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| Lydia's experience .....
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Lydia's experience on the BMS Sri Lanka Action Team |
I am now nearing the end of my year out with BMS World Mission. I have been one quarter of the Sri Lanka Action Team since we began training in August 2000. After two weeks at the International Missions Centre (IMC) in Birmingham, 10 days at the Tynddol Outdoor Adventure Centre in Wales and 10 days at Stockton Baptist Tabernacle, Stockton-on-Tees, Alastair, Joe, Aileen and I flew out from Heathrow.
| The Sri Lanka Action Team. |
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| Lydia Morris, Alastair Currie, Aileen Hosie, Joe Crisp-Hihn |
We arrived at Colombo International Airport on Tuesday 17th October, to begin our 6-month placement in Sri Lanka. Our work was mainly with the Baptist churches, spending approximately 10 days with each church, and returning to our base in Nugegoda, Colombo in between assignments. Whilst with the churches, we tried to encourage the members by sharing testimony, song and drama and by helping out in whatever way we could. Two of the churches at which we were based were attached to elders' homes. We were involved in painting the buildings and sharing with the elders, who often spoke excellent English and enjoyed the presence of four young Christians.
The last 6 weeks of our time were spent working with Kollupitiya Methodist Church in the centre of Colombo. There our task was to enter into the life of the church, sometimes speaking in the girls' school attached to the church and at other times attending the many projects run by the church. We enjoyed helping with the Street Kids' project and taking part in the Alpha course and youth fellowship, where we made good friends with the young people. Some of our most memorable times were with the friends we made there.
When we weren't 'working', we had time to fit in trips to many of the island's cultural and historical treasures. We climbed the Sigiriya rock fortress and the many steps to the top of Adam's Peak; we visited Yala National Park and the Pinawela elephant orphanage, as well as spending time in the beautiful city of Kandy and exploring the hill-country of Nuwara Eliya.
We saw God's hand in all of our experiences, in his goodness and faithfulness to us, and his protection over us. We saw first-hand the struggles and the joys of the church in the Third World, and met the faithful people who trust unswervingly in God, despite the great hardships of life. We were inspired to praise the Lord for the riches he has given us and to ask him to show us how to use what we have wisely and generously.
We went on a tour of British Baptist churches, sharing our experiences and enthusing them for mission. Click here to see our timetable over those few weeks.
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