Wednesday June 29th, an hour before the mission was closing

a guy by the name of John E. came in to use the bathroom and ask if we knew a place he could stay. One of the volunteers and I started probing to find out more information about him. We found out that his mother had died from a pill overdose at the age of 47 and her funeral was June 23rd. After the funeral he skipped town and overdosed on painkillers on the 25th.

He is only 25. Mitchum (the director) gave him some cash and helped him find a hostile. John and I spoke for about 25 minutes before he decided to head off to the hostile. I have his number and he should be back tonight to pick up his laundry. Keep him in your prayers, pray that God will flood his heart with his love, that he could let him see hope. Pray that God will equip him with his armor to keep him safe from the hell that he is going thru. And lastly that he could fill the warmth his embrace. My only comfort in this is that Jesus is crying with him!

-Randell

Update from Ali!

Hello all!!!

So far this trip has been absolutely AH-MAZING!!! The team; Ben, Amanda, Tyson, Randell and I are having an all around Scottish good time!

We have had the opportunity to volunteer every weekday with Glasgow City Mission (GCM). Those days consist of helping run various clubs. The clubs I've had the chance to help out with are the I.T. and Internationals Clubs as well as the Young Mens' Club. GCM also offers cooking and baking clubs, art clubs as well as use of the gym and bathing facilities. So far I've had the opportunity to get to know many of the service users, share parts of my story and pray with them. Most of my days consists of listening though. They all have different stories; some know they've made bad choices, others have simply given up and some have had bad bad luck. Many of those that seek provision at GCM are either homeless, asylum seekers from other countries trying to find community or a place they can learn English, or hopelessly addicted to alcohol and/or drugs.

At night we also volunteer at GCM, but instead of running clubs we prepare a meal and that is when the mission receives the most foot traffic. The doors are open from 8:30 to 10:30 pm. Right around 9:30 one of the staff members or volunteers presents a short 5-10 minute long message either consisting of testimony or a short devotional of some kind. I volunteered to lead the message for the women's dinner next Friday; I'll let you know how it goes!

During the dinner service they do split up the men and women, giving the dinners a completely different feel. Though the women's dinner is much smaller, it is much more emotional. The first women's dinner I helped with, two women cried, another was so affected by some substance she could barely stand and she told me a story of how she got kicked out of her last hostel (the housing the government provides for the homeless) because she attacked another girl and was found holding a knife to her throat, though she was so drugged induced she has no recollection.

Not that I want these stories to be scary at all, but I do want you to know that the group of people were are working with are completely broken and poor not in money but in spirit. They believe in their cores not that they are loved and worthy because God loves them, rather that they are completely worthless and incapable of ever providing for themselves. If you are reading this and there's one thing I could ask of you, it is to pray for healing of their broken spirits. Not that I know what that looks like. But that somehow through the mission, through the love and blessings they receive there, that one day they will begin to feel worth more than the nonexistence they've come to know. The zombie-like drudgery of 'sleeping rough' as many of them call it.

It may sound heavy, but many of those that I meet that come to the mission are fun and funny and I enjoy my days there. As a team we've had the chance to explore Glasgow a bit and also got to hang out with Graeme and Stuart of Rodent Emporium (for those of you that don't know them, they are rad Christians who have come to Scum before and form a band, Rodent Emporium, that has performed at Cornerstone the past few years). This week on my day off I am meeting up with some friends from Glasgow Uni from when I studied abroad in Glasgow in '06 and can't WAIT! I'll try to keep you updated with all things Glasgow!!!! Stay happy and contact me if you want, would love to hear from you!!!!

<3 Ali

ali.goossens@gmail.com

Another week has gone by in a flurry! Friendships are growing with the staff, volunteers, and clients at Glasgow City Mission as we spent most of our afternoons and evenings there.

Friday, between shifts at the Mission we were able to grab a quick bite with Linda Abbott, wee lass who has been one of our main contacts with the Mission. She leaves Thursday to spend a few weeks in Croatia working with a children's camp there! Please join us in praying for her as she goes and ministers.

We were able to spend some more time with Stuart Gilmour on Thursday night and hope to spend time with Graeme Watt tonight. And on Sunday, we were able to share what God's doing through Scum of the Earth Church in Denver and in Glasgow with their church! It was super rad to have this door opened for us to encourage and support the Carbrain Baptist Church in Cumbernauld, a suburb of Glasgow!

