Work force!

The Basque people find their identity in their work. In the very first conversation that you have with someone they will inevitably ask you where you earn you money. So it was pretty cool that the family that I'm staying with has a friend who owns one sweet bar in the local town of Getaria. I've been helping out over there for a couple weekends and it gets pretty crazy when the sun is out (lota foot traffic). Here I've been learning how to fry us some calamari (which this young lad is enjoying) and I've been picking up on some Euskara (the Basque language) as I worked at the bar too. It's a beautiful thing when an evangelist has a captive audience and we can thank our special sponsors Heinkin and Coca-Cola for making that all possible. It works like this: in walks a local Basque man. He ritualistly takes a walk every Saturday and Sunday. This walk will take him at least an hour or two and on this walk he meets and greets his friends (who are also out). There is always a bar or restaurant in this equation. At said bar, the people will rest and take something to eat and drink. Here they will spend their time as they have no pressing need to be anywhere.

This struck me very hard. When you preach to someone in the subways of Chicago (0r worse yet on the streets of Dublin) they've always got "somewhere to go". And they have a very urgent need to get to that business. The Basque culture is very unique in this area: for all the cold, hard conversations that you have with a Basque person, it is amazing how open they can be in their familiar realm at their favorite hour.

You are one of them if you are at the bar...or maybe you are one of them if you have their alcohol and food under your power. Either way, this is one of the most interesting finds I've encountered on this voyage.









Thanks Heineken!

Zarautz prayer

Zarautz, Pais Vasco from Jon Wong on Vimeo.

Zarautz, Pais Vasco, Spain is a small town on the coast that is in great need. No, they don't have any pressing physical needs, but there is an overpowering void that can only be filled with Christ.

Alfonso skate

I met Alfonso down on the beach and I was able to talk to him about how sweet skating and surfing is. After we cleaned out the bowl, he showed me some of his moves. We also got to talk about Jesus and how no matter how cool skating is, there's a life with Jesus that means so much more.


Alfonso skate from Jon Wong on Vimeo.

Zarautz, Pais Basco

Today was a lifestyle day. It began with a quick breakfast and running shoes shuffling down the stairs. John Piper was hosted on my ipod as I trekked up the local hills. Vineyards held the mountains together and crumbling walls glued the ancient earth to modern apartment buildings. Second breakfast and some time in the Word.

Grabbed the skateboard and headed to the beach a little before noon. It was pretty cool to see familiar faces and one youth about my age even remembered my name! Met a couple of Benya's friends and then headed back to the house to get into the suit and grab my board.

The water is my time to pray. I feel God's strength rolling underneath me and then I am overpowered with a desire to turn to the surfer next to me and tell him how great our Creator is.

The waves weren't the best, but I got some funny looks when I told the youth that I had a Message from God and that I'm not here for vacation. "Not that many people around here believe in God," Benya responded.

"Well, that's why I'm here, my friend"

Carmen: hi-end youth ministry

Expense accounts. A budget and a big space. Many volunteers and tons of fun activities. These are a just a few of the items that modern day youth workers will require to get started. These are just the bare minimums, right? Carmen comes in at a different angle. Her heart lies with the orphans and the poor, so she followed her dreams and served in Central America. When she returned, she saw a need with the youth of her local church and was encouraged to serve there. She had no training or even a great sense of calling to this position, but she knew that this youth needed to be fed and grow in the Word.

She still has an avenue to serve the outcast. With her training as an artist, she volunteers at the local daycare. Kids up to 13 years of age, many of them gypsies, come and have a creative outlet through sculpting, painting, and other arts.

Even though Carmen believes that she will one day serve with derelict youth, she is does not pass up an opportunity to join the harvest right now.

Eliel: big timing youth

Malaga, Spain: January 18th.

Launched a couple emails before I jetted over to Spain from Ireland. My bags didn't make it, but God hooked me up with something better. Without confirmation or knowing much flight information Eliel stepped into my life. He was waiting at the airport for me, a facebook friend of a friend of a friend. For the next week, Eliel gave me contacts and an inside look to what it means to be a Christ follower in southern Spain.

Eliel at only 15 years of age acted and served like someone far older. His soft spoken words brimmed with excitement at what God is doing in Malaga. Pride and a positive sense of ownership of his church prompted Eliel to introduce me to Edgar, Christian, and Emmanuel. It was with these 3 Christ followers that I stayed for a week. Eliel showed me the church building and helped me meet other local Christ followers.

God has given Eliel great talent with media and video in particular. Eliel serves with a local ministry that produces Christian media for distribution.

Sure, Eliel could not spend every day with me, but with the connections that he had he was able to give me a great foundation for learning about what God was up to in Malaga. His unique friends and contacts made him an invaluable asset as I moved between groups of friends.

I've never heard of anyone place his identity so readily in the church. He couldn't wait to introduce me his friends. I think back to how many youth groups in the US have discontented youth who think the meetings are lame. Eliel brings the amp by pouring out his gifts and making the group something that he takes pride in.

He's not a pastor and he has no fancy degrees, but Eliel has chosen to join the harvest with what he's been given. It starts with a servant heart and there is no age requirement for that!