Day 5: Encouragement, a lesson and a miracle.

Hi friends! Today was so far, for me, the best day so far on this trip. We got to see God moving and teaching us in so many ways that by the end of the day, I guess most of us felt a little overwhelmed! I'll start with the beginning though. :)

We started off our day doing devotionals at Praise Church Pentecostal United Elementary school, which is literally across from Westgate Hills. It was great to see the church afar from a new angle and meet some of the kids that might come to our block party on Saturday! Kat told the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand and Ben and Phil did a skit about sharing. It was great to see David jump into action last minute to tell the school a bit about Canada. He imitated a beaver and a moose while one boy from the school explained to us that skunks are really what defines Canada. :P

And music? I wish you could have seen the kindergarten kids dance while Matteo and Daniel were leading worship!

Then we went to YWAM for the rest of the morning and did a variety of tasks: house cleaning and yard work mostly. It was interesting to see how we all felt this was not the type of work we would have wanted to do. Where were the bricks? The ditch to dig? You know... the big work! Gardening... folding bed sheets... seriously? God really used that to teach us that serving is not always glamorous. The YWAM staff needed people to help them take care of the property God had given them so they could focus their energy on all their other projects. And that's what we did. And it was excellent.

What really amazed me today though, and everybody on the team, is how God did a miracle. All morning, I had not spoken a word. My voice was 95% gone: 2 shaky syllables out of ten would come out of my mouth when I would try to speak. Phil asked me on our way to lunch if I would still be able to give my testimony at Granville Girls home. I signed to him I'd let him know after lunch... anything to not say there was no way I'd be able to do it.

Auntie Gloria (a wonderful Jamaican woman serving us in the kitchen) made me what I call the vinegar-pepper-and-other potion with which I gargled my throat and before taking some vitamin C. An hour later, I was able to whisper. So I polished up my testimony and we went on our way to Granville Girls home. It was too late to ask anyone to fill in anyway.

In the bus, a lot of us were praying that I'd get my voice back, but very reluctantly. It was very unlikely I'd work out for my testimony. At least Kat was also giving hers. On my part, I was hoping for a mic... and prayed...

At Granville, we got to play and talk with so many girls. We sang some songs, I went up to give my testimony - no mic - and said "Hi! I'm Audrey!" The words came out loud and clear. How glorious! I got to tell the girls about making decisions that burden us when God places such value on us that that's the last thing He wants us to do! It was a miracle. I had been mostly silent since the beginning of the trip, but today, wow, I caught up! Haven't stopped talking since God restored my voice! =D

Kat also gave her testimony and we did a skit in which Phil M. -Jesus- gave Gail a new heart after hers had been shredded to pieces by different people in her life.

Please pray for the girls at Granville, we're going back on Thursday and what they need, is a long term relationship with a healthy person (mentor) and to know God's unfailing love.

For Supper we went to Scotties and then we came back and debriefed about this incredible day! =D God had worked so much in our hearts that a few of us opened up to our brothers and sisters in Christ for comfort, accountability and help. We can really see the body at work.

I am so encouraged and can't wait to see what else God has for us!