South Asia Presentation Team in CanadaOM InternationalAt the end of February 2006, two girls and a guy headed out for Canada and the outspread reaches of the Prairies. Two were Asia Challenge Team people, one from OM Nepal. Their task: to bring South Asia, its people and its needs into the lives of those living in the Prairie towns of Saskatchewan, Ontario and Manitoba. Their aim: to enthuse young Christians and challenge their worldview on what God is doing around the nations of the world. Plus, to underline that each has a part to play in sharing God’s love, not just in his or her own back yard.Joining a South Asia Presentation Team for five weeks is not as daunting as it seems. The team are given two weeks of intensive training in a neutral environment, covering such topics as:
During this time, they also learn much about one another’s skills and giftings, and how to get the best out of the team by working together. From the end of February to the middle of March, this Presentation Team visited nine Bible Colleges, spent an entire day at Elementary Schools, visited four High Schools and took ten church programs. All of these were arranged and organised by OM Canada. The Presentation Team leader commented: “Our team had a really encouraging time. We saw God really work in every program we did. We knew it was God’s will that we did each program we did. We got to see God touch people’s lives. However, I did feel we could have visited many more Bible colleges in Saskatchewan.” This girl is a gifted enthusiast! Although it is difficult to gauge the results of Presentation Teams too soon, responses have been received from the OM Canada office: The Principal at a Christian High School, in a rural community, said: “Thanks so much for sending your friends here. They carried themselves with outstanding dignity and flexibility, wow!” In a city that has had little previous contact, it was possible to arrange several meetings, due to a last minute local cancellation - eighteen hours’ grace before the beginning of the first meeting! This took place in a city Christian school, whose focus is high on spreading God’s love to its surrounding inhabitants, although a certain percentage of the students come from homes where God is not revered. This was a great encouragement, as this High School has to follow government requirements, and time available is limited. The Assistant Principal said: “If you ever know of other such groups coming through, please let us know.” After the High School presentation, the two girls on the Presentation Team attended a women's Bible study, with approximately fifteen to twenty women. The girls reported that it had been one of the highlights of the Tour for them, as the different pace and style brought much refreshment. “The women at the study wanted to grow, and the fellowship was rich. They wanted to hear about missions and pray for them. We really needed this enriching, and spiritual feeding! It definitely felt orchestrated by God. We would both highly recommend such meetings to be included in the Tours, as they are busy times, and we were still processing stuff from coming off the field.” Other meetings were obviously on God’s agenda: “I received a Caleb inquiry one day from a small town, far removed from any populated regions. I realized that the town was about an hour’s drive from where the South Asia Presentation Team would be presenting the following day. I emailed the details. She drove out, in spite of snow the day before. She had a long conversation with the Team leader, who had sensed she should talk to this young girl, and caught her before she left. Talk about orchestration!” Since then, this young girl is planning on coming to OM Canada’s orientation in June with a view to joining OM! Plus, another girl who met the Presentation Team in Saskatchewan is also planning to attend the June orientation, finishing her first year of Bible school and then going into missions instead of doing a three-year degree. New addresses have also been added to regular OM information leaflets, and a number of information packages are being sent out, as a direct result of the Presentation Team’s presence. The verdict from OM Canada’s viewpoint? “Even though there were many hiccups along the way, I do believe that God orchestrated much of what happened and only eternity will tell what the real results were of three young people trekking across the prairies.”
Credit: OM International
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