Back in Belfast – one month on.

I arrived back on the first of August. It has been great to see folks again and see where they'er at. I like the summer time here as you can get out and about more as more poeple have free time. Climbing Sleive Donnard was good experience to bring it home to me that i as actually in Northern Ireland again.

The summer time also brings many Christian conferences and guest speakers. I have been attending to the Bangor Worldwide Mission Convention, and before that, listening to K.P Yohannan, the founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA). Before hearing the speakers my concentration was a bit all over the place as during my stay of six months in children’s homes life was full of the busyness that I love to get involved with.

At present my thoughts are gripped with the fact that I now have to start putting my vision in action. I have come back having eaten into my

student loan, with no job, and not wanting to return to my architecture degree which I dropped a year ago. My mind is swirling around the fact of not knowing really the best move to take next. Right now I know that some sort of job is in order, so I have signed on jobseekers till something turns up. I know with so many people on the job hunt it could be a long hunt for me too.

I have enrolled in some small courses about youth ministry and also gone back into volunteering as a mentor. I went yesterday to a College open day. Afterwards, talking to my friend in the rain under a tree, I thought how does someone that is really nobody get to have a vision for setting up a children’s home (and as my vision goes, it’s a big one – a home plus many other things that work alongside it also). Later that day I heard that a 29 year old builder from here has been setting up a children’s home during the last few years in Africa, and is now setting up a school. Then I hear of a 22 year old girl from England who visited Bolivia and has not returned as she is at the start of setting up a children’s home too.

In the Bangor Convention I sat listening to mission

representatives and missionaries reporting on the work in many countries. They spoke of a God that really works in many ways and that we cannot have an excuse to say that God does not do his work.

I also talked to others at stalls about children’s homes and had very encouraging conversations. you see the idea, It’s not just a social work idea but to bring many to know God and get alongside them discipling and reaching others.

So in all I sum up:

In a hundred years from now, what will the things of this life be worth? Really my wish would be is that if I could set up a Home back in Arequipa city where I was adopted, that many of the kids that I took in would stand by my side in heaven. Then it would be worth it! I also desire that the home and all the other ministries would keep on going. Then what a joy it will be to come across people in heaven who say:

“I was in Arequipa as a child and was taken in to the children’s home”, or “I saw the good works you did and understood that it was because God loved me first that Christian do this. And I am here

because someone said that they would follow God and do what he was calling him to do.”

Please pray that the vision may be accomplished:

· That I may take the risk of living for God, and not to play my life safe.

· That I may seek God’s will in every day as

every day counts to reach his will.

· For the things like courses that will equip

me in my thinking for this ministry.

· For employment to keep me afloat financially

· For the idea of setting up a charity and what that all entails.

· For wisdom in all things

Thank you for your on going prayers. An army of prayer can do so much more than you realise.