A season of feasts

This past week we celebrated Passover and two festivals, First Fruits and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. I asked a classmate what the Feasts were all about, she said:

God is a good God and wants us to have fun so he designated 7 seasons of holidays! Our family has celebrated the feasts for the past 10 years and seeing Yeshua in the feasts has impacted my life in such a positive way. The feasts are great because they are not tradition for traditions sake, they all point to our Messiah Yeshua!

Chelsea 2nd Year Student

A plea, a memory and a prayer.

Ethiopia is now three weeks away. Excitement grows in my heart. The focus on Monday is Ethiopia, learning Amharic words and songs. We are getting ready. I am humbled that I am able to go minister to the Ethiopian people. I want to be the arms of God stretched out to these precious people and I want to show them Jesus through my love for them. To be able to go on this outreach trip, I now need to raise £1000 by 30th April. Would you please pray about taking part in sending me to Ethiopia? Any financial donation would be a huge blessing to me. You can securely donate on-line at www.gatewaysbeyond.org/donate.php . Just be sure to designate the donation is to go towards Gwen Paget's Ethiopia outreach trip. Or you can contact me or my parents for all other methods. The preciousness of going to Ethiopia to serve and bless the people there, for me is an answer to my childhood prayers and in memory of my mother's brother who was laid to rest in 1968.

On a hill far away

Tales of abuse and torture plague the news headlines on a daily basis. It is hard to picture or even believe some of the horrific tales that are told and not told through the media. I believe that God is going to use the media for His purposes during these final days that we live in. Amazed by the beauty of the range at Mount Carmel, our tears flowed as we heard and saw the tale of some of the women and children who find refuge in this hidden treasure. God's heart was being transplanted to ours, after the DVD's were finished, we closed with a time of prayer and again the presence of Almighty God was overwhelming. A connection made, unity of heart towards those who are strangers in this land, widows and orphans – a reflection of the Jews in days gone by.

What a privilege it was to serve in the land in such a practical way. Seeing the hopelessness of the people there broke my heart. Yet I was inspired by how the simple things we did, at a widow's home I dusted, tided, cleaned windows, organised and blessed; at a holocaust survivor's home I cleaned windows and shutter until like new; in various places, I cleaned windows and scrubbed toilets, caused so much joy for others.

No more room at the Inn

Children laughing, mothers busying around, as we loved on the people. There was joy in one house at least, for those precious days we spent painting, playing and simply being around the people in the camp. What a life-changing time in an area so unsafe to us, yet safe to those who live there. I learned this fast as our team passed a man carrying a 2 inch think bundle of US hundred dollar bills. Our guide told me, 'This is the safest place on earth.' I was shocked and surprised at his words, I smiled on the outside while on the inside I was unconvinced. It was a 5 minute walk from our hotel through the concrete to get to the house where we served. With murals of Hussain on the walls just outside, we knew where we were not. I spend the days sanding walls and playing with the children. Plenty of sweet tea with sage was consumed during those hours. Head dresses, unveiled beauties we saw as my heart began to melt for the unchosen brother. God revealed to me His love for this side of the family – His passion to see their hearts softened and how He longs to have them redeemed to be part of the family again. There was no room at the Inn when Joseph came to town, unwanted and dejected only the cave for the sheep remained for them to shelter. Our team was received with open arms and joy. Tears shed on both sides, the bonds of love surpassing language, nationality and religion. We left with many memories for all.