Crazy Busy Christmas Season

Fun Fact: Christmas time in a church is crazy busy!

So after four very busy, but oh so fun weeks, I am back and ready to update you all on my life!  Strap in, put your antlers/Christmas stocking on and get ready for a very long blog entry.

The month of December has brought some very cold weather and what I have deemed to be “fake” snow.  This is the phenomenon of very white frost in the morning.  On numerous occasions I have awoken to white grass; my excitement is quickly dulled when upon walking outside I find slippery sidewalks sans snow.  I will admit to singing “White Christmas” very loudly in  the hopes that my vocals would coax the weather I am dearly missing.

On the first of the month I was lucky enough to travel north to Manchester to meet up with a couple of other YAGMs and explore the German Christmas Markets.  The day brought lots of laughs, great stories, and the joy of spending time with some wonderful people.  I will continue to say it, I am very blessed to be a part of the YAGM program and have had the opportunity to know and serve with these amazing people. 

Enjoying the German Markets with Claire, Rachel and Caitlyn. 

At the beginning of the month I got to do one of my favorite things...decorate Christmas trees!  And this year it was not just one, two, three...but FIVE trees! The church sanctuary is home to an eight foot beauty decked in red and gold.  We did have a small curfuffle when it came to the lights...we didn’t have any that worked.  So, in order to determine just how many lights we would need, I went to ask a very wise source...Google.  According to Google, you are to have 100 lights for every foot of tree.  As I pondered this, I realized I would not be able to justify buying 800 lights for the tree.  I settled for 600, of which 400 were placed on the tree. 

After putting up the four trees in the church there was still a boxed tree left in storage.  Oddly enough it was the perfect size for my room.  I was a sight to be seen toting my Christmas tree up the road to the house from the church.  Two hours of “some assembly required” late, my tree was up and ready to be decorated.  The theme you ask?...The Ornament Grave Yard. That's right folks, all of the ornaments hanging were deemed unfit for service to hang on the Lea Road Sanctuary Tree found refuge on my tree. Our motto: No Ornament Left Behind!!!!!  I love real Christmas trees; but, I will admit, this is probably one of my favorite trees I have decorated.  It is amazingly beautiful in all of its “Charlie Brown Christmas tree” pitifulness. 

My "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree!

Then finally a much anticipated day had arrived.  December 10th to be exact.  The day of the Mumford and Sons concert.  Again, I ventured north again to Hazel Grove, a small city just south of Manchester to meet up with Caitlyn, a fellow YAGM and Mumford fanatic.  As excited as I was about the concert, I enjoyed the earlier parts of the day getting to see where Caitlyn is serving and what she does on a daily basis.  We went to Caitlyn’s home to have a bite to eat and get ready.  I was suddenly overwhelmed by her host families generosity.  It was amazing to me that even having never met me, they would graciously open their home to me.  After eating a delicious dinner, we happily made our way to Manchester and saw one of the best concerts I have ever been to.  If you have not listened to/heard of Mumford and Sons, I suggest that after you finish this delightful entry, you go and have a listen.  They have a fantastic sound, and are one of those bands that look like they are having so much fun while performing.  It was an amazing night...one I will not soon forget!

Caitlyn and me, eagerly anticipating an awesome Mumford and Sons concert!

The rest of the month brought about all necessary preparations for Christmas...decorating the church, listening to the Christmas stories (both classic and biblical), decorating/baking cookies, building the nativity, and lots of Christmas carols. 

Ok, so now I need to do a bit of bragging...I have the BEST home congregation at First Lutheran Church in Springfield! Becky Christian, our pastor’s wife, organized a wonderful treat for me! She had practically everyone from the congregation write me a Christmas card and she divided them up so that I would receive them throughout the month.  If love was measured in Christmas cards, I feel like one of the most loved people in the world.  It was a joy to come home from work everyday to one, two sometimes four cards waiting for me! I cannot thank all of those enough who participated because it absolutely made my Christmas season!

So this is where I will leave you...The next post will include Christmas Day and New Years festivities!!!!! I hope everyone has had a very wonderful and blessed Christmas!

