Inspiring Ålesund...

So this past week we broke from routine to travel to Ålesund for an inspiring one week working with students. It turned out to be much more than I bargained for. It was a great opportunity for me to meet inspiring young people who love the Lord passionately and want to live their faith in the high schools. The conversations and chats were truly encouraging. There is this one young lady I met who rejoices at having a weekly meeting where two of her teachers join in as they sing, pray and share together. 

We attended a Friday evening youth service at a nearby church where one of the laget workers, Anders, was speaking. We went bowling though before this service and, I must say this, it was my first time bowling yet I managed to be number three of four beating Anders, a seasoned bowler. Notably, I had started out by hitting nothing in round one but after ten rounds I was number three! How's that for a novice! Lesson: never give up too soon but race to the end. 

At the service, I met some inspiring youth who school together and love Jesus very much. One of the boys, Joseph, is half Norwegian and half American. His parents were missionaries in Mali until a year or so ago. He stayed one year in France to learn French before going to stay in Northern Mali. He told me that it pains him to see the present situation in Mali where some rebels have taken over the northern part of the country and implemented Sharia law. He and his brother regularly chat with his friends back in Mali some of whom are experiencing the wrath of the rebels and is happy to note that most of them are safe. He is many miles away from them and can do little but pray for them. His faith in God seems undimmed by the events in Mali. At the end of our conversation, we did pray together. 

The laget staff in Ålesund and Trondheim

A few minutes into our chat and a classmate of his joined us. He is from the Philippines where he was raised in a foster home before being adopted at a tender age by Norwegian parents. He does not speak English at all but is very fluent in Norwegian. We have to use Joseph as our translator. The young man looks very eager to chat with me on life and faith and even wished he could speak English so we could converse more deeply. At this point, my heart is moved as I had, a few weeks earlier, lost the energy to learn more Norwegian. I feel this energy to learn come back like a flood and I make a mental note to learn more Norwegian when I get back to Trondheim. The young man finally asks how I came to know God and I share with him how I used to be an atheist in high school but came to commit my life to God as a first year student at the university when a fellow school mate shared with me on what it means to have a personal relationship with God. 

Sadly, time was not on our side and soon we had to leave for a friend's birthday bash. The awesome time I had in Ålesund with those 13 year old boys will forever be etched in my heart. As for the Norwegian language, I now have renewed zeal and passion to learn it lest such glorious learning opportunities pass me by. 

My Teammate...

... and I In Ålesund