Ali Page - Playing For an Audience of One

11 Months of What? Overview (plus video)

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you want to know exactly what kind of work I did this year here it is. This year was truly a taste of every different type of volunteer work and ministry possible! From handing out tracts ( not my favorite!), to preaching, to painting and manual labor, to marriage counseling, to holding a dying woman's hand. Here I list each country we went to and what we did there, all said in a few words.

1. Chiapas, Mexico. Teaching in a local church. These people did A LOT of church!

2. Ometepe Island, Nicaragua. Lived at orphanage, doing children and youth discipleship ( this included throwing a lot of birthday parties and teaching sewing classes)

3. Ho Chi Minh, Viet nam. College outreach, orphan, and elderly ministry. (This is the month we lived above a place very similar to a brothel, so we went out during the day doing college ministry and at night we got to know the girls who worked at the hotel and prayed.)

4. Rubbish Mountain, Cambodia. Slum ministry. One of my favorite months. Loving on the poorest of poor who literally live and work in trash. We did preaching, teaching, washing lice invested hair, and throwing a life changing revival in which we saw many many super naturally healed through prayer and come to the Lord.

5. Pattaya, Thailand. Bar Ministry, Teaching English. We we went to the bars at night to build relationship with prostitutes and the thousands of men there, and by day we taught the girls english and helped transition them out of the bars.

6. London, England. Outreach to minority groups. this included going door to door and handing out tracts on the streets. This was very uncomfortable for many of us, but God definitely worked and used it!

7. Mozambique. Church discipleship and empowerment. A 45 minute walk every day in the middle of African bush to a church of sticks. We were told to go every day and by the end of 3 weeks they should know the gospel, how to share their story and evangelize. On my first day they didnt know what a Bible was, and by the end they had real intimate relationships with the Lord!

8. Lilongwe, Malawi. Teaching, Preaching, and Testimonies for villages, women and children. Going out everyday preaching for hours and hours and hours and hours! People came to the Lord every every day!

9. Nsoko, Swaziland. AIDS, Orphans, and women ministry. Loving on the oppressed and forgotten. We did an unforgettble womens retreat that set so many of us FREE, and ensured the 8 care points (that feed 800 orphans a day) were functioning as well as possible. We distributed about 1000 pairs of shoes to the locals, mostly children, after washing their feet and praying for them, one by one.

10. Ville Tecii, Romania. Gypsy Outreach. Living in a village of gypsies, who are sterotyped as theives and liars, but proved to be loving, genuine, amazing people, filled with RICH culture. One of my most memorable moments of the race was being baptized on someones front porch in a bath tub with gypsies, by gypsies....all to the tune of accordian and violin music!

11. Lugansk, Ukraine. Teaching English classes and Orphanage work. We built strong friendships with people our age who wanted to learn English and threw many coffee parties for them in our little teeny tiny apartment.

Of course so much more happened than I could EVER describe. If you are more of a visual person enjoy the video's below that team mate Lindsay Stahl made!

I am home....now what?

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It is true. This 11 months of wonderful madness has ended... but not really. It has been less than a week and I feel like it is truly just the beginning.

I was talking to my step-sister Tracy on the phone a few days after my return and she told me her sons Jackson and Eric and their youth group in Oak City, NC has followed me this whole year reading every blog (to which I was completely unaware....ATTN current Racers on the field - this is a reminder, you never know who is reading so keep the blogging up!) She told me as he watched my last video posted he looked up at her and said, "It's over! Now what am I going to do?"

I remember leaving for The World Race last June, and I spent many weeks (truthfully maybe months) grieving my life. Because I knew it was over. I cried and mourned for what I knew, and what would never be again. I knew I had signed up with an organization that was taking the Bible literally. I was going to have to die to myself..... and see my beautiful Jesus RISE! And boy did He ever!

As the Race was nearing the last month I kept expecting for those same emotions of grief to rise, and they never did. I left my 31 squad mates at the airport... and I was not morning. And I am not grieving. (Of course I was sad to say goodbye, but I know I will see them again, I know we have a connection for life!) Not only did I truly get "born again" into a new and free life but so did my 31 squad mates, and hundreds of others through us!!! This has been BIRTH, new life, freedom! Praise God! YEAH!

Yet, There have been moments this past week of return where I catch myself thinking, "Well, now what?!?" Just like Jackson thought, "Well now what am I going to do?" Like my step-dad Bob says, life is about choices...

So now, I am going to choose to do everything and anything the Lord leads, everyday for the rest of my life. He will continue to open and close doors, ask me to choose in, rise up,speak life, press in, and die to self. He will always ask for more, and it is beautiful. My Jesus is beautiful and so will be my life for Him. What an honor and joy it is to return. This is not so much a "re-entry" as it is just the next country on the World Race. I have spent many of the past months frustrated about the difficult language barriers, and HOORAY now I am in the next country on the list, the US of A and can tell all the amazing miracles the Lord did to me, in me, and through me!! Just think.... if He did this much in 11 months, how much more will He do for all the years to come!

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Thank you to all of you for following my journey. You will never know what your comment or e-mail meant to me as I read them in the heat of the battle. Your words of encouragement were like a drink of cool water! Thank you and keep reading, because I am going to keep blogging!

What is Community About? Video!

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The World Race is a mission trip of sorts but one of the most difficult and yet most rewarding aspects of the adventure is community living. It has been 11 months, and talented Katie Rowland has made a video of our squads thoughts on the wonders of community living. If you would like to try it out, join The World Race! If you want to hear more about how we did it, and my experiences, please contact me!

Try Harder

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I want to share one of my latest conversations with God. I was inspired by an excellent book, "Walking With God" by John Eldredge, to ask 2 questions. In the book he asks God "How Am I Doing?" I really wasn't sure what God was going to say but I do know that I was not doing super great. The enemy has been at work this past month trying to steal my joy on a daily basis. I have been waking up feeling exhaustion, irritation, dread, anger. I have been feeling tired. Most of this is Satan at work trying to bring us down. Each of the girls I am living with have been afflicted with the same things. He knows we are working hard to finish the Race strong and He does not like it.

As wonderful as The World Race is and as much as I love my new family, the end of it is nearing, and it has been HARD to finish STRONG. All this to say, I quieted myself and my thoughts to talk to the Lord and I asked Him,

1. How do I think I am doing?
2. How do you think I am doing?

He answered;

1. Try Harder

2. Enough

I asked, "Lord reveal a deeper meaning to the answers you have graciously given to me."

