Big Week Out is always an interesting journey for me. I always seem to start off really tentative but then end up loving it so much and wishing it could go on for longer. This year was no different. Even though I've been to so many BWO's already, every first evening of the week feels like I'm going for the first time. Gradually, as we go out serving with different people and forming friendships, I start realising that it's just this big gathering of Christians coming together with one purpose: to show God's love to people who don't know about it. There is nothing scary about it.
I was involved with different activities every day this time - backyard blitz, renovations for an op-shop, visiting a nursing home and visiting a disability centre. I think it was really lucky because a lot of people did the same type of activity e.g. backyard blitzing or visiting nursing homes twice. The place where I had the most fun was the disability centre because we played UNO with the residents and joked around a lot with their carers. But the place where I found it to be the most meaningful was the nursing home I visited on Thursday. Another leader and I were taken to a room where a lot of the elderly were just sitting there, watching the tennis (by the way, I am so disappointed by this years Australian Open results) and just passing time. We gave them hand massages, played skittles, threw a ball around with them and took them on walks outside in the garden. It was a place where I felt so drawn to help out. I think in previous years I pitied them, but this year I wanted them to just be comfortable and happy. I think something's changed in me. When I went to the disability centre today, I had the same kind of feeling. I don't just want people to pity them and say "Oh it's so sad that they're there" and then just forget about it. All the residents in nursing homes and disability centres are people too. I want them to know God as well.
What I really liked about BWO as well this year were the people I got to know. They were people I knew of, but never really talked to or had a chance to meet, so I felt kind of awkward. I think I'm weird in that way. I can open up my heart to a complete stranger but with people I've met once or twice, or know of but don't actually know know, then I get kind of ....shy. I also seem like a bit of a loner when I don't have people I know to hang out with so I think I need to change this habit. Despite this, I'm really thankful that I got to know people better. This way I won't try to avoid them or shy away from them as easily.
All in all, this was probably one of the better BWO's I've been to so far. But it doesn't just stop after tonight. This year there was a really strong message and emphasis on keeping our servant heart attitude throughout this whole year and not just this week. We were given 'homework', I guess, and I really hope that I can get an A-grade in it.
P.S. When I first found out that the verse on our BWO t-shirts was the verse which I chose to put up beneath my header when I first started this blog last year, I was O_O
No comments:
Post a Comment