En Smak Av Himmel

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Before I update you a friend of mine wants to say hi (he's from Iceland - yea I didn't realize people actually live there either):
komidi blessud og sael fallega folk.. gud blessi ykkur og gefi ykkur feitan dag!!!

Today was the beginning of a three day long outreach in Oslo called "En Smak Av Himmel" or for those who don't speak Norwegian - "A Taste of Heaven." We teamed up with a team from Sweden and another church here in town with the intention of giving Oslo a taste of heaven. We all first met at our church and prayed for the day. We were put into three different groups, a mixture of Swedes and Norwegians (since our temporary home is here we all were included in this group) and went to different locations in the city. I was part of a fishing team which basically went around to people evangelizing, inviting them to watch a short concert and drama that teams were performing at our location and inviting them to a service that night. I really hope the more I do it that evangelizing will get easier. I don't know what my problem is. I have such an important message to share yet I get stuck in how to convey it. I don't have that hard of a problem actually approaching people but getting the conversation to Jesus is difficult for some reason. I spoke with quite a few people but none of them actually seemed interested. The people here have no problem saying they don't believe in God and have no interest in Him, they don't just pretend to believe (as many Americans do).
Some of the people I spoke with:
Two girls from Ireland on vacation who had just come from Croatia and are studying electrical engineering. They are Catholic and when I tried to discuss God, they started to become closed and told me that the Irish don't like to discuss their emotions. At that point, they told me they had to leave. Before they left, I told them that this point in their life was a very cool period because they are old enough to make decisions for themselves separate from whatever their parents believe.

Then I spoke with a 15 year old girl in a wheel chair who was with a 19 year old girl from Latvia. They were just waiting to meet some friends so I didn't get a chance to speak with the 15 yr old long but she had such a sweet spirit, her name is Henrietta (pray for her if you get a chance - I don't know if she knows Jesus).

After that I spoke with a girl who I noticed watching the concert. She said she does not believe in God and neither do her parents, that it was just never a part of her life. This was one that I really wish I had tried to further the conversation but I hit that invisible wall that I need to get past. Before I had a chance to deepen the conversation, she had to go.

I also spoke with a guy who said he was a Christian but he mainly just wanted to tell me how much he hates American politicians.

Then I spoke with some teenagers. They were attracted because of the dancing. The main guy I spoke to told me that he actually used to go to the church we were working with but no longer had time for church because he is too busy playing hockey. Once the preaching started happening he said he had to go.

The last couple of people I spoke with were two friends. One said she was Catholic and the other said she used to be Catholic. The one who used to be Catholic was a model and was leaving for the US on Monday to start working with Ford Modeling Agency. She seemed very interested in what I had to say just because I was American. They said they might come to that evening's meeting but I never saw them.

That night at the evening service, they had some really awesome singers, it was very cool. I also really enjoyed the praise & worship songs. After the alter call they preacher asked if anyone wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit and have the gift of tongues and prophecy and healing etc.

I've prayed for this before and honestly, this has been a bit of tough thing for me since I have been here. I am pretty sure I am the only one here that does not pray in tongues (sometimes I feel like I am the only one that's parent's aren’t' pastors or in full time ministry - not that it really matters). Anyway I went up yet again and two of the girls who are in my group went up and prayed for me. We prayed for a long time but I just didn't feel anything at all.

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