Sleepless Nights

Sleepless nights are becoming somewhat of a habit for us here in New Zealand. Unlike many travellers in this part of the world ours are not caused by late night partying on sandy beaches into the wee small hours (although we did have a wee party of our own today on a beach we had…all to ourselves; a blog in itself so I’ll leave that story for a rainy day). Last week’s sleep deprivation was caused by another type of party; known to thousands of Kiwi’s (New Zealander’s) as Parachute. It was one the most intense party I’ve ever been to for many reasons:

The festival was held in a place called Mystery Creek, Hamilton, NZ (a town near-I have no idea in which direction- Auckland) and for the remainder of the weekend, where we actually were and why the festival was infact called “Parachute” remained exactly that…a mystery.

For us the party began on Thursday, although the festival was not set to kick off until mid afternoon Friday, when some 35, 000 young people would flood onto the fields prepared for the festival. To define “young” most of them still had hair, of varying different (weird) styles sprayed, dyed and ruined all the colours of the rainbow (for those of you who knew me during my unfortunate spice girl wannabe days no cruel comparisons please-Beevie!). Having said that there were some oldies there…us for a start! (You read that it was Lorna’s birthday and that she is now officially 24, I repeat 24! Happy Birthday Chic!)

That evening Lorna and I quickly learned how to assemble a tent…then another tent…then another tent under the watchful eye and guidance of our mentor Amy! Working under star light- on this occasion hoddit and doddit were unusually ill-prepared forgetting not only our torches and mattresses but brains it would appear- we helped Matt and Amy put up tents. After kindly arranging volunteer positions for us in the Manna bookshop (selling Christian resources) Amy and Matt offered to give us a lift too. (The bookshop was in a village especially assembled or the event. The village itself was incredible, Ferris wheels, bungy ropes, hairdressers and temporary tattoo stalls where some of the things there to entertain people between listening to their favourite artists.)

Amy and Matt (two of the amazing leaders we met on SU camp a few weeks ago) told us a little about their church on the road trip to Hamilton. One of the things both Lorna and I picked up on was the number of youth they seemed to have in their youth group, “Yeah it’s amazing. There’s hundred’s of us.” Matt boasted, failing to mention that for the remainder of that evening we would be erecting the entire youth groups tents ready for them arriving, bright eyed and bushy tailed, Friday morning! Oh how we laughed…not! (Matt we did love it I’m just kidding it’s all about the banter!)

Therein lies the first of many sleepless nights. What followed was a weekend of amazing fun, intense sunshine and beginnings of new friendships…oh that ‘n’ a whole education on Christian music. What I have failed to mention is that the 35,000 people jumping up and down on Saturday night to Switch Foot (An American band seemingly very famous! Note to self never call them Sweet Feet or ask who they are to their faces or to any of their fans!) were there to worship God. Parachute is the biggest Christian music festival in the Southern Hemisphere and we believe it is the beginning of many to follow, maybe one day in Scotland!

Working in the book shop, attending worship lead by the likes of Parachute band, Leigh Nash (Lead singer- Sixpence None the Richer), Hillsong United and listening to sermons by some of our favourite speakers including: Tony Campolo, Reggie Dabbs and Charlotte Scanlon-Gambill were some of the things that we got up to that weekend. In truth we felt ridiculously blessed to be part of it all.

Yet the message the festival has left me with is the cause of yet another sleepless night: tonight. The buzz of seeing so many people, young and old, worshipping God blessed us. Yet the responsibility of knowing that it is just the beginning has stirred me to get out of bed and write to you. One of our favourite bands at the festival were called Israel and The New Bread- if you haven’t heard them make an effort to do so asap. Their rhythm is slightly Latino, their voices full gospel choir (African flavour) and their lyrics completely spirit filled jazz!- What more can I say I’ve never seen myself as a music critic but they sound delicious!

On Sunday night, as worship came to an end being lead by Israel and his band the thousands of voices sang together, “I am not forgotten”. Lorna and I are familiar with this song as we sang it repetitively with the children in Uganda. As we lifted our hands to the sky (Oh yes be afraid be very afraid the place was full of “those types” of Christians) I belted out those words; singing for each child in Africa and all those we have met around the world…”I am not forgotten. I am not forgotten. I am not forgotten”.

Tears of excitement fell as I looked around completely overcome by the lives of young people being changed all over New Zealand. Excitement rose within me: “If they can do it we can,” I thought. They may have more sheep than Scotland and the weather may be (a lot) better but on all accounts we’re pretty much the same: a nation of young people who crave for more: more of God!

Now for those of you who know me I’m a bit of a chanter and I love to belt out a good gospel song but as we sang those lyrics over and over and over they became more weighted. With the excitement and praise came responsibility. All around that stadium people lifted their hands proclaiming Jesus as their saviour. People from all walks of life, with different jobs, different levels of responsibility and at different stages of their journeys (I’m talking spirit…u…al!) and with different hairstyles. Some lifted their hands for the first time and some I’m sure for the hundredth as an act of worship.

