This is my time spent in England, growing in my faith and my experiences...with not a clue to the out come but with an open mind..I am starting a new chapter in my life and filling it with life changing things!

Wednesday 11 April 2012

The end of my travels: Germany, Holland and England and Wales!!!

So real quick update before I head back home, the rest of my travels I was in Germany a small town near Holland with my Grandmas cousin which was a lot of fun. They were so funny, cuase they both speak dutch and german with a little english and I only speak english and they were trying to teach me German and Dutch. Let me tell you it didnt work so well I am not very good. But We went to Holland for 2 days, which I didnt think I would get to do. I did and it was sweet. Loved IT!!!! I decided I am going to learn Dutch, and then move to Holland and find myself a good dutch boy!! Hahaha it wont happen dont worry, but a girl can dream. While in Holland I saw a small town where we took a boat around the canals which were roads. We saw windmills and fields of tall grass used for the roofs. We also went to a Dutch market, amazing, they had massive fabric stands. As you can imagine I waas in Heaven. We also went to this Orchard farm, which was really pretty, there was butterflies and all sorts of flowers. In the evenings we played games and went for walks and just hung out. They were amazing, reminded me so much of my Grandma who I miss dearly. I then took the train to Frankfurt where Milena meet up with me and took me around Bad Homburg. We ran some errands before picking up Jessica and Kendal from the train station, a true caperwray party. Where ever you go you will always find Capernwray family!! We spent a day in Frankfurt and then spend a night at a German Christian concert. The guy singing sounded amazing, not that I understood a word of what he was actually saying but none the less we had fun. We also one day went to a highropes course just for Kendal and jessica, well we all went and had a blast but those two were so excited and in their element. It was really a blast, i could have done it all day. Defiantely would do it again, after our time in the jungle as Tarzans and Jane or Donkey Kong, we went and hit up Ikea in Germany. Both Jess and Kendal had never been and i just really want to try Ikea in another language for the fun of it. We finished our evening by making a yummy meal, watching the 2nd Princess diary movie with loads of chocolate and german beer, we tried some interesting flavours. The following day the two girls left and we picked up Nathan in Frankfurt to hang out and wander, we set up a picnik by the river and talked then took him back to the train station so he could go to Prague and we were suppose to meet Gina and Min. However Milena got the dates wrong, so after getting our excercise by walking up and down the platforms looking for them we went off to shop!! Then went back and watched Germans next top model, which Milena had to translate for me, becuase I dont understand German. The next day was departure day for me again. Leaving Milena at the trainstation was rather sad, i shredded a few tears and headed off on my way to the airport, caught my flight and then transfered over in Amsterdam ( I have a stamp now) I also just barely got there as the gate was closing.  Then I was in Bristol again, and spent the next few days hanging out. We went to stonehenge and Salisbury Cathredal one day, and then to Devon and the beach the next as well as meet some wildponies. They rather enjoyed my hand, it tasted like food apparently. I think they also could smell my apple in my purse. The day after Teresa's oldest son and his girlfriend and his sister took me over to Wales. I officially finished my trip around the UK!! We went to this Big Pit, it was a mining place where we got to go underground and wear hard hats and lights on our heads. I had rather bad hat hair after that. We also went into Cardiff were we then went in the castle and wandered around for a bit before I had to head back to catch a train to my last and final stop on my journey in Europe.
My last stop was a much needed stop. I stopped by at my host famillies house from outreach, their names are Diana and John. Diana is a doctor who had a nickname as Di but when we became a doctor she couldnt go as Dr.Di. And her husband John is big in the film industry. They are such a sweet couple and I had a lot of fun staying with them. It was a different experience coming back to Sale but not with my team. None the less it was fun. I went to church with them on easter sunday where everyone remembered me and was surprised to see me, the welcomed me with open arms. Diana preached this sunday, where last time it was I who preached. After church they had a few people over for Easter lunch in which I was feed an amazing meal with lamb and all the fixings. It was quite an interesting meal with some very good conversations going on that I couldnt understand for the life of me, it was rather complicated. Afterwards me and Diana went to the evening service where I got quite a few double takes as well as a lot of welcome hugs and warms smiles. It was sooo good to be back, I love that church so much there is so much life there. There have been some amazing things happening since we left from outreach. There have been amazing prayers that have been answered as well as the man I brought to church is still going as well he got involved in a small group and the y course with the church. So cool!!! Monday me and Diana headed off to Manchester were we visited an art gallery before meeting her niece and nephew at this Make Jesus Known concert in the streets of Manchester. It was fun and cool but very wet and cold so we went for coffee and got to know them better before heading back to Dianas place for tea (dinner). It was a lot of fun her niece and nephew are so on fire for God and are both very lively fun people, we finished by playing a game of life which Kit her nephew said he would win. I told him he wouldnt and he did but I came in second and we were the only two who had any money left by the end.
The next day was a relaxing get everything that i hadnt gotten yet and pack kinda day. Diana had to babysit so I helped her with that for a bit and then headed off to town. I picked up last minute items and then tried to pack everything in to 3 bags, a suite case, backpack and a duffel bag, I believe everything is under weight but we shall see when we get to the airport. I am now off to the airport to fly home after almost 7 months of being away this is really strange. It almost feels worse then leaving the first time. Look forward to seeing you all at home and I might continue this blog just for my sake and to see how adjusting back home is untill next time love you all!!

