Thursday, December 31, 2009

Urbana09 Report Day 4: Adventures on a Day Off


Prelude:

This morning began with more snow. I started talking with the man who drove the hotel shuttle driver. He loves the days it snows. He'll watch out for everyone who comes out of the hotel and asks if he can carry their luggage, or sweep the snow of their cars, or start their cars for them.

"I use every opportunity to make a good impression in the folks that come through here. It's more than just a tip now, if I do good they're going to tell their friends and family to stay here. I don't know why more of us who work here don't. I don't know why they don't see the big picture. "

Morning session
Part I: Invading Light

We were given the day off so to speak. That is the participants did not have any seminars to attend but were encouraged to spend the day thinking and processing and praying over the information overload that was thrown at us over the past few days.

It was a much needed change of pace.

In the morning Mr. Yorke Moore spoke about how there is an ebb and flow of times of darkness and times when God's invading light enters our lives. When we are first brought into our relationship with God, he brings us into a love relationship with Him, then to obedience.

We were also told that only Christ can stand at the Centerpoint of History. Not any other manmade or demonically inspired belief can stand at History, only Christ.


Part II: Adventures in Global Connexions.

I was walking through Global Connexions exhibit looking for free swag as well as some information to take home to some friends who couldn't be here. As I went toward the Center of Christian Thought, I was randomly asked by one of the exhibiters, "We'ren't you on young life staff at Windy Gap a few years ago?"

As soon as he asked, it clicked. His name was Matt and I was on staff in the kitchen when he was a volunteer. Matt was still a very young Christian at that point, for less than a semester if I remember correctly and he gave up his month of his summer for no pay to help feed a campfull of hungry teenagers.

We caught up, he told me he's helping with some college ministries as well as in seminary.

It's encouraging to see the fruits of your labors.

I kept wandering through the area and came across a ministry called "Reaching Indians Ministries International" That is folks from India, not First Nation American Indians. I really at first was only interested in the swag on the table, but when I told Ms. Astrid my name, she told me, "You are a man with a powerful voice."
This floored me, as I had just met her, unless she happened to have sat around me during any of the sessions and heard me sing. I had to ask, "How did you know?"

"It's in your name. Aaron was Moses' speaker."

We got to talking and I told her about my careers in special education and youth advocacy as well as interests in music and writing, and she prayed for me. I was incredibly grateful and amazed at how God uses these seemingly random encounters to reveal himself to us. As I was about to resume my wandering she told me,

"Get ready. Life's about to become a roller coaster."
I stopped again and told her, "I used to work on one of those."

"That was the physical one. The rest of your life will be one too very soon, so get ready."

I left the exhibition area with more fire in my steps than I had before.

Part III: The Arts Lounge

I'm going to summarize what Sunder Krishnan said in the main session, or what I got out of it, and that is to yield to God's sovereignty, and let Him use His creativity in us. In looking back at the Arts Lounge these pictures speak enough.






Part V: Broken Bread

Dinner was a unique experience as we were given a simple dinner of flatbread, beans, and about 2oz of water. We were asked to pray, as most of the world only gets to eat that, many even less. It makes one appreciate how good we have it, and how grateful we should be. We did this to eat and stand in solidarity with those who are suffering and impoverished.

No one at the table uttered a single complaint





Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Urbana09 Report Day 3: Reinforcement, Affirmation, and Challenge


As any good teacher will tell you, one thing we must do to ensure our students receive the knowledge they need is through reinforcement, and re-teaching. We can never reinforce our students enough, for ignorance is an enemy that does not retreat. That was yesterday. God was reteaching me of the importance of the Arts, and the need to bring justice to the oppressed. The two are not mutually exclusive of each other. God, who is sovereign over all will reconcile, that is bring into Harmony, all things to Himself.

As I teach and reteach, I am always sure to affirm my students when they do demonstrate understanding. That is to tell them, "Great work, now keep working."

Such was today.

