It's hard to believe that I have only been here a week. As I was riding in the car yesterday going around town with our supervising family, we were talking about how it has felt like we have been here for a month. To me this week has seemed like it has been a busy week full of things but at the same time slow in the fact that the things we are doing haven't fully picked up yet. The students at Bishop's University (where I am serving) just started a new semester this week and have started to settle back into classes, which means that the ministries here are kicking back up as well.
Monday morning our team met on the campus of Bishop's to talk about the culture and the things we should expect while being here. After that, we spent the afternoon hanging out and just trying to get to know our surroundings on campus.
With a leader who believe's in using spiritual gifts and talents, he wants us to find the things we enjoy, do them and impact that certain thing for Christ. So with this, I decided to go on a prayer walk around campus Tuesday morning. The best way to allow God to open up your mind to the surroundings is by bathing it in prayer. To be honest after spending time praying on campus, I felt nothing. I felt as if that campus was dead and Satan had such a stronghold on it I couldn't feel anything.
On Tuesday afternoon I had the chance to go with one of the local pastors to what is called the QHOP (Quebec House of Prayer). This is where all the local pastors get together once a week and pray for the people of Quebec and the impact that they are having for Christ. I didn't know what to expect when I went to this meeting so I just sat and listened at first. At the beginning of the meeting, they went over an outline and discussed what they are calling "Unity Sunday" which is tomorrow. All the churches in Lennoxville are gathering together for one big worship service on the campus of Bishop's. Once they finished discussing the outline for Sunday, they began to pray. This was an open time where the men just sat and popcorn prayed for about an hour. I felt so humbled during and after this time because each man prayed with such unselfishness to themselves and with an openness to God and for what He wanted for them. They prayed for the town, the people, the campus, the students, the stronghold Satan had and for the expansion of the Gospel. It was such an encouraging time.
The rest of the week has been spent with time on campus and with the people that I have come into contact with. Wednesday night we got to go sledding at the local golf course and Friday we went to the Bishop's basketball games and then spent time with new friends at the apt of the other Hands On members.
With some reflection after a week into it, I feel like we have both made progress and not made progress. I feel like we have made progress in the fact that the friendships we have built with each other as a Hands On team and the people we have met are stronger then just a week old and with that it will lead to more friendships and deeper ones. I feel like we haven't made progress in the fact that this town is so dead spiritually. I feel like I have walked into a whole different world then the United States spiritually speaking. The United States is on it's way to being a full blown postmodern world as compared to Quebec which is already there. I get the sense that people are cool with what others believe until it looks like you are imposing it on them because it brings back memories of the oppression. I know that with this it will be difficult to minister without getting frustrated and at times the discouraging feeling will come that it may not look like anything is happening but this is a marathon and not a sprint. If I get discouraged then I will loose focus of the end goal in mind for the time I'm here.
I ask that you be praying for Unity Sunday with the churches of Lennoxville and for the ministries here as they get back into full swing during this semester. If I feel like so much has happened in just this first week, I can't wait to see what unfolds as each day comes.
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