And it couldn't be more evident that Life is Great and so is God!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."    John 3:16

A Very Lea Road Thanksgiving

     I love Thanksgiving. It is my second favorite holiday, coming in a very close second to Christmas.  I love the idea of dedicating an entire day on the blessings of your life. Plus, the non-stop football, basketball, and baking just add to the "fantasticness" of the day.
     So, when the members of Lea Road found out how much I adore this particular holiday, they were quick to inform me that it was a tradition (of one year) for the American volunteer to host a Thanksgiving dinner! In blind enthusiasm I immediately accepted the challenge.  What I did not realize at that time was it was a dinner for 30-40 people.  Now, I know my way around the kitchen, and have been known to dabble in the "fixins" of Thanksgiving; however, I have never undertaken cooking an ENTIRE Thanksgiving by myself.  Add in the fact that the number ended up being about 35, and well it made for an interesting couple of days!

So, let's start from the beginning...

The Menu: turkey (duh!), honey glazed ham, country herb stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, peas, green beans, and gravy.  With dessert including pumpkin pies and buckeyes. 

   I was lucky enough that Steph, one of the elders, offered to take me to the grocery. So off we went in search of all of the necessary ingredients.  Our first kerfuffle came way of trying to find a turkey.  Fresh turkeys this time of year are very rare because apparently, they are still alive and getting fat for Christmas.  We eventually found a turkey crown.  For those of you not hip to the turkey lingo, a crown is a boneless, legless, wingless hunk of turkey breast.  When I first laid eyes on "Herbert" (Steph named him), I was appalled... What kind of bird doesn't have arms or legs? I didn't want to cook a fake turkey! But alas, it came to pass that "Herbert" made a fine bird and turned out to be very delicious.
     The second issue came about whist trying to find the ingredients for the corn casserole.  In order to make this delicious side dish, one requires "Jiffy" corn bread mix.  Well, the English don't really have corn bread.  They do, however, have Qoran (pronounced just like corn), a tofu type meat substitute. So after asking a manager in Waitrose where I could find the corn bread mix, he marched to a package of Qoran fritters (aka breaded hunks of tofu).  In the end, I had to Google a new recipe.
    After unloading all of the groceries, I began to take on the task of the six pumpkins pies that needed to be baked.  I got into an argument with the even which I ended up losing with a very burnt right arm to show for it. But, have not fear, for I lost that battle, but I won the war.  So, two days, about 20 hours of cooking later and with the help of some really special people, a beautiful meal was served.  
     First, of course, the grace was said and I was able to tell the story of the Legend of the Five Kernels:

     It was very cold for the Pilgrims that first winter.  Food was in short supply.  Some days, they had only five kernels of corn.  When spring came, the Pilgrims planted the remaining corn.  The sun and rain helped the seed to grow and much food was harvested in the fall.  Every Thanksgiving thereafter, the Pilgrims placed five kernels of corn beside each plate to remind them of their blessings:

The first kernel reminded them of the autumn beauty.

The second reminded them of their love for each other.

The third reminded them of their family's love.

The fourth reminded them of their friends...especially their Indian brothers.

The fifth kernel reminded them of their freedom.

     I love this idea because it is five simple things that have such a big impact on everyone's lives. 

   So, throughout the week, a number of people had asked me how I was dealing with being away from home for the holidays.  And, in all honesty I thought it was going to be incredibly difficult.   Enter in the wonders of Skype.  Skype is definitely one of the things I am especially thankful for this year!  I brought my computer into the kitchen with me and was able to Skype with my mom on a number of occasions.  This was particularly helpful when, on a number of occasions, I had to hold the computer over the stove and say, "Is this what this is supposed to look like?" She was incredibly patient with me and at times it was like we were in the same kitchen, preparing the same meal.  I find it to be incredibly tragic that in the absence of something is when you find you appreciate it the most. 
    After preparing such a large meal, I must make a promise to my mother...I promise to always be in the kitchen helping you with Thanksgiving (and for that matter Christmas) dinner from this year forward! Anyone that takes on these kinds of dinners deserve all sorts of awards...I had help...so the compliments on the pies and turkey were enough for me!

To conclude this festive post, it seems appropriate to tell you all some of the things I am most thankful for.

So here it goes...The Top 10 (kind of like Sportscenters Top 10 plays) things Sarah Watson is most thankful for: (in no particular order)

1) The people in my community willing to take part in foreign traditions
2) Running...and an efficient way to explore a new city
3) Skype
4) My growing relationship with God
5) Fresh fruit
6)Wonderful friends who have the ability to make me laugh on difficult days
7) My YAGM, YAGM UK, and TFG families
8) Lea Road Community Church and all of the wonderful people who have made me feel welcome in my new home
9) FirstRow.eu...so I can keep up with THE Ohio State Buckeyes and the Duke Blue Devils
and finally...
10) An incredibly supportive family (i.e. parents who know exactly what you need when you need it, and a brother whose sarcastic comments can make your sides hurt from laughter.)