Saturday, we spent most of our day in Stirling.
The Castle there was phenomenal and the view of the countryside was breath-taking.
We found a wee cool pub and had a grand dinner: a traditional Scottish for some and a cheeseburger with haggis for others :)

Today, we'll be helping to clean and restock the Mission before meeting with Graeme, then back to the Mission for the evening service. Then tomorrow it's off for a few days on the Isle of Iona! Please pray that our time there would be full of refreshment, reflection and a better understanding of why God has us here and what He wants us to take back with us.

Thanks for your ongoing encouragement and support!

hello friends!

we've been in glasgow a week tomorrow and we've been busy! afternoon clubs @ glasgow city mission into nights of serving drinks and food to the homeless of glasgow alongside them as well.

saturday, we visited glasgow cathedral and st. mungo's museum of religious life and art, then to cumbernauld to help stuart gilmour and graeme watt put on a shindig at their church to raise funds for their u.s. tour.

we were able to sleep in a bit sunday which was grand and then we were off for mosaic church where we joined them in their worship gathering!

as i said, we've been busy and 3 of us have today off which is much appreciated. the other 2 will greatly enjoy a day of rest and refreshment tomorrow, getting ready for another week of serving alongside our scottish brothers and sisters :)

WOW!!!

Hi, My name is Randell!!!
I suck at spelling and grammar!!! (Ali has corrected my spelling already!!! lol)

Day one!!!
The facility is one of the nicest work places I have ever been in (excluding oskar blues j.k.) not only that but every one who works and volunteers here is passionate about Jesus and reflects that by loving each other the Clients (they use clients instead of homeless folks, I think its uplifting)
For me the hardest thing I feel I'm going to struggle with is leaving in 27 days (I wish it was a 3 month trip)

I most go now, and i realizes that this is short but its midnight!!!

Thank you intentionally reading this and especialy for your time!!!

with love truly,

Randell

Departure

We're heading to Glasgow! Here's Randell & Tyson walking towards our plane to Philly:

















While in Philadelphia, you must sample the delicious Cheesesteaks... yummy! :)

Thoughts at Phili airport.

We're sitting here in the Philadelphia airport, attached to our digital devices, passing time until we board the plane to Glasgow around 8:30pm EST.

I'm thinking about...

I'm praying about...

I'm worrying about...

..,A lot

...A lot

...Not too much.

The woman sitting next to me on the plane here worked for Homeland Security. I didn't chat with her much- I'm a bit shy sometimes- but I found out she was traveling this time for personal reasons, not work. I asked her a bit about what the job entailed- naturally she didn't say much. We talked about the East coast, the ocean, and other things.

As I was sitting here waiting in the boarding area for our next flight, I thought again about our conversation. (I posted my main thought on my FB page, but I will repeat it here, hopefully at not too great a length.)

She works for US Homeland Security.

I work for the PL Homeland Security. I work for the security of the Promised Land, the Land flowing with milk and honey, where there is no more weeping, nor sorrow, nor fear. I defend the territory promised to me through Jesus Christ. Sometimes I may not see the fruits of my work, sometimes I'm sent to the front lines. But when I'm in the middle of battle, I don't need a bulletproof vest. I have on me the armor of God, which nothing can penetrate. I know that as Isaiah was told, "no weapon that is formed against you will prosper." I will stand in battle for the Lord- I may need to do nothing, like Jehoshaphat, or I may need to pierce through the darkness with the word of God, saying, "it is written..." like Jesus. But I do not need to fear, for I know my Father will protect me.

I guess you could also say I work for Promised Land Immigration- not keeping people out, but bringing people in. It is my job- volunteer job, that is, to let everyone know about this wonderful country that exists- the most wonderful place that there was, or ever will be.

The Scotland team is going to Glasgow- "the working city"- to sow seeds of faith, redemption and love through Christ. We want to bring people into the fold- to be part of the flock that will follow the Good Shepherd to the Promised Land.

I'm so honored to be a part of this group- we seem so different- but we're all of the same family- brothers and sisters in Christ, co-workers for the Kingdom, and we have the best Boss in the whole universe. I get paid with love, freedom and life, but those benefits aren't contingent on my work performance. All I have to do is try. And because I love my "job" so much, I try so incredibly hard.

And thanks be to God for all He has given us, and continues to give us.

