We're on our way!

We’re on our way!  8.12.12

We are finally on our way!  I am writing this from our hotel at Gatwick Airport.

It has been quite an emotional week travelling around the country visiting our family and friends and saying our farewells but now the goodbyes are over and we are waiting for some hellos!  Some of you will be relieved we have gone at last as I know you are fed up of saying goodbye to us for so long!!  We know that God is already ahead of us and his presence will be with us in all that we will face in the coming months. 

Now we would ask you to pray that we, and our luggage, arrive safely in Guyana, and that all our freight arrives intact next week some time.  Also for us as we start to settle in to our new life and our loved ones adjusting to life without us!  In the words of the apostle Paul, ‘Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace.’

As soon as we get some internet connection I will update you all again but for now, goodbye cold old England and hello tropics!  

Last week

It seems hard to believe that we are now in our final week at college.  We have felt a bit emotional and flat since the wedding – that was the top of the roller coaster and now we are zooming downwards to the goodbyes and partings! 

Last week and this week each of us on our course have had to give a 15 minute presentation about something we have learned on the course then we have all prayed for each other and that has been quite emotionally draining.  I didn’t want to get close to anyone as I knew we were only here for three months but spending all day every day with people you get close whether you like it or not and now it is sad to be going our separate ways – to all parts of the world! 

Here are a couple of photos of our group who have been on our course!

Sensible people

And not so sensible!

 

We had a lecture this morning on ‘re-entry’ in preparation for reverse culture shock on our return so I shall file those notes away for a later date and warn you all what to expect nearer the time!

College life itself continues to have its tests!  We kept hearing scurrying feet in the loft above us and upon further investigation a colony of rats was found up there!  Pest control have put down poison but it could take up to 5 weeks to eliminate them all so we are being kept awake at night by scratching, scurrying and digging feet above us!   If one of them breaks through into our room you will hear me scream from wherever you are!!  

So, we have some final end of term events this week including a carol service, a party for our group and a Christmas dinner and party on Friday, then on Saturday we begin our final final tour saying goodbye to family and friends.  We are not looking forward to that and would appreciate your prayers for strength for all of us.  We will then travel to the airport on Saturday 8^th December ready to fly out to Guyana on Sunday 9^th.  Please also pray that our luggage and freight boxes arrive safely and that we don’t lose anything!

This morning in class someone sang the following song as part of her presentation and made us all cry!  I found it so moving and the words are just lovely – I close with a link to the song as this is really my prayer for us for the next two and a half years. 

Lou Fellingham - Build this house

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcco3LFoIhM

Wedding Day!

We had the most AMAZING day!  Thank you to everyone for all your good wishes, love and prayers – we felt truly blessed!

Jo and her bridesmaids (Emily and her friend Kate) arrived at our hotel at 0750 to start getting ready and having their hair and make up done and it was a lovely morning of chatter and girlie talk. 

 

Jo adding the finishing touches

 

Ready to go!

 

Once we were all ready we went to the top of the huge staircase down to the lobby so that the photographer could get some shots and paraded down, much to the delight of the other hotel guests!  

Walking down the lovely staircase to the lobby

 

It had been raining all morning and when the chauffeur came in to the hotel he had his umbrella up and was wet, but by the time we all went out the front to the car, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining…it then stayed sunny the rest of daylight hours!  We are SO thankful…a miracle to have a sunny, reasonably mild day in November…in Manchester! 

Jo and Daddy arriving at church

 

A very proud Daddy

The bridesmaids, then Jo and Mark walked down the aisle to the music of a string quartet. The service was absolutely wonderful – very moving and powerful…God’s Spirit was with us and it was just beautiful.  Jo and Ayo had written their own vows to each other and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!  There was special moment in the service in which both sets of parents welcomed the other’s child into their family and we promised to uphold them in their marriage and relationship. While they signed the register the quartet played music from Phantom of the Opera, one of Jo’s favourite shows!  Jo and Ayo’s church home group leaders gave the address together and it was so moving to hear testimony of their characters as individuals and as a couple from people who have come to know them so well.

 

A lovely glance at Mum and Dad during the service

Proud mother of the bride

Signing the register

Ready to leave the church

 

We then paraded out of the church and the bridal party went off to a Roman fort to have photos taken while the rest of us went to the hotel for drinks.  Jo had made masks for each of the 100 guests by hand…each one had taken her an hour to make so they were really precious gifts for everyone.  Jo and Ayo had devised an amazing game for the tables to play during the meal, which involved a lot of healthy competition between the tables and ensured that everyone mixed with the others on their tables and around the room.  It was genius! 

One of the tables...all planned meticulously by Jo

The lovely room - planned on a Venetian theme

Top table...showing the amazing masks Jo made each guest

 

This was my beautiful mask

Lovely bridesmaids - Emily and Kate

 

Mr and Mrs Campbell

 

Proud parents

Chris and Emily

A family shot

The speeches were all brilliant and brought laughter and tears from the guests.  Jo was a little nervous especially when Mark told stories about her as a little girl but she laughed so he got away with it! 