I hope that you all had an amazing Thanksgiving full of laughter, lots of delicious food, and even a little prayer.  May God bless the food before us, the one beside us, and the love between us!

God is GREAT! And today especially, so is Life!!!

Painting, Products, and Progress

Last week found me in the midst of half-term, a school holiday that freed up a lot of my schedule.  One of the church elders, Anne, and I took advantage of the down time at Lea Road to do a little bit of redecorating.  We decided to tackle the almost overwhelming task of painting, cleaning, and reorganizing the office in the church; a task which hadn't been undertaken in sixteen years. 

After a length debate we decided on the warm color of Egyptian Sand...I know, this is earth shattering stuff here people!  It took us four days to paint and probably three more to put everything back in its appropriate place.  To be honest it turned out to be a simple task that was both entertaining and therapeutic. 

Now, there is something that people don't tell you about this whole serving business; it is a small YAGM disclaimer and a fine print that no one reads: you may not see immediate return on your work.  To put in a great amount of effort into your work and not see the products of your labor can be rather frustrating.  So, it was refreshing to start a job, work through it, and see the final product just a few days later.

This is where it gets a bit philosophical...

As difficult as this work can be, the best part of this calling is that it is never complete.  Serving is a business of people and as such there is not final product because people are always progressing, learning, and growing. 

While the office project was energizing I am going to stick with people.

G.I.G and so is Life!

A Reunion in the Country

A week ago I found myself in the Wolverhampton train station bound for Derbyshire, a village area in the English country side.  I was few short hours from I being reunited with the other UK YAGM volunteers and needless to say I was excited! So I am sitting there and I look up at the departures board where I see that my first train had been cancelled; but, the next train was to leave a half an hour later...so I wasn't worried.  That is until the next train was delay, ten, fifteen....thirty nine minutes, that is when I started to panic a little.  Now, I wasn't worried that I wasn't going to get there, but, that they were going to start having fun without me! Eventually, and about two hours behind schedule, I made it to Cliff College and was back together with some of the best people I know!

The first couple of days were dedicated to the Time for God orientation conference.  It was a time spent in reflection of our first weeks here, the amazing people who have welcomed us into their lives, and some of the hardships and difficulties we have encountered. We reconnected. It was a time where our goofy and incredible loud sides resurfaced and a lot of laughter ensued! For the first time in almost two months I received a proper hug (the very observant words of one Amanda Brateng).

That is not to say that I don't get hugs on a normal basis; but, they are not the face squished, I am gonna break your back because I am squeezing you so hard kind of hugs. Let's just say, there was a lot of hugging last week!

After our TFG pow-wow, we were enrolled in a course at the college called Christian Life and Mission. It was a five day course that included teachings on Luke's gospel and looking at our role in God's mission.  It was different to approach the idea of mission in such a literal way. I struggled through the week and the conservative theology that was presented; however, the week was a blessing that it strongly affirmed my beliefs.  I am also incredibly thankful for the new friends that I made from a number of different organizations similar to TFG. 

We had an amazing week. As much as I was looking forward to returning to Wolverhampton, my routine, and my own bed, it was a very somber goodbye.  It's funny to think that before coming to the UK I had spent a total of 11 days with the other YAGMs. I suppose that is all it takes; that, and some extreme emotional situations! As we spent our last morning together I was struck by how lucky I was to have these wonderful people in my life. I hope that all of you reading this will some day get the chance to meet some of them, for they truly are incredible and loving people! 

For,  

"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." -Winnie the Pooh

As always...God is good, and so is life!

Break Out!

I have been in Wolverhampton for five weeks.  The excitement and unfamiliarity of a new place has waned leaving just a hint of homesickness.  This, of course, was only magnified by the fact that my Facebook homepage has been blowing up with pictures and updates of the ever so fantastic Wittenberg Homecoming festivities.  Have no fear...this is by no means a pity post, I promise!

Tonight I am incredibly grateful to be in Wolverhampton and that I was able to attend a church service lead by the Vitalise leaders.  It was a service that brought together a number of churches from all over the city.  It brought together young and old, the passionate believers and tentative newcomers.  Usually one of the best parts of the Vitalise service is the music; however, tonight the fantastic melodies were upstaged by an even better sermon.  