As I clung to my sleeping bag in our tent that Sunday night (I’m telling you it may be hot in the day but it’s baltic at night even with a several hoodies and Bob Bonnar’s thermal socks on) I thought about our worship. So many people have referred to us (and all those that lift their hands during worship said “I do”!) as happy clappy Christians. Actually if truth be told it makes no difference if you lift your hands, clap your hands or sit on your hands it is what is in your heart during worship that I’m talking about. So if, metaphorically you life your hands, in other words you say God I want you in my life, I will go where you will lead me I’m talking to you and I include myself in this next statement…

God wants us to be more extravagant in our worship!

Over the course of the weekend we heard many speakers. Using different mediums, varying styles and a lot of individuality they presented one message. Now I’m not well enough known in the “church world” to talk to such peeps so I have no idea whether or not their sermons were orchestrated to compliment each others but I doubt very much if they were given that all of the speakers are super dooper busy, influential people who are literally from different sides of the globe. Their message was conclusive: We are a generation that has the means to worship with more than our songs. We can worship with our lives. I’ve mentioned Bono’s speech before in which he said that this generation will be remembered for what we did, or did not do to help in Africa.

Lorna and I have now come to Kaiteriteri, it’s far north in the South Island. Another indescribably beautiful part of NZ! Today we spent some hours kayaking to several idyllic secluded bays, where I beached (yip like a whale- well dolphin maybe-!The waves were rough- nauseating does little justice to the motion in my head !) and Lorna photographed our beautiful surroundings. As we took our kayak back to dry land we lay sleeping in the sand. It wasn’t long before we were wakened by children (and adults) on jet skies, surf boards, rubber rings. Fit men in speed boats pulling their wives and children screaming from rings tied onto ropes strung from the backs of their motor boats. Sounds like fun eh? Quite an entertaining way to spend a day on the beach I’m sure.

As I watched their fun the song of worship I had offered to God resonated again within me. “I am not forgotten. I am not forgotten. I am not forgotten”. Now it is not for me to make judgement on what people do for leisure activities or spend their money on. I’m sure if they’d offered me a shot on the jet ski I would have hopped on, infact just a couple of weeks ago Lorna and I were tobogganing from a speed boat very similar to the ones on the beach today with our friends in the North Island. What I’m saying is not that God doesn’t want you to have fun but he is crying out for justice. People are crying our for justice.

What has caused this sleepless night is an urgency. Perhaps it is a consequence of where we’ve been in previous months and the thought of where we are going (we leave here on the 14th of Feb for South America) but never the less it is a wake up call. A simple reminder that they are not waiting for Bono to make another great speech. The orphans are not waiting for politicians to change laws and bring about order. They are simply waiting for the church: the people who lift their hands and worship God with their music to start worshipping God with their lives.

Now I’m going to bed. I’m not going to sleep I’m sure but instead read more of my book: Red Moon Rising, one of the greatest books I’ve ever read. It’s not for the faint hearted. It’s passionate and even more straight talking than me. For those who do brave a read you will discover that what I’m saying is nothing new. I’m simply regurgitating what is being said in churches all around the world: this generation needs to rise up. The question is how many sermons do we need to hear, how many blogs do we need to read and how many children do we need to see die before we respond, extravagantly? In his book Pete Greig highlights the urgency and the responsibility of the church but more so he points out that it is not just in Africa. An English author he writes about suicide rates in Britain being at an all time high, anorexia and other self destructing diseases harming millions of young people everyday.

Now the last thing I want to do is cause you a sleepless night. It is never my intention to distress you but only to join you. Focusing on the power of prayer and the instrumental use of technology to facilitate prayer around the world Greig writes about a faceless army. I love that image. Of a church marching forward no one face standing out in the crowd. Everybody with a differnet roll in the army. For a moment at Parachute I stood with a tiny section of that army- a mere 35,000 strong. We were all worshipping but I can’t sleep for excitement; I’m imagining what justice will come about if our lives start to be worship full.

Love you all abundantly. Erica x

Hakka Birthday!

And I would walk 500 miles, and i would walk 500 more, just to be the man that walked a 1000 miles to fall down at your door! Dannanannananana!

Ever done “Strip the Willow” in the middle of New Zealand? To the Proclaimers? In the middle of really nice restaurant? Well welcome to my birthday celebrations of last night! I would like to thank Erica’s family so much for givin me the best Kiwi birthday, your Scottish dancing is better than my Hakka! Oh my, the Hakka, have you ever seen it??!

