even but still very significant and important. On Saturday evening us Kaleo from Cobble Hill had dinner and celebrated Levi's 11th birthday with him (our pastors son). We all had a blast, ate well, drank lots of coffee, watched the 'Astronaut Farmer' and sat around the Bekesza's living room just chit chatting about the Church, Kaleo, Classes and our aspirations for life after Kaleo is over. Later that night the girls went to sleep upstair and us guys slept in the living room and wrestled till the girls came down and scolded us back to bed =P. Not that that stopped us much anyways.
Today we spent our usual all day, church day, at Cobble Hill in the morning then getting a breif break in the afternoon and back at it for the Bridge in the evening. I would have to say even though it is a jam packed kind of day, I wouldn't want it any different. I love that church and the people there. The Bridge went fairly well but is still a little on the lacking side for people coming out to it. If you guys are close by Duncan or Cobble Hill or even know of someone who is looking for a nice low key evening servos on Sunday evenings at 7 we would be happy to see some new faces to welcome to the group.

God Bless
Aaron

Only for those who Dare

If you are a squeamish kind of person you should not watch this because this is pretty graphic of my finger. It was really disgusting, you can see the chunk of it that was hanging off as it was being cleaned up and we began the stitching.

Hey All

It has been a week of catching up on school work, doctors appointments and then a bit of fun added in there too. This past weekend I was originally supposed to help out with the maintenance crew during a Youth leaders conference. But because of my recent injury to my left hand I was what they would say "incapable" to work with them. So instead they sent me to my room to rest and do something less strenuous with my time. What I did instead was try to type my school work out on my computer, and man that has become a new task. Now with my pinkie out of committing I have to learn how to type all over again. So that has slown my progress down quite a bit. But that is OK because I am still well ahead on my school work for now, and keeping it that way.
On Sunday, our Cobble Hill group got up early and drove out to the church. We were running the servos that morning as well as the youth servos in the evening. We were so tired after the week of snowboarding but managed to get it all together and organized, with the help of our youth. The servos went very well with Kristi on piano, Tom on Guitar, Jesse and I on vocal, with Levi on Drums.
After the good morning servos we all come home for a quick break from church before we had to go back. On the drive back my finger began to throb really bad, but I sat and bit the bullet for the ride home. It got so bad though by the time we got back that I litterally felt like puking; the pain had spread through my whole body. I ran to my room to get some pain killers and then headed to the dinning hall for some food, because I was really hungry, pain or no pain. Jesse was kind enough to cut my food up into bite size chunks for me. While in the middle of my meal the pain came back full force leaving me flat out on the table just moaning and soaking myself in tears of agony. I am not sure how long it lasted but I was there for about a half hour probably just biting my tounge in pain while the group there was praying for me. It was really cool though, because as soon as the guys had all finished praying over me the pain resided to a point where I coul breath properly and relax. I don't know if the drugs I took earlier were just kicking in but all I know is God answered those prayers somehow, right there and then. It was a amazing comfort that just overwhelmed my body.
After that epidemic I was exosted from just battling that pain, so I went to sleep in my room. I ended up missiong out on the Bridge servos that night because I was just too exosted from trying to recover from all the pain my finger was giving me. From the guy I hear it went very well, except it was kind of a small turn out this week. That was kind of disheartening, but then when you go to a small church of just about 100 people on a good day, you can somewhat understand. As well with a church that size, when a family that regularly attends is mission in action it leaves a big gap in the congergation. I think part of that emptyness was because the Siemens family being away left a large gap. We miss you guys a lot!
As for the rest of our week, Lech taught us the first day of Theology class and impressed, offended and challenged the group here. It was a great class and from the feedback, everyone loved him as well as peed themselves listening to him. I for one have Lech as my pastor at Cobble Hill so know what to expect, so his personality doesn't come so much as a shock to me. By the end of class though both Lech and all of us students were antsi from being stuck in a lecture for so long.
Last thing we have done so far was, we all went skating as a K group at the Fuller Lake skating rink. That was the first skating rink that I had a compatition in and won my first Gold metal! We all got out and goofed around and man did it feel nice to get back on my natural feet. I feel so much life with those skates on. I couldn't play hockey with the boys that day because of my finget but instead, I got to steal the attention from the girls by teaching them how to figure skate. It was so much fun. After a while of teaching I retought Danielle how to do a dance routine and then we practiced it together. We added a few of our own little things into it and at the end of the session shared it with the whole K group. It was soo much fun!! I miss skating soo much!

God Bless
Aaron

Good for the most part =P

Hey All

This past week the K group spent our time on the slopes of Mt. Washington. The condo was amazing as was the weather during the week. While all of you were down here in the cold fog, we had dazzling sunshine and positive 10 weather. We had some of the best air conditions I have ever experienced at Washington in my 10 years of going to that mountain.
The big bummer was the amount of snow that was up there. We basically had as much snow down here as they had up there. The runs were very icy and hard packed snow, making it very painful for falling on our bums. Luckily I have already been through that stage in my boarding career, so my bum was fine. It sure took its tole on the newbies though.
The trip was a lot of fun but definitely left its mark on kaleo. We had after the first two days, Jamie and Malayne in casts from broken wrists and Debra Suffering from a pretty bad concussion. I almost made it without incident, but my luck with injury never fails me. The last day I was doing some tricks in the turrain park. I launced myself off a jump and pulled a nice front toe grab. the problem is when I landed my back end hit first, smacking my front end down on the snow. My hand was still attatched to that front end of the board. Hands dont slide when pinned to the snow too well, but the blade of me snowboard didnt simpathise too much and proceeded to sice half of my pinkie off. The only thing holding it on was what was left of my glove and my figernail.