Now hopefully some of the YAGMs, current and alum, will read this next part and understand...The pastor who was preaching tonight, Simon, came incredibly close to rivaling the ever so eloquent Heidi Torgerson-Martinez.  Two points of interest...first, I am a sucker for a good sermon.  I am talking about the ones that leave you feeling like you have just witnessed a miracle kinds of sermons.  The sermons that fill you with rainbows, butterflies, a little bit of glitter, and make you want to tie on your cape and go save the world.  Second, Heidi has brought me to tears during each of her sermons that I have heard over the last few months.  For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of hearing Heidi preach, let me put it in terms that might be a little easier to understand.  This woman is the Larry Bird/Michael Jordan/Magic Johnson (yeah, I am going with the classics) of preaching.  Not only does she amazing during her "performance;" but, she leaves you wondering how on earth she just did what she did.  So, for someone to even come close to this level of "preachosity," well, that's just impressive.  Laymen's terms: he was LeBron James (aka, really good preacher, great potential, but no tears).  

I am hoping that I now have you all wondering what on earth this sermon was about. 

Simply put, he said, "Break out."

The sermon was all about the fact that the Kingdom of God is meant to overflow, that it can't be stopped, and can't be contained by human limits.   Simon used the example of buckets and watering cans.  Everything that we do in the name of Jesus fills us up, similar to water.  A bucket contains and holds the water in and doesn't allow it to flow freely.  Conversely, a watering can can be filled but has an outlet to allow the water to be released from the container.  We are meant to be like watering cans and share everything that we have learned and received from Jesus with others.  Sometimes this can be very difficult and unpopular.  It has been said that being in God's will is the safest place on earth; but, tonight we disagreed...not the safest, but the best.  No matter how difficult sharing God's word may be it puts us in a pretty good place.  

We need to break out, out of the earthly constraints that limit us to share, to experience, to be.  It was an inspiring evening, one that left me rejuvenated to go, tie on my cape (which is red, by the way) and share all of the great things that God has to offer.  Tonight I was reassured of what I am doing. Tonight I was encouraged by the words I heard.   

As always, God is Good...and be thankful, for so is life!

Passover Remembered

This is a poem the YAGMs received at orientation in Chicago.  Comforting words in times of confusion...

Passover Remembered.... 
by Alla Bozarth-Campbell

Pack nothing.
Bring only your determination to serve
and your willingness to be free.

Don't wait for the bread to rise.
Take nourishment for the journey, but eat standing.
Be ready to move at a moment's notice.

Do not hesitate to leave your old ways behind-
fear, silence, submission.
Only surrender to the need of the time-
love justice and walk humbly with your God.

Do not take time to explain to the neighbours.
Tell only a few trusted friends and family members.
Then begin quickly, before you have had time
to sink back into old slavery.

Set out in the dark.
I will send fire to warm and encourage you.
I will be with you in the fire, and I will be with you in the cloud.

You will learn to eat new food
and find refuge in new places.
I will give you dreams in the desert
to guide you safely to that place you have not yet seen.
The stories you tell one another around the fires in the dark
will make you strong and wise.

Outsiders will attack you, and some follow you
and at times you will get weary and turn on each other
from fear, fatigue, and blind forgetfulness.

You have been preparing for this
for hundreds of years.

I am sending you into the wilderness to make a new way
and to learn my ways more deeply.

Some of you will be so changed by weathers and wanderings
that even your closest friends will have to learn your features
as though for the first time.

Some of you will not change at all.

Some will be abandoned by your dearest loves
and misunderstood by those who have known you since birth
who feel abandoned by you.

Some will find new friendships in unlikely faces,
and old true friends as faithful and true
as the pillar of God's flame.

Sing songs as you go,
and hold close together.
You may at times grow confused
and lose your way.

Continue to call each other by the names I've given you
to help remember who you are.
Touch each other,
and keep telling the stories.

Make maps as you go,
remembering the way back from before you were born.
So you will be only the first of many waves
of deliverance on the desert seas.
It is the first of many beginnings-
your Paschaltide.

Remain true to the mystery.
Pass on the whole story.
Do not go back.
I am with you now and I am waiting for you.

I Will Follow Him

Lea Road Community Church offers a Mid-Week Prayer Session on Thursday mornings.  It is a time during the week when people are encouraged to take half an hour our of their hectic schedules to come to the church, pray, and share in some fellowship.  While it is something very simple, and not incredibly exciting, it is one of my favorite things that I get to participate in during the week.

Last Thursday after the opening prayer, there was a reading from Matthew (Matthew 9: 9-13) that really resonated with me.  