He answered, "You are hard on yourself and striving and trying to do something better than what I have given you, like please people. Try try try. Do do do. There is not enough trust in the Lord. Not enough REST. You are pressing yourself to try harder and have not yet found the balance of self sufficiency in Christ. You feel like you are drowning. You think you are treading water and if you stop for a second, you are going down. You'll go under. "

I had no idea this is where I was at. I was surprised and astonished. I know better than this. I have been learning it all year long. But I need to know the 2nd part too.

"And God what did you say? You said , "Enough" in regards to my second question. What does it mean?"

He told me, "I am Enough for you. I always have been and always will be. Enough of you try try trying. Enough. Rest in Me, Let me do the work . You will not drown or go under. The harder you go treading water, the less you trust me. Stand up on your feet. Walk by Faith and not by sight. Remain and Abide. Alison, you are enough. You are Enough. I want you to believe in your heart as well as your head that I am more than Enough for you."

So I have been trying to do just that. Rest in the Lord.

Try Harder: Part II

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

PART 2

After this conversation I had a lot to think about and pray about. This blog is an excerpt from my journal that I wrote in church last Sunday. I post this journal entry to be honest and vulnerable with what God is teaching me. I hope it helps someone or speaks to someone who may be going through something similar.

"Psalm 62:1 "My soul finds rest in God alone..." I am not at rest and when I am resting, it is not in You, Jesus. This Scripture says that my soul is to find rest in you alone. "....my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation. In him, I will never be shaken."

My Salvation is most definitely from you. You are my rock and my salvation, you are my fortress, I will never be shaken. But I feel shaken Lord. I feel shaken. Is this my fault? Am I choosing to be shaken, instead of running to you for refuge? I am certainly making it all about me and fitting you in. Of course I feel shaken. I am not making my life about you. Help me to change this. Speak to me. You know what I need. You ALONE know what I need. I repent, Lord. Forgive me. God you will resurrect me, and bring dead things in me to life...the fruit of the Spirit. You want me to trust you."

I stopped writing as I heard fellow Racer, Daniel Strosky giving the message for church and he was describing the Israelites and their faith. Dan spoke of when the Israelites faced a challenge they were quick to stop trusting God. They would want to go back to Egypt, away from God and back into their slavery. (Rather than trust the Lord in His provision, protection, and love.)

I continued to write in my journal, "I don't want to go back to Egypt, Lord. I don't want death or to be destroyed. I want to obey and live in you. "

I am amazed at how easily I forget so much of what I have learned. It will take effort to apply the lessons God has taught me this year. Like, who I am in Him. It is a daily choice to Walk with Him and to be in His presence, and what a privledge it is!

Please pray for me through this. I have one week left of the World Race and then back to Colorado. Pray for preparation for me in my homecoming as well as ending here well and strong!

Faces of Romania Video!

Fri, 1 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am in Ukraine, my last country before returning home! This video is from last month in Romania, that my squad mate, Katie made. Enjoy!

Are You Oil and Water?

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tara, Krystle, and I have been meeting with a group of gypsy women in the evenings for Bible Study, encouragement, and praying....whatever the Spirit leads. Yesterday Tara led the class and spoke on a simplistic matter that marks this year of my life.

She had a glass of water and said it represented Jesus. She held up another cup for us to see saying it represented us. She said when you make a commitment to follow and believe Jesus you add your life to His. With that, she poured the cup into the water. It was oil. Obviously the oil plunged into the cup of water and immediately rose to the top where it stayed.... and didn't change. Tara explained that many Christians live separated from Jesus after we tell Him we will live for Him. But then we don't change, and we make no effort past going to church and lifting up a prayer once in a while. She had another example after this one.

She held up a glass of water, again representing Jesus and held up another cup representing us (the believer). This time it was red food coloring. As she poured the coloring into the water it immediately mixed, they were one.

If we are in Jesus we should be One with Him, changed forever, and in constant communication with Him. Not only that but it should be the desire of our hearts because we love Him more than life, more than anything, more than ourselves. A three minute prayer before bed just will not cut it, because He should be on our mind all the time, our first love. Much like falling in love, you think of that person all the time and think of ways to meet with them, talk to them, honor them. That is where Jesus wants us to be.

This lesson Tara taught resonated with me. I am getting baptized this Sunday (Easter is celebrated on the 19^th here) with a group of gypsy men and women. I have lived most of my life separate from Jesus, (like the oil) even though I had "committed" it to Him. Where was the proof? I have tried with my own strength to become One with Him, and inevitably failed miserably. This past 10 months on the World Race, God has challenged me to surrender; my home, my family, my money, my comforts, relationships, my hobbies, my pride, my selfishness, my insecurities, my fears....the list goes on. Some of these things are great, and some are sin. The point is He wants it all, no exceptions. Good, bad, ugly, pretty it all belongs to Him. I have never made the decision to be baptized, I guess I always thought my infant baptism had me covered and the alter calls were good enough. But scripture convicted me. "Whoever believes and is baptized, will be saved..." Mark 16:16

This is a way to honor God and mark the year of my crucifixion and the Holy Spirit's resurrection. Praise God, the Lord, the Giver of Life!

God has spoken very clearly on this to me in my life through the following scriptures, I hope it speaks to you as well.....

Romans 6:3-14

³ Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

⁵ If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, ^[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin- ⁷ because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

10 Gypsy Observations

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A few observations from living in Viile Tecii (pronounced Villa Techy), a gypsy village.....

1. Gypsies play accordians and violin in church. They love music!

2. Some Easter traditions - Gypsie men spray perfume all over the women on Easter. (I had a surprise attack by 3 men in front of an entire church), they force feed you a variety of Easter treats, and they celebrate Easter twice (one is traditonal and one is Orthadox).....Side note I am getting baptized this Orthodox Easter Sunday!

3. Gypsie woman kiss you once on each cheek if they like you and twice on the lips if they love you...you never know what your gonna get!

4. The sheep here have long thick tails like cats.

4. Married gypsy woman must cover their heads with scarves for church and formal events which signify submission to their husband.

5. Gypsies still use carts pulled by horses to get around.

6.Gypsies are looked upon as a sub-culture, dirty and dishonest...outcast! This is far from the truth!

7. The land here has the richest soil. Many gypsies make their living farming. (cabbage, potatoes, apples, plums, cherries, grapes, corn....) It took us 3 days to hoe this land which belongs to an elderly woman.

8. After only 20 years of freedom the communist mentality is slow to change, but with the power of God there is much break through!

