Monday, June 18, 2012

London Lights

I lived in England in the fall of 2010 to study drama at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. It was there that I learned about the state of Christianity in England. Christianity is something old-fashioned in England. It was really popular two hundred years ago, but it is in decline now, and while most people know who Jesus is, they don't care to follow Him.

I returned to London with my college ministry in May and June of 2011. I did street theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames and volunteered at a community centre in Battersea, where I helped put on fairs and fun days for the children of the community. One night, while standing in the middle of the street in Kingston, after having performed the story of the adulterous woman from John 8 to a continual throng of drunken 20 somethings, I talked to the director of our street theatre about what it means to use theatre to glorify God. It was a moment of realization for me. People always ask me what I'm going to do with my degree in theatre. My answer is the same as my answer for everything: I'm going to use it to glorify God. The people of London respond well to theatre; it's an engrained part of their culture. And for a few moments, Jesus' acts are real to them. They're not just a fairy story they've heard for years. The suspension of disbelief, a key tool in theatre, works on them to make them believe in what is happening on stage, if only for a few minutes. That's enough time, though, for Jesus to work in their hearts.

These are some images that I've taken in England before.

































This one is of me with the London Eye, my favorite British landmark. 
 

Friday, June 15, 2012

Daughter with a Mission

If you have the link to this blog, you probably know me or have heard me speak and have contributed to my missions fundraising effort.

You may know me as Deborah, or Rora, or Gerald-and-Susan's-Daughter, or Ray-and-Nancy's granddaughter, but above all else, I am a daughter of the Father of lights, God. I graduated from the University of South Carolina a month and a half ago, and in two weeks, on July 1, I will move from South Carolina to London, England, to be a part of Youth With a Mission in Notting Hill.

I cannot thank those of you who have supported me enough. Three weeks ago, I needed $6000. I graduated college with no money, and now, thanks to your generosity and God's hand, I have raised $3500. That leaves me $2500 to raise in the remaining time until my departure.

This blog has two purposes. The first is to keep everybody updated on what I am doing in London. If you know me at all, you know that I rarely go anywhere without at least one of my cameras. I do not plan on changing that. I will definitely be sharing my pictures here.

I was also a small group Bible Study leader at Shandon Baptist, the church that I have attended ever since moving to Columbia, SC. This past semester, my friend Donielle and I led a Bible Study on the practical elements of being a young woman of God. I don't want to stop helping my girls just because I am moving away, so a fair few of these posts may be about growing up to be a Godly woman.

I hope that you will enjoy these updates, and that you will not hesitate to comment or contact me if you need to do so. I will pray for you guys, too, if you send me prayer requests. I will even answer questions.

I would also love if you would pray for me as I prepare to move to London. It's nerve-wracking to try to fit my life into one suitcase, but I am also confident as I walk in the middle of God's will for my life.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17