Erica and I went to visit a Mauri Village two days ago, part of the visit was a nice welcoming show that the Mauri’s put on. Nice dancing, even nicer singing, but one of the main Mauri traditions is a dance called the ‘Hakka’. Some of you may have seen the All Blacks rugby team do it before matches to scare the opposition? Yup thats right, the dudes stick their tounges out and pop their eyes out in an act of defiance and intimidation to enemies. They slap their bodies to get the blood flowing and stomp to show their fiercness. Well….me and Erica were in the front row of the wonderful performance. At one point i forgot i was in the show and believed that my wimpy face and Erica’s paparazzi moment had stirred up the warrior action back into these guys, i thought that we had really upset them! Erica was gripping onto me and so excited with sticking her tounge out when the Mauri guys were doing it, i was gripping back onto Erica trying to roll her tounge back into her mouth in fear that we were disrespecting the Mauri’s! It was such a great show and at the end, these marvelous people invited us to take a photo with them, its a good one, and if we had figured out how to put photos on this blog them im sure that you would like it.

I love Erica’s blogs, don’t you? I know, for me, the inspiration and the challanges that come from her posts just make me so hyped about what God can build into my life and where he can take me on my journey! I would like to share with you how God is using past stages of my journey, stages that i never thought would be part of my future and is bringing good out of situations that i just wanted to forget about. You’re on the footpath God has put you on too and i pray through my experience you will find encouragement and comfort knowing that God uses your struggles to be your strength.

I’m going to take you back to summer of 2006. That particular summer i was looking for something different to do. At that point of my life i guess you could call me a "jelly Christian". I call it "jelly Christian" because i was a wobbler, there wasn’t much too my christian life, i would mould to any situation that i was put in and i would melt when the times got too hot.

I decided that i had enough of working in the bank, and was going to bite the bullet and go into the youth working industry that i had always desired to be in (it is only now that i know that it was God that was pounding that desire to be in my heart!) So in great adventure style i signed up to do Camp America! Camp Wabenaki, New York, was the camp that they placed me in and it was a camp for disadvantaged youth.

Being a Scottish lass fresh out of her small town ways was big enough shock to the system when i arrived in New York but once i was placed on the camp i also realised that i was the only white girl surrounded by the "flyest" streetwise urban kids in New York. It was awesome. But i struggled. I was a haggis in the middle of all these hot dogs and it just didn’t mix, in any way or form! I didn’t know my R‘n'B music, I didn’t know how to play ‘B”-ball or know the street words that were flowing from everybody. I had to look after 6 young girls that only answered to screaming attitude and after my first week of camp, i was stressed and i had a stye on my eye! I didn’t know at that point that i could turn to God for help and instead, i tried to turn myself into Oprah Winfry. Which made me even more stressed. I was out of my depth, out of every zone imaginable, but i was jelly and moulded to the situation i was in.

So, i got through the 3-months at camp, at the end of the time at camp i was the whitest black person you would meet! I had a blast in America but not without much struggle. Through my time there i guess i had developed issues about my personality, my attitude towards life and the way i treated people to gain respect. I had accomplished my desire to work with youth but i had diminished my ability to use the gifts and qualities that God had uniquely given to me, leaving me feeling very weak and lethargic. I doubted if working with youth was my desire and i wasn’t sure if i would work with them again - and definately not in a different country!

Shortly after this trip, i gave my life back to God. Recognising my gifts and qualities that he had given me and realising that i couldn’t try and use someones elses gifts or qualities because it just wasn’t me and during our trip, God has put me in many situation where if i didn’t know who i was in him then i wouldn’t know my identity. He has put me on a trip where i have to work with youth from countries all over the world! And through one of the toughest times of my life, i now find peace and conifidence in my ability to work through similar situations because God has turned my struggle into my strength!

You may be in a situation right now that you are feeling out of your depth in, that is making you feel so run down that you are getting stye on your eye! Or is there is maybe a part of you past that still brings on a cold sweat? You might want to put this part of your life under the ground, make it so weak that it has no power but God wants to bring strength to this part of your life to glorify Him. He makes the problem your power. Let your backbreaker be your backbone!

And for today, me and Erica are getting prepared to go to the Parachute music festival! We have our tent and backpack packed. Our singing voices on, or its more yellin’ than singing at festivals right?! We are so excited! We will be sure to let you know how it all goes shortly……….

Much Love, Lornaxx

Indescribable Catch Up

“You have a lot of catching up to do!” Many a word spoken in jest. These were the words of my Uncle Jimmy, (well second cousin really) a relative I never knew existed until five minutes before we boarded the plane from Sydney to New Zealand on January 3rd. Jimmy and his beautiful family have become more than just relatives we’ve been reunited with; welcoming us into their home they have been our hosts (we’ve kinda gatecrashed their house as only soul touch can) our family, our grandparents, hairdressing advisers (due to a unfortunate accident I had with a bottle of bleach) and our dear friends. Jimmy was referring to the fact that we hadn’t updated our blog since arriving here in NZ and that although it’s a mere fortnight a lot has happened, starting with discovering his, my, our (Soul Touches) wonderful family! Jimmy’s stories about the grandparents I never met, tales and photos of a young Bob Bonnar (my dad) and facts outlining some of our family history have been amazing to listen to. (I’m more determined than ever to discover some of my ancestry having been mistaken for everything and anything except Scottish throughout our trip including: Spanish, Italian, Israeli, Egyptian, Indian, Sri Lankan and the latest Mauri!)