Sunday 8 April 2012

Travel time 2: Spain here I come!!

So I know its been awhile, but i have been doing a little bit of travelling the world and so here is my brief but probably rather long update on life. I could probably make this rather long but I will try and keep it short considering I will be home in a matter of days. Let me see its been about 3 weeks now since I have left school and I am currently on my way to Manchester to stay with Diane and John, my host parents from 10 day outreach. I'll start at the beginnings of my travels. It commenced in Bristol as you know, and went on to London after dropping my stuff off with my moms friend. It was there that we drove to London where we were to meet my friend Erika from school. However I learned an important lesson in meeting people while travelling: Make sure that you have a meeting place, or one of you has the others phone number but also make sure you know what time they are arriving and where from. We had a little look for Erika, unsure of all this other then a rough estimated time of arrival and after not knowing, we wandered over to the waiting room where I was praying Erika would be smart enough to wait and lucky me she was!!! Yeah!!!! After this little problem we went for a wander over to Tower hill but didnt have enough time to go in so we wandered and then went for food before leaving Teresa and her family, grabbing my bags and then heading off to meet Steve (whose actually a girl, its short for Stephanie) and Bryan her husband. So its sorta funny, we meet this couple while on a walking tour in Paris and they live just outside of London and invited us (Zach, Christy, Brianna and I) if we ever needed a place in London to stay we could stay with them. So I took them up on the offer, however Zach had the number in his phone and when he gave if to me he couldnt remember if he had written the names down right becuase they are both boys names and we knew for a fact that there was a man and a woman and so i just didnt say their names while I  called them, but luckily they remembered me. Anywho a random fact, but they were actually really nice with a lovely home. They helped us figure out our plans for the next day and told us what the best and cheapest way to get to Gatwick airport the next day and where to leave our luggage and what to do in what order. It was rather wonderful and i am so glad that they helped us becuase it would have probably cost a lot more and we would have gone from one place to the next and wasted a lot of time. So after a good sleep and breakfast we headed off early to London to see all that I could show Erika in one day. Let me tell you don't ever try and see London in one day, I was there for 12 days over Christmas and saw almost everything, but it took 12 days to really see it we tried to do it in one. So here is what we saw, we went back to tower hill where we went in and saw the crown jewels and all the stuff inside the castle and then we saw tower bridge, Westminster Abby, Big Ben, Parliment building, Buckingham Palace, London eye trafagan square, British library, random roads, a lot of tubes, a few shops, a lot of people and some protests and other such things! We also saw what looked like Canadian greese and a lot of sunshine, we had the perfect day for it no joke. Well our busy day ended by 4 when we decided we were too tired to see any more and went for dinner before taking the bus to Gatwick, we ended up having to rebook our ticket becuase we didnt want to wait longer. We stayed in a hotel near the airport with a girl from school, Lauren whose mom booked a hotel for us. It was so nice that she let us stay there becuase we would have had to wake up way too early, Gatwick airport is middlle of no where.
So this is already getting really long, I am sure you are probably bored. So we had to fly off to Barcelona on the 20th of March, I swear all day though I thought it was the 27th, for some reason but really thats when we were leaving Barcelona! We arrived at the airport way to early and but we got to Bareclona with no problem what so ever. However once we got there it was cold and windy and not good weather. I had given Erika the task of finding out how to get to the house and so she told us we had to catch this bus to the train stop, well we get on the bus and it moves for 2 seconds and she then rings the stop button saying we have to get off at the first stop, which we hadnt even left the airport!! It was so silly and we gave her a hard time, we got off at the last stop, caught a train and then a taxi to the house which was a 10 minute walk, I just didnt want to get lost in the dark. We were given the wrong house number and so the boys waved us over to the right house. Which by the way was amazing!!! It had 10 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room 5 bathrooms, pool, sauna, sqash court, pool table it was probably like 5 levelsish with a rooftop to sit on. So sweet plus we were 2 minutes from the beach. The first night the 4 boys who were the first to arrive were in charge of making dinner for 20. Let me say it was rather interesting, it was good they made pasta with pesto but way too much pasta and it burnt to the bottom of the pot becuase there was soo much. Everyone else didnt arrive till later that evening. The rest of the week went by so quickly, the first day was a shop for food and hang out, it was our lazy day becuase it rained all day. Once the rained stop we went and explore the beach before supper, which was tacos and strawberries for dessert. I washed dishes by hand while others dried. Then I finished cleaning the kitchen before a nice night walk through Spain. The next day everyone but me Erika, Jordan