Quote of the Day

"I don't like lymph nodes! I just don't like them!!" -Peter

Home Again!

I'm back!! It was a great trip. I spent my last day hanging out with Meagan, just wandering the Royal Mile, checking out the little shops, and exploring new places. It was great. It is definitely nice to be home, though. As much as I love Scotland and truly believe in the work of the project over there, I'm fairly certain that this was my last year going on project. I'm not sure why... I just have that feeling. Although... that's what I said last year, and I ended up going back! haha But really, I'm quite sure that I won't be back in Scotland again until I'm vacationing there someday when I have lots of money.

As I looked back over the project, trying to figure out why I was meant to be there and whether or not I made a difference over there, one story kept coming back to me. I will share it with you. On our very first day on campus, Laurel and I went sharing in George Square (a little fenced in park). We met a girl on a park bench named Jilly (although, it may have been Julie... it's hard to say with the accent!). Jilly was from the Highlands (cool!!!) and was really involved with the church and had a relationship with Christ growing up, but she had fallen away from that during her university career. We went through the Gospel with her and talked about the differences between a self-centred life and a Christ-centred life, and she told us that although she was living a self-centred life now, she would like to move back towards a Christ-centred life. Looking back on it, we could have challenged her more and asked her if she would like to re-commit her life there with us, but we didn't. Instead, we left a Knowing God Personally booklet with her. I didn't see Jilly again, and I'm not sure if she did make a decision to re-commit her life to Christ, but she was definitely thinking about it. I'm praying that she will make that decision, if she hasn't already, and that she will connect with the Christian Union on campus and find a church close to the university.

Well, I guess that's it on Scotland! I'll have some pictures up on Facebook soon. :) I think I'm going to keep blogging... I missed it! haha

Last Day on Campus

Today was our last day on campus. As I'm sitting here thinking, I'm pretty sure that the last thing I updated was that I was sick. I am not sick anymore. I was on campus yesterday and today, and it was really laid back and good for me, even though I did not have the opportunity to share the Gospel with anyone. I had some great spiritual conversations, though, AND got persecuted. Yes, a girl was nearly yelling at me telling me that if I just looked at the facts, I would see that Jesus was only a myth and was no different that Hercules, Hores, etc. I have to think that no one gets that angry over whether I believe in a historical figure but she doesn't unless there is some deep underlying personal issue. Unfortunately, we were not able to uncover what that was because she was too upset. I felt it was best for us to just leave, so we did. But you can pray for her. I can't remember what her name was... I think Julie, but I'm not 100% certain. Anyways, things went really well here. I haven't had time to fully process everything yet, but I had a good trip. Despite intense forces of evil working against us, the name of Jesus Christ was proclaimed in Scotland. Praise the Lord!

Update on the Sickies

Well, Steph is better and was back on campus today. Beth was not. I'm not too sure about Wendy... I think she might have been, but she was back in bed very early. We have two new additions to the sick list, as well. Sean, our project director, was out sick today, and so was I. I don't have the same symptoms as everyone else, though. I just feel very weak and light-headed. I think I might be feeling better, but I'm so hungry that I can't really tell. I think the weak feeling might just be because I'm hungry, but I know that I won't make it to the cafe down the road if I try, so I'm really not sure what to do exactly. Maybe Heather will come back soon and just happen to have some food with her... Keep praying for us - we definitely need it!!

So... since I was off campus all day today sick, I have no idea how the day went or how Kirk's event went. Hopefully I will find out soon! I'd like to be back on campus tomorrow, so pray for that.

Spiritual Warfare

We are waging a war here in Scotland. There is a great deal going on that has led us, as a staff, to believe that we are fighting a battle in the spiritual realm. Yesterday morning, one of our staff (Steph... who I think I wrote about yesterday) woke up sick, saying that she felt heavy, like someone was sitting on her. She spent the day in bed. Last night, Wendy and Beth were both coughing, and Beth had a very high fever. We really believe that something is going on that is trying to prevent us from being full force on campus sharing. We prayed a lot last night and this morning, and Steph just walked in the coffee shop where I am saying that she is feeling much better, though still not 100%. Beth is still VERY sick with a high fever, coughs, and an upset stomach. I haven't seen Wendy yet. PLEASE pray for whatever is happening here. With such a short time, it is very hard to have staff off their feet, even for a day. Beth and Justin are leading the team that I am on.. There are 14 of us, which is a lot of people for one intern to handle on his own! I may need to step it up and help out tomorrow, but I'm not entirely sure what my place is on that since I was asked to intern doing finances and admin work rather than leading a team... I guess I will ask some questions and/or await my instructions tomorrow. But please pray. The UK is a place with a history of a great deal of spiritual warfare, so we need your prayers. I heard last night that Halloween originated here because the spirits were actually visible, so people would light Jack-o-Lanterns to keep the ghosts out of their houses. This is not a myth - that is actually what happened. Satan is working hard to thwart our work here, but we know that there is victory in Jesus Christ. Pray that His name will still go forth.