So catch up we must…
Reluctantly we left Oz, experiencing the familiar upset we feel every time we leave a country, worsened greatly by the fact that we were saying goodbye to Caroline (Lorna’s outrageously gorgeous, spirit filled sister), our other soul sis Emily (Young), Hillsong church and the whole host of amazing friends we made there. Filled with anxiety, excitement and the anticipation of what lay ahead in New Zealand we mumbled our way through the airport completely delirious from sleep deprivation. Before you begin to sympathise let me briefly explain why exactly the Soul Touchers became “zombified” over New Year. Hogman-nanny (day) was spent camped out at Sydney Harbour with a picnic under glorious sunshine surrounded by our friends. In the evening we, along with the other thousands of people there, enjoyed watching the indescribable array of fireworks (yes both showings!) blasted over the Opera House and Harbour bridge signifying the New Year. We then sped off to palm beach (will spare you the details of the crazy Mexican Driving aka our new,dear, unintentionally hilariously funny friend David. I don’t remember writing ‘near death experience’ on the itinerary for the new year celebrations but never the less we did it, enjoyed it and survived it so “‘Thank God for Jesus!”) David’s driving did however have it’s benefits; we caught the sunrise on Palm Beach and even some waves before heading up to The Blue Mountains with Lisa and Mel, Samuel and Nina (some of the stunning girlys who blessed our time in Oz) where we marvelled at some of God’s indescribable creation.


Marvelling over beautiful sunsets, roaming mountains, endless ocean and indescribable views is something Lorna and I have become expert in most recently; seriously New Zealand is Scotland… on the rocks! Never one to allow comparisons to be made between our beautiful homeland, Scotland and countries we visit I have succumbed to admitting that the beauty I have witnessed here surpasses any other I have seen in the world- yes Roy even Scotland on the sunny day!

Having said that working with Scripture Union in Mangawhai heads (a campsite situated in the most idyllic coastal area North of Auckland) has probably tainted my judgement. Our mission was Scripture Union summer camp; our destination was Mangawhai Heads; our team had boundless energy, talent and even dressed up as pirates! The result of this combo was The Best Camp Ever!

On arriving in New Zealand Lorna and I were bombarded with leaflets about bungee jumping (which we did in Uganda… that was so last year!), surfing, sand dune surfing and all sorts of insane extreme sports. Written on most of these leaflets , and the words on most backpackers mouths, was “The real Kiwi Experience”. Little do they know that the “extreme” packages they are offering to these 20-30 year old tourists are indeed tame in comparison to the challenges undertaken by the 30, 11-16 year old, children we were leading at camp last week. Kayaking over the estuary, climbing a sand dune (which we did before plummeting face first back down it on a boogie board), surfing a wave, playing volleyball on the beach, undertaking the flying fox and water slide challenge and even managing to clean up for cabin inspection were some of the activities the kiwi kids enjoyed… and all that before lunch! The kids boundless energy and the leaders dedication was a privilege to watch and a blessing to be part of. Each day started and finished with the ultimate high adventure. An experience I didn’t see advertised in any of the backpackers guides. It came free of charge and was, and is, available to all those who turned up. It’ s called encountering God and, as the children and I witnessed, it surpasses any thrill of any extreme sport!

Sharing with these children, trying to answer their questions about faith and witnessing them journeying with God has to be the ultimate high of our Kiwi experience! It was "far out” as they say! Hearing their eagerness to know God more and to serve him better completely saddens and excites me. It excites me to know that they are going to be soul touching, travelling around the world and serving in ways more significant than we can even imagine. It saddens me however to know that there are still so many people still searching; still flicking through Adventure guides trying to find another high. People clinging on to relationships that are “good”, “fine” and never knowing a relationship with God, the “far out” one that is there for them if they just turn up.

The reality of peoples reluctance to turn up hit me when we left camp. On our journey home (which by the way was detoured because of a spontaneous and extremely exciting road trip which I’ll tell you about later) someone said to me, “I don’t really need God in my life ’cause my life is sweet and I don’t want to have to give that up”. That’s great if your satisfied with “sweet”.

The truth is God does not want you to give up your life so you are miserable he wants to give up your life so that he can take you to the next level. Sometimes we have to give up the good to get the “sweet”, then give up the “sweet” to get to the “far out”. Then give up all of those things to get to where God wants us to be. I don’t have vocabulary adequate for that level, it’s truly indescribable. I know this because I’m living it, or trying to and I’m not even half way there.