Daddy's speech

The lovely cake

Cutting the cake

 

We had a great boogie in the evening and it was moving to see Mark and Jo dancing together to ‘Isn’t she lovely’ by Stevie Wonder. 

Jo and Ayo's first dance

Dancing with Daddy...I love this shot...it captures the joy of the day!

 

After all the guests had gone Mark and I stayed behind to clear up the room so it was a very long day but the most amazing, joyous celebration of their love for each other and testimony to God’s work in both of their lives. They have gone to Rome for their honeymoon now and everything seems very mundane back here!   We have so many happy memories and a few pictures have started coming in…as soon as we get the link to the official photo website I’ll let you know so you can have a look at them all! 

Ambushed!

So…last week we were held up at gunpoint!  All part of everyday life at the college!!   It was actually a brilliant morning and we all took part in a simulation in which we had to get visas and currency and try to cross a hostile border into a pretend country.  We had to deal with officious customs officers, beggars, drunk taxi drivers clamouring for our custom, gun wielding youths at the ‘border’ and then we were ambushed in the woods and robbed at gunpoint.  After all the excitement we had a plenary session in which some experienced security people talked through what we had done well and what would have got us killed if it had been real!    We picked up a lot of helpful information though thankfully Guyana is pretty safe compared to a lot of places.

We spent a morning looking at our love languages and how to use them with partners, colleagues etc.  I have read Gary Chapman’s book anyway but it was fun to discuss it in our group who are all getting to know each other a lot better now.  We now know who to hug, who to do kind things for, who to say nice things to, who to meet for coffee and who just wants gifts! 

We also spent a morning looking at ways to communicate with our friends and family back home and I showed the group my blog to give them an idea.  Hoping it won’t get too boring for you all to keep reading!!   It’s certainly easier than typing newsletters to post!   We also talked about making movies to upload to share so I will try and have a go at some point! 

Last weekend we drove over to Canterbury to get away from college…a place we have always meant to visit.  One of Mark’s ancestors (William Warham) was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1503 to 1532 and crowned Henry Vlll!  It was exciting to visit his tomb and then we joined the service on the Sunday morning which was very interesting - we wouldn't want to do it every week but enjoyed the solemnity and reverence of the service.

Carolyn in the cloisters!

Canterbury Cathedral

Mark at the tomb of his ancestor

The plaque next to the tomb

 

 Points for prayer this week please…

• Jo and Ayo as they make final preparations for the wedding next week.  Praying for a lovely day and not the usual Manchester in November weather!!
• Emily’s job situation…deadline getting closer now – eek!
• For our freight boxes to be collected on time, to arrive safely in Guyana and for us to be able to collect it all without a hitch and without anything getting lost or damaged.

Half way!

We have now completed half of our 10 week course and it seems very strange that we will be flying to Guyana 5 weeks on Sunday!   We are not looking forward to all the goodbyes but are now looking forward to putting into practice all we are learning and getting on with it!  It seems to have been so long in coming! 

 Community life continues to cause some irritations but we are learning to cope and deal with situations as they arise.  I feel more peaceful about things in general and am thankful for all your prayerful support.  I believe God is using this time to teach me humility, patience and grace though sometimes those qualities are well hidden and you may not notice!!  J

Last week we did a whole day on the Myers Briggs personality types – they gave us a prayer for each personality type.  Mark’s (ENFJ though we dispute the ‘F’!!) is ‘Lord help me to do only what I can and trust you for the rest.  Do you mind putting that in writing?’ and mine (ESFJ) is ‘Lord give me patience – and I mean RIGHT NOW!’  Profound eh?!!   Now everyone on our course understands why we both appear so anal and keen to start every lecture on time!!

The whole college had a quiet day on Wednesday and we were encouraged to spend time in prayer and reflecting on all we have learned so far as well as relaxing.  After we had spent time with God we went out to Maldon to have a walk by the estuary and lunch in a pub and really enjoyed our day off lectures. 

Maldon, Essex

Looking the other way up the estuary!

We had some lectures at the end of last week on staying healthy in body, mind and soul and were encouraged to make sure we take regular time off for rest and relaxation so that we don’t burn out.  We also had some very practical advice about food preparation, medical matters, emergency situations and potential psychological problems.  We are aiming to be sensible but entrust ourselves into God’s care and are not fearful despite all the warnings!

Last Saturday we had to spend a day with our Methodist colleagues learning about the history of Methodism and the life of a Methodist Mission Partner.  It was a long and tiring day on top of the lectures and chores all week so we were very glad of a very quiet day on Sunday just slobbing around to recover! 

Our group of Methodist Mission Partners

Tomorrow we have a whole morning on personal security and risk and have been told no details of what will happen apart from the fact we have to come prepared to be outside all morning whatever the weather to work with a simulation team so we have no idea what to expect – we may be fake kidnapped or attacked!   I’ll let you know next week what happened!!  