9. This is the hardest working culture I have seen in the last 10 months. Below they are scrubbing rugs on the river bank.

10. Gypsy Bunika Grannies are sweet and enjoy sitting outside their house observing all that goes by.

Update to Yes or No?

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Praise the Lord!!!! In only 3 days the remaining amount of $500 needed to build Nomsa's house was donated. Thank you to Oh Be Joyful Church and the others who gave. This is a true blessing that is changing a woman's life and her 3 children!

Part 3 (a Series on Captivity)

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Natalie Montgomary and I have written (and made video's) a 3 part series on Captivity and on 3 women we met in Swaziland. Click the links to read and watch Part 1 and Part 2 on Natalie's blog.

Story of Hope

A young woman 18 years old, has living by herself since she was 10. Zodwa had a mother and a father and lost them both 8 years ago to HIV. Zodwa remembers nothing about HIV from their deaths, or maybe she is too ashamed to talk about it. She recalls coming home from school and her neighbors saying her mother had died earlier that day, and no one knew why.

Shame literally crushes the frame of this young girl, who sits with her shoulders hunched as if to hide any emotion stuck deep with in her, making eye contact is a challenge for her. She is confined to a one room cement block home which reminds me of a prison cell. "House on Fire" is painted carelessly in red letters on the wall by her bed. I asked her the meaning behind the strange phrase, Zodwa went on to describe the pain and meaninglessness she feels about her life. How lonely it must be to have spent 8 years of your adolescence alone. Her mother's grave is less than 10 feet away from her door step as a constant reminder.

At age 14 she began to sell her body in exchange for money and food. To her, this was the only option. In Swaziland, you must have a uniform and shoes to attend school, in addition to the tuition. So when her parents died, there was obviously no way to pay for school. Zodwa has only completed grade 4 and therefore cannot obtain a job...other than prostitution. This way of living is not looked down upon in their culture, it is accepted by the majority. I believe my new friend must have conviction about her way of life but justifies it because of her struggle to survive. It is her way of life.

Two of us (Ali and Amy) had the opportunity of staying at Zodwa's house for one night. We spoke to her of Christ's love and encouraged her to meet with Him. As I was struggling to fall asleep that night on her floor, (listening to mice and bats screeching), I thanked God for the works He has yet to do in her life. She told us that she spends most of her time sitting in her house doing nothing accept sleeping. I asked if she could spend some time talking to the Lord and listening for Him. She said yes, but I don't know how she can do this without a mentor. Upon my goodbye to Zodwa, I left her with enough food for a few months, and some new clothes to add to her 1 dress and 2 tee shirts. As I was hugging her goodbye I looked down at her bare feet and felt compelled to kick off my worn out flip flops to leave with her. I know I also left her with some hope and truth of Jesus.

I asked Zodwa what her dream was for the future. She stared at me with a blank look for several minutes. Finally she said, "I cannot read or write. I am alone here. I have no dreams." This young woman may have no dreams, but God has plans for her that are beyond imagination and that plan includes me and you. Pray, pray, pray for Zodwa and her future romance with Jesus.

(At the end of the clip Zodwa takes us to her mothers grave)

Dancing Our Way into Romania

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

See what transpires when 25 July '08 F-Squad World Racers get a whole Romanian bus all to themselves (highly unusual, compared to our pat travel days) for an 8-hour busride through the beautiful Romanian countryside. Featuring the famous original Romanian song known as Numa Numa.

Yes or No?

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Walking down a dirt road in Swaziland. A woman approached us asking for food. We could have said no, (her breath did smell strongly of alcohol). But, "no" is not an answer to give or an option especially when someone is obviously starving. We began a relationship with Nomsa in that moment as we answered yes to her question. In broken English she invited us to visit her where she was staying. We are arrived to a typical poor Swazi home. A one room cinder block shack. No bed, just a mat on the floor of a room. We met her 4 young boys. They wore tattered clothing and no shoes. Nomsa asked for prayer and began to confide in us some of her hardships. We had a decent visit and prayed for her but nothing spectacular or miraculous happened in our eyes. But God was moving in that moment as He always does, and our human eyes didn't see His plan. We didn't know it then, but God placed Nomsa literally in our path for His purpose and it was our choice to say yes or no.

inside the door of Nomsa's current "house"

Our team has begun to tithe some of the money we raised to participate in the World Race this year. During our first week in Swaziland we had a conversation about where we felt led to give our tithe during our stay. None of us felt strongly yet of who the money should go to. So the team decided to wait.

Later that week, Nomsa asked if we would go with her where she used to live. I didn't know what she meant as we had already seen her current home. But, again we met her question with a yes. We arrived to a grass field with weeds growing past our knees. We then found out that Nomsa and her 4 boys had nowhere to live and we were visiting a place that felt desolate and empty. The place we had first visited was temporary and she was going to be evicted from that property in a s short amount if time. Nomsa led us through the field and we walked for about 5 mintues. We arrived at a fallen in structure. There was a sense of hopelssness and oppression laying heavy in this place. Nomsa told us this is this heap of rubble and rocks is where she used to live. Her husband had died earlier in the year and her house fell in shortly after.

Nomsa on her land looking out at her collapsed house where her husband is buried

This woman was left without a husband and homeless. She is also HIV positive and an alcoholic. We walked to where her husband was buried behind the house. As tears ran down our faces, we met the enemy and fought him. We began blessing the land and speaking hope and victory through Jesus over her property. In that moment God spoke to each of us what we were to do. We replaced the schemes of the devil to kill, steal, and, destroy with a Kingdom plan of faith, hope, and love. A plan to enrich the lives of Nomsa and her boys with the power of God. I made a flag that said KINGDOM and left it there, not knowing yet what God was leading us in.

We are building Nomsa a new house made with good material, on her land. We have found a woman to mentor her through an AA program. We bought her boys school uniforms. We could have said no. After 8 months, on the World Race, we knew better than that. The January squad has built a widow mother Pelile a house in Swaziland, and so we are following their example. We need about 500 more dollars to make it happen. To build a house is only $1,200. They are making the bricks and laying the foundation this week. Please contact me or one of my team mates if your are interested in helping with a small offering to change a life.

Yes or no?

Nomsa's boys smile at the camera from the home the will soon be evicted from.

They are in for a great surprise and future!

A Night with Zodwa

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is my teammate Amys blog about a friend we met in Swaziland. She is close to both of her hearts, and Amy describes our experience with her the same way I would.