I can’t remember if I’ve told you guys before but when I was in Peru last year I read a book called, “If you want to walk on water you ‘ve got to get our of the boat”. It’s based on the story of the disciple Peter walking on water with Jesus. Peter was in the boat. He was with his friends (the other disciples) and he was safe. Then Jesus called on him, challenged him really, to walk on the water. Now Peter was someone who knew Jesus well and he’d seen Jesus perform miracles yet he was still reluctant to get out of the boat; walking on water with Jesus required trust. Peter had to be confident that Jesus would make it possible (I assume everyone knows that walking on water, apart form on this occasion is impossible). Eventually Peter got out of the boat and he walked on water with Jesus. Happy ending eh…or not. it wasn’t completely smooth for Peter. He took his eyes of Jesus for a second (his confidence faltered) and he began to sink beneath the waves. In that moment Jesus reached out his hand and rescued Peter.

I want you to imagine your life is your boat. You think it’s safer than walking with Jesus but in actual fact by convincing yourself of that your denying yourself the experience of walking on the waves. I remember for years I sat in my boat (not literally) surrounded by things that made me feel safe, things that were “sweet”. “Sweet” relationships, a “sweet” job, basically things that made me comfortable. I didn’t want to give them up incase I failed, incase I fell flat on my face really. Then I discovered that God “isn’t in the business of making fools of people” (my angel sister reminded me of this as I sat in my boat) and that indeed “all good gifts come from him”.

For me camp was amazing because I got to share with the kids their journey. Some are so bold it’s frightening. They are way out on the waves trusting in God and all he has planned for them. Others were going through moments that they needed Jesus to rescue them but what was amazing was that none of them were in their boats. This summer they stepped out by going to camp; by doing so they stepped up!

Finishing camp is usually a bit of a depressant. You immediately forget about the mozeees (mosquitos) round the camp fire remembering only the toasted marshmallows and testimonies. You miss the shower song at 7am (Thanks Bella), forgetting the 14 (at my last count) spiders singing along with you while you bathed. Most of all you miss the delicious hourly camp food. This time however Lorna and I did not experience the post camp lull. Instead we set off on our road trip (courtesy of Shane and Crystal Gauld who generously gave us their daughter Lizzy’s car…thanks Lizzy!) Our bags and mattresses safely packed up in the boot we set of with transport and accommodation!

I won’t bore you (or rather depress you) with the details of our adventure, sleeping under the stars in Russell, swimming with dolphins in the Bay of Islands or quad biking along the 90 mile beach, lets just say we had and are having an amazing time.

Right now we’re enjoying some more time with the family! Next week we’re off to Taupo to swim in the largest lake in the southern hemisphere. And after that we’re going to work at Parachute www.parachutemusic.com/festival/2008/ No not sky diving, the largest Christian music festival of 2008! We’re loving every second!

I am so glad I got out of the boat! I’d rather live my life walking on the waves, allowing Jesus to recue me when I stumble than sitting in the boat wondering! Would you?

Love you all!
blessings in abundance Erica xx

Reflecting 2007..Bring on 2008!!

To our precious friends and family,

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and recover sufficiently in time to start the festivities again for New Year! Before we enter into 2008 we'd like to share with you some of the projects that we, because of your faith, generosity and support, have been able to accomplish in the 2007. Thank you for your continued love and gentle guidance on our mission so far.

Soul Touch, known to many adorable African children as Auntie Erica and Auntie Lorna and to friends as Hoddit and Dottit, is the name of our project. We have been traveling now for six months and are almost at the half way point of our round the world trip. So far we have survived Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Israel, Egypt, India (deportation out of India to Sri Lanka), back to India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Now at Hillsong church Australia we are being challenged, encouraged and questioned about our trip. Starting with the name!

Why Soul Touch? Well for those of you who know nothing about our mission (shame on you read our blog- www.worldwithoutwalls.net) let us explain briefly what we are doing and why the name is much more than a title; it's become our way of life. Our aim is to significantly touch people lives by contributing practically to the work of either their charity and/or church, creating opportunities for them to experience Christ’s love in action.

In each place we visit we work alongside the local community and church helping with a huge variety of tasks including: teaching, acting, singing, painting, brick making, bricklaying, talking and most importantly listening. As Ambassadors for World Without Walls, a ministry birthed out of St Andrew's church Bo'ness Scotland we are striving to capture, on film, the stories of the people we meet. Stories of children rescued from the streets of Uganda now educated and looking forward to the future. Of children who once thought they were invisible, forgotten by the world and by God; living in the jungle of India alongside wild animals, now expressing wishes of going to university, becoming doctors, missionaries and "bus drivers". Stories like Rita Nkemba's. A Ugandan women who set up an orphanage in Kampala, the countries capital and who has dedicated her life to looking after the some two-hundred abandoned children now in her care. The stories we have heard and captured on film will then be used to bring awareness to the worldwide church about the needs of the people it’s serving. We aim to strengthen relationships with WWW partners aswell as expanding its partnership network; identifying projects that you can be involved in supporting.

Brooke Fraser (Singer/songwriter) sings in her song Albertine: "Now that I have seen, now that I have heard I am responsible." We believe it is the responsibility of the church to change the injustice that exists all over the world. We appreciate that not everyone can visit these places; that’s why we’re capturing it on film! The films show that amongst all the poverty and amidst, what appears to be, the most desperate situations there is hope.

