Peter & Kelly
on The Way
Last modified: 13/01/2024 13:43 GMT RSS
Photo Page 2 — Second term at All Nations
April 2003
Other photo pages:November 2004March 2004(only in Dutch!) November 2002
Winter — Daily life is always influenced by the weather. For the first time in many years there was more than just a thin covering of snow on the ground—enough for making snowballs and even for sledding down the sloped cow field behind the college. No one is used to driving in the snow or tending the roads and so the traffic was in complete disarray with delays and jams that lasted hours... reminiscent of Vancouver! The snowdrops which has just begun blooming before the snowfall peeped shyly through their white blanket and then for a long time after snow was gone they filled the woods, giving an impression of a spring snowfall.
Throwing snowballs during coffee break
Sledding down the cow field slope
Snowdrops from Peter's window
Learning — This term brought many new interesting subjects. Peter enjoyed history and literature of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). One assignment was to work in groups to present a discussionforum of a significant event in Israel's history, complete with dressing-up in character! Peter made a very good Nehemiah! Spiritual Warfare focussed on deliverance ministries and strategic regional spiritual warfare. In Hermeneutics various different factors important for interpreting Bible passages were taught—the class was brilliantly taught. Buddhist Studies—Peter's subject of personal interest—included a visit to two contemporary Buddhist centres where it was possible to talk to those studying there. There was also opportunity in the classwork to develop material that can be used in communicating the gospel. Integrated Study Week was a whole week devoted to the study of Ecclesiastes for the whole college—hard work! Peter also joined the level three Sociology of Religion class—with Kelly in it— in their field trip to the headquarters of the Church of Scientology—a movement where personal effectiveness is promoted. An interesting but not inspiring experience. In addition to Sociology of Religion, Kelly enjoyed quite a few more Biblical classes. She spent most of her studying energies on an Old Testament texts class that focussed on specific texts which highlighted major themes of the Old Testament. She also tried to get her mind around the intricacies of New Testament Theology—primarily Paul's epistles. A class on Romans led to further mental gymnastics in trying to grasp Paul's many and complex thoughts. She has discovered that she really enjoys spending time looking more in depth at the Biblical text itself.
Ezra & Nehemiah in discussion
Talking to a female buddhist monk
The Castle of Scientology
In talks with several people —his home support group among others— Peter noticed that he had learned much more and had gotten a much broader perspective on the Bible than he had thought. The education at All Nations is very much geared towards broadening one's horizon and not in the first place towards knowledge as such, so it was good to find that growth had also taken place in the area of knowlegde and insight.
New life — Spring has sprung and one after another the beautiful spring flowers are budding. After the snowdrops came the crocuses, followed by seas of daffodils all through the woods around college. In the autumn, Kelly planted the flower box which she had made last year with bulbs. They bloomed in colourful succession and by the end of term yellow mini-daffodils, purple hyaciths and red tulips all joined together in a symphony of colour. Students are notorious for making up ludicrous activities, for example, a course in Basic Milking taught by a farmer's daughter. The climate—just North of London— is very soft compared to The Netherlands. It is quite similar to the coastal climate of Vancouver. Peter thinks that most of the time you can be outside without a coat, and when it does rain, you hardly get wet but Kelly thinks that coats, especially her rainjacket, are a more essential commodity. Wednesday afternoons are set apart for sports. Peter has started to join in the recreational football (soccer) games although Kelly was already a regular participant. Peter's excercise was just running in the countryside—usually in the evening.
The tree near Peter's entrance
Milking, taught by a professional!
Playing football (soccer) on the pitch
Love — Something wonderful happened in the last few weeks of this term: God has worked a miracle in bringing two people together: Peter and Kelly. Peter is a first year student from the Netherlands with an interest in South East Asia. Kelly is a second year student from Canada with a vision for discipleship training and personal pastoral prayer ministry. Our relationship is getting more and more serious. It is almost incredible how much the both of us are blessed in our relationship and we are extremely happy!! Of course it is very important to grow closer to each other and to receive God's guidance in that proces. A relationship that crosses cultural borders has difficulties of its own, but then, it integrates very well with what we are learning here at college, which is much more than just the result of reading books! This year we are working together—with 3 other students— in a project team that is involved in TEE—theological education by extension. We are leading discussion seminars based on material focussing on the four gospels. The participants are members of local churches, some of them Sunday School teachers and lay preachers. Kelly is leading the team of student-tutors.
Together in front of a sea of daffodils
Never so happy...!
The other members of Peter's churchteam
Pesach — We celebrated a Passover meal a month before Easter with the whole college, in a traditional Jewish way, led by our Messianic Jewish tutor. The students who are taking Hebrew were involved in pronouncing the numerous blessings. Peter did the one for the fourth cup, the cup of the coming (again) of the Messiah. The meal was very carefully prepared, and the tables were very nicely done, but the spiritual communion was the most impressive part of the celebration—sharing the unleavened bread and wine. It was our last communal meal this term...
Bitter herbs — parsley
'Jewish' worship music
The middle one of three is broken...
Future — Whatever the future may bring, I am guided by the hand of the Lord. This summer will be very busy, but it will be spent seeking first the kingdom of God in various ways, which is the crux of the matter! The educational program at college is not a goal in itself, but a time of thorough preparation for life in general and especially for a life of service as labourers in the harvest that Jesus wants to gather in, whomever He wants—for He gave his life for all...
Cambridge: The Cambridge International Outreach is a great Outreach ministry that has been bearing fruit for over twenty years. In 1995, 1996 en 1997 Peter participated in it for several months as a member of the local chapter of the IFES movement — International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For years, two weeks of CIO have been led by a team from All Nations. This year Peter will lead it together with Kah Foon from Singapore. Thousands of students from all over the world come to Cambridge in the summer to study English at one of the renowned language schools. In the evening CIO runs two coffeebars where those students are welcome to come and practice their English—a popular choice. Team members are then able to make friends and tell them what brought them to Cambridge — Jesus' love for all people! Every evening a Bible study is announced by a piece of drama. It is fantastic to see how enthusiastic people can be who have never held a Bible before! In the mornings the team is trained in different aspects of intercultural evangelism and in the afternoons sports activities are organized — also tremendously valuable for making friends!
Lunch with the team
Sports on Parker's Piece
Chatting in a coffeebar
Cambodia: The initial plan was for Peter to go to Cambodia this summer with World Horizons, where there is a team working on several projects, and for Kelly to go to Greece in the autumn. But...
Marriage: Peter and Kelly got engaged on April 14, 2003, and will be married this summer in Vancouver, Canada!! Over the Easter break Kelly visited The Netherlands and met Peter's family, friends and church. Right after the outreach in Cambridge, Peter will fly to Vancouver, Canada to meet Kelly's family and friends. We are hoping to do a block placement (short term missions placement) together in the Easter break 2004 in a country and with an organization that suits both of us.
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