Sometimes I have moments where I am overwhelmed by God's love. This is one of those moments. Nothing significant has happened. I am just being. Sitting I feel God's love flow through my entire body. Sometimes we make God too complicated. It is simple. He loves me. I love Him. I give Him my life. He will take care of the rest.

This is the kind of simplistic love we wanted to share with Zodwa. Zodwa is an eighteen-year-old girl who sells her body in order to survive in Swaziland. We were able to spend the night at her house loving on her in a way she has probably not known since her parents died.

When my teammate Ali and I went to her home we thought she couldn't speak any English. God surprised us within 5 minutes when we could hold a simple conversation with her. Jumping at the chance, we started telling her how much we really love her and how much God really loves her. While she was quiet a lot of the time, I know that she was soaking in God's truth.

We brought some food with us and it didn't take long before she was digging in. As we munched on sandwiches and pretzels, we wondered what path brought her to where she is now. Her story is one of pain that all too many Swazi's have had to endure throughout their lives. She still lives in the small concrete shack that her mother built when she was a child. One morning when she was ten she woke up to a normal day. Her mother cooked her breakfast and she left for school. Upon returning home that day her life would be altered forever. She was all alone in the world. Zodwa's mother died that very day. All her siblings left, some lived in the city and some were just gone. At the age of ten, she was left alone to fend for herself. She began to clean houses in order to make money to barely survive. For 4 years, Zodwa tried to delay the inevitable. However at 14, she had to make a choice, that to this day she can't admit, in order to stay alive. Her body was now for sale.

Several times during the evening, yelling came from her neighbor and was returned by Zodwa. . She told us she was telling her that she had company. Later, Pastor told us that she was telling her neighbor, Big Mama (her boss), she could not go to work that night. Around eleven, as we got ready for bed, we heard a knock on the door. My heart literally jumped because I thought it was a customer. It ended up being her "cousins" coming over because they were hungry, or that is what they told us. Ten minutes after they arrived, a guy was yelling from outside. One of the girls went outside and was talking with him for a while. Pastor told us that the girls are also prostitutes and they were coming over to try and get Zodwa to go to a customer. We were in the middle of Zodwa's real life. A life no teenager should have to live. Zodwa should be worrying about homework and plans for the weekend instead of worrying about how to put food on her own table and how she was going to survive.

Swazi culture is one of shame and hiding the truth. Zodwa's story is no exception. She is embarrassed of the life she lives and wants to hide the truth. I asked her if she could do anything in the world and have her dream job what would it be. She could not even answer. The concept of dreaming seemed foreign to her completely. That broke my heart. Regardless of the your lifestyle, everyone is allowed to dream."Tell your dreams to God," I told her " He hears them all". Nothing is too big for our Lord to accomplish. I have dreams of Zodwa having a new life. I have dreams of Zodwa going back to school. I have dreams of Zodwa falling crazy in love with her true Father. These dreams can become a reality. Join me to pray for a girl who people avoid eye contact with, for a girl who nobody truly cares what happens to her. Join me in prayer for a girl who is not forgotten because she is loved more than she can even imagine.

Zodwa outside of her house standing next to her mother's grave

Swaziland Video

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

5 ALive had a fruitful and rich time in Nsoko, Swaziland this month. My team mate Natalie worked very hard on this video. Enjoy! We are flying out to Romania today for debrief and then will be living in Bucharest doing ministry with gypsies. Love you all!

A Rad Dad

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Name: Pastor Gift
Job Description: Make Nsoko work

Husband and Father of 3
Pastor
Soccer Coach
Community Leader
World Race Host
Father to the fatherless
Comedian
Prophet
Translator

Swaziland is a country infested with HIV, starvation, oppression, desolation, and poverty. It is the saddest country I have visited. There is no end to the struggle and strife this country endures. But God has risen up a mighty man to bring His light, to bring His kingdom, to breathe the life of our living God everywhere he goes. His name is Pastor Gift and Adventures In Missions gave him the job description "to make Nsoko work." There is no coincidence this mans' name is Gift. Because he has so very many and that is what he is to this place. This man shows joy in every circumstance and to every person. This ONE man, this ONE pastor takes on anything in his vacinity with the boldness and love of Christ.

Snapshots with Pastor Gift the past week:
Working with a very sick HIV positive woman that could die any second. Gift took us
to her bedside to pray with her and he personally takes her to the hospital for treatment and checks in on her often, counseling her and her family as they face death.

He is coaching a soccer team in order to raise up and disciple a group of men that otherwise have no guidance. After a game Natalie, me and the whole soccer team loaded in his rickety van. It began to pour rain and the accelerator went out. Gift was under the van in a storm trying to fix the problem...with a smile on his face, praising God...with sincerity. And praise God, we got home safely.

He commits to fathering a group of 10 teenage girls whose fathers have died. He set up a day for my team to take these girls to a pool and treat them to pizza, something no one has ever done for them before. He has arranged for a strong women's leader in the church to be their spiritual mother.

Pouring into and serving 5 American girls who miss their fathers. He really listens when I talk to him, counsels with fatherly advice, and prophecies with God's wisdom. He even gave us new names, in Seswati! Mine is Ncobile which means Overcomer or Conquerer.

During church he called a woman to the front and prayed for her feet to be healed, and she started walking and kicking and jumping, excitedly with no pain. He often feels literal pain in his body and asks the Lord who around him has this pain. Then he prays for them and they are healed! I have never met someone who is more annointed and in-tune to the Holy Spirit.

Gift knows no end to servant hood. But he dares not take one step without the Lord and great humility. I am blessed to know him and be working by his side.

Read his blog here: http://pastorgift.myadventures.org

Pray for abundant blessing on this man, his family, his ministries, his life. I thank God for the way he has touched my life and the others that are far too many to be counted.

Malawi photos

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Outside the church building, children work and play.

Pastor Gamma translates as I preach to the church.

A view of Zomba mountain...my team hiked up a portion of it to have church for people who

are unable to walk to church on Sundays.

On our way home from an especially wonderful day of ministry. We walked about 2 hours

this day to meet them, and led about 20 people in the a prayer to accept Jesus after preaching.

Selling corn (maize) in town, Malawi's staple food, that they grind into

a fine flour and then boil until in solidifies into what they call Seima.

On our way to church. They sit on the ground, but insisted on carrying chairs for my team to

sit in during the service.

Praying healing for a women dying of Malaria.

Pastor Gamma's wife, Rose. she cooked every day for us. She is listening to one of our iPod's

in this picture as she gets dinner started.

What is going on?