"Jesus left that place, and as he walked along, he saw a tax collector, named Matthew, sitting in his office.  He said to him, 'Follow me.' 

Matthew got up and followed him."

I like the last line.  With no questions asked Matthew got up and followed Jesus.  That is living with complete faith.  Matthew had faith that Jesus was going to lead him in the "right" direction. 

I have a lot of respect for those who are able to live with such faith and belief.  Those who know me best know that I tend to be very rational; I tend to think things through so that I know the probable outcome of a given situation.  I think it is safe to say that some were surprised when I decided to apply for a year of mission.

I like to think that my decision to join YAGM and come to Wolverhampton is similar to this passage in Matthew; it wasn't planned (ok, so there was a little planning behind it) but the decision to apply was, for me, a leap of faith. A small hop out of Springfield and across the ocean brought me to an unfamiliar place.  Yet even in all of the doubt and confusion I find calm in the knowledge that others have come before me to lead the way.  

9.11.2001- A Prayer for Peace

The memory is all to fresh...

Eleven years ago today, just after 9 a.m., I was sitting in my sixth grade band class.  One of the directors came in and said that he had an announcement: The United States was under attack.  For some, it meant very little; for others, whose family members, friends, or loved ones were working in the Towers, panic set in.  Everything stopped: lessons were cancelled, teachers went silent, and TVs were turned to horrific sites of toppling buildings.  As a naive 11 year old I couldn't understand why anyone would want to hurt The United States of America.

Now, a 22 year old and still admittedly naive, I struggled with the fact that today in England... nothing stopped.  Everyone around me went about their day and the significance of the event that still brings tears to my eyes was never mentioned.

Thousands of miles away, I was having a difficult time determining how to honor those who lost their lives and those who continue to risk their lives to defend our great country. So, I did the only thing I could effectively do...pray.

With my tiny American flag folded in my hands I found a sense of calm.  With each prayer raised the uneasiness I had been feeling throughout the day slowly vanished.
My hope is that those affected by this tragedy are able to somehow find similar comfort.

I pray for peace around the world in the hopes that in the future there are far fewer days that need to be remembered for their tragedy. Above all, today my prayers go out to those who lost their lives in the Towers, to those who lost their lives trying to save another, comfort for those who lost someone they love on September 11, 2001, to those who continue to fight to protect us and for the families that have made sacrifices in the name of freedom.

May God Bless America...Land of the Free, Protected and Home to the Brave.

Tea, You Alright, and Living Ubuntu

It is incredible to me that I have already been in Wolverhampton a week.  Today has been my first "free" day where I have had a little bit of time to process what I have been doing.  So here it goes:

I arrived last Sunday afternoon, via train (which was exciting seeing as we don't have trains in Ohio) and was picked up by one of the church elders, Sara Longman.  After a quick tour of the town center she took me to my new home on Duke Street (haha, I know!) and I was finally able to unpack my suitcase after two and a half weeks of traveling! Later that night we headed to the church where I was informally introduced to a good number of the congregation; it was a gathering which consisted of them asking me a lot of questions.

On Monday, Sara and her daughter Emily gave me an official tour of the town center.  Before we entered the city center, we passed the library.  So, of course, the first order of business was to get me a library card (insert nerd joke here)!  The official tour consisted of Emily pointing out all of their favorite places to eat and explaining in detail what I was able to order at the local Subway.  It wasn't until later that night that she understood that there are, in fact, Subways in the States.  The Longmans were kind enough to have me over for dinner and myself, Emily and her brother James enjoyed a game of Nerf wars before dinner!

Tuesday and Wednesday brought about more house keeping errands, like setting up a bank account and registering with a local doctors office.  But Wednesday evening, I was again invited by another family, the Swans, to have dinner and then we went to a Christian comedy club, The Sole.  The Sole is featured in a large convention type center called the Public...all my DG sisters would love it because the building is PINK! In fact, everything is pink and neon...IT. WAS. AWESOME!

Thursday was a long day of work in the church office, the Roma Drop-In, and The Cafe (both of which I will explain on a later date).

Friday and Saturday were my days off, and I invited to go to Birmingham (the second largest city in England) for the Arts Festival with Chris and Ian Watson (again, I am not making this stuff up).  They showed me around all of the venues and we were able to enjoy various different shows.