Derkson, Matt, Ty and Tim, all went to Barcelona for the day. While the me, Erika and the boys slowly got ready, coffee food, cleaning and then walked to the beach to enjoy the sun. The boys played frisbee (by the end of the week i got really good, well good for me) and I read and Erika tanned. We walked along the beach and got a little browner and redder for some. It was funny becuase we actually got colour while everyone who was in Barcelona still were white. I actually have to say that this day with the boys was probably one of my favourite, I got to know them a lot better and I had a lot of fun with them. Me and Jordan have the same last name and the whole time at school the only conversation that we had was about whose name was spelt right. So we decided by the end of the week we would be actual friends. ( It did actually happen, we went from accquaintances with the same last name to Roll kuchen making friends) So to make this quick here is a snapshot of the rest of the week:
-I was the mom of the group, How you may ask well; I refilled and bought toliet paper, I did dishes, I cleaned the kitchen spotless (with help from a few), I played nurse and cleaned the boys wounds when the table snapped. I also knew where everything was in the house, I took out the trash and i figured out how to use the stove, dishwasher and washer/dryer. People asked me if they wanted to work something, I kinda like it I felt like I had a purpose. Which I thank my mom for raising me to be independant and responsible. I think the house would have looked worse then it did if I didnt step up.
-We got gelatoes almost everyday, Mango and coconut were the best together.
-Bakerys are amazing
-Cooking for 20 people is hard, you never know if you are going to have too much or not enough, we usually had way too much.
-The beach and sun are amazing, almost everyone got red and most got a little brown.
-We spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach or in the house.
-I spent a lot of time getting to know people I hadn't talked to while at school, i spent the day in Barcelona with Jordan, Erika, and Tim. Spent and afternoon with Ty and Matt on the roof, Went back one evening and hung out at the house with Jayme talking and getting to know her a lot more. I loved my time with these people
-I only know Gracious, Si and Hola in Spanish, and I got by. I love when you walk by someone and say hola and they give you a big smile back!
-After 3pm till about 5 ish nothing is open, it really is cesesta time.
-If people leave cumbs on the counter, and food everywhere you get really bad ants all over the kitchen. And they make you feel like you have them all over you!! Also if you find them you have to clean them up, everyone else just leaves.
-I now have a watch tan and thats all i wanted.
-Beer, wine and other alcohal is really cheap.
Highlights:
-Jordan was dancing in this gelato place and the girls gave him his ice cream for free!!
-Spain is amazing, the beaches, Sand and sun, what is better then that!!!
-Barcelonas Sangria Familia (didnt spell it right) is gorgeous!!
-Making roll kuchen and watermelon for the first time with my Derksen/Derkson pal, so much fun!! Showing all the americians what mennonite food is, they loved it so much!!
-Spending the day at the beach with the boys!
-Hanging out on the rooftop with Matt and Ty eatting watermelon, watching the sun set and getting to know the both of them better!
-Mango and Coconute Gelatoes!!
-Meeting up with a friend (Hannah) from Highschool in Barcelona and then going back to the house and seeing Amber from school there with a girl, Jodi who I went to summer camp with in 2006. They were travelling with Hannah. I had kept in touch with Jodi for 2 years and went to MCC sale with her for a few years and then to see her in Barcelona 6 years later was crazy.
-Having just a handful of girls in the house and running around in our underwear and bras with the music turned up lous
-Waking up and slowly getting ready drinking coffee and reading my bible outside
-Eatting really really good food!
Not a highlight but the last day our table snapped, it was all glass and the boys were leaning on it and the end snapped and the boys got cut, we lost our deposit
So I think that was kinda all there was to my trip to Spain, we spent a lot of time just hanging out relaxing going to the beach, talking and getting to know some people better as well as doing a lot of cleaning and learning I dont want to live with just 20 people or really want my own house yet. So from Spain I went and hit up Holland, getting there was fun. I left at about 7 with Matt so i could get my 10:30 train from Barcelona and he could get his 12o'clock train. We took a train to Barcelona and then a bus to the terminal, turns out we had the wrong terminal after sort of freaking out cause neither of our flights were showing on the board (there are 3 airports and I thought maybe I had booked with the wrong one) but it was jsut at the other terminal so we took a shuttle over there and then looked on the board only to find out that my flight was cancelled due to a strike in frankfurt so i talked to luftsana and they put me on a flight going to muncih at 12 so me and matt had from 8-12 at the airport so we checked in and sat around talking for the 5 hours. The time really flew by faster then I thought it would which I was so thankful and by the end having to say bye to Matt was rather said. Anywho got my flight to munich then to Bremen where my grandmas cousins had a sign with my name on it and picked me up and the adventures began again.
I'll end this one here and continue in a bit, its a lot to read but that has been the first part of my travels part 2!