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

About 3 months ago one of my team mates, Natalie began telling me (prophetically) how big month 8
of the Race was going to be for me, and how I was going to "come alive." And in Swaziland at the
beginning of the month Gary Black prophesied that I would have a double portion the next 45 days.

At the time I thought, "That will be nice, but I can't do much with that for now." Well the time has come,

and February is here. I have been in the midst of month 8 and alive I am, more than ever.

I must begin by explaining ministry here. 5 Alive is living with Pastor Gama (our host and translator) and
his wife Rose. We go out every day to different parts of Zomba, Malawi . We have been asked to
preach daily through our testimonies, the word, and whatever the Holy Spirit leads (we also have
done youth programs, women's meetings, and many prayer sessions.) We walk or drive to a location
and wait for about 1 hour for everyone to gather and we usually have a crowd from 20 to 120. All 5 of
us usually share something (3 people give their testimonies, 1 preaches a message, and 1 tells the
gospel.)
The first few days here I volunteered to share the gospel and pray with those who want to
accept Jesus in their hearts. As I got comfortable getting in front of these people and preaching to
them...something has happened. It seems as though I stand up and pray for God to speak through me
and before I know it I speak for about 30-45 minutes about Jesus and then the majority of people come
forward/raise their hands enthusiastically to begin their relationship with Jesus. Then my team and I pray
for the sick and someone is always healed!

It may have something to do with me falling in love with our God more and more. Every morning I wake up
and I can't wait to spend time with him. I get ready quickly so I can dive into His word and into His presence.
I want to read the word, and thank Him, praise Him, tell Him everything that is going on with me, and my
struggles. He has revealed some ugliness in me and is taking it away. I have finally begun the process
of letting Him take an idol I have been worshipping for many years, and allowing Him to raise up the
servants attitude in my heart.

I am surprised by all that is going on here in wonderful Malawi. I have found that I love love love
preaching and teaching! I enjoy sharing Jesus with people and encouraging them and bringing God's
kingdom to earth. I never knew this would be so fun! The more I surrender the closer I get to our Lord God.

This has been confirmation for me to go to the Spain Leadership Academy in June as I know they will help
me grow even more in these areas. I still do not know if I am to do what I am doing in the States or abroad
but I do know I love encouraging people in and outside the church and speaking to them about Jesus. I just
want you to know I didn't expect this and I am surprised to see this come alive in me. Please be praying for
me, as the end of the Race ends I will go home to Colorado Springs for only 3 weeks, and then off to
Malaga, Spain for 6 months. I want to learn more but it is bittersweet to have to leave again so quickly...
and I miss my family and home. Pray that I will continue to live out God's calling on my life through
obedience and surrender and for much fruit the last 3 months of the World Race.

Healing, Prophecy, and Visions?

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When I was interviewing for the World Race last December, I remember having so many questions
about the Holy Spirit. I wondered if I would ever see a supernatural healing, be a part of prophecy,
or maybe even have a vision. Would speaking in tongues ever come in handy? I had worked up all of
this in my mind to the point that coming close to any of these wouldbe a miracle in itself!

I no longer think that way, and of course I had nothing to with it. The Lord has increased my faith.
My team and I now pray expecting for God to heal the sick. When we pray for one another or strangers
we know God is going to tell us something encouraging or prophetic to share or give us a picture in our
minds to describe to the person we are praying for. This was all so foreign to me, and looking back I
wonder why? Jesus and his disciples did these things all the time! Jesus was praying to the Father
and said, " ....that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also
be in us so that the worldmay believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory you have given
me, that they may be one as we are one; I in them and you in me." John 17:21-23 If Jesus could do it ....so
can we! We are supposed to! God is big enough to do the supernatural, so expect it! We are intended
to be faithful in our prayers...if you don't really believe God can heal someone, then why are you asking
Him too? Pray like it already happened. If your mind is too busy talking To God when you are
praying, you won't hear him when He whispers prophesy in your ear, or see the vision he is trying to
show you. We are supposed to hear God and listen to Him, and I do mean in a way in which you can
have actual conversation with him. We have two ears and one mouth, so lisen twice as much as you
speak! (For more on that read Art of Listening Prayer by, Seth Barnes).

If I am going to be honest, I was afraid of the supernatural and the Holy Spirit. But this is not something
to fear, it is from God. He has good gifts for all of His children and that means YOU. He uses the
supernatural for one purpose and that is to show his love for you. (And by the way that is your purpose
here on earth, it is to be loved! ) I have seen intense fevers break, growths disapear, headaches cease,
knee pain evaporate, frequent motion sickness leave never to return again, the list goes on and on. I have
see miracle food appear when feeding orphans! I have seen hard angry hearts melt into a loving heart for
the Lord.

If you want to know "the secret key" to this, it is to praise your God. Praise Him! Worship Him! And He will
provide and surprise every time.

***********************************

"Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders

through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After they prayed, the place

where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy

Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." Acts 4:30,31

I Got Gas- Part 1

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Yes I do. I have gas. In fact everything I own has gas. Let me tell you the story....
It all began last Thursday. We rented a van with a trailer on it to drive us the long long way from Johannesburg, South Africa to Zomba, Malawi. (This journey entails driving out of S.A. into Zimbabwe, driving across the entirity of Zimbabwe, through Mozambique, and then a seperate 5 hour bus ride into Zomba.)

The first day of travel we were quite weary of the trailer that was originally attactched to our van. It had 2 tires (the size you would see on a lawn mower) and one of them was flat. As they loaded our bags, we prayed that as we drove through 4 countries that the other tire wouldn't go out and we wouldn't lose our bags, or worse.

Of course God provided a new trailer that was completely sound. It was wonderful to have a van to ourselves and not overly crowded. After over 12 hours combined at different border crossings (added to our travel time), and sleeping in the van at the border of Mozambique and Malawi (we got there after 9pm, when the border closes), we were a little tired and a bit grouchy to say the least.

As we woke at 6am to get our passports stamped, we were then asked to unload all of our bags from the trailer to have them checked by customs. It was then that we found out we had gas, and lots of it. I pulled my bag from the trailer that was reeking of diesel. Our hired drivers kept our fuel with our luggage, and the roads out here are not exactly smooth sailing. My rain cover was soaked with diesel fuel, and as I pulled it off I found my bag was also soaked. My sleeping bag, my running shoes, my sleeping pad, even some of my clothes I had just laundered in South Africa all daused. (I thought having our bags rained on for 3 hours during our travel from Swaziland to South Africa was frustrating!)