We saw hope in the little ghost town of Pebane, Mozambique where we started our trip. There we joined a team (Team Moz, led by Jennifer and Alasdair Tollemache) from Stirling Baptist Church. For the past three years this Scottish church has been partnering a local hospital in Pebane, providing medical facilities for them. This year the aim was to supply the hospital with a much needed surgical unit. Disease is rapidly spread there because there is simply no sanitation and, before the teams visit, no running water. A 42 foot container, filled with medical equipment (most of which was surplus in the UK but still in excellent condition) was shipped from Scotland to Mozambique. Within a week it was converted into a fully furnished, working operating theatre which is now used to serve the local community. Team Moz continue to raise funds and dedicate their time and prayers to their partners in Moz. It was a challenging yet encouraging way to begin our journey for lots of reasons; it certainly acclimatised us to work on the mission field: working in the heat, gathering water from a well to shower, using a rather less conventional toilet than we are used to and living, breathing, eating and sleeping side by side! (http://themoznet.blogspot.com/)

We saw hope in the camp we visited in Gulu, a place in Northern Uganda which for the past 21 years has been in civil war led by terrorist Joseph Kony. Kony, in his attempt to overthrow the government, has captured and enslaved thousands of children turning them into "child soldiers". These children are forced to pledge allegiance to his army demonstrating their loyalty by murdering their own siblings and/or cutting of the limbs, ears, noses and lips of their parents. Yet even there we saw hope of Christ, demonstrated by KPC (Kampala Pentecostal Church). KPC, lead by pastors Marylin and Gary Skinner, recently opened in Gulu. They are dedicated to breaking the chains of injustice and saving the lives of the people there.

And of course as many of you all have witnessed the hope that exists in Peru because of the partnership and faith of The Vine Trust, Scotland and SU Peru. You have seen street boys rescued and placed in homes and most recently a second medical ship cross the Amazon joining its sister-ship there to provide medical care for some of the worlds poorest people, living on river. This is the place where the mission really began; the place Lorna and I met and the place we first witnessed how powerful and constructive small groups of people can be when they work together (www.vinetrust.org).

We hope that you will see a pattern emerging here; a pattern we have witnessed. In each place we have visited there is need yet there is also a response to that need. All over the world seeds have been sown; small groups of Christians are living out the gospel in real, practical and powerful ways. We trust that you will join us in continuing to support some or all of these projects. Start by following our journey. Log onto our blog: www.worldwithoutwalls.net (go to the Soul Touch link). We pray that you will be as inspired by these teams of ordinary people doing extraordinary things as we are.

Finally we want to wish you a wonderful, prosperous and very blessed new year. We are looking forward to all that God has planned. The next stage of our journey takes us to New Zealand where we volunteer for Scripture Union on a children's summer camp, teaching them water sports (you might want to pray for that one!) We then head to South America: Argentina; Brazil; Bolivia; Peru; Guatemala and finally Mexico. We know that hearing the stories of these people will change our lives and we pray their lives will be enriched by our by our responses to them.

Love and hugs in abundance Erica and Lorna
Soul Touch xx

soul_touch@yahoo.com

Have A Wonderful Christmas!

To all our dearest, most precious friends and family. Wishing you a very happy Christmas. Lorna and I are far away- Sydney Australia to be exact- but tonight as we wrap the few gifts we have for each other our thoughts are with you all more than ever. It’s Christmas eve…with a difference. There is no tinsel in sight and the shops are surprisingly (and refeshingly) quiet. We've spent a lot of our time here at church, for several reasons. Firstly the stunning spirit filled worship and teaching; secondly beautiful Caroline (Lorna's sister) and many of her friends are students at Hillsong College and so they are completely involved in everything and lastly we are here to serve. Although Australia is by no means a developing country (however they haven't developed enough to know that mullets went out in the eighties!) people here, like everywhere in the world, have needs and poverty and injustice does exsist. So over the past few weeks we've absolutely loved being involved in the ministry of the street teams, led by Camokazi (Caroline's nick name ala Soul Touch!). We’ve been wrapping pressies, generously donated by members of the congregation. It’s one of the many outreach community care projects that Hillsong bless their neighbours with every year. It's similar to the Shoe box appeal that we all get excited about at this time of year at home. I am picturing you all now stuffing goodies into carefully wrapped boxes for children less fortunate than yourselves, goodies which have been hand picked and bought with love! The concept is is similar in that the gifts are given out to children and families who are in need. However the practicality of it all is something we discovered to be very surreal. Instead of sleep socks and cosy slippers being packed into stockings we carefully wrapped beach cricket sets and volleyballs as we sat toasting in the sun outside on the church lawn. I know “outside” may be a foreign concept to you all at the moment. You will (or should) be curled up on couches watching star spangled episodes of Dancing with the Stars and X Factor, oh how we miss it!


