Young Leaders reflect on mission
As part of SOMAs developing of young people on the META Youth programme, between 2 and 4 META graduates are invited each year by Stu Wright to join the next cohort as junior leaders. Risa Patelia, a META grad starting a law degree has even become a much appreciated trustee of SOMA, as well as worship pastor at our missions and events. Risa and junior leader Caleb Pennystan reflect on their recent involvement in the META mission in Kenya:
Departing Nairobi after a full on trip
Risa Writes:
The Lord always shows up whenever we faithfully call on Him and He absolutely did on the Meta mission in Kenya this year! I’m taken back every-time in awe of the ways the Holy Spirit ministers to His people all across the world and how our faith unites the body of Christ no matter where we are.
When in Mbeere ( where we as Meta ran a youth conference)in the last evening session there was such a tangible sense of the Lords presence and was just beautiful to see Him at work as we were all brought to our knees in reverence. I felt like everything we’d been working and planning towards for that conference was for that breakthrough moment as we watched Jesus do what only Jesus can do! And this was just one of the many moments and ways Jesus was at work. And to think this is just one mission out of the many that happen during the year is so encouraging to know that soma really is living out “Thy kingdom come” all across the globe!
Caleb continues:
In John 3:30, John the Baptist says that “He must become greater; I must become less”. This is how it feels to go on a SOMA mission trip. We arrived in Kenya having spent a year in prayer and planning, but still with surrendered hearts. I can’t remember a single part of the trip that went as I had expected. Whether it was in prayer ministry for the many Kenyan young people who gave their lives to Jesus or in conversations with local bishops and SOMA partners our plans meant very little. However, we did our best to walk in humble obedience, backed by the coolest community of prayer ever, and had the privilege of joining in with what God was doing. We saw chains of addiction broken and tribal spiritual strongholds shaken as the holiness of the living God was proclaimed.
Seeing the META youth grow in faith and step out in boldness was so encouraging, but just as important as this was seeing them encounter new aspects of the nature of Christ through partnering and learning from the global church. As a team we journeyed through the book of Ephesians in our morning devotions each day and saw the fruits of living out the unity we have through The Holy Spirit. The team built rich, honest friendships which will likely carry on for their whole lives. Moreover, as Paul prays at the end of Ephesians 3, I believe we all now have more of a grasp of just how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is.