Now, after being here for a week, there are a couple things I have noticed:
1) Tea is the answer for everything.  If you are sad, upset, excited, or happy...have a cup of tea.  It is funny to me because I associate hot drinks with cold weather, and it has been very warm here the last week.  Yet, every time I go anywhere, one of the first things they ask is if I would like a drink (which means a cup of tea).
2) Every time I am greeted by someone, they ask "You alright?" At first I thought it was because they were hoping I was okay settling in and getting used to a new place.  By Thursday when they kept asking I was almost offended thinking, "Well don't I look alright?" It wasn't until then that I realized it wasn't so much a question as it was a greeting.
3) Finally, I sometimes feel like I should have gone through intensive language training when I arrived in London.  I have found that just because we "technically" both speak English does not mean we are speaking the same language.  I'll keep you posted on the word of the week!

Overall, I have found my transition into the Lea Road community to be very smooth.  I have been overwhelmed by everyone's generosity to open their homes and give their time and energy to making me feel comfortable and included.  I will admit that I was nervous (which I like to think is typical) in coming to a new place where there wasn't a familiar face; however, the people of Lea Road have been incredibly hospitable.

For those who know me well, know that because of my time in Lesotho I have a bit of an obsession with the Sesotho concept of "Ubuntu."  Part of the "definition" of ubuntu says, "It speaks about humaneness, gentleness, hospitality, putting yourself out on behalf of others."  The wonderful people I have met so far have put words into action and are a living example of what it means to be in community with one another.

As always...God is Good and so is Life!!!!

Meet the Super Humans

Warning...this post is not spiritual or intellectual...but, it is incredible, inspiring, and a must read! Just saying!

Yesterday marked the beginning of the Paralympics.  Since I did not know much about them before I got here I decided to do a little research.

The Paralypic Games is the world’s second largest major international multi-sport event, involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy.  There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea, are held immediately following the respective Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralypic Committee (IPC).

The Paralympics have grown from a small gathering of British World War II veterans in 1948 to become one of the largest international sporting events by the early 21st century.  Paralympicans strive for equal treatment with non-disabled Olympic athletes, but there is a large funding gap between Olympic and Paralympic athletes.”

Our first "run-in" with the Paralympic games was before we even made to London.  We rode over on the plane with the American Goalball Team! Yeah, it's ok...I didn't know what Goalball was either; but, during one of my many stretching breaks on the plane I ran into one of their coaches who was able to break it down for me.  

Each team has three members playing, and it is a game for those who are visually impaired.  Now, some of them are not completely blind so for the game, everyone is blindfolded.  They play on a court that is similar to a volleyball court that is marked every three meters.  The back line is a large net or the "goal." There purpose is to score goals...and there are rule for how you can score.  But the coolest part is the ball.  The ball is hollow and has bells inside of it so that it can be located on the court.  

What is even cooler...the US Team...yeah, they won Gold in Beijing and are expected to win Gold here in London! And so, being as obsessed with the olympics as I am...meeting Olympians has been one of the best highlights so far; and that was only day one.  

Flash forward a week to yesterday...the start of the Games!  Sam and I were wondering around downtown London trying to figure out how to get to Westminster Abbey.  We turned a corner to try to find a bus station when we saw a large crowd of people starting to gather! So naturally, we went to go investigate.  And boy, are we glad we did! The crowd of people was gathered around four Paralympians...with torches...waiting! Yep, we ran into the Torch relay!!!! It was unbelievable! We waited for about 20 minutes and then all of a sudden we saw the flashing blue lights...the caravan as it were of police, music, bodyguards...the whole shabang! 

And then...they passed the flame RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!!!!!!

Passing of the Paralympic Flame on Monument Street, London!

I find Paralympians to be the most amazing of athletes.  Their dedication and determination is incomparable to anything I think I have seen.  

There are billboards all around London citing, Meet the Super Humans...so naturally I "Youtubed" it and this is the video that came up.  WATCH IT NOW!!! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKTamH__xuQ  

It is only about 1:30 and it will give you CHILLS!!! And if this doesn't get you excited for more Olympics...I don't know what will! 

Here in London the Olympics are still going strong!!! God is Good! Life is Good!!!