Saturday 17 March 2012

I bid fair well to Capernwray my home:(

 So my time here at Capernwray has drawn to a close, after a short but long six months. Time sure has gone by fast, it feels like just yesterday that I was getting on a plane going who knows where and meeting a bunch of strangers. The who knows where has now turned into home for me and the strangers are now family and friends. I am sad to leave this place I call home but I am soo excited to go home and see my family and my actually home. I am excited for normal life, to move on and start the rest of my journey in life. I have loved my time here and wish everyone could come and experience it. I can remember the first week here meeting everyone and doing a school dance and the hot sunny days. Where Zach jumped in the canal and being able to go out for walks late in the evening and not freezing your butt off. I remember trying to get to know all 175 students names, I now think I have it down. I can remember being overwhelmed by the baggage that I thought I had left at home but yet being reminded of it and learning how to deal with it. Then having a great peace about giving it to God. I have built relationships with people that I know will last a life tiime and I have grown in my relationship with Christ. I can now call myself beautiful and actually believe it and I can say that I know what I want to do and be extremely excited about it. I have been able to give my stresses and worries to God and know that he is my strength. I can say that Christ is living in my and doing amazing things in me, I am not saying i am perfect I never will be but I am growing and learning and changing slowly. It's going to be a hard journey one that Satan will try and attack and verr me off course time and time again but I will hold strong to Gods strength. Please dont expect me to be perfect of completely changed but also dont expect me to be my old person either.
And now for what the last week looked like it short. Mon and tues we had lectures still plus during spare time people either started packing, avoided packing and hung out with people or tried to finish old testament reading. Wed we still had lectures but in the evenying we had our final banquet, where we spent the day trying to pack as well as trying to get pretty and dressed up. I had no desire to do either of them and wish I could have just slept it was rather emotional. It was the last actually evening with everyone and was just kinda depressing. We had a dance in the evening and then me and a bunch of girls got together and went for a walk and prayed. The next morning we got to sleep in and have a late breakfast and then our final lecture with Rob Whittaker. This was followed by a mass packing party and cleaning. Everything had to be cleaned before the internet turned on or we could hang out, however those who finished early hung out in the lounge hall way signing each others yearbooks. Then there was tea and more signing followed by our last service, which was emotional and sad and then we had sometime before the London coach came to pick everyone up going down the london. It was rather odd, I can cry a lot yet I did not really cry at all. However once they left and things calmed down but not really I made my way to bed and stayed up thinking about how I wont see most of these people again. I was then awaken at the lovely hour of 5:30 am by one of my favourite people Ali Mayer who came to say goodbye. I will miss this girl, she has been such a blessing the last couple of weeks. I was then kept up by Megan, Sophie and Caitlyn at 6:30 when they came to say goodbye, if it wasnt so early I probably would have cried even more, these girls have been some of my bestfriends the last 6 months and I love them all so much. We had breakfast which I then had to say good bye to my friend Katey from germany which was the worst thing ever, I balled my eyes our And then after breaky was time to get cleaned up and spend a lot of time waiting till we left at 9:45 am which was just as hard. I had to say bye to everyone who was left and it was easy to say bye to the ones you are going to see again. It was hard but nice to say bye to Zach, i will miss the boy but I will see him again.Then it was time to begin my train journey down to Bristol which I got there around 3pm and had to take 3 different trains with a very heavy suit case and a back pack. I took a few flights of stairs, getting on and off the train and managed to only bruise my self 2 times and fall just once. I was picked up by Teresa my moms pen pal and am now staying at her lovley house with her 3 sons. Ieven got to have a bubble bath and watch tv which I havent done in the last 6 months. I have eatten lots and hung out and talked. I look forward to the rest of my travels.
Day 2- Bristol
So I am still in this random town, but I got to sleep in, make my own breakfast and relax before heading of to a town called CHEDDER. Crazy to think that people  have to be like 'I live in Chedder' Chedder cheese? Did you know its not famous for its cheese but rather for the Gorge. You can climb upthe rock face and the funny thing is that the one side of it you have to pay to climb but if you cross the road you can pretty much do the same hike and not pay. So which do you think we did? The one you didnt have to pay for and it was quite the climb it was rather steep and some parts where slippery but we made it to the top and it was pretty sweet up there because you could see over everything. We then went and walked around the town stopping at a Sweet shop of course and a few other nick nack shops and then heading to Blaise castle, we didnt get time to see the castle because it started to pour down with rain before we made it there so we went to the musuem. Before that we visited this awesome parkish area that has about 10 really tiny adorable cottages that were built for the people who worked in the Blaise castle. They were soooooo cute, I actually want to live in them, they are really small though., It was literally a sitting area/dining aread downstairs and upstairs I think 1 or 2 bedrooms if you were lucky. The outsides have seeats attached to the house. Then later in the evening we went and headed off to the pool at this counrty club. So this pool was amazing I got to go in a stream room, hot tub, did some swimming and went in the Sauna!! Oh boy do i miss my sauna nights with my caperwray saunaers. Theres a group of us that are in the sauna every mon and wed night and have been going since first term. After the sauna theres this bucket that fills up with cold water and you can dump it on yourself and so Alan, Teresa oldest son dared me to do it and so I did twice, rather chilli but quite refresshing as well. We then visisted and had tea and now I am off to bed to head down to London for a few days and then to Barcelona, Germany and then back here again. Pray for safe travels, fun times and amazing memories as well as beinging able to smoothly transition back into normal life. Love you lots and I am home sooon enough!!

