Fundraisers, Mountain Climbers, and Stewardship or "I'm far from bored!"

Hello faithful readers, I write today with much to share of the past two weeks in Calgary.  One of the unexpected benefits of writing updates on a regular basis is that it forces me to consider the variety and frequency of blessings and lessons that occur in such a short time.  I'll highlight three such experiences below.

eMi Dessert Night and Silent Auction

On Saturday November 1st, Engineering Ministries International hosted it's annual fall fundraiser, a silent auction dessert night!  Having the unique perspective of being 'behind the scenes' I did not realize the vast amount of organization and effort required to orchestrate such an event.  The purpose of the fundraiser was to increase awareness in Calgary about eMi and also raise necessary funds to support future project trips to Cambodia and Haiti this upcoming January.

A view from the back during the main presentation of the dessert night.

We transformed a large reception room at Foothills Alliance Church in NW Calgary into a space filled with items brought back from all over the world.  We had a huge variety of goods, from shawls made in Peru, to a handmade nativity set from Ecuador.  There were also several stunning photos taken by eMi volunteers and staff members out for bid.  The event was titled Momentum - Propelling Vision to Impact.  We had two guest speakers sharing on the impact that eMi has had on their ministries, while Katey and I manned a table highlighting our trip to Myanmar.  We wore the traditional Myanmar garb given to us back in September and definitely caught a few looks (well, maybe just me....)

All dressed up in a Myanmar Longyi!

Nearly 100 people came out for the event, and we raised just under $10,000, a new high!  We were thankful for the generosity of those who came but personally, it really was a joy to share with so many the experiences we had abroad.  The verbal sharing of all that was seen and done in Myanmar was a necessary reminder to me of the work that God has allowed us to be a part of.  It was a tiring yet invigorating evening!  (A short summary video from the event can be found here.)

Nativity Set from Ecuador.

A Brother Visits

New experiences are best when shared.  With that truth in mind I was very excited to host my brother Thomas for a extended visit the very next weekend.  I took the Friday off so we could do some extended exploring in and around Calgary.  We first toured the Drumheller area for a day, saw some dinosaurs, and got our boots hopelessly muddy in the soils of the Hoodoos.

Deciding the best way to get down, and too that hill on the far right.  We never made it, the mud kept us from trekking very far.

There were so many skeletons at the museum!  I was particularly impressed with the smaller finds, collecting these artifacts are quite the labour of love.

It was very windy, but perfect weather for exploring this unique landscape!

All this exploring east of the city was preamble for more ambitious plans on Saturday; some mountain climbing in the Rockies!  We had gotten a recommendation to climb Mt. Yamnuska, one of the first peaks of the Rockies heading toward Banff.  We had a group of 6 to hike up this peak together, but only one of us was a native Albertan.

5 of 6 explorers shown here - with our target to climb just behind us. (From left: Ben, Wes, Thomas, Katey, and Elena)

The lack of experience (and stamina) quickly showed.  At one point I was at the head of our little crew and all I could hear behind me was heavy breathing and concentration.  Our efforts were eventually rewarded, the trees started to clear and we were greeted with stunning views of both prairie and mountain range.

Our view from about half way up the mountain.  Making good use of my camera's panorama feature.

Thomas snagging a photo looking west at the same location!

We soon cleared the treeline and started our final ascent on the north side of the slope.  Layers that had been previously discarded were hastily put back on as the mountain blocked the suns warming rays, the wind was fierce, and we were now trekking through packed down snow.  We didn't quite make it to the very top of the mountain but the views from the 'first' summit were well worth the 2.5 hour hike up.  The sense of scale (us being quite small and the mountains quite large) easily brought me to a place of awe and wonder.

Looking north, it was easy to feel small here.

A view from the highest vantage point we managed.

Eating a quick lunch on the edge of the summit, 6 feet away.

It was great to have Thomas with me to share these 'firsts'.  Between all the hiking, some minor jet lag, and change in elevation - I may have wore him out more than I had intended.  I was sad to see him go after only a few days visit but thankful for the adventures shared.

A Lesson in Stewardship

These past few weeks I have been sharing my personal computer with my housemate as his is on the fritz.  It is in this arrangement that I have learned a unexpected but valuable lesson in stewardship and wisdom.  There have been a few times when I arrive at home hoping to use the computer for work and find my friend using it.  'Not a problem,' I think, 'He's probably completing some schoolwork.'  However, there are times when he would be using it for hours on end without really doing anything useful, such as browsing YouTube or Facebook.  In those instances I got quite frustrated, thinking that I could be making much better use of the laptop.  "Doesn't he understand that the computer is a gift, and he should use it wisely?"

It was during one of these times of private fuming when a quiet voice deep inside said, "and what of the days I give you?  Are you making good use of what has been given?"  Whoa.  Colour me convicted.  In that instance I could begin to see the lesson God was showing me.  If I got frustrated just by seeing someone not use a computer to the fullest, how much more does God yearn for his children to not neglect and misuse the days he has given us here?  I can think of whole days where I'm not really doing anything when there would be such opportunity to work in spreading the good news, or fellowship with other people, or simply writing more blog updates!

Psalm 90:12 states, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."  I was humbled to think how easily I forget that everything, everything I have is not my own, but a gift from Him.  How easily do we forget the gift that life is.  The laptop is not mine, but God's and I have the privilege of using.  It took the giving away of that ownership, to share it with another, to realize how truly earnest David's cry "teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

The Final Stretch

We are busily working away on our Myanmar project.  Just yesterday I handed Kevin the latest drawing set and he quickly came back to me with a flurry of comments and changes.  It's good to have work!

God has been so good, and as I enter this final month of my internship, please consider the following prayer items.

• for the eMi staff team as we finish this Myanmar project (LORD-willing) on time
• I present to my local church (Calgary Free Reformed Church) this Sunday evening.  Please pray that I would be able to properly prepare and share stories that give those curious a good idea of the work God is doing abroad
• I have decided to pursue a structural engineering job once my internship is complete rather than return for a second round at eMi.  It was a tough choice but strongly sense that it is time to start honing the tools I was given in university.  Please pray that He would lead me to the work He has prepared in advance for me!
• Lastly, I would ask for prayers as I host my neighbors from downstairs this week.  Pray that we would have a rich time of fellowship over food and if the time is right, share with them of how wonderful our Saviour is!

Thanks again for reading, the knowledge that so many are still interested in all that is going on out west is such an encouragement.  I close with three verses from a recent song, Humble by Audrey Assad.  I shared it with the office a few weeks ago and it has been in my head ever since.  With Christmas fast approaching, it served as a wonderful reminder of the depths of humility He went to so that we might have life.  May we walk in this life with the same heart looking to Him who truly has given us all things.

In Christ,

Ben

Humble and Human, willing to bend You are

Fashioned of flesh and the fire of life, You are

Not to proud to wear our skin

To know this weary world we're in

Humble, humble Jesus

Humble in sorrow, You gladly carried Your cross

Never refusing Your life to the weakest of us

Not too proud to bear our sin

To feel this brokenness we're in

Humble, humble Jesus

We bow our knees

We must decrease

You must increase

We lift You high

Humble in greatness, born in the likeness of man

Name above all names, holding our world in Your hands

Not too proud to dwell with us, to live in us, to die for us

Humble, humble Jesus