Sunsets, Vomit and House Music

 It was a privilege to be there. So often, during my time in Ibiza I would forget what a privilege it was to be in Ibiza. I would forget that it is an honour to get to know people on holiday and have them invite you into their lives. Into their joys and struggles. Into their victories and failures. That is no small thing. It’s an honour to be trusted with prayer requests. To have people who barely know you, that you’ve only met 5 or 10 minutes ago and to have them say, “Hey, actually yea. Can you pray about this?” when you ask them if there is anything you can pray for when you stop by to chat with them is no small thing.

   It’s easy when you are going and going to forget to stop and realise this. Night after night, you are either out on the streets helping people and chatting with them out on West End, hanging out with other people on your team or having a night in to watch a movie with the girls and bake. You want to make the most of your time and want to hang out with the people around you so when you get a night off, you want to spend time with others if you're feeling up to it. However, in the going and going, it can be easy to forget to slow down, stop and reflect on what God is doing.

    I found though that it was in the moments where I just stopped and starred out at the sea and in the sunset moments that it was easier to slow down and remember. The moments where the sun slowly starts to set and reflects off the sparkling blue water. Like actually blue, not the Jersey shore ocean “blue” that I was used to growing up, which is more of a mix of navy and grey. It’s breathtaking. The sky then fades from blue into a light pinkish/purple colour. Other nights, it would even turn a vibrant fiery orange that lit up the sky. It was in these moments where I sat and starred out at the sea that time felt like it stopped and I felt closer to God. 

  I learned a lot from God during these times but the biggest thing I learned these past couple of months was that God loves me. Growing up in a Christian home, I would hear a lot that God loved me and then I had this great epiphany about it 4 years ago that changed my life, so I didn’t think I would need to reminded of it. However, sometimes God decides that we may need to go back to the basics and be reminded of certain things and how He sees us. No matter how old we get or how long we've known Jesus, we can’t outgrow hearing the words “God loves you". We need that reminder daily.

   He has shown His love for me in sunsets, late-night/early morning laughter, blue skies and palm trees. He has shown His love for me in homemade nachos, dog kisses, bright blue seas and the sound of the sea at night. He has shown His love for me in providing things when I needed them, encouraging prayers, kind words from friends, music in the clubs and nights of dancing. The thing that impacted me the most though in seeing how God sees us was seeing how people look out for their friends on the West End.

      Sometimes, when we would help someone they would be on their own. We would come over to them and ask them if they were alright. We would introduce ourselves, hand them a bottled water and then just talk with them and ask them where their friends where. Sometimes they would be getting sick so we would rub their backs to help them get the sick out. We would take wipes and wipe the sick off their mouths or their arms and legs. (It’s safe to say that my stomach has gotten a lot stronger over the past couple of months) Then once we find out where they are staying, we help walk them back to where they are staying to make sure they get home safely or if it is too far to walk we drive them in the “vomit van”.

     Other times, they are with friends. We hand their friends the bottled water and stay by and help as needed or wanted. If they have enough help then we leave them with their friends. As I would walk away, I would watch as their friends put their arms around them and helped them drink water. Other times, people are with friends but they need a bit extra help. So we stay and if needed, take someone and their friends back to the hotel.  I have seen God’s kindness in how people look out for their friends. Friends who just jump right in beside us and help as needed. Lending a shoulder to their friend to put their arm around them so they can stand or who help us tuck someone into bed when we get them safely back to their hotel. Friends who would speak encouraging words over their friends as they sit in the van beside them, telling them “you’ll be ok” and “we’re almost home”.

  And as I saw people’s friends look out for them, clean them up without hesitation and encourage them, I was reminded that this is exactly what Jesus does for us. He takes us as we are in his arms, no matter what state we may be in. He picks us up and cleans us off. He speaks comforting and encouraging words over us. When I think of this, I feel overwhelmed by God’s love for everyone. A love that invites us to come just as we are. A love that stretches further than the widest, bluest sea. A love that we can all be reminded of everyday.

  

Words cannot express how thankful I am to have been able to spend the past couple of months with 24-7 and to be able to a part of team over there for a time. What a pleasure and privilege it was to be a part of all this! Thank you all for your prayers over these past couple of months.

Until next time,

Amy