The Good News “I have seen the Lord” - John Paul II Bible School

The capacity to
change your life
2
by Christine Bell
What kind of insanity would possess a middle­aged woman
and mother of an 11 and 13 year old to boot, to uproot all
from a comfortable life in the suburbs of Auckland, New
Zealand and head for Radway, a tiny town in Northern Alberta,
Canada We’re talking maybe 150 people on a good day,
flat prairie land, ­30 C in winter – and a simple trailer for
accommodation. Some might call me crazy, the more discerning
might see the stamp of the Holy Spirit.
In this small community lies John Paul II Bible School ­ a
school that has the capacity to change your life. Sounds exciting
It is.
I attended the year’s course commencing in the fall of 2005
and ending June 2006. There were about 45 students in my
class, mainly 18 to 20 year olds from across Canada, with
Scotland, the USA, Togo and New Zealand represented.
So what happened there We grew and then we grew some
more! Dynamic teachers taught us about our Catholic faith,
what it is that we believe, and so importantly, why we believe
it. I came full of questions. We laughed, we cried, we
supported each other through the healing of past hurts (we
all have them!), we prayed, sang and worshiped Jesus, the
One who loves us beyond our comprehension and we even
had some of the rough patches in our characters rounded out
a little, with the help of sand paper – community living!
Yes, it all took some courage.
Admittedly, there were some initial reluctant starters. However,
on completion, a transformation had happened before
my very eyes. I witnessed several shy, timid young women,
embarrassed to stand and address the class at the beginning
of the year, blossom into glowing young women, confidently
able to share their stories of their journey and walk with Jesus
in Canadian schools during outreach in May. Truly, the
change was astonishing! I saw the guys treat the young
women with great respect and brotherly love and grow in
their passion for Jesus. The person who entered the doors of
JPII in the fall of 2005 was not the same person who left in
June 2006. Yes, this had been a Holy Spirit thing. I felt so
proud of these fine young men and women who were willing
to witness to Jesus in our hurting world, a world so desperate
for His love, grace and mercy.
The one thought that kept occurring to me throughout the
year was – I wish I’d had this opportunity when I was 18. It
would have had such an influence on so many of my important
life decisions that lay before me, as I left home and school and
started living in the real world.
Praise God that such an opportunity will be provided in New
Zealand this February, 2007. The Catholic Discipleship College
will open in Auckland, closely modeled on that of John Paul II
Bible School in Radway.
And if you think you can’t get your kids to go, that it just ain’t
cool, get down on your knees and pray. That’s where the power
lies. Would I send my own 2 kids Absolutely. And if they
didn’t want to go I wouldn’t discount a bribe! That’s how
important I believe such a school as this is for our young adults,
us “oldies”, our Catholic community and our nation. Call me
crazy if you like, but as one Mum put it, “My sole goal in life is to
make sure I see my kids in heaven!” After all, that’s what it’s all
about.
Outreach
Program
offered at JPII Bible School
There are still some dates available to book your retreat!
In keeping with John Paul II’s ongoing call for a ‘new
evangelization’, the John Paul II Bible School offers several
teams of students as part of its Catholic Outreach Ministry.
The purpose is to reach out and serve the Church and all people
through personal witness, drama, music, and service.
The Bible School offers retreats put on by students each
Spring. This year, Outreach begins April 28 and continues
until June 2, 2007. Please keep us in your prayers!
For more information, call Joan Perrott at the school or
email outreach@jpii.net.
Students performing a skit