The Beginning of the Adventure

A week ago I was waiting for the arrival of 2013 in an Oslo hostel with my 8 other traveling companions. We would be flying to Bodo on the first day of the New Year to catch another flight to our final destination of Tromsø. None of us knew exactly what to expect, other than a recently-flooded church and freezing temperatures, but we were all excited for the beginning of a new adventure.

Since arriving, our first week in the Arctic Circle has been relaxing. We met the pastor of the Baptist church that invited us, members of the city's prayer group, and others who will be working with us during the next two months. We have wandered the city, finding places like the grocery store, the post office, and the northernmost Burger King. Ships in the harbor can be clearly heard from our flat with the long blows of their horns. Snow and ice cover the ground with no signs of melting any time soon. The most magnificent part of Tromsø, however, is the mountains - blue peaks that surround the city, many times their tops shrouded by gray clouds. We have immediately recognized the beauty that God has created this city with, and we are waiting for the night we get to see the Northern Lights dancing above this scenic beauty.

Of course, we have come here to do more than sightseeing and tourism. We will be working at the local university at least once (if not twice) every week, talking to students and seeing how God will use us with people around our age. A small ministry called Jesus Tent - consisting of a few guys who set up a tent in the city center to pray for people - has asked us to join them on Saturdays. The Baptist pastor has ideas for evangelism outings every week, and has begun including our team in the Sunday services by having us share testimonies, lead worship, and even give sermons.

As we have met the local Christians of Tromsø, something that has struck me is their intense passion for their city. On Friday we joined about 20 people for a four-hour prayer service, from 9 PM to 1 AM. The entire night was focused on praying for God to reach the people of the city. I cannot remember the last time I prayed for my little city back in the States, but these people in Norway are intensely seeking God for a revival movement. What if Christians in my home country were that dedicated to their cities? Could you imagine the effects of every Christian praying for their home cities across the world? The expectation in my heart during that prayer night rose. These people are seeking God and expecting Him to come and sweep through Tromsø. When faith and dedication are at that level, something is bound to happen.
During the service, this small group of believers then turned the attention to our group and prayed over us. What a humbling experience for the locals of the city to accept us with such excitement and faith. Many gave words to different members of our group, sometimes confirming prophecies already spoken, and greatly encouraging us as a whole.

The weekend continued with prayer as we went out on a prayer walk from the south to the north of Tromsø, stopping at key points to invite God's presence into the city. It was a powerful time of preparation and another chance for us to see more of the beauty and culture of northern Norway. On Sunday the Baptist congregation gathered around us at the end of service to pray over us, speaking out God's protection over our team as we step into His plan for our two months here.

This week will look much busier than the last, but we are excited to see where God takes us. He is doing something in the Arctic Circle, and He hasn't brought our team here by mitsake. There's definitely a plan and something tells me it will be bigger than I'm envisioning.

For His glory,
Caitlin