Europe Survey 2013: Inverness Day 4/Copenhagen Day 1

Today was our last day in Inverness. We gathered our things and headed to the bus station. While waiting for the bus it started to rain. Then it stopped and the sun came out. Soon it started to rain again. Meanwhile, the bus was late and while we were trying to look at the phone to figure out when it would come we missed it. I (Libby) was so mad, but God had different plans. We went back to the hotel to call a cab. The concierge called for us and then we stood there chatting with him about the unpredictable weather until our ride arrived. The whole ride to the airport we talked with the driver about life in Scotland, travel, agriculture, and many other things. We had such a wonderful time learning about the people and the culture of this lovely place.

We flew to Bristol where we had a VERY short layover then we were on our way to Copenhagen. Once here, we took the train to the hotel. Surprisingly, we made it around okay even though many of the signs were in Danish. Our language luck ran out when we ordered a pizza though. Apparently, Hawaii pizza here does not mean USA Hawaii pizza. This was obvious when we opened the box and it had chicken and tomatoes and it was SPICY. 

Tomorrow we are looking forward to exploring the city and meeting some people around town. It is already a big difference from Inverness but we are loving the experience of seeing diverse cultures and meeting different types of people. 

On a side note, we are also surprised at how televised the coverage of the Oklahoma tornado is over here. There are some differences in information such as the number of fatalities but it is interesting how invested the rest of the world is in our news. 

Europe Survey 2013: Inverness Day 3

Today was our last full day in Scotland. After we ate some porridge we bought at Morrisons yesterday, we got on the bus and rode to a few neighborhoods that aren't within walking distance of our hotel. As the bus moved down the streets I watched as people interacted with their community. There were small convenience stores in the neighborhoods as well as parks and schools. Old women had rolling carts and were out shopping and visiting with each other. While its nice to be where all the commerce and life seems to be in the city, I really enjoy exploring the neighborhoods and watching life unfold there.

During the day we also traveled across the bridge to the village of North Kessock. It's just along the inland of the North Sea. From this area, you could sea the snow capped mountains behind the North Sea. It was a beautiful sight. It seemed like a very quiet little community with a tea room and a hotel. We found ourselves with time to kill so we went into the tea room for some high tea and dinner. We chatted briefly with the owner. While in North Kessock we also met some people from Wyoming. Surprisingly, these are the first Americans we've seen so far.

Transit wise, not having access to a car in the cities we've been to so far has been fun (for me at least). I've left my ballet flats in the hotel room and wandered around the city on foot and by bus when necessary. By rough estimation I think we've walked around 16 miles in Inverness alone. I wish I had brought by pedometer but I probably couldn't have afforded the tenth of a pound it would have added to my bag.

As today is winding down and we're preparing to move on to Copenhagen tomorrow, I am reflecting on the time we've had here and the experiences we've had. We have really loved our time in Inverness and enjoyed the people as well. If this is where God would have us, I would thoroughly love returning here in a few years. If God would have us somewhere else I would love to return here just to visit one day.

Europe Survey 2013: Inverness Day 2

This morning we wandered into the city centre to the supermarket, Morrisons. We picked up a few things to have in our room for breakfast and then had lunch in the cafe. This afternoon we explored the city and spent some time really taking in the culture and the atmosphere here.

As we made our way through the city we met and spoke with a few people including a woman at the bus station and several people in shops. Everyone here seems very approachable and friendly. Most of them were interested in striking up a conversation with us. We've also noticed that things are more laid back than in London. The mass transit is much more limited here but thankfully walking has been a pretty good option. One of the most interesting things is the fact that everything closes down so early. By 6pm, all of the major shops were closed down and the city centre was almost empty.

Personally, I am in love with the old architecture and the fact that you can hear the seagulls from any part of the city. It just seems like a quaint little place. Brennan and I were discussing this afternoon that its so humbling to think that one of these places we're visiting will be our new home one day. It's just such a blessing to be here and to get the chance to be surrounded by the culture and the people for a short time. Below are a few photos of this beautiful town!

Europe Survey 2013: London Day 2/Inverness Day 1

It's a wonderful night in Inverness, Scotland! We landed here around 9pm local time. Before our flight we had a great time at Tarl's church, New Cross Road Baptist Church. We met some really nice people and it was great to hear some of their stories. While we were talking to a guy named Martin, he told us he liked our American accents. Pretty funny since I wish I had a British one! After the service we got our bags from Tarl's house and he took us to the train. We have actually been loving the mass transit here. It takes a bit to figure it out but it's fast and much easier than fighting traffic and looking for a parking space. We took the train to the airport and caught our flight to Inverness. Once we landed we took a taxi to our hotel and along the way we chatted with our driver about life in Inverness. The drive from the airport was stunning with rolling hills of farms and sheep with the sun setting over the North Sea. We checked into our hotel and found our room. Naturally the first thing you do when you get to your room is flip on the light...but none of the lights worked. After a few minutes we realized we had to put our key card in the slot on the wall to power the lights (photo below). It's been an amazing and eventful past few days. Tomorrow we're looking forward to exploring the city and possibly meeting some people here. Check out some of our photos from today!

(Barely made the 10 kg weight limit)

(UK McDonald's or American McDonald's?)

Europe Survey 2013: London Day 1

We've officially arrived in London at 10am here! Our flights were fine and everything went smoothly. We got some tickets for the underground and headed downtown. We had the opportunity to just explore the city and check things out including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye! I (Libby) was also excited to see some less touristy old neighborhoods with some amazing architecture. We had lunch at a little cafe called Eat then jumped on a train for Orpington, the neightborhood Tarl and Adrienne Reeves live in. We had a great time visiting with them and talking about ministry and life in London