7,035,117,517

     According to the World Population Clock, there are currently 7,035,117,517 people in the world.  That is a whole lot of people.  Sam and I have been in London for a little more than 48 hours and have already met people to which we share a direct connection.
     We ventured into downtown London to see the London Bridge and the Tower of London.  Per the usual London weather, it began to sprinkle as we walked along the Thames River.  As we began to cross London Bridge it seemed that the Heavens opened and it began to rain.  Not just a little summer rain storm, but, a monsoon! By the time we got half way across the bridge we were soaked to the bone and looked something a kin to drowned rats.  So we did the only logical thing...we ran.  We finally ducked into a pub, the name of which I did not catch, where we were immediately met with knowing gazes.  We quickly raced downstairs to the toilets where we spent the next twenty minutes attempting to get dry.
     We agreed that it would be best to wait out the storm in the pub and as we left the downstairs area we ran into a mother and her son who had also taken shelter.  As we exchanged pleasantries we realized that both parties were from the States.  Mary and her son, Joshua, offered that they were from San Diego, California.  Sam explained she was from Montana and I was from Ohio.  Mary's eyes instantly brightened at "Ohio," and she asked where about.  I explained very "generally" that I lived "near" Columbus, assuming that she would have no idea where Springfield actually was.
 
     And this is where it gets interesting!

    She said, "Well, I grew up in Urbana!"  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is when my mouth hit the floor!  I explained that that is where my father grew up.  Now, if you know anything at all about Urbana, you know that it is a town where everyone knows everyone.  Well, it turns out that the know Mary Miller (formerly a Dye) grew up a few houses down from the incredibly "famous" Alan Watson. Her brother, Matt, and my father grew up best friends.
    Unbelievable...there are over 7 billion people on this entire earth and we ran into someone who grew up with my dad.  It was wonderful! And though I had never met Mary before, or had the pleasure to meet Matt, we were able to find that common connection: a lasting friendship, that neither of us was a part of.  We spent the next hour and a half trying to dry off and sharing some great stories.

Joshua, Sam, Me, and Mary enjoying some pub food and attempting to dry off from the rain!

     God works in mysterious ways.  What if we had gone into a different pub?  What if we had just sat down instead of drying off a bit first?  It was either fate, or an act of God that caused us to cross paths.  We talked about God's mission for us and Mary told us she would add us to her prayer list.  It was comforting to know that even after our brief meeting that we would be kept close to her heart.
    Well tomorrow we head to Stratford to meet up with a Time for God field officer, Victoria, who has graciously invited us to church and "a very English" lunch afterward.  As promised, I will update everyone on our travel stories, but I just had to share this unbelievable story!!!

Drive-Ins, Gratitude, and Good-byes

     We have arrived!!! Four other YAGMs, Sam, Caitlyn, Claire, and Michael, and myself arrived safely in London yesterday morning! We are currently waiting for the rest of our team to arrive in the next couple of weeks; the British consulate has been playing hide and go seek with their visas! After we arrived Caitlyn, Claire, and Michael were all picked up by their hosts and taken to their homes for the next year!  As a group we were incredibly grateful for smooth travels as we made it to London without any trouble.  Thank you for all of the prayers, notes, and messages...We appreciate more than you know!
     Sam and I have settled in to our stay in northern London, our temporary home for the next week and a half.  So, now that we have caught up on some of our sleep and my ankles have returned to their normal size I finally have a moment to reflect on the whirlwind of the last two weeks.

Sunday, August 12th
     The Sunday before I left for Chicago I was lucky enough to speak and attend at St. John's Lutheran Church in Springfield.  This was a new worshipping experience;  St. John's has a drive-in worship service at the Melody Theater.  My mom and I took our lawn chairs and sat in the warm summer sunlight and listened to Pastor Pollock preach.  One of my favorite parts of the service was right after I spoke, instead of clapping, they honked their car horns!  It was quite the time!
     After the second St. John's service, my mom and I hustled back to First Lutheran to attend the second half of my final service at home.  I am so incredibly blessed to be supported by both St. John's and First Lutheran and cannot thank them enough for everything they have done for me!
     Now, for those of you who know me, you know that surprises aren't really my thing (and yes I realize that is something I am going to have to get over this year); but, I was brought to tears when my two best friends walked into First's fellowship hall and informed me that the third was on her way.  My sneaky mother and friends had planned a lovely afternoon of lunch and relaxing, which was enough to ease my anxiety, if just for awhile.  Saying "goodbye" is never easy...I tried to convince myself it was just a "see you later," this proved to be just as difficult.

Wednesday, August 15th
     After weighing and re-weighing my bags and convincing my mother that I did not, if fact, need to bring anymore scarves, my bags were packed.  My parents and I enjoyed our last breakfast together at Bob's and we were off to the airport.  I was so proud of my mother who managed to keep it together until the security lines at Port Columbus.  We hugged and she blessed me just like her Vacation Bible School kids and I was off.
     It is difficult to describe the range of emotions that I went through that Wednesday.  I was sad to leave my home, family, and friends; but, I was thrilled to be reunited with 56 other people who were feeling similar, if not the same, excitements, fears and anxieties.  Plus, the YAGMs are a diverse, thoughtful, musical, loud, and crazy bunch, so we were never short on laughter.