I had to take a deep breathe and turn away. I was thinking, "It is just stuff, only belongings...and yet they are all the belongings I have. I still have 4 months!! God help me to not care!" As I turned away from my mini-disaster, I immediately noticed a group of about 40 exhausted and sad men all crouching on the ground. They looked abandoned. We asked our driver to find out for us what the problem was. We found out they were all from Somalia and fleeing the war their country is undergoing. Because they have no passports or papers they were being deported. Until that happens, they are stranded at this border crossing between Mozambique and Malawi. No food, no water, no shelter. They looked hopeless. We were able to feed them a small piece of bread each, and tried to work something out to help a few of them get to South Africa. In that moment I realized having gas is not too big of a deal. It stinks, but it does not ruin my life. I had to choose to look at those Somali's and help them, amidst my problem.

What problem are you currently facing? Who can you help to put it in perspective? You may not meet deported Africans who are starving, but maybe you can have a loving conversation with that co-worker you cannot stand or bake some muffins and leave them on the door step of a neighbor. I still stink, and I am still a little upset about it, but Jesus is helping me put it into perspective!

I Got Gas- Part 2

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As we arrived to our final destination in Zomba, Malawi I instantly knew God had sent 5 Alive somewhere special for the month. We are staying with Pastor Gamma and his wife in their home. I am already experiencing love in a way I never knew before. This man and his family are serving us in a way that I know they would serve Jesus if He was staying at their house. They have gone above and beyond. They have re-arranged their entire house so we could be comfortable, Mrs. Gamma cooks for hours on end so we can enjoy a delicious meal, and they do this with genuine love. They do not have much at all and are giving us everything, and not regretting a second of it. I see that they enjoy this, and actually love it.
If you read my last blog you know how my backpack had an unfortunate encounter with several gallons of diesel fuel. Pastor Gamma's 2 teenage sons spent hours scrubbing my soiled belongings, in the heat of the African sun. They smiled and joked and laughed, and would not let me help. I tried and they would turn me away. As I ate Rose's amazing lunch of tomatoes, chicken, and rice I heard her sons in the backyard scrubbing my backpack.
I had this sick feeling in my gut the whole time, and it has nothing to do with the food. It felt way deeper than just being humbled. It was my....my pride. What an ugly word! I know I have never loved someone the way they are loving me. If that is true that says a lot about how I love Jesus. Pastor Gamma and his family know no end to servanthood in its purest form. I believe we are all called to be great servants. Jesus was the greatest servant of all.
He has been calling me for quite some time to step up in greater ways of servanthood and selflessness. I just don't get how you can give out way more of yourself than what is comfortable and be happy about it all the time. I do in small ways, but to pour your life out completely for others is beyond me. I also just feel uncomfortable to be served in this way. It is difficult to accept such great acts of love. When you think of Jesus it is quite humbling to accept his great gifts. He came not to be served, but to serve.

To conclude, my backpack and belongings still stink...and gas is permanently clinging to the fabric, but God is using this gas to show me pride I never knew I had, and to reveal to me the servants heart He calling me to live out in a much much bigger way.
"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." Ecclesiastes 7:8

Swazi Photos

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We worked in Swaziland for one week. We did many assessments of health in the communtiy and heard their tragic stories.

Many are infected with HIV and are to impoverished to eat let alone get treatment. There are hardly any jobs to be found for

those who are well enough to work. Half of the squad is staying for the month to get to work in assisting them. My team and 9 others are off to Malawi for 3 weeks and then will return to Swailand for the month of March.

Everyday the children would come in hoardes to the communtiy center. Everyone wants to be held.

All the children wanted to be our friends! I held the little one in the red hat for hours that day.

One of the Gogo's (Swazi grandma/caretaker of orphans) preparing

the daily meal for the children. This is all they can afford to eat, it is bland maize.

Feeding the children.

They take their precious bowl of food and feed themselves with their fingers, while sitting in the hot sun in the dirt.

My friend Sidoniso is an 8 year old orphan who is HIV positive. He followed

me everywhere and just wanted to be noticed.

Hundreds came for the shoe distribution. We had stations set up where we washed their dirty feet, prayed

for them, and then fitted them with brand new pairs of shoes! It was an exhausting, but productive day!

My Next BIG Step

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Supporters who have prayed, read my blogs, and given financially,

I am now 7 months into this adventure called the World Race. I write this to you from South Africa where I can say I am a different woman. Not only has God freed me from things I didn't know held me captive, but used me to free others from their captivity. I know who I am in Him and I know my purpose in life. The 4 months I have left traveling to the needy countries of the world I look forward to learning even more about our God and how he is victorious in every situation. I revel in helping others and teaching them about Jesus. God has revealed what the next step is for me and my journey after the World Race.

I have exciting news to share with you. As I was talking with God the other day He said, "Stop worrying. I'll take care of it. I have great and awesome plans for your future.....I want you to go deeper with me too." I have been praying to go much deeper in my walk with Him. I see many men leading in the world that are full of the Holy Spirit but I also see a lack of women leaders. I am called to be a woman on fire for God and to be a minister of reconciliation in the most powerful way..God's way. In May I will go home to Colorado Springs for 3 weeks. From there, I have decided to attend the G-42 Leadership Academy in Spain that begins in mid-June of this year. This is a 6 month program. Please go to this website to read about it: http://g42global.org/leadershipacademy/index.html. It says this about the program, "Our goal at the G42 Leadership Academy is to equip you in three major areas"fulfilling your purpose & destiny, expanding your leadership abilities, and learning how to live out each of those in the real world"and then empower you to establish the Kingdom where God has called you. That's it. We work for the Glory of God and His Kingdom."

I could not have done this journey so far with out you and your obedience and generosity to support me. I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to those of you who have already given so much in faith. You are a blessing to me! Not only is my life changed forever but the lives of others have been changed. The oppressed of the world have been healed, set free from addictions, learned the immense love the Lord has for them, they have been fed, clothed, and loved. Without your prayers and donations this would not have happened. I am asking you to partner with me and my ministry. I am asking you to join my prayer team and to help me raise support for this program. I need $1,000 a month for 6 months, a total of $6,000. You can donate monthly or give a one time donation either online or by mail. Click on "Support Me!" on the left side of this page and add "Ali Page, G42 Leadership Academy" to the memo line. Click on "Contact Me" (also on the left hand side of this page) if you want more information or have questions. My access to internet is extremely limited for the next 2 months as I am in Africa. But I will do my best to get back to you.

God Bless you and thank you!
Ali

Ode to my backpack

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a poem I wrote in Thailand when I should have been packing. And I am now posting this when I, yet again should be packing. We fly to Africa tomorrow and will be in Mozambique for the rest of the month!

