Mission has begun! The team met together at Shore Anglican School at 8:30am, ready for the first part of our week of mission, the boarders chapel. Following the standard of the teaching staff, our team dressed in keeping with the school aesthetic: men in chinos and tie, ladies in the equivalent. At 8:55 students started to appear from their boarding houses, about 70 in all, and we entered the chapel. One of the school staff, Anthony, led the service, announcing the start of mission week and welcoming the Moore College students. This week is a time for the students at Shore school to reflect on their response to Jesus, who they learn about in their Christian Studies classes.
Isaac, a third year student at Moore, gave the short talk at boarders chapel on the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22. Just as it is inappropriate to go to a wedding without being dressed up, we can’t turn up to God’s party without being prepared. Isaac strongly implored the boys to consider if they are ready to face God and comforted them that if they trust Jesus God will clothe them appropriately.
After chapel there was a great time to mingle with the boys. With shaking hands and sharing names the team began some of the crucial work of the week; to be personally meeting the Shore boys and talking to them about Jesus. Hopefully over the course of this week, this will be the kind of conversation that will be useful for the boys to trust Jesus more.
The Moore team had a tour of the school, including being guided to where our classes will be for this week. The team dispersed to their homes in time for lunch, to finish preparation of lessons and testimonies for the week to come. A big part of the week had already commenced; that incidental time with boys during recess and lunch over the week will be a big part of personally inviting the boys at Shore school to come to God’s wedding feast and trust in him.
Prayer points:
- That through our careful preparation and willingness, God would use us to further grow the boys at Shore in their knowledge of Jesus.
- Give thanks for the generosity and support of the school staff that enables us to be here for the week. Pray that we would work well with them and be an encouragement to their year-round ministry.
- Give thanks for Isaac’s talk at boarders’ chapel. Pray that the students that heard it would continue to think about whether they are prepared to meet God.
- Please pray for the many conversations with students that we will have this week, that the Moore team would take every opportunity to talk about Jesus.