On a happier note, Glasgow was great! We have a new brother in Christ. I didn't actually get to speak to him or meet him, but he is from Hong Kong and prayed to receive Christ out front of one of the buildings at the University of Glasgow. Praise the Lord! The campus there is still as beautiful as ever, and I still love it there. If I were ever to go away for school, that would be my number one choice. There is something about it that pulls my heart... Anyways, I have just been informed that I'm leading a Bible study in the morning, so I had best do some preparation for that. I will do my best to update again tomorrow night. Pray for me. I'm getting tired.

First Day on Campus!

We had our first day on campus today! My team is on the University of Edinburgh George Square campus, which is the more arts and social sciences side, as well as the business school. We have a very big team - there are 14 of us! But it is the Christian Union's Events Week, so there is lots for us to do. I had some really great conversations today, and I was able to share the gospel twice, so that was very encouraging! No decisions made yet, but we can tell that God is really convicting the students there and working in their hearts, so that's very exciting. Tomorrow, we are heading off to Glasgow for the day on a visionary trip to the University of Glasgow. The campus there is BEAUTIFUL. Seriously - it's like going to school in a castle. It was my favourite day last year, so I'm excited to go back. Pray for us... There is one staff member, Steph, who is quite sick, and a few students are not feeling well either. We are taking ground, but we still need lots of prayer!! You can also pray for an event we're holding on Wednesday. Kirk Durston (our C4C Smart Guy) is giving a talk on Life: By Design or Chance. Pray for a big turnout and changed lives!!

Quick Update on Sickness

My sickness seems to be gone. Beth came back for me for supper, and so far my food is staying down. Considering that we ate at a Chinese buffet, I think this is a good sign. Pray that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I will still be fine! I don't want to miss anymore time from this project!!!

Here But Sick

Well, I am here!! I made it to Scotland yesterday afternoon. Our B&B is very quaint and really nice. We had a couple meetings last night before they let us go to bed. I woke up this morning feeling a little funny and nearly fainted in the shower. After I had some water, I felt a bit better, but then after only being able to get down a few bites of breakfast, I threw up six (yes... 6!!) times. Needless to say, I have been in bed all day. I'm really disappointed because all of the students got here today, and I haven't been able to meet any of them... Grr... And I missed ALL of staff orientation this morning, which also really sucks, because I now I know even less of what I'm doing than I did before! Oh well.. God is good, and I will feel better and catch up on everything I missed. I will update again when I am feeling better!

Scotland Here I Come!!

I can't believe that I'm leaving for Scotland tomorrow! The time has flown by!! But it's true - I fly out at 11:45pm tomorrow, and after a six hour layover in London, I land in Edinburgh!!! WOOHOO!!!!

God has been so amazing to bring everything together for this trip. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am meant to be there. Absolutely everything has fallen into place so perfectly for me to go. First, I was accepted to go as an intern, which is something I was really excited about doing. Then, after a very slow start to my support raising, God blessed me by providing $1900 of support through a church of people in Bermuda who I don't even know!! It is unbelievable. As if that weren't enough, I received MORE support from people in my own church, and now I will actually being paid for my work as an intern in Scotland! AND it doesn't end there! I was concerned about giving up a week of work at my part-time job here in Halifax, but I will be getting paid probably 5 or 6 times more what I would be paid for a week's work here!!! God is good!! When He said that He would fill our storehouses to overflowing, He was NOT kidding!! I am still amazed!! Other than support, many other things have come together... even just being alive and able to go! I had a very scary incident on the highway a few weeks back where my car spun two full circles in traffic. I shut my eyes because I knew that I was going to hit the car in front of me and be obliterated by the cars quickly approaching me from behind, but when I opened my eyes seconds later, my car had come to a full stop, pointing in nearly the right direction, and all the other cars around me had also stopped. By all accounts, I should be dead or seriously injured, but I'm not!! God is good! Even little things like staying in the B&B with the staff instead of the hostel, the cancellation of the 40cm snowstorm that was supposed to come tomorrow... everything!! God has orchestrated this perfectly!

I can honestly say that if that much came together to get me to Scotland, I know that BIG things are going to happen on this trip. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do there. I'm totally extoaked! ;) I will be updating again once I'm safely in country!!