Ode to My Backpack

You dear friend hold all I own, amidst my various belongings is not even a cell phone.

My clothes and books, sleeping bag and tent, there are bigger bags out there, but for you I will not relent.

I have crammed you full and loaded you to the brim, although your seams are ripping you know that is not what I intend

You oh backpack are tried and true, you are my buddy my friend, my boo!

We both miss our adventures in the mountains, but backpack, we are traveling 11 countries and countin'

The baggage carosels you have seen, Mexico, Thailand Vietnam...none of them have been very clean.

I am sorry for the rain I am sorry for the dirt. I realize your feelings must be hurt.

Your job is really tough, But baby you've got the right stuff.

It makes me want to cry when you are tied to the tops of vans up so high.

I remember 6 years ago at REI, I said that is the one I want, "Thank you, Goodbye!"

Together we've been through thick and thin, you've loved me even when I said we were not friends

You might be depressed since you have gained some weight, I am trying my best to keep you in good shape.

Backpack, you really do have a great occupation, If I had a suitcase it would ruin the whole situation.

The new Arc'terex backpacks may say they are better than you, but to them we say, "We are rubber and you are glue."

My Gregory Forrestor I am happy you are you, a Jansport backpack never would do.

And this is what our room looks like....

Pick A Name

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday we went to the cold streets of London for ministry. We set up a table with books and bibles to give away, and offered to speak with people about Jesus. Earlier this month, this was difficult for me and it was, a lot of work! In fact our whole squad really struggled with going out into a first world country so blatently.Going up to complete starngers on the street is scary and reminded me of Mormons or Jehovah's Whitnesses. I realize though that God can use anything we do for Him, for His glory (especially when it is hard for US). He wants very much for every person to know him in a personal way. And when we believers go out to share that with people, you better believe He uses it! Maybe not leading people to salvation every day, but planting seeds in their hearts.

This month I have felt very led to go out with the expectation to show someone love, brighten their day, and let God use me however He wants. It has gotten better and better. My God is big and faithful!

Before departing for ministry yesterday, I was praying and I asked God to open doors so I could have conversations with people, and love them with His love. And guess what? He did, ofcourse!

Below are the first names of some people I connected with yesterday. They all have a story and I was blessed to hear a small part of it, just by asking. I encourage you all to do the same. But for now, where ever you are sitting, pick one name from below and pray, as you are lead for them. I challenge you to pray for 5 minutes.

George from Egypt works at a falaffal restaurent in a market. He has dreams about Jesus bleeding and crying. Says he is a Christian but believes he should not talk about it at work.

Ali from Afghanistan is a young man and wants to have dreams about Jesus as he does not yet believe Jesus is God.

Safia from Guyana in South America is an elderly woman and wants prayer for her health. She has no family and is lonely.

Olivia from the Carribean is a joyful on fire believer. She is 71 and has children, grand children and great grand chilren. She shares Gods love through hugs. She escaped a vocano explosion in her country a few years ago.

Nowell from Ireland is a young guy that struggles with alcoholism. He has so many questions about God and the logic of being a believer. He wants to know the power of God and wants to experience him in a BIG way.

Kenda from England is a teenager with a tough background. She accepted Christ yesterday with an open joyful heart.

Bagel from Jamaica is a musician and rastafarian. I met him our very first day of ministry in England. I was thinking about him yesterday and then, I saw him again.

Enri from India is a Sikh gentleman and runs a store in one of the markets. Believes that God is the same in all religions.

Matt's take on Sacrifice and the Eternal

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Matt Snyder from the January 2008 squad, posted a response to my last blog. His response is honest and inspiring......he says it like it is! Thank you Matt!

Ali Page wrote an incredible blog yesterday about martyrdom, about sacrifice, about how much we're willing to give for the faith of Christ that we have. She posed some amazing questions, questions which we would typically read and think that they're merely rhetorical. I decided to go a different route though: I'm going to actually answer them. How often in life do we ask ourselves the tough questions? Unfortunately - I don't think we do so often enough.

So I'm taking a risk at vulnerability and I'm going to answer these questions with truth and sincerity. My responses will be uncensored and I'm going to write the first thing that comes to my mind, so don't label me a phony or something. (p.s. it might help to read her post, first).

What if you had been born into a country where it was illegal to believe [in God, Christianity, etc.]?

I guess I wouldn't really know the difference growing up, right? I mean, I suppose that the whole idea of God and Jesus - if ever shared with me at all - would be more like a myth or a legend than anything else. And even if I did know the gospel I'm not even sure I'd have the guts to believe it out of fear of persecution. I guess it just depends where I would be in life. If I was in that place where I was restless and searching for a deeper Truth, I'd probably do anything... including getting myself persecuted.

What if you were found out?

Well... if I knew the Scriptures well enough, I would know that it's a good thing. The persecuted Church grows rapidly, which we've not only seen within the book of Acts, but also throughout China and the other parts of the world. I'm not sure what I would do if I was found out' though. The flesh-side of me knows that I would run and fear that they would take my life, but my Spirit-side knows that God would fill me with unwavering boldness and I would end up standing my ground... and sharing my faith with my captors.

Would you shrink back or rise up?

Um... yes.

Would you deny your Jesus?

If I had was sold out like I am now - HELL NO!

What if they tortured you? Threatened to kill you? Threw you in prison? Killed your family?

I would cry. Inevitably, the fact that I'm a sissy when it comes to physical pain would definitely surface. I probably wouldn't deny it from up front in the first place. However, if they tortured me - I would endure. If they threatened to kill me - I would fear Him who can kill my body AND my soul. If they threw me in prison - I would be thankful I was still alive. If they killed my family - it would only fuel my rebellion against darkness and cement my feet to the Rock.

How far are we willing to go for God?

I can only speak for myself, but it's like I've prayed many times: I would truly go to the death... because I know it's a catalyst to Jesus anyway! I think of the time that we were in Johannesburg and we were held at gunpoint. I was willing to go then. I was willing to stand in place of anyone in that room, especially my brothers and sisters. Yet I suppose this question can be taken many ways.

How far are we willing to go for God? Not just as individual believers, but as the Church body? Are we willing to rise up in the face of resistance, in the heat of battle, and stand in the gap for one another? Are we willing to fight the enemy to take back our inheritance?

Ali said, "sacrifice the temporal to gain the eternal."

Are you willing?"