We continue to look forward to Jo and Ayo’s wedding on 17^th November – it will be really lovely to have all the family together for such a happy occasion.  Please pray for them as they make final preparations.  And also please continue to pray for Emily and her jobless situation from the end of November.

I close with a mediation given to us to reflect upon on our quiet day that I found very powerful and pray that it will bless you and draw you closer into a relationship with Jesus:

Finding the heart’s true home

‘Today my heart is an open wound of love.  My heart aches over your distance and preoccupation.  I mourn that you don’t draw near to me.  I weep over your obsession with much ness and many ness.

I long for your presence.  I am inviting you to come home, to come home where you belong, to come home to that for which I have created you.  My arms are stretched out wide to receive you.

For too long you have been in a far country:  a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation.

I welcome you home, home to serenity and peace and joy, a home of friendship and fellowship and openness, a home of intimacy and acceptance and affirmation.  I invite you to come to be a co-labourer with me, to work together to determine the outcomes of events.

I am inviting you to my rest where you will find new peace, where you can be naked and vulnerable and free, the place where you can enjoy deepest intimacy with me, a place where you can hear the beating of my heart, the place in which you belong, where you are known…just come…I give you the key of this home, the key of this home is prayer…

 Richard Foster (adapted)

 

Culture shock!



Last week we were learning about cross cultural communication and had some fascinating discussions about different views on time keeping!  We have some lovely African and Middle Eastern people in our group who have very different views on time to us anal Europeans!!  We are beginning to understand that we have to become a lot more chilled when we move to Guyana and have started practising now.  We were invited to dinner by a lady from Ghana and when I asked what time we should arrive she just said 'Oh...after sunset'!!   I had to tell her it stressed me out not knowing a time so she relented and gave me 7pm but warned me she would be offended if we arrived on time!!  We managed to hold off until 7.30!!  For those of you who know how anal we both are that was no mean feat!! 

We have also looked at indigenous and folk religions compared to major world religions and realised we engaged in our own folk religion with the Tooth Fairy and Santa!! 

The best session of the week was a morning spent looking at 'culture shock'.  We learned about the stages and symptoms of culture shock and ways to minimize its impact.  I realised that I have been through a mini culture shock moving here and the stress of that is probably what caused my headaches. Thankfully they have eased now so that is a real answer to prayer.  It was so helpful to explore this issue in some detail and we both feel better prepared for the next big change.

I am finding the course extremely helpful but still finding it hard living in close community.  I'm trying not to wish the time away though as it is lovely living near enough to visit with friends and family for this period of time.  We are seeking every opportunity to get away and be normal! 

We went to visit Emily and Chris in Cambridge last Wednesday and went punting on the river on a beautiful afternoon.


Chris and Emily

On Friday night we went to visit Mark's sister and husband for the night and it was lovely to be in a normal home.  Well, sort of normal for those of you who know our family!!  We also got to go to friends for lunch on Sunday which was a real treat. 

Please pray that I won't allow the irritations of community life to get to me and stress me out! 

Start of week 3

We have completed the first two weeks of our course and have just begun week 3.  Time is marching on!  Looking ahead, our flights to Guyana are now booked for Sun 9th December so it is all becoming a reality and our days in the UK are numbered!  It's been quite liberating seeing all the Christmas stuff in the shops and realising I don't have to buy any of it this year! 

My headaches were bad all last week culminating in a dreadful migraine on Thursday which meant I had to go to bed and miss all the lectures that day.  I haven't had such a bad one for many years so was fed up about that.  The actual shooting pains seem to have eased over the weekend which is a real answer to prayer.  I'm still getting an occasional pain but mostly it's fine now.  

The stress of living in close community continues to be a challenge for me and I am trying very hard not to let things get to me and remember this is only for a short time.  I think after being used to making my own choices about every day things it is hard to be directed in all aspects of life and this is causing some stress for me.  Chatting to other students it seems I am not alone in the struggle!

On Saturday we went to Methodist church house in London along with the other Methodist Mission Partners to share in a World Mission Forum.  This was attended by representatives from around the UK and we felt very encouraged and affirmed by them all.  We chatted to many ex-mission partners who shared their stories of life overseas!

We were invited out for Sunday lunch with some old friends who live nearby and it was so lovely to go off campus and eat in a normal home around a table without all the noise and hustle and bustle of the canteen here!   It's amazing the things we miss from living in an actual house!!

Our module for this week and next is called Culture and Religion.  Today we have been thinking about definitions of culture and different world views and how these affect the way we relate to people of other cultures and world views.  It was heavy mind blowing stuff!  Later in the module we will be learning about cross cultural communication, dealing with culture shock and the basics of other major world religions. 

We appreciate all your messages of support and encouragement and your prayers at this time of transition.