Sunday 11 March 2012

10 day outreach!! God my strength!!

Hey so this is slightly late, We got back from 10 day out reach just the other day and I have to say I had a fantastic time! I wasn't worried or nervous in going at all, i was fully trusting that God had it all under control and he did. I was stretch and I grew and I have done things now that I never thought I could do. Our week went something like this Monday-Thurs we did prayer visiting during the day, we also had two school assemblies that we took part in. We taught primary school kids a song and a story as well Chris told them about his life. I also took part in 3 different small groups through out the week, where we studied the life of Gideon. I think I learned more then the people we were teaching the lesson to. Wed night me and 4 other girls took part in the girl guides group, and we just talked with them abou where we were from and then played ladders and I got to remember my days as a guide. I also got a thinking day badge! After the guides meeting there was a mans evening going on at a local pub however they could not stay there and do the talk that was planned so last minute us girls and some ladies from the church had to change the plans and set up to have 80 men come to the church for tea and coffee and biscuits. It was quite eventful and I actually enjoyed serving and helping with the last minute change. Thursday was actually our day off and so we headed out towards trafford Center, which is their big mall in Manchester and so yes I bought my self some new pants and a cute top. Friday I hit up every age group of people first we had a connection lunch with the people of Sale west and then there was an off limits +50 tea and then we had rocks and rockets and Projects, which are there youth groups they start at age 6 -18 all in one evening. Projects which was the older kids, we lead the whole thing so we played games and then me and Jillian shared our testamonies we both have very different ones so it was cool. The teens really enjoyed the evening. Saturday was the concert in the evening, that was done by this Christian artisit, who has an amazing voice and a crazy testamony. It was a great evening. Saturday we had the morning off so me and Sophie went out into Sale and did a little bit of exploring before heading off to the kids event down at Sale west. And then the concert. Sunday was my big day, after having a late night at the concert, I got a lack of sleep and had to head off to church early to prepare for my message. I wasnt nervous at all, well i had a few butterflies but other then that I didnt cry and I gave it and it went really well. I spoke on James 1:2-8, which is about the trials that we face and just seeing it in a much more joyful perspective and seeing them as a learning experience and a time to grow. I had some great feed back and some people who really enjoyed it. It doesnt mean I am preacher or anything by any means however it showed that I could do anything through God who actually does give you strength. I was truly relying on God and trusting that he would help me out and he did, he took away my nerves and spoke through my words to other people. It was also really cool cause one of the guys we prayer visited to, he came to church service to hear me preach and share. He was the guy that was really angry with God and with the church and he was truly suffering a great deal. It was sweet to see him there. After church we had lunch with the whole team and then relaxed with our host families before heading back out to the evening church service which was sweet. I loved my time at Sale and will remember it for a long time to come. I grew a great deal from the time there and was able to see myself being able to do anything that I want and that God does have a plan for me and he can use me just the way I am. And I love know that, its cool to be able to see that God can and will use you when the time is right. I miss the people there already, they were so awesome, I am going there again before heading home.
And so then there was 10 days left and so this past week has been pretty much just hanging out. We had two different lecture series, one of which was Rob doing more about Getting the King out of the Boy and then the other was Hans Peter Royer? From Austria Capernwray and he did it on Turning Truth into Reality. He was so awesome, everything he said was so pratical. The lecture that really got me thinking was his one on gratifulness, he was just saying to be thankful for things in our life that arent always easy to be thankful for. And so i have started being thankful for the little things in my life and so whenever I start thinking about bad things or just complaining about something in my life I dont like I find something that I am thankful for whether it is something big  or small and just remind myself that there is a lot of good in my life. I decided its a lot better way to live then to live thinking about all the bad in my life. So what else can I remember about this past week, I walked and swam a lot this week. Wed we went on an adventure with Kent, Eliana, Laura and Courtney, we went up this hilly mountain, did some trespassing crossed a few train tracks, which is really not allowed here and went to this shack, it was a lot of fun. I also went out to Grans and did some baking with Ali, Jessica and Megan. It was fun I really love those girls so much they have been so amazing.  During some of our lecture blocks we had recap of outreach, everyone had to share a little 4 minute thing about outreach. Friday was cleaning day, everyone had to clean, most of the girls were inside while the boys were out doing construction or digging trenches or whatever else is considered manly work. I however got to sew curtains with one other girl. And then the afternoon I spent reading and just hanging out. Friday evening was family night and so we went bowling and me and briar didnt do so well we lost against brother Kent. And then we played a monkey game before heading back to school. We got back really late as it was and then one of the girls found out her friend from home died so we hung out with her and prayed with her and so I was up until 2 am and then woke up at 7am to go to York for the day. We wandered around York all day and hung out with Katey, Orion, Trevor, Tim and Issac and just walked around really. Its gorgeous and such a sweet town. We got back here and had a wonderful talent show. Pretty much one of the best events that was happened here, it was so much funny and sooooo funny. I laughed and cheered so hard. My jaw hurt from all the laughing and screaming. Its hard to believe that is our last Saturday we have here and then today was the last church service and so everyone got dressed up and looked so nice. Ian spoke on Psalm 23 and how the Lord is our shephard, he talked about how a shephard wants to watch his sheep grow, and wants to lead them and he always knows where they are, he knows each of the sheep. And it is exactly like God. Tonight we have a sharing evening, so telling of out time here. Last week, and so the count down begins, I leave school on Friday and I am home on the 11th of April. Love you and cant wait to be home again!!!!