Thank you to all of you that pray so much for me and support me financially. I still need to raise $1,500 to meet my goal. Please prayerfully consider helping me. If you are interested click here, or contact me for more information.

You gotta have faith

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have been thinking a lot about persecution and martyrdom. Christians all throughout history have been killed and tourtured, just because they believed. There are countries in this world where it is illegeal to believe. If you do, they kill you!

The Bible discusses this topic in great depth.

Here are a few things people in the Bible experienced when they lived by faith (found in Hebrews 11)

33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. (Hebrews 11:33-35)

"Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:36-40)

That last part that says..."And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise." Even though all looked lost from a human standpoint, they still believed God, knowing that the sovereign God could and would keep His promises even beyond the grave.

For me it all comes down to this statement:

SACRIFICE THE TEMPORAL TO GAIN THE ETERNAL

Ask yourself these questions:

What if you had been born into a country where it was illegal to believe?

What if you were found out?

Would you shrink back or rise up?

Would you deny your Jesus?

What if they tortured you? threatened to kill you? threw you in prison? kill your family?

How far are we willing to go for God?

He went all the way for us and did everything! Let's have the faith to sacrifice the temporary, knowing we gain it all in eternity.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

Happy Christmas Video from London!

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Happy Christmas Mom, Dad, Bob, Cindy, Rachel, Scott, Grandma, Grandpa,
Ellie, Kahle, Seth, Karen, Michael, Kathy, Lauren, Ari, Tisha, Elida,
Oh-Be-Joyful Church, Bethany Baptist Church, and all my supporters back home!!!

I am blessed to have you all in my life and grateful for the prayers and support.

I miss you all very very much!

(Just in case you dont want to watch the entire video my part begins on minute 1:22)

5 Alive Christmas Dance Video!!!

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Merry Christmas to all of you from England! We have been very busy with ministry and yet my team, 5 Alive, still found time to choreograph this dance, make costumes, and record the video for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

From 3rd World to 1st World

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

--UPDATE--

The squad (all 32 of us) will be doing outreach this month with a cross-cultural minority group

(whom I cannot disclose for safety reasons) in London, England. We have been here for about

a week now, and this is the complete opposite of where we planned to be ths month, (in

Swaziland, Africa) working with orphans. But God has confirmed in many ways this is exactly

where we need to be. From third world countries to the first world we will strive to apply all we have learned thus far.

My Third World to First World Observations:

1. Instead of sweating profusely we are fffffffrrrreezing!

(We stepped off the plane wearing everything we own....tee-shirts and flip-flops!)

2. I have not seen one insect since we arrived, praise the Lord!!!

3. People living here have enough money to buy food and clothing everyday.

4. Everyone can understand me because they speak ENGLISH!

5. Everything is grotesquley more expensive.

6. Hot showers and hair dryers have been re-introduced to my life.

7. I feel much closer to home.

8. Suddenly the luxary of shopping is overwhelming and some-what uncomfortable.

9. Dogs are not starving and mangey, but are fat, wear sweaters, and treated like children. (Atleast I can pet them again without getting fleas!)

10. People need Jesus everywhere in the world and He moves powerfully and sovereignly in every country, no matter what! He loves to suprise us with His goodness and presence whe we seek Him with our whole hearts.

(I was suprised to experience the Holy Spirit in yet another new way

at worship this morning!)

To Him be all the glory, all the power, and all honor forever and ever!

I'm (Almost) Famous!

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My hometown newspaper wrote an article describing our current circumstance in Bangkok. See below.....

or click here http://www.gazette.com/articles/page_44186___article.html/alison_friday.htm

Contributed photo

Alison Page, 23, is stuck in Bangkok, Thailand, while anti-government demonstrators control the city's airport.

Turmoil strands native of Springs

Comments 0 Recommend 0

November 28, 2008 - 9:49 PM

PERRY SWANSON

THE GAZETTE

A Colorado Springs native was stuck in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday while anti-government demonstrators held control of the city's major airports.

Alison Page, 23, is in Thailand as part of an 11-month mission trip with a Christian ministry called The World Race. Her mother, Tammy Page, said Friday her daughter is in no danger. Alison Page was scheduled to leave Bangkok on Wednesday and arrive Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa, her mother said.

The protests shut down air traffic in the city and left thousands of travelers stranded.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Friday "security forces will use peaceful means" to end the crisis, the Associated Press reported. The U.S. State Department on Wednesday advised U.S. citizens to stay away from the airports and on Friday issued a statement urging peaceful resolution.

"I was just glad she wasn't at the airport, because who knows where that could go," Tammy Page said of her daughter.

Alison Page posted an update to her online blog on Wednesday assuring readers she and the four other members of her team, 5-Alive, were OK.

"We are actually located very far from the protest and would be completely unaffected by the chaos if it were not for our scheduled flight to South Africa," she wrote.

Alison Page graduated from Rampart High School in 2003 and from Western State College last year, her mother said. She later moved to Crested Butte.

She left on the mission trip June 28 and will return at the end of May. The trip involves visiting 11 countries. While in Thailand, Alison Page has been working with a ministry called the Tamar Center, which offers job training and Bible instruction to prostitutes, according to its Web page.

On a short stopover in Thailand in September, her blog writing showed she was deeply affected after speaking with two prostitutes.

"What does (a) white girl from America know about their pain and loss? What do I know about their lives? I can't relate to them in any way at all. God is faithful and created each person in that awful disturbing place to be loved, just as he created me to be loved. He created them for greatness too. The reality is, most of them may never make it out of that place. God is sovereign; I have to trust that. We all do."

Contact the writer: 636-0187 or perry.swanson@gazette.com

Ali Page - Playing For an Audience of One

11 Months of What? Overview (*plus video*)

I am home....now what?

What is Community About? Video!

Try Harder

Try Harder: Part II

Faces of Romania Video!

Are You Oil and Water?

10 Gypsy Observations

Update to Yes or No?

Part 3 (a Series on Captivity)

Dancing Our Way into Romania

Yes or No?

A Night with Zodwa

Swaziland Video

A Rad Dad

Malawi photos

What is going on?

Healing, Prophecy, and Visions?

I Got Gas- Part 1

I Got Gas- Part 2

Swazi Photos

My Next BIG Step

Ode to my backpack

Pick A Name

Matt's take on Sacrifice and the Eternal

You gotta have faith

Happy Christmas Video from London!

5 Alive Christmas Dance Video!!!

From 3rd World to 1st World

I'm (Almost) Famous!

Turmoil strands native of Springs

11 Months of What? Overview (plus video)