So overall it was a fun eventful week up at the mountain =s

God Bless
Aaron

Hey all

The first week of the next semester has been a great start! Being reunited with the group here at Kaleo was so good. I missed them so much over the break; the community is amazing. Just being able to walk out my room doors and seeing friends.
We started off our first week with a course in "Theology of Mission" and at the beginning of the week I really didn't know if I liked it at all. I thought, who is this guy trying to push his views of mission on us and was really not enjoying myself. But as the course progressed and he started to unfold mission and the biblical definitions of it, my ears were perked. The problem is we put a label on mission and say you have to go across the world to be on a mission for Christ, when really every breath and minute you spend on this earth should be a mission for Christ. Every person we talk to, every interaction, in our neighborhood, church, work and travels should be a mission to bring the message of God to others through word and action. We to often waist you time away on entertaining our time when we could be investing it on people that God loves.
How do we do this? There is an exostable list of things you can do from having coffee with a firend to building a house in africa. Or even just being an example of Christ in your school or job. God can use you anywhere any time as long as you are willing to take it on. We all are called to different mission as the body of Christ, so go and do it!!

Ya so that was my week, a very challenging one but at the same time good and thought provoking.

God Bless
Aaron

Hey All

Over my time at Kaleo I have learned and experienced more than in some of my past years. This first semester has been a time of understanding, humbling, discovery, healing and exploration. I have been challenged, to not just believe what I have been told but to discover it for myself and be able to back it up with what God says in His Word. Also I have been broken in many emotional and social ways through this experience more so than other years. It really amazes me how God can really teach someone when he or she strive to learn and are willing to learn. I have learned more in my past few years than I have ever learned in my lifetime. In this past semester I have learned more about God and from that, about everything else because of the desire listening to Gods teaching.
I have come to an understanding of my personal views as a Christian. I went to Kaleo not looking for a get back on track, or a battery recharge. I went, looking to become a better leader for God, eventually one day as a Husband and then a Father. The courses have really given me a better understanding of my views on some big perspectives I have been thinking on and dealing with all through my Christian life. It has been a really reaffirming semester for me, in the views I have of God and through that everything the way I view everyone around me. It hasn’t been easy figuring things out but then I need to understand if I rely on God he will reveal to me the things I need to understand when the time is right. I just need to focus on him in the meantime.
As well as a lot of understanding, God has shown me a fair amount of humility. When I first wanted to come to Kaleo I didn’t have the funds, and still I don’t really have them. My parents are paying a good portion of my tuition, but now I will have to not just commit to this year of studies but also probably a good year of work after this to pay off my folks. It has been humbling having to ask for help with funds, as well it has been humbling not being able to spend and go out and do the things the other students are able to do. When they all want to go out for coffee I stay behind to do my studies and because it is just something I can’t afford. Also I came into school with a confidence. That is not always bad but at the same time with too much confidence come a reliance on oneself rather than God and that is something I have been working on to balance so that my confidence doesn’t turn into a pride.
This school is not just your ordinary school either but an outdoor recreation and adventure program. We have had the opportunity to not just see God in the classroom but out in his creation, and that is the place I see him the best. We have done all kinds of things such as, Sailing on the Salts ships, Climbing Mt Albert Edward, Caving in Horn Lake, Surfing in Tofino, Talking with the Homeless in Victoria, and Camping in December at Mystic beach! Those are just some of the major trips we have done and there is a whole second semester of these. All of this stuff is stuff I already love to do and do a lot of. What is really neat is the opportunity to actually peer teach when we go out on these trips. I get to practice my leadership skills even when amongst my peers. For me personally being able to help someone learn something and then watch him or her gain the knowledge and the gratification on their face once they have accomplished something is so much better than doing myself. Also being out among Gods nature really has a relaxing effect on me that nothing man made can do for me.
Healing has been a huge part of this past semester as well. If you don’t know I came out of a very bad break up with a girl I adored with all my heart near the beginning of the school year. It has taken its toile on me even now. But God placed me at Kaleo not just for the academic and learning about him but because he knew the way things were going to work out. He has provided me with a family at Kaleo to really hold me up in a time of need. The cool but frustrating thing about this break up though is that I naturally wanted to block her out of my life and to not have anything to do with her. But God had other plans and I know He wants me to love her no matter what, to love her like He does. That was the hardest thing ever when she had hurt me as badly as she did. I won’t say I have done a perfect job or that it was easy but in keeping to Gods will I have been filled with a comfort that only He can give. Also I have realized this is an area of my life God wants and I haven’t been giving it to him until now. I know God wants the best for me, I just need to be patient for Him to give it to me when I am ready, in due time. Easier said than done though.
Last thing I will say is that this semester has been a real exploration as to what I am going to do with my life afterwards. To be totally honest I don’t know! I am quite happy not knowing what I will do. I have many options, I could work at Imadene, I could work at a pool in Duncan or Nanaimo, I could go back to school at Malaspina (VIU) and take Recreation Tourism… I could go across the world and do a YWAM, I could take a trade, or upgrade my license… The world is full of options and they are all at my fingertips. The big question is “God, where do you want me?” That will be the question I will be asking for the next semester. All I know is I am excited to see what and where that future is.
Thank you for all your prayers and support