Photo Update

Hi all,

I've finally found some time to post a post-trip update. I think I can speak for the rest of the group that we had an amazing experience in Sweden, ministering to 450 participants and learning their different cultures. If you'd like more specific updates, like the lessons we've learned and how we were moved or stretched through the trip, I'd encourage you to ask one of us specifically, as it may vary between the 6 of us. For that reason, this blog update will be primarily pictures to give you a glimpse of the 10-day trip.

For prayer requests, please pray for:

• The participants, that they would be transformed from their attitudes and beliefs outward, and that they would be able to take what they've learned in the camp and apply it to their lives back home.
• The camp leaders, that they would be able to process their experiences and be able to continue to shepherd in their local churches.
• Our re-entry process. Most of our team has had to transition rapidly back to our regular jobs, ministries, and relationships here in Boston, so please pray that we will have a smooth transition, as well as adequate time to debrief ourselves and reflect on our experiences.
• Oslo, Norway. As many of you have heard, there were terror attacks in the Nation's capital city right after we returned fro our trip. Pray for wisdom for the Norwegian government as they try to figure out how to best respond. Pray also that our brothers and sisters there are safe and can use this time as an opportunity to minister to their country.

Without further ado, here is a snapshot of our experience during travels, training week, summer camp, and the one day we got to spend exploring Stockholm (click pictures to enlarge):

To Sweden

being sent off from Logan Int'l Airport by friends and family

Touching down at Stockholm Arlanda Airport

Waiting for the train to take us to Avesta, where training and summer camp are held

The Avesta Krylbo train station

Summer Camp 2011

It rarely got dark for us; we never saw the stars

The beautiful landscape of Sweden

The skies look painted in

After our Revival Meeting (sermon + call to commit/recommit) on Thursday of camp, we headed to Worship Night, only to be greeted with a double rainbow stretching wide across the camp site

The BCEC team winded down each night by hanging out where Pastor Enoch was staying, where we had snacks and reflected on our days.

The Bostonians

These are all of the leaders of the camp, in the "Asian family" pose (sans smile)

Post-Camp Adventures in Stockholm

This is the building that the Liao family stayed at (Pastor Billy's apartment). The men of the BCEC team stayed in a guest apartment while the women stayed with our other host, Simen.

Praying for dinner, with the most delicious curry ever to be stewed on earth.

Simen was our tour guide (a very good one at that!) through Gamla Stan, or "Old City", in Stockholm. This stone is an original Viking carving.

This building commemorated the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520.

This is the site of the Stockholm Bloodbath, and also our team meeting point as we explored the island on our own.

These are statues of Saint George slaying a dragon to rescue the princess, symbolic of Sweden being rescued by invading forces

We had lunch in a 700 year old dungeon, walking down several flights of stone stairs to the bottom of the lair

Swedish meatballs that literally melt in your mouth. We had so many meatballs over the course of our trip.

We visited the Vasa, one of Sweden's biggest engineering failures. It sank within 10 minutes of its maiden voyage, and was only recently found and restored this past century.