Orientation 
     Our time in Chicago was probably one of the most draining weeks of my life.  Now, there wasn't a lot of physical activity, although we did play our fair share of soccer, ultimate, and even started practicing our gymnastics for Rio 2016; but, our conversations and dialogues were long and intensive.  I am not going to lie, I honestly thought that by going to orientation, a lot of my anxieties would be calmed and my questions would be answered.  In true YAGM style...this was NOT the case.  Each day I walked out of our sessions more with more questions about God and my place and purpose in this world.  I walked out more confused.  The real kicker...the anxiety and fears that I had were merely heightened.  And yet, I was able to remain calm and collected with the help and support of the other YAGMs and wonderful Alum team and Short-term Recruiters (STRs).
     Our last night together (Tuesday, the 21st) proved to be an emotional one.  At our closing worship, as a group, we affirmed our Baptism and walked through the Baptismal Fount while singing "Wade in the Water."  This was enough to get your emotions flowing (yes, pun intended).  All of the staff did a wonderful job leading the service and our fearless leader the ever-glowing, eight and a half month pregnant Heidi Torgerson-Martinez delivered a thoughtful, inspiring, and down-right tear-jerking sermon.  She said exactly what I needed to hear...that while this year wasn't going to be easy we needed to rest assure that God was always with us.
     Then came the "Anointing of Hands for Service."  Being the little hoarder of sentimental objects, I kept the bulletin and I am going to share this part of the service with you.

Each of you has been called by God and sent by the church to serve the world God loves.  The discipleship to which you have been called is a manifestation of the new life you were given in the waters of Holy Baptism.  Sometimes, the call will seem impossible.  But through Christ, the one who has set you free from the bondage to sin and death, all things are possible.  Teresa of Avila wrote:

     Christ has nobody on earth but yours;
     no hands, no feet on earth but yours. 
     Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on the world;
     Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good;
     Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world. 

Today, your hands will be anointed for the work to which you have been called in the world God loves.  As a baptized disciple of Christ, you have been called to take up you cross and follow Jesus.  Just as in the baptismal rite you were marked with the cross of Christ forever, so today you hands will be marked by the cross.

These words were enough to send me over the edge, and the tears started flowing.  I was overwhelmed by the thought that my hands would be doing the work of God.  So at points during the songs of anointment, "Take O Take Me" and "Will You Let Me Be Your Servant" I had a difficult time singing.
The whole service was a reminder of the call I heard over a year ago while serving in Lesotho and it brought peace and joy to my heart.  We were sent out with a South African song called "Hamba Nathi" which had proved to be a favorite throughout the week.  While dancing we were able to share God's Peace with one another, one last final good-bye as a large group.
    Now, our last night wasn't all tears.  After the service we had our Open-Mic, where each country group was required to put together a song, dance, or skit as a remembrance of our time together.  The UK rocked the show with a rendition of "Britain's Got Talent," where the two final acts were the Spice Girls and the Harry Potter Puppet Show.  There were also some intermittent acts and Sam and I decided to sing "Trouble" by Ray Lamontange...yes, you heard correctly. I voluntarily got up in front of about 75 people and sang.  Shocking...this experience really is changing me!
    Wednesday brought more painful goodbyes...but in all honesty very few tears were shed.  I think a lot of us were pretty dehydrated from the night before.  I was able to keep my emotions in check up until we began loading our shuttle for the airport.  The South Africa, Madagascar, and Hungary groups came to see us off and we were able to join in one final prayer together!  There were hugs, blessings, and words of well wishes all around as we all crammed into the van with our bags, backpacks, and guitars in tow.
    Ok, so this has been a long entry and I haven't even made it to England yet.  I will blog about our travels and the rest of the week on Sunday!  Stay well friends, and pray that Sam and I don't get too lost as we venture out into London tomorrow! Toodle-hoo

God is good! GIG! Life is Good! LIG!

First Post

Hi Everyone!
Welcome to my first blog...be patient, technology is really not my thing! I am planning on blogging once a week to keep you all up-to-date on the work that I am doing.  I cannot thank you all enough for the support, prayers, and well-wishes! Thanks for everything!