Blessed + Urban Promise

So my week has been going amazingly! I have had so many encouraging moments and everlasting memories with my friends over here in the USA!I have also received some awesome messages from friends in Australia. It means so much then you will ever know.        I sometimes think that its pretty crazy that I packed up most of my life and moved to another country - to follow my dreams! But I sit here in my room as I write this, thinking that I am very blessed and glad I followed God's calling.
I am blessed that I have a VERY supportive family that shows continued support from overseas.
I am blessed to have met friends over here who have challenged me, encouraged me and who continue to change my life.As I sit here trying to count all the blessings I have received this week and I am running out of hands/fingers to count them on.#blessed

 So this Saturday we had about 40 kids, 7-14 year olds come from Wilmington (nearby town) from a program called Urban Promise (http://www.urbanpromise.org/) The college christian program on campus Intervarsity organised to have college students meet up with the kids and we show the kids around campus, playing sports with the kids, Manhunt and then the college students bought kids meals for dinner and just got involved in these kids lives and showed them love. (thats the short version - now for the highlights and blessings)

So it began on Saturday at 11am we were split into the kids group and handed scavenger hunt clues. We walked around the campus finding buildings or asking random college students their names where they're from and what are they studying. To watch these kids faces light up as we walked around the campus looking at these massive buildings and seeing that they could go here when their older was priceless. The kids where hanging off us, linking arms or holding hands they were just super excited for the weekend and to spend time with us.

After lunch we got to play games with the younger kids out on the "turf". We played american football, soccer and frisbee. I spoke to some of the leaders, got to know them more and about this awesome program and the kids and where they are from. I also got to sit with a kid who had asthma and was unable to play too much sport which was awesome to hear him talk about what he wants to do when he is older. Whilst I was talking to the staff we saw a random college guy walk up and pass the football to a kid and the kid threw it back - he was shocked the kid could throw the ball so well - so he continued to play catch with him... The college student later walked off with his friends yet asked what the program was as he wants to get involved! That was super awesome to sit back and watch. I then had the extreme pleasure of walking all the kids into the building in one line - but doing "goofy" movements on the way whilst keeping quiet... this is one of those moments where its all for the kids. To see their smiles as we waved to college students, spun around and just looked foolish was awesome! To see their leaders also just have fun with them was an awesome encouragement.

So night time came quickly and we meet up with some more Intervarsity college students to get ready for the kids to come for dinner. We each got either 1,2,3 or even 4 kids and we bought them dinner, sat and had dinner with them! This within itself was so awesome. Listening to the kids ask us questions about our lives or what we do, to then listening to them and laughing with these kids - it was a great day with everyone from Urban Promise!

I will defiantly be making an appearance at Urban Promise in Wilmington as I know other college students will.
   I ask that if you read this to prayer for the Intervasity team that organised it this year and to prayer for the college students who witnessed and showed love to these kids.
I ask that you prayer for the team at Urban Promise, they do such great work with these kids and after talking with the staff, it is a struggle sometimes but it's something that they can not do with out a higher strength and love from God. They love their jobs and it truly shows.
   I also ask that you prayer for the kids at Urban Promise, you may not know them by name but they are full of life - Pray that they will learn more about God and that their passions and dreams to go to college, study and to learn will be available to them.

 These kids never stop smiling!!!  #blessed

WordsWorth - "Voice of the beautiful flower" Part 2

So the blog before this explained my time and the blessings I encountered whilst I sat in the room with those girls and heard their stories and dreams!      
   Well this blog is a follow on from that of how God is blessing me even more from this experience. 

So on Friday last week, Becca who helps run the program added me on Facebook and we began talking about the experience that I had and how I left that place a very different person. I then showed Becca my previous blog and she then shared my blog on her full website/blog of each week with these girls. ( http://voicesofbeautifulflowers.wordpress.com/) That was a blessing - just knowing that more people will be reading our experience, how our time there and my life has been changed within the 2 hours.

Becca then said that this Thursday they were having an event for the "Voice of Beautiful Flowers" (https://www.facebook.com/events/389856454477604/ ) and was wondering if I would like to sing at that. I said yes I would love to and then continued to explain that ever since I left the building on Tuesday I had a song stuck in my head and felt I needed to share that.So it is confirmed that this Thursday I will be singing approx 2 songs at a small coffee house that is promoting the girls and their book.

It's funny as I look back to when I was planning to move over here & I knew it was a Godly decision, I just thought that I would be doing musical theatre or something else. Little did I know that this awesome journey I am on would happen. #blessed
    I still get to perform yet I also get to witness to those through my speech and my voice and I believe that is the best performance as its from my heart, its real and it's worship.

