It now being 2:50am I am in my prime evaluating time of the day. And quite a week to evaluate. I realise it has been some time since my last blog. I apologise. To business, on December 13th, last Thursday, I arrive at church having slept in. For some unknown reason my cell phone decided that my alarm would be silent that morning. Myself and Adam Cornford were supposed to be driving all over the Lower Mainland checking out other church's youth rooms for ideas. Due to my sleeping in I was at the church, rather than somewhere in Richmond, at 10:45am. I walk in to the foyer of the church to hear these words, 'Charles Best is evacuating, there's been a bomb scare, they're coming here'. The next few minutes were pretty exciting for myself and the Reverend Pastor Jon Morrison (that's right, he's a Rev now) as we ran around dreaming up ideas of how we could entertain the 900 students about to pile in our doors.
Next thing we know we are up on stage in front of just short of one thousand high school students and teachers, beginning to warm themselves after the short walk in the snow to the church. We lead them in a game that Jon thankfully remembered was still on the AV/Sound Booth computer after our Wednesday evening's youth meeting the week previous. Some students sang the opening lines to Christmas Songs the rest of the students finished them off, as I ran around throwing out prizes to the fastest groups to respond. The games then proceeded to dance offs, an impromptu 'Silent Night' from a student with quite the voice, drum battles, Buck Buck, Guesstures, and more. Jon and I were simply in our element, supported by the amazing staff at the church. Jared and Brad dropped everything to run the sound and AV, Adam faithfully guarded one of the doors, the office ladies helped in countless ways, and most humbling of all, Steve (our incredible janitor and friend) gave up his lunch to some of the students and then cleaned up after them all once the day was done.
The truth is, we all had fun, we enjoyed the day, Jon and I especially. Once the students and teachers has eventually all left and what just happened began to sink in we were struck with God's faithfulness. As Jon writes in his blog, much more readable than my own, we had recently been very aware of our need to get into the high schools more, and prayed accordingly.
Theologically both myself and Jon were quite aware that 'we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.' (Romans 8:28, ESV) however, we never expected such a concrete example of this to walk through our doors in the shape of 900 local high school students. Some student(s) had called in a bomb scare and God used this for His own glory.
It had been a frustration of ours for some time that although Charles Best Secondary School is literally 100ft from our building, many of those students did not know we existed, much less came out to youth or church. We were afforded the chance to give shelter, food and entertainment to these young men and women.
I am reminded of Joseph and his reaction to his brothers' terrible treatment of himself, as they grovel before him for their lives he replies to them, 'you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.' (Genesis 50:20) God took the evil of those brothers, and used it for good, saving the lives of some. Our prayer should now be that God would save some lives out of this event. That Jon and I, and the church in general, would be able to make the most of the favour God has won us. The morning after the bomb scare, the friday, Jon and I were invited to the school for their assembly. We were heralded as heros, rather unfairly if you ask me, we were just having fun, by the 1400 students. Pray that we are able to build better relationships with a much greater number of the students and that some of them will come to know Christ through this.
Glory to God.