…but not that much. More than turkey, snow and our favourite shows we miss you, each individually, personally and an incredible amount! Christmas is a celebration, a time for family and for most a time of reflection and so despite the physical ditance between us you are still the ones in our thoughts and prayers. We pray this Christmas you will be abudantly blessed and God will continue to enable you to bless others as you have blessed and enriched our lives! We love you all so dearly and being away from you simply reminds us of how fortunate we are to have all of you in our lives.

Enjoy every second of Chirstmas! We will be in touch before the new year to let you know more about our adventures so far and the ones we are looking forward to in 2008!
Love and many, many blessings to you all!
Erica and Lorna xxx

"Together We Are Better"

In Africa (sorry to drag you all back there. Don't worry you didn't imagine all of our escapades since leaving that place. As Lorna has pointed out we are infact in Oz although there have been no sightings of the Wizard as yet. A lot of time has passed and a lot of miles have been flown since then but since arriving here in the Oz it's made me think heaps about the friends we've left and the things we saw there.

In Uganda we spent time with the King Alfred team on a building site constructing a boarding house at Butagya Primary School. (Scroll back there's lots more info about it earlier.) Although some of us tried to boss on site there was only one real boss: John. John was a Ugandan with a chubby tummy, a huge smile and a lot of responsibility. It was John's job to oversee all of the work on the site. He had to ensure each brick was put perfectly in place in order to support the ones being placed on top.
Now at the time I thought John was a ultra pernickety. To me the building of the boarding house was a matter of urgency for two reasons. Firstly the children needed somewhere to sleep and secondly our time there was limited. As I looked around the school (which we had now turned into a building site) and assessed the situation it looked like we needed to work fast.

At least forty school girls, between the ages of 5-14, were now scattered amongst the human chain that had been formed to transport the bricks from one end of the site to the other. Dressed in sunshine yellow dresses which matched their smiles, the girls giggled and laughed at the mazoongos (turning pink beneath the hot African sun) who were struggling to keep up passing the hundred ton bricks (they told us they were made of mud but I think they lied!) to the children who effortlessly tossed them onto the site to be used. Some carried them on their heads, cushioned with leaves to protect their scalps. The mazonngos even had a go but the less said about that the better eh Pastie!? The girls in line were currently sleeping in their classroom, huddled together like animals but with poorer sanitation.

My eyes could only see the immediate situation. These beautiful girls needed a boarding house (somewhere to sleep) and fast. So you can imagine my frustration and confusion when John (site manager) insisted on checking each individual brick put in place and then proceeded to adjust any that were placed incorrectly or were "rubbished" as he would say. John was an expert bricky and an awesome teacher. He was even patient with me when I couldn't get the hang of the tools (I know now that string is an extremely important tool in every brickies toolkit). This string thing had a weight on the end and I am told it measured something. I was also told the name of it, which I've momentarily forgotten but know doubt my brothers will remind me of it once they've read this. Anyway, it was used to make sure the bricks were straight, which most of mine weren't :(

For a week John and the team laid the bricks....slowly. They used the process of laying one, checking it with the special string and so on...and on ...and on! And so we left that site with the boarding house unfinished. It did leave me slightly dissatisfied as I would've loved to see the girls in it and the roof on but I was content with John's promise that the job "would get done". Looking back I'm so glad John was there. I'm thankful that he corrected my bricks and that the men finishing the build know how to use the string thing correctly. You see I know that when that building is complete it will be magnificent. It will be a beautiful home for the girls and they don't deserve anything less than magnificent. So imagine that is one small group of dedicated people building a boarding house for school children- imagine the church (think global, think massive!) rebuilding the temple for Christ coming. (Nehemiah 6)

Since arriving here at Hillsong Church Australia we've been receiving amazing (although challenging) teaching and we've met some beautiful (ridiculously stunning) men and women who love God. People who believe they are like the bricks. No not square and made of mud (although I'm sure some smart theologian could come up with a sermon out of that n prove me wrong what with the murry clay n all that!) but they believe they are people placed perfectly where God wants them to be.
More so they believe that the brick that follows- the next generation of believers- will be seriously effected by whether or not they are in line. I know you guys back in Scotland are imagining the same thing. I know that you are fighting hard to get into line with God and to position yourself in a great place so that you can bless future generations. So I want to thank you first of all for your example and your vision, that you are trusting God and believing his promises (Isaiah 43: 5-7, Jeremiah 29:11-14)) but also to challenge you. Remember we are not the foundations: we are part of the build.

For centuries Christains have been spreading the gospel to all nations so we can trust that we have some amazing foundations. Some of the greatest people who ever lived have laid them- the most obvious and strongest rock ever Jesus- and that's just the start. Since his death (and resurection) his disciples have been building: Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Billy Graham to name a few and that's only who my wee brain knows about.

I want to encourage you that wherever you are in the wall make sure your contribution counts cos it will most definately effect those that follow. It is up to you whether or not it effects them in a positive way or a negative one. What's more it doesn't matter if you are not the cornerstone, someone taking extra weight and responsibilty, (although well done if you are) without you and your contribution the cornerstones would fall too.