Amen.

posted by amanda

Getting on the first plane to Philly!!!

We leave tomorrow! :)

God is good! :)

Friends

Just wanted to inform you that our prayers have been answered: Randell's Visa has been approved and all five Visas are making their way to Denver as I type this up!

Sergei and Tanya of Passport Visa Express have been a huge help in the process of getting our Visas as quickly as possible and if you ever need help with Visas, please contact them.

I want to share a little story of the crazy way God works:

1 piece of Randell's information arrived at Passport Visa Express today while the rest was already at the Embassy, waiting for this 1 piece. The PVE agent carried it to the Embassy to drop it off to be added to the packet already there, which would then be processed within the next few days.

When the PVE agent arrived at the Embassy and explained the situation, the Visa person decided to go ahead and process it right then and there, bypassing the pile of other packets to be approved. Randell's Visa was approved, an email sent to him, which he forwarded to me. The Visa was picked up by the PVE agent and is now winging it's way to Denver!

God is so good! :)

I don't have the picture from Randell's Visa but here are the photos from the rest of the team's:

Struggle

Hey I have been told to write on here and so I thought I would give a little introduction about my self. My name is Tyson, and I live in Denver. I have been going to Scum of the Earth Church for a few years now and really enjoy the community that it has allowed to be involved with. I live in a house with several other people who go to Scum and through that house we are trying to do a lot of ministry. We are seeking together to serve the neighborhood that we are in and that Scum is in seeing that our house is just a few blocks away from the church. I really enjoy the idea of living in the same neighborhood as your church and being able to walk to church. Serving this neighborhood means serving everyone in it. That includes the people who own the house down the street, the people who rent the apartment across the street and the homeless person who sleeps behind your dumpster.

That’s where this trip and my life line up. In Glasgow we are going to be working a lot with the homeless and it will be an invaluable experience that will allow me to be a better servant to people who live in my neighborhood. I fully expect it to be tough and challenging. But God has been teaching me a lot about challenge lately. I used to run with the phrase “pursue something till God closes the door.” But recently it seems like God has been “closing doors” just so that I can learn to kick them in. I read a quote the other day from a Jesuit missionary named Father Lallemant who said “we must be weary when things are going too smoothly. That is the time when no progress is made.”

The build up to this trip has had a lot of struggle. We got surprised with expensive visas and have somewhat of hard time fundraising. But though it God has been constant and I feel as though I am at a place of greater reliance on Him because of the hardships and stressfulness in this time than I would have been if things had gone completely smoothly. It feels as though it’s been a testing process for what God has in store.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us and has been supporting us in this process. I am incredibly thankful to the community that has been surrounding us and lifting us up. Please continue to do so as we go a week from tomorrow, and spend 28 days serving God in Glasgow.

Prayer team letter

Friends

Just wanted to give you an update on where we are with our trip to Scotland: We've had to get Visas to get into Scotland to do the work God is calling us to do which was not planned for. 4 of the 5 of us have our Visa and we are waiting on the fifth which should be completed Wednesday. Please join us in praying that Randell's Visa comes through with no hitch and all Visas make it into our hands in plenty of time.

We had a great meeting yesterday speaking out our doubts and fears to through which we were able to seek God, encourage each other, and build a level of unity which will be an incredible benefit to as we seek to to minister in Scotland. I believe that this unity is what Jesus talks about in John 13:35. Please pray with us that these fears and doubts would build faith and persistence in us and that this unity will grow so God can use it to glorify and draw people to Himself.

Finally, we are still raising support to be able to do all we want to while in Scotland! God is so good, having already provided so much and we trust that He will continue to provide for us! Please join us as we praise Him for His provision and generosity!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support in this!

...ben mercer

Finally!

Hey friends!

Just wanted to update this so it's got the new information:

Tyson Rasmussen, Amanda Morley, Randell Cameron, Ali Goossens, & Ben Mercer are heading to Glasgow from 6 June 'til 4 July 2011 and we're so excited! As of right now, we know we'll be working alongside Glasgow City Mission, hanging with the folk at Glasgow Mosaic church and Stuart Gilmour and the crew from To Write Love on Her Arms ~ Scotland.

This will be the place to check up on us to see more about what's happening and what we're experiencing. Please keep us in your prayers as we seek to serve God and the people of Glasgow!

Thanks!

...ben mercer