Today former denomination took me to lunch, (as well as a several other students). Even though my late church died over five years ago, I still feel a strong bond with them, and it was good to connect with that body again.

Over lunch I had great conversation with another attendee who had some mutual friends and was pursuing the degree I want at the school I would like to attend.

It was encouraging.



I attended a "Serving God by Teaching in the Public Schools" seminar. I wasn't aware of it at first until it was pointed out to me last night. I thought, "That's what I should do, because that's what I'm doing!" As you can see it was a packed house, sitting room only. Somehow a few hundred managed to pack in there. Dr. Forrest Turpen of Christian Educators Association International described the public schools as being a closed country. And many people become Christians between ages of 4-14.

I can't remember the last thing I saw that was as encouraging as seeing that room full of teachers and soon to be teachers, who want to teach and make a difference.

Dr. Bill Ziegler also highlighted the laws about expression of religion in the public schools by students and teachers. There's so much bullshit and ignorance of the laws of what we can and can't do, it's revolting.

I've been teaching special education for the past three years, working with students who can't function in the normal classroom, and have been a youth advocate mentoring youth in foster care for the past year. I love both jobs, and though I get an extremely positive response when I tell people what I do, that's not the reason I do it.

I do it because it needs to be done.

I do it because I love it.

Sitting in on that session, I couldn't help but get the thinking to myself over and over, "Keep doing what you're doing."

Teachers, some present and some future who are
considering the public school as their mission field
There were several HUNDRED in that room.

As students begin to show mastery of what they have learned a good teacher will challenge them to expand their view, to think deeper, longer, at a problem with the skills they have obtained.
Afterward, I attended the "Musicians Living Fully in Christ" track, which members of the worship team discussed what it was like to be a musician. One of the most important points they made at the beginning was to be professional, and show up on time.

They also said to keep working at your music, build relationships, take care of your health, and most importantly, enjoy what you do.

I've made some great strides musically over the past year from releasing an album, leading some incredible worship times, ROCKING a showcase in front of my influences. And I know I still have a long way to go. It's going to be a challenge.
As I left, I the thought kept running around, "Keep going where you're going."



The main session speakers, Shane Claiborne and Oscar Miriu reinforced what we learned before,
encouraged us to keep doing the good we are and challenged us to take the church to the next level.
and encouraging at the same time, showing us new perspectives. 24,000 lives are lost a day to poverty
and hardship. Good intentions must be accompanied by the humility to keep our mouthes shut long enough to
hear what others need to tell us so we will see them as people, not as numbers in our programs.

As I discussed the day with the my newly adopted family group, I came to realize God who is the great teacher,
and our advocate has been reinforcing what I learned in the years since Urbana06, encouraged me to keep
striving in my jobs, and keep going in my pursuit of music, writing, art, education, missions, and everything else He's given
me an interest/passion in.

"Keep doing what you're doing.
Keep going where you're going.

Just as I've been with you so far,
So I will continue to be with you."

Monday, December 28, 2009

Urbana09 Report Day 2-What I Learned Again

Taken by World Vision's Act:S http://worldvisionacts.org

I can't count how many times God has had to lay the Holy Smackdown on me with His 2X4 of instruction.

Luckily He hasn't had to lately. There have been times I've curled into a fetal position and whimpered when He's struck me with a conviction that cuts through my flesh and bone down to my soul and spirit.

I remember when I returned to Discipleship Focus after 6 years, what God taught me there the first time around became more true and more real; deeper and richer than it had been because I had seen in my life what God had taught me come to fruition.

Such is the the case with Urbana09. Again, if you're unfamiliar with Urbana, please go to http://urbana09.org and http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23Urbana09

My tribe on their way home after a GREAT day

Aside from singing praise and worship in Swahili, Arabic, and Spanish, I was reminded of how great the need is to carry the Gospel where He sends us.

