It's Been Such A Long Time

Ok, so I know it's been a while (ahem) since the last time I posted. In my defense, if you'll accept this excuse, the last academic year was really challenging for me, due to what God was doing in my heart for most of the year. I did my best to update about the work that my team and I did, but honestly, by the time May came around, I was totally shattered. So, please forgive my lack of updates from then until now. I really have appreciated everyone who has asked me if I'm going to continue writing my blog--it's nice to know people read it. Because honestly, if no one's reading, what's the point in writing? So, for those of you who do read it, I will write for you :) Thank you for caring :D

Since my last post, my team and I have finished our year on Pais Walsall and graduated. My beautiful team members have all gone their separate ways. However, I have agreed to stay and lead the Pais Walsall team again until Christmas.

2014-2015 Pais GB Graduation!

 2014-2015 Pais Walsall with Pastor Mark Webb

My Germans have all gone back home and will shortly begin new adventures pursuing their education. Becca has made the transition to Pais USA and is rocking Arlington, TX like no Brit ever has before, I am sure! I am so proud of them all and cannot wait to see what God does in their lives and where He leads them from here!

2014-2015 Pais Walsall Germans with the 2015-2016 Pais Walsall Germans! Aren't they lovely?? :)

After graduation and a week of leadership training, I returned to America for about 5 weeks, just long enough to visit friends and family and get a new visa. I managed to visit Indiana, Tennessee and Virginia during my short time there and was so blessed to be able to spend quality time with loved ones. 

I think my highlight of the summer, though, was the week that my best friend came to visit me in Portsmouth! We had a great time going to Williamsburg (my favorite place in America!) and the beach, and hanging out, watching British tv, reading books, drinking coffee and talking about life. 

And now, I am back in Walsall, leaving tomorrow for Burnley where I will spend the next 2 1/2 weeks in training. I will meet my new team--two English girls, two German girls (one who will not come until October) and a guy from India. I will be sure to introduce them to you once I have met them. I think this is going to be a great team and I look forward to all that God will do in them and through them this year on Pais GB!

Also, for those of you who don't know, beginning in January, I will be moving to Burnley and joining the National Directors, working in the head office doing Communications to help support and grow Pais GB. I am very excited about this new opportunity that has been presented to me and I look forward to embracing a new challenge!

A Visit from Italy!

Well, I must say the highlight of the last few weeks was when my beautiful friend and sister Miss Italia came to visit me. Walsall is not the nicest place for a holiday, so I did the best I could and took her to Lichfield. Here are some pics! 

The weather was amazing and the time I got to spend with my beautiful friend was so special. I did also show her *lovely* Walsall and suggested she visit Birmingham when I had to work. Her visit was such a blessing for me and I hope it isn't another year before I can see her again!

An Overdue Update

Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated! Basically the second half of Term 2 has passed without any news from me! My apologies!

So much happened during this time, especially in the lead up to Easter! The holiday was an amazing opportunity for us to share the Gospel with our students--over 500 young people heard the Gospel message from our team, in addition to the RE lessons we taught, as well as our regular clubs. We were so busy! Here are some pictures from the weeks before Easter.

 One of our local mission projects this term was to encourage our students with positive notes we taped to their lockers. Students and staff members alike were incredibly receptive to this! 

Bible study! One of my favorite things about Pais is how we study the Bible together and get active with it! This particular week we studied Daniel 3. 

In addition to our regular clubs, we got to help out with a special girls' club called Miss Understood! 

Johanna at one of our lunch clubs encouraging the students to choose positive influences in their lives. 

The week before we broke up for Easter holidays all of the Year 7 students got to watch the Miracle Maker, a movie about the life and death of Jesus. It was also from this room that we got to preach the Gospel to each student from Year 7-11! Over 500 young people! What a privilege!

A lunchtime activity about Easter, challenging the students to think about what Easter means to them and connect the day of celebration with the concept of forgiveness.

My beautiful team!!

My Birthday

For those of you who don't know, I just celebrated a significant birthday. And while sometimes it's difficult to be away from family and friends who know me well during times of celebration, God has graciously given me friends here in Walsall who would not let me skip the festivities. Ruth wonderfully arranged for a group of us to hit Stratford-Upon-Avon for an afternoon for lunch and to see a Shakespeare play!

For starters, we stumbled upon the BEST little cafe in Stratford, ate sandwiches and crisps (chips to you Americans) and had coffee and dessert to celebrate! This is Hobson's!

They had a lovely range of sandwiches...

...and about 1,000 cakes to choose from. Making a decision was a challenge! 

 More cakes

 And even more cakes

 But this is what I finally settled on, Caramel Crunch cheesecake, which was probably the most amazing cheesecake I've had in my entire life!

 And then we went to see Love's Labours Lost, which was hilarious, but unlike most of Shakespeare's comedies, does not end with marriage but rather with a challenge from the women to the men that, if they really love them, they will wait exactly one year, and then return to pursue them. My thoughts: those women are nuts... 

 Birthday decorations at home with birthday flowers from several friends

 The chocolate cake and Walsall t-shirt Ruth got me. She told me to wear it with pride. That's not a problem!

 Flowers from my best friend!!

 On my actual birthday I took the day off and went to London to have a 'secret' day, a day with just me and God.

 And I ended the day at Caffe Nero, my favorite cafe!

Unlike most birthdays I've had, I didn't want to make a big deal of this one, and I was relieved when it was over, but I am very thankful for everyone who helped me celebrate! To those who sent me cards, emails, and FB messages to those who blessed me with gifts and flowers, to those who spent time with me, I am so grateful for you, so THANK YOU!! 

Weekly(?) Wrap 27

Ok, I will admit I have been incredibly delinquent lately regarding updating, and for that I apologize! Life has been interesting recently. But it's all good! Work is great, the school is fantastic, the students are crazy, my team is amazing and God is my everything! I just hit a milestone and celebrated a significant birthday, and now tomorrow my team and I are off to Burnley for the annual Swap conference. I'm sure it's going to be great! I hope to have time once we get back next weekend to write a proper post with pictures! Until then, thanks for stopping by my blog and for those of you who pray for me--THANK YOU! Your prayers are vital to this work and to what God is doing in this town, this country and in His Kingdom! Amen? Amen!

Weekly Wrap 26

Well, we have successfully completed the first two weeks of Term 2. It is astonishing to me that in 4 weeks we will be half way through the year! Thus far, we have continued the work we have been doing--breakfast clubs, lunch clubs, our Christian Union, after school clubs, assemblies (for both primary and secondary schools) and are focusing on really cultivating our relationships with the students at school, those we are specifically mentoring. Surprisingly, it isn't the easiest thing. Yes, we are there Monday-Friday and see the students every day, but focusing on just a few mentees each (as we're asked to do) is a challenge when there are over 700 students constantly around us. But we're getting better at it! I have been very pleased with the work my team is doing, that they are getting better and faster in creating and carrying out ministry and they understand better what they're doing and how to do it. They need less leadership from me in some areas, and that is great as it gives me opportunity to get us started on new projects, like RE lessons! Our first RE lessons begin this week, and we're discussing Christian marriage with the students. I'm looking forward to this challenge and seeing how it goes!

Welcome to 2015!

Well, Happy Holidays! I hope your festivities matched up to or even exceeded your expectations! For me, I spent mine relaxing. I read a lot, spent time in worship and prayer, and hung around Walsall. It was a great two weeks and now I feel refreshed and ready to go back to work tomorrow!

Term 2 begins in 12 hours! I know it will go by quickly. I have some great expectations for this term, and I know God will make it a good one!