REFLECTION FROM ANYA from Russia
who I met in Finland last week.
We first met when she came to Romford YMCA
as a volunteer to work with our childrens programmes
and live in our 11 story hostel tower block
full of 150 Young People.
Here she is writing for you and the group who she joined in 2002
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Hello everyone!!
Yes, yes, yes - how exciting it was to see Pip!
I had mixed feelings - all good. And they all reflect to the times back in 2002.
I remember first meeting Pip in a hostel cafe - he came up and kept saying we were beautiful.
Honestly, back then I didn't take it personally, although I liked the idea and took several pink cards with fingerprints and shared those things with the girls in a scout group I was leading when I was back home.
Looked for it everywhere yesterday - couldn't find it but I'm sure I still keep it somewhere.
Do you know what? Some things stayed the same - it was the same Pip with very sincere and very constant "You are beautiful" when you bump into him. Pip stayed the same, I was quite different from 2002.
Although I knew his notes had Christian background, I wasn't a believer really. I knew stuff but actually it wasn't really relevant to my life. After going through lots of thinking and discovering personal relationships with God, I decided to follow Him and His will in 2004. And of course the Unique Note on a card seemed so different last week.
Pip helped facilitate a seminar in Finland, close to Tampere. He led first several sessions and it was such a life changing time for me. I'm sure many people have been touched but can't speak for them - can share my experience.
Although I have always known God loved me, I felt like it was in my head but not in my heart. We had different things to do and to discuss and I felt like God was revealing new things for me about myself. I couldn't stop crying after realizing how valuable and beautiful I am in God's eyes. It is a long story and long journey, and I'm still on it, but I felt like I came back home as a different person. It just makes my heart melt when I think about us being so imperfect but loved not even tiny bit less by amazing and powerful God.
I went there to learn how to communicate and connect with people and how to help them to go though all different sorts of things in their lives, but found out that first God wanted to take care of my heart and my needs. Pip mentioned famous commandment that we need to love our neighbors as ourselves. And then I thought: if I don't really fancy myself, how can I fully love others? So it was a whole journey of thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories in the past and moments of reassurance of self identity.
So when Pip says that you are beautiful, he sincerely means it. Even if he has been saying it for more then 12 years. And if you feel like God is telling you how precious and beautiful you are for Him, He really means it too and will keep doing it again and again until it reaches the bottom of our heart. And then will remind it. ;) In case you have moments of doubt. :)
Sorry if it's a bit scattered, I'm not a really a writer, just wanted to share my feelings. )
I know we are not in touch much but although I don't write often, I read all the group e-mails and will be glad to hear what you are up to in your lives now. :)
Found some 2002 photos and scanned (!!) them. :) if you remember this was when Pip invited us for a barbecue.
Anya