WordsWorth - "Voice of the beautiful flower"

So usually I have small group on Tuesday night - yet tonight some of our small group went to a program called Wordsworth - "Voice of the Beautiful Flower" - I only knew I was going to be with a group of girls that are in a facility for kids who  struggle emotional, behavioral, health and in the welfare services, little did I know this group of girls would inspire and encourage my life.

So I shared this awesome journey with Kyle, Jordan & Katrina. We left Delaware and began our journey to Philadelphia. We asked questions about what we would be doing tonight with the girls and Katrina explained - tonight they are talking to the girls about college and what to look forward to and what the college life is like. So instantly I started freaking out inside thinking - oh I shouldn't have come, I don't even go to the college these girls are going to ask me questions and I would have no idea how to respond.
    (I should say that this program that we were going to has been running for 5years by Ms Em who has just devoted her time and has been a rock to these girls.)

So we arrived at the center, signed in and got to the room that had been saved for us and we were prepped on what usually happens and what the night will run like. Ms Em told us briefly about the program and how she gets the girls to write poetry as a positive influence on their life and to share their stories hence the "Voice of the beautiful flower" title . Next thing you know, in enter about 12 girls from the ages of 15-18, they hugged Ms Em and Becca and then said hello to us and shook our hands of even gave us hugs. Becca then introduced us to the girls and once they heard the "Aussie accent" that was them gone laughing and asking to record it haha made me laugh.
     Becca then showed the girls a quick slideshow and explained to the girls about what University of Delaware provides in programs and courses/degrees for the girls and what other colleges have and provide. The girls where excited and keen and asking questions about the campus life - it was awesome to see this light shine in their eyes.

Ms Em then asked us to introduce our-self and what we are studying and abit about our journey. With each introduction from Katrina, Kyle and Jordan the girls had questions in regards to their degree and life. My time came and this is pretty much how it rolled.
Hi im Nathan, 23 yrs old from Australia. I moved to the states to follow my passion and heart for performing! Baam the questions started coming in about Australia and my accent, then Ms Em and a few girls asked me to sing... I was taken back - so wasn't expecting to sing - had just finished a mouth full of popcorn. I then asked - do you know Stevie Wonder - they were like YES! So I sang 'Isn't she lovely'. It was taken well and more songs where then requested... yet it was time to meet the girls that sat in front of us and to hear their story and what they want to study.

We went around the room and one after the other these girls spoke of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, plastic surgeon, model, vet, performer and what colleges they want to attend and what their dreams are. It was inspiring to hear what these girls wanted, after having a tough life and dealing with more stuff then I think I could handle these girls wanted to get a good education and help others out in the world. To see the room full of girls faces light up when each of them spoke about their future was amazing.
    Ms Em then asked if any of the girls had brought in their poetry and wanted to read it. We heard words of hope, passion, hurt, truth and light - truly inspiring. Then Ms Em and one of the girls asked for one more song from me - so this time I asked the girl who wanted to be a performer to sing with me... she was super shy and wasn't up for it... I asked did she know Beyonce 'Halo' she said yes.. So I began the verse and by the end of the first verse she had joined in and I stopped and listened to this girl sing and fill the room with her beautiful voice. (In case you don't know music is a big part of my life, music gives hope, music heals, music calms) To see her face light up when she sang and to hear a room full of girls cheer and clap after she finished was priceless I will always remember that moment.

Some of the girls then went back to their floors and some stayed...we bonded with them they asked us questions about college and our life's and my budding performer came up to me again and we sang some more songs at the end of the night. Just as she inspired me I gave her some words of hope and encouragement. We left their soon after this, the girls hugged us, high 5's where exchanged and our life's were changed from that moment on. I do want to return again as these girls are truly inspiring.

For those that read this - May I ask that you pray for Ms Em and the work that she continues to work over these girls life's. She cant technically speak of God to these girls - yet some of them do ask about our background and beliefs which then creates an open door for that conversations. I ask you to also prayer for Becca and Katrina and the other people that enter these girls life's and just show love to these girls who don't always receive love. I also ask you to prayer for the girls, that their passion and dreams may come true, that there hearts will be soften and led to forgiving others who have hated upon their life. That these girls will become stronger and prepared to face the world when they do leave and continue on with life.

I only spent about 2hrs with them tonight and they have inspired me.

Here is a link to Becca's Blog - which is her experience and time spent with these girls week after week!
http://voicesofbeautifulflowers.wordpress.com/page/2/

The book of poetry written by the girls in the Wordsworth is soon to be published - "Voice of the Beautiful flower"