That's a huge lesson I'm learning here: "Together we are better!" (Brian Houston)
The church (and I'm talking globally) is one team and like the bricks we can all support each other. If you look around the church and you're squirming in the position you're in maybe you need to think about repositioning yourself. If you see everyone else and wish you were where they are or doing the job they are doing, or worse still you don't want their job but you don't want them to be blessed by it either well I suggest you find a John. Find someone who will help you get in line (or how to use the tools we've got on our site- trust me the bibles a whole lot easier to use than the string thing 'n' it makes more sense, well to me at least!) Like John they will be patient and take time with you. Remember they are overseeing the job- they don't want you to fall cos that only holds up progress. We want a church that is constantly progressing! We have no time for "regressors"! (Ephesians 5:16)

If you feel, wait a minute I'm not even a brick yet. I'm still in the mould 'n' I'm not sure I'll be able to fit. Remeber the one who made you, made you perfectly just how you're supposed to be. He made you to be part of the build. (Phillippians 1:6)

In Africa materials are expensive so they waste NOTHING. A couple of time a few of the mazoongos (not naming any names) would spoil a brick, dropping it from the cushion on their heads. Others were damaged when the human chain started laughing hysterically! Nobody cast them aside. Never once did John say "Oh well that one's damaged we can't use it." No! He simply sanded off the rough edges and made it fit. He even went to the trouble of adding a lil extra mud to a couple and reshaping them so they could be used. Most often these "damaged" bricks were used as the cornerstones cos he said they were the strongest. How much more does God love it when he can reshape us and use us to make something magnificant!? (Math 18: 10-14)

When we first arrived at Hillsong we were immediately challenged by a vision they have here. They call it The I heart Revolution: (www.iheartrevolution.com)

"Imagine a global church and the impact it could have on the world!"

I thank God that you guys are imagining a global church and together we are witnessing how it is changing the world. Although we are not the foundations we are part of the build and we're progressing. We are building on what's gone before and preparing something better for the future.

God is building a global church and we need each other. If we unite we are stronger. The world is watching and like me on the building site they are becoming impatient. They can see (and feel) the immediate needs. They want an answer like the girls wanted somewhere to sleep. I believe we have the answer- Jesus!

Are you committed to the build?

Aussie Barbie?..Na Pass Me the Waterproof Poncho Please!

G'day! Howz it ga'in dudes?! Yes o yes we have arrived down under! That whole ' we at the bottom of the earth' thing makes me feel dizzy when i think about it too much. The weather out here is scortchio...na im joking, its actually been rain storms everyday since we arrived, which is actually making it feel a little more like Christmas for us!

We met up with my sister Caroline on arrival at the airport, its been 5 months since i seen her so the skies reverberated with high squeals and laughter when she found us lying on the benches sleeping our tierd little heads since we had decided not to go to sleep on the plane but do an 8 hour movie marathon. Can you believe that they show 'The Neverending Story'?! AND 'High School Musical'?! Im not ashamed of my film taste at all..cough cough! But we turned Malaysian Airways into broadway as we watched 'Hairspray' and 'High School Musical 2'! Yeah we got an encore, but our dancing had to calm down as the pilot thought the plane was going through turbulance.

So we have been in Oz for just over a week now and our days consist of, church, church, church, a day in the city and more church but when your local church is Hillsongs you start to cry when the services are over! To be honest with you guys, when Caroline was taking us to our first service which was last Saturday night i was nervus...yes i admit...i was nervus about going to church! I had seen Hillsong on TV and it looked massive, everybody uber confident and i just felt like it was my first day in school.

The first thing that i noticed about the church is that it was so welcoming for first time visitors. Outside the church they have proper coffee wagons, table and chairs and a burger stall where you can meet church members or just chill out before for what will undoubtably be a powerful sermon. When i entered into the main church it actually looked more inviting and homely than what i had imagined it to be, yes there is an overall congregation of 10,000 people per sermon - 4 sermons a day, but there was a seat for everyone and we weren't stuck right at the back at the fire exist doors but we comfortably founds seats 4 rows from the front, where we pearched on our seats eager for the worship to start! They have massive wall screens that boom on powerful versus in the bible that prepare your heart, mind and soul for hearing God.

So im standing there all hyped up, and then......( everybody get your air guitars ready) Hillsong United come on stage and bring you further into God's presence with their powerful worship! The legend that is Darlene Zschech was leading it also, i felt so blessed to be there. I looked around and saw that most of the congregation are youths. This church had done it, this church had made God more attractive than the world for young people and it was awesome.

We have plans made up for Christmas, we are going to Annette's Mum ( the lady that owns the house that Caroline is staying at) is taking us in for Christmas dinner and then we have been invited to Terry Scott's who is one of the worship lecturers at Hillsong College for a gathering! It looks all good!

Hope to update you with more later!

Lorna xx