The Media Centre worked out of one of UK’s Christian Radio stations: Premier. We had a room with tables, chairs, phones, computers, and a huge screen to watch the local news or live Olympic events in the background. It felt like a newsroom! The goal of the Media Centre was to maximize this opportunity with the Olympics being hosted in London, and use the resources MTG had to share about God’s movement in the UK. The MTG team found that one of their programs the Athlete-Family-Home-Stay was a great human interest story. Various media outlets wanted to talk to athletes’ families and their hosts about their experience. These media outlets ranged anywhere from your local newspaper in the UK, magazines in Spain, to even the BBC or NBC. As a volunteer, I made phone calls to ask hosts and the families staying with them if they were willing to be interviewed. Here’s one story that NBC covered because of the More Than Gold Media Centre: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/03/13104653-olympic-hosts-londoners-open-their-homes-to-the-world?lite
The energy in the Media Centre was electric. The first day on the job I felt like I was working in the midst of a bustling newsroom. We met as a Media Centre Team for about an hour, and then they found out I could write and asked if I could put a story together — in an hour. I loved it!!
I researched and even helped write a couple more stories for the Daily Bulletin that were submitted to journalists and media experts wanting story ideas from the Games. Here is one of the Daily Bulletins that includes a story I helped with: http://www.morethangold.org.uk/news/97/68/Crowds-far-surpass-expectations-for-church-hosted-events-on-Games-opening-night/d,detailtemplate.html
More Than Gold is the organization Greater Europe Mission partnered with to serve at the Olympic Games. MTG is excellent in bringing in teams to serve alongside churches to serve in practical ways and impact lives. Before I left London, I visited a church site to see firsthand what they were doing in their community. I had heard many stories, but had spent a lot of time in the office so it was fun to see it all in person. They had activities and sports for kids of all ages, Zumba classes, and even a Sports Café set up with big screen TVs to watch the Olympics. On Opening Ceremony Night this site that expected 2000 people and had approximately 6400 people show up to watch on the big screen. Here’s a picture of that event:
It’s hard to know exactly what God has done in the UK. Only time will tell as hopefully churches continue to bring together their communities and share about our amazing God. Who knows what seeds were planted and lives forever changed because of what God did in London in 2012! There were also some moments when I wondered what type of impact I had, in an office on the phone researching needed information and writing. Only God knows! And the way He creates and assembles stories is brilliant (as the Brits would say)!! He’s a Master Storyteller and I have to trust that somewhere in the midst of a crazy week and a half in London that I was a part of a bigger Story.
Thursday, August 23 – CT scan
Tuesday, August 28 – maintenance chemo (I think this is my ninth one . . . only one more after this!!)
In September things will be in full swing! I’m meeting with a German tutor twice a week. I’ll be helping with childcare at a moms’ morning Bible study, where I hope to share Bible lessons to toddlers/pre-schoolers in German. I now have the flexibility to meet with more teens during the week since I’m not in language school, and plan to help with the teen group that has just started through my church. I’m also excited about the possibilities right across the street from my apartment. There is a youth center there, and I believe they have an after-school program for kids and teens. I don’t know what this would even look like, but am excited to explore and see how God leads.
Thank you for taking the time to read and to share in this God-adventure with me!!
more pics
Enjoy the pics!:
