Chronicles of a Nomad
Hey Dudes.
2007 has begun and it has been an amazing journey thus far, "I can scarce take it in." I have moved out of my apartment in the Oude West of Amsterdam. I am sad to leave that property. I enjoyed living there and the whole neighborhood, which was very Turkish actually. Many a night I heard cars pull up to the stop light, blaring rap music in Arabic. I enjoyed living there with Sam the Scotsman. What can you do...Now I am reduced to the wandering of a Nomad, of sorts. I am living in an apartment owned by YWAM for 3 weeks. Its atop of one of YWAM's buildings. Its a beautiful place. Its got hard wood floors and exposed beams lifting high the white ceiling. Its so beautiful. It over looks the area I work in, the Red Light District. The apartment will then house the leader of the prayer ministry, Marietha. So, I a blessed to call this place home for a few weeks. After that, some friends of mine are going home to Brazil for 2 months and needed someone to house-sit there apartment for the time...I was very pleased to help them! Housing in the center of Amsterdam can sometimes be hard to obtain, but doors can and do open often. So, I am in the process of searching for that.
Ministry life has been going amazing. There is one guy that a team of us doing some discipleship stuff with. We have had countless meetings with him, gone to his house to pray, helped him get involved with teachings and churches that will aid him in his journey of recovery. Its been really encouraging. However, in this walk with him I have been learning so much about how people function and relate. Man, what I do is such precious and fragile work. Sometimes it hits me, I am trying teach and impact people in ways that will lead to a changed and purposeful lifestyle. I am seeking to meet people who society has said cannot change and not worth the time it would take. These people are just as much Gods creation as you or I! They are the victims of there own choices. They are the Prodigals who have run from home. People have abused them in countless ways, and they have in turn treated others accordingly.
Its a call to perseverance love that I must answer. I need to walk with them one day at a time. Its Gods work of change that must happen. He is the one who changes hearts. Not me. I am called to love them and daily be a witness of who God is. To show that He is unchanging, yet constantly revealing new sides and characteristics of Himself. Yet, He always flows in the same pattern. His heart never changes, it is always loving. It is that love that I have seen change lives.
A good friend of mine just went down to Zuid Afrika (South Africa) for a one month long trip. So I will miss him here. Hes a Dutch guy, with a very Dutch sense of humor. Hm...What else. There is a team of students here from Bethel University. This is the rival college of Northwestern, where I graduated from. They have been a blessing here. They are studying a bit of Amsterdam works and functions. Its to hear a Minnesota accent on English again.
So that's me. I am always open to questions and hope to hear from anyone who takes the time to read this "stuff" that comes from my head and heart...Seeya....Will (willstacken@gmail.com)
