Saturday, November 6, 2010

Why Catalina?

We thought we might take some space (cyberspace that is) to answer a question that may have rolled through your noggin at some point.  Here goes...

Why Catalina Island?  Would "we're not sure" suffice?  Call it curiosity...that's really our only explanation for what originally drew us to the Island.  Of course, now we know clearly that our loving Heavenly Father has placed this passion - and curiosity - in our hearts.  We were looking online at Campus-by-the-Sea, an Intervarsity christian camp on Catalina Island, in the interest of a cool place to take some older high school and young adults for a mission/camp experience.  On their website, we noticed that one of their summer camp speakers was John Burcombe, who worked there in Avalon at a local church.  For "whatever reason" Andrew felt compelled to call John and John immediately opened his heart and life to Andrew and that is where our story begins.  They began a phone-only accountability relationship until several months later when Andrew and I (Shelli) were able to visit Catalina after having celebrated my mom's birthday with my family in Southern California.  Looking back it's almost bizarre how this connection happened and we can truly ONLY give our God the credit and the glory! 
By the way, the believers in Avalon have been praying for revival in their city and for the Island as a whole.  They have been asking the Lord to make Catalina a place of peace and refreshment rather than the place of heartache and hurtful living that it has become through apathy and abuse.  They see us as part of the answer to their prayers!  Wow - how humbling and how Awesome He is, to choose US!  Pray that we are faithful because HE is able to do MORE than we could ever ask or imagine - Ephesians 3:20:  "Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." 
If you would like to be a part of this ministry and the exciting things God is doing and will do, check-out our website!  http://www.hobbsmissioncatalina.com/
Share your thoughts with us - about this blog or about life... hobbsmission@gmail.com