I was reminded in the Arts in the Christian Story seminar by Dr. Colin Harbinson, that God is using the arts to bring reconciliation and restoration and healing to all peoples of all nations and tribes and tongues.

I was reminded how God Himself is the Master Artist and as I write, as I compose, as I shoot photos, as I work, and teach, and exercise, and live, all that is a work of art and an act of worship when I do it with my heart bowed to God, and He will use that to bring glory to Himself.


The evening session.
I was reminded in a conversation between Greg Jao and Partick Feng that "Joy and suffering are
often together but joy and bitterness never are." My fists bare the scars that are testament to this.

I was reminded by Ruth Padillia DeBorst that "God is with the widows and orphans and foreigners and refugees.
I encounter this in my jobs on a daily basis as well as at my church where the Hispanic community has become
the lifeblood of an otherwise ailing church.

She also reminded us Love doesn't reach from afar but always requires an incarnation, and we are often
wearing blinders of success and security and stability that prevent us from seeing others as God does.

I was reminded in one of the videos there are 80,000 people trafficked per year.

Over 50 countries have "armies" that use child soldiers.

On average 17,500 people are trafficked into the US

In the human trafficking industry $32 Billion dollars are exchanged per year.

York Moore reiterated Gary Haugen's statistics from almost ten years ago when 20,000 people
were the number killed regularly during the most dire of Rwandan ethnic cleansing. 20,000 people
in India were being forced to work as slaves, and that is just a fraction of the number.

2,000 children are sold into slavery regularly.

27 million people are enslaved today.

I was reminded God is still God. God is sovereign. He is both eternal and personal and moves in nations
and in nature and engages the person's mind and heart.

The River of Humanity

So what do we do?
Here are some places to start.

http://worldvisionacts.org

http://humanwrong.org

http://ijm.org

http://notforsalecampagin.org

http://urbana09.org

"The time is here, the day is now
My place is here, I fight with you!"
Les Miserables

Urbana09 Report Days 0-1




It hasn't felt like three years since the last Urbana Student Missions Conference. A lot has happened to me since then. It's happened so fast I haven't had time to catch my breath.

If you have no clue what I'm talking about go to http://urbana09.org or follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23Urbana09

There are over 17,000 of us here.


Yesterday was a perfect day. I spent Christmas at my sister's and her kids are getting big. The day before Urbana started, I headed for the America's Center to help set up the IV Press bookstore. This mainly entailed throwing boxes packed with books off of a pallet onto a dolley then to a table in order of the big numbers written on it. Sounds exciting, I know it does. I found myself working with much higher spirits than I have at my own jobs for a long time.

Afterward we went through formalities then I met up with Joe for a walk through the city garden at night, then we hit the Schafly taproom. After a long day of preparation, beer, burgers, and friends was the perfect ending.

I've been assigned as a hotel liaison which I basically hang around and answer questions the Urbana participants may have as well as make sure they eat and get on their bus, and get back.

I've found myself in the nicest room I've ever stayed in at the Renaissance airport hotel, though I haven't been in it much to enjoy it.

I woke up to see the fallen snow cover the city.



I spent today hanging out in the lobby welcoming people who came in and telling them where to go, what to do, how to get there. I got little opportunities to serve people who though I wasn't assigned to serve, still did, such as giving hot chocolate to cold travelers, and making conversation to people as they waited.

This evening was the main session. The theme and text are taken from John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

We were told this verse contains the means, the message, and the model by which we are to take the Gospel into the world. There was a great illustration of how Father Simon would reach people. He built his church over a former garbage dump. He went to the pig sties where the people he was trying to reach would hide from him. He'd get in there, sinking his boots into the filth. He lit a torch, searching for them as they hid. Once he found them, he would take them by the hand and kiss their hand and their head, and if after all that they would still reject them, he'd put shoes on their feet.

Let's not be afraid to walk through the mud.

Jim Trebbe, Urbana president told us, "Let go of your expectations and let God be God."

That having been said, I'm excited for tomorrow.