Sunday 26 February 2012

So we have left Capernwray for 10 days this last week really did fly by and so will these next 3 weeks. So a brief recap of the week, if I can remember all that even happened. I am not sure if I can but it was a busy week full of last minute prep for outreach. Mon-thurs we had lectures on Philippians by Andy Thomas and we had Getting the King out of the Boy by Rob again. We had a lot of group time and we did interactive group where we played games and we had our last new testament group and we talked and encouraged each other for outreach. We also had a lot of work to do for outreach and so I worked on my message that I am giving next Sun, I am hoping it goes well I feel like it will go wonderfully. I swam a lot this week and spent time talking with people and hanging out with whoever. A very memorable moment was thursday when a girl named Danae and my dear friend Trevor had themselves a wedding at school. They got married. I don't know why and it wasn't actually real, but I guess since James could have a lot of fake girl friendsthey could have a legit fake wedding. They really went all out, with photographer and a DJ and bridesmaids, groomsmen's and don't forget the family and friends. They dressed up did a photo shoot even had bachelorette and bachelor Party and a reception thursday evening. It was quite the event, a bit ridiculous but a lot of fun to be had. This week was a tad emotion, I found out about Mj getting into an accident and then a lot of stress and drama at school. Its all a bit irrelevant when you think about it but it has been hard, and has made me realize I am ready to go home but at the same time now being away from school and home I want to go back to school. I miss my friends from school.
So as you may know I am in Sale a place near Manchester for my outreach, which is 10 days long. We got here Friday around 5pm after getting lost for an hour we were suppose to get there at 4 but got lost and got stuck between two cars almost hitting one. Driving around here is insane truly, I don't think I would ever try driving around this place. And so Friday was youth group which started off with primary school group called Rock, which was crazy and loud and then there was the middle school aged group which is called Rockets. Last of all there was a group called Projects which is for the senior high aged kids. That one was a lot of fun, they talked and really got involved in the games. Sophie and Kat from our team went off to a cell group for teen girls, its what we know as a small group. They had a lot of fun getting to know the girls and they came back really excited for the week to come.
Saturday was a sort of busy day. For some reason I was just really exhausted and tired and had very little energy at all. However we did morning team time followed by a little bit of prayer visiting. Which is a very interesting experience, it is not really my cup of tea, I would rather talk to people over coffee or be behind the scene setting up. None the less this is all about doing new things and challenging myself. So we went out had a few no thanks and a yes for sure and a lot of no one being home. We went out in teams of two one church member with one Capernwray student. When we got back to the church we had set up for the Women's event in the evening. So  all the girls stayed behind for that and worked alongside Mary Loo from Canada and Emma who were in charge. So we set up tables, and decorated and did food prep, which is the fun part of a ob if you ask me. We went back to our host families and had dinner and then went back to enjoy the evening talking to people and eating lots of food. They had the desserts in little shot glasses and then there were all sorts of crafts and even some deco patch. We had to stay and clean up afterwards but overall it was good night. I got to talk to a few ladies from dublin and scotland originally who hadn't been to church in a while and were thinking of coming again.
Sunday is church of course and so me and Jochen went of to Sale West Church where Jochen did a message and I just got volunteered last minute to say a few things and then the rest of out team split up and did kids program. They did puppets and a drama as well as some kids worship, they were at Sale West as well as St. Marys. It was a long morning because following the service was a bring and share lunch and then a lot of chatting with the members. Now is just a time of rest and prep which will be followed by another evening service which I am looking forward to. We also have been eating so much food here I swear I have already gained 5lbs this week.
I am so very tired for some reason and I feel like I have a lot to do but I am not in the mood to prepare so pray for the strength to do the stuff I have to get done as well as sleep and health. I feel like I might be getting sick, I have also been waking up with weird dreams and becoming rather tired from a lack of proper sleep. Pray for my team as we go out to do more work this week that we may have strength and be able to fend off the enemy but also that all the stuff we have to do will go amazing. I have faith that we will do great and that God is going to use us in amazing ways. Oh as well pray for my friend Mj who is going for surgery on Monday to get a disc replaced in her neck.
Thanks I love you all and miss you as well. I am done school in 3 weeks and then traveling for 3 weeks Ill be home before you know it!!

Sunday 19 February 2012

Happy Birthday week to me and Valentines to everyone else

Okie dokie, well ladies and gents, lets see my life has been a roller coaster of emotions. Beginning of the week started of better then las week probably becuase I had an absolutely amazing weekend with some wonderful people. Plus the factor that tuesday was my B-Day and making me now 19 and legal to drink in any place in Canada, YEAH! Don't worry it doesnt mean that much to me other then i can now go into a pub at home and eat good pub food. I have already been doing that here. Recap of the week Sun was church and we had students do our evening service and then this guy from the states do the morning service. In the middle of the day me and Christy made cup cakes for interactive group on monday, that pretty much sums up sunday leading then into monday which was interactive group all the people from BC, well half of us from B.C in one room for an hour, which equals a lot of craziness. We are one of the loudest and craziest groups and we usually just play games and talk. Christy and I lead it and we did a little bit on love and then made valentines cards and talked and ate and played four on a couch. We also did New testament discussion group and yeah. Tuesday was my Birthday and Valentines day for those who did not know my Birthday lands on that day every year. Which kind a sucks kinda doesnt. I get a lot of love from everyone. Me and a few girls went out for coffee/tea and just kinda hung out. I got a lot of notes and cards and they had a little dance party in the evening. I also had to write out my essay and so I stayed up late to write it. I got to talk to my mommy and Jessica which was great fun. I had two valentines this year, the first one being Trevor my dear old Ginger friend from California and then a guy from Wisconsin named Nathan, just for the fun of it. Trevor actually got me chocolate and a really sweet note that was so funny. As you may now know or not know, I am single that is right. Quickest but longest relationship. Being here it felt like 2 years but really it was 2 months, I have rather mixed emotions but it is for the good of both and we are still going to be friends when we get home, until then who knows. But moving on... I went onto Wed feeling rather loved indeed and so I had a great day and felt like I can get through and survive. This week of lectures was only mon-wed and we had the guy from the states name Jim Wright and he talked on Acts and the church. He was really cool and you could defiantly tell he had passion however by the end of the week I had enough, he talked a lot! Which was great but also tiring becuase he would go till 9 15 pm. And by that point you were exhausted. We also had Rob start a new lecture series on Getting the King out of the Boy, talking on David becoming King. Thursday was suppose to be reflecting and prayer day and so it was decent. I got time to my self to think and pray and just relax and not feel pressure and loudness around me. I also later got a chance to go out for a walk with Olivia Abbot who is from Victoria B.C. It was nice because we both have long legs and both love walking fast and far distrances and we have similar personalites. It was a lot of fun, however a  lot of fun and a good emotional high must apparently always be followed by a large drop in the rollercoaster. Not to sound all the depressed but Friday was kind of a depressing day, it was cloudy and rainy and really was a lie in bed and do nothing day, which was followed by murder mystery. Saturday we went to Kendal with a handful of girls and we went to this sweet tea shop that was 8 floors tall and was an old inn. It was adorable and I loved it. We also did some good retail therapy and I got some adorable shirts for really cheap at the second hand shop. Later in the evening we had what was called a Capernrace, a spin off of the amazing race. It was a lot of fun there was 11 different challenges around the school which we had to go to with our team of 12 people and we had to complete all these random challenges under 10 mins and for under a min we got 1000 points and for 2 mins it was 900, every min it took we lost 100 points. The teams were put into interactive groups which was fun, our group is the crazy fun competive ones and so we were all there and we got 3rd place for points and got back 2nd and so we then got to do one final challenge which required swiming to get coins that had dates to answer the questions. And guess what we won, so exciting!! We get to have a pizza party when we get back from 10 day out reach. And now we are at Sunday once again, I swear time flies here it really does. Its crazy we have a week till 10 day outreach, then we are gone for 10 days and then we get back and we have a week and a half left before we leave to either go home or travel, I am travelling then coming home. April 11th.
I have lots to do, I have a message to prepare for 10 day outreach plus I need to update my testimony and I need to do Bible reading and study for a quiz I failed and I need to finish last minute travel plans and every little detail. This week I want to have all my plans done and ready to go before I go away for 10 day. The stress is kicking in and its not a great feeling. But I remembering to look to God for strength because it is only through him that I can do it all. So I just that you pray for the stress in my world, that I might be able to get it all done in time and not worry too much about 10 day outreach and just be at peace with that and travelling. Also pray for health and safety, I want to be well and not injured for travelling or outreach and this is a time that Satan will attack and he has already been attacking in everyway he can. We have outreach leaders sick and we plans going astray as well distractions that have been thrown at everyone.
A lot of me is ready to come home and see everyone again. I ready to leave this place and not have to see people and to relax a little and be in a normal environment. Have you ever tried to avoid someone when you live with them, its pretty hard and not a realistic expectation. I am also excited to see everyone at home and eat food I want. Yet today I was realising that I am not quite ready to leave. I am going to miss the beauty of this place and all it has to offer. It is gorgeous. I went for a walk in sweater with the sun beating down on my back and wind in my hair and I could hear the sheep baahhing and the birds chirping. It is nice in the sense you are out in the middle of no where and so a lot of the distractions of home are taken away yet at the same time it would be nice to be able to do what I want when I want. I also love always having someone to hang out with or talk to, it has been so awesome this past week because I can usually find someone to walk with or talk with. I come home really soon or so it feels and so one more time I love you and miss you. Hope all is well back home

Sunday 12 February 2012

When Life hands you lemons...God will give you strength

This is week one, I was lazy and didnt get a chance to post it. So this week was a back to normal week here at Capernwray. We had an essay on Apologetics due wed which had the questions about how do you know God and Jesus exist, why does God allow suffering and what is a Christian worldview. It was a jamed packed essay that made you really think and dig deep into why you believe. Also we had a memory verse quiz on thursday which I most likely failed, I wouldnt be surprised mainly because I mixed up one of the verses. Other then that we had two guest lectures who were married name Joan and Sam and they taught on Christian Dynamics, and focused on the book of Jonah. It was a really encouraging lecture series and also very applicable to our lives. Both Sam and Joan had very interesting stories on how they came to know God and how they met, it was cool to hear and they were very real with us. Our other lecture this week was by Kin Lee on World Religion so we went over Mormonism, Muslim and Budism . It was cool but I am not a big fan on Kim lee something about her makes if hard to listen to she almost always looks like she is confused or unsure of what she is talking about.
Friday was Marriage Seminar and also Social night, which is where staff memebers let students to come and watch movies or host games. However there are only so many slots and so we didnt do anything and instead I hung out with Trevor from cali and Orion (my team leader from Saskactewan) and Kristen from the Maritimes. We decided to try and figure out some prank of sorts to do that wouldnt harm or get anyone mad and so we rearranged Mark the man in charges room. We left him chocolate and a nice note. We came up with other ideas as well.
Saturday we went to lancaster did internet, stayed for pizza hut and then came back hung out here. Watched Gilmore girls and just kinda chilled with trying to come up with something to do and so we made plans and lists and had a great time.
Sunday was church and just a quite day to chill and relax. I went for numerous amounts of walks and took time to pray and be alone but also spend with other girls as well.
Then we are now on the current week, sorry if this confuses you in any way. Trust me my own brain has been a little mumble jumble the last few weeks. Any how how lectures this week were focused to our 10 day outreach which is in two weeks time. So I went to two seminars one on preaching and the other on youth work, both were really good. I think overall I learned more in preaching then youth work, but we did play games in youth work. We also had other short lectures this week on various other things like building relationships (that one was funny becuase they did role playing of what not to do on 10 day) and we had evangelism and safe work something and a few other short ones.
Other then lectures this week has been a lot of walking 2 to 3 a day with various girls around the school, I beginning to build better relationships with them and just hanging out more. I also went to town this week and got yarn so I can either learn to crochet or knit one or the other. Wed morning our family group had breakfast so we had pancakes, eggs, toast and bacon not amercian bacon though.  Friday was probably the most exciting day, I got to clean the dining hall ya!!! But I also got a hair cut which is even more Yeah!!!! So I now have hair which is 2" shorter and has layers and I have side bangs again !!! Its fantastic it really made me feel so much fresher and better. This week has been a hard week I have to say, I have been in a bit of a slump and not overly too excited  about life. The hair cut helped and I got to hang out with two amazing girls, Ali from Wisconsin and Megan from Saskactewan. The rest of the night was spent chillin in the lounge, while other people play dodge ball and then there was a ridiculous dance off. It was between the two Lukes for a girl. Silly I know. Before Lock up and after the dance off 5 of us ( Orion, Trevor, Katey, and Andy ) went off to walk the loop and make a fire over by the bonfire pit. It was a blast, really was, we made hot dogs and had chips and were out probably till about 1. It was a relaxing evening, with lots of boyish behaviour and fun times. I got back late and had a nice hot shower for once.
I actually slept in on Saturday and went to brunch and then I had a nice and relaxing day at the cafe at the end of the canal with Ali, Megan and Chelsea. We hadnt walked very far at all when Brady our RA drove by and we convinced him to drive us there. We got there and Ali taught me how to crochet and she worked on homework and Chelsea journaled. Megan ran there and met us there a hour or so later. We had fruit scones and tea. It was such a nice and relaxing afternoon. I loved every moment of it. These 3 girls are absolutely amazing, they are such a God send in so many ways. I wish I had gotten to know them better first term but you know what better late then never. Two of them are from Wisconsin and I know one more girl here who I am good friends with who is from there as well and so when I get home I am hoping to go for a road trip to visit the 3 of them. The rest of saturday was great there was a group of about 6 girls who went out for dinner to this italien place. We went for my birthday and Maddie (my roommates birthday which on the 22nd) birthday. It was a lot of fun to get out and relax and eat some amazing food.
Sunday Sunday Sunday the end of a interesting week. We had an amazing speaker this sunday who is speaking all week. I am looking forward to what he has to say. I also made cupcakes for interactive group and I did some more crocheting and walking. Its a typical day at Capernwray.
Love you lots and its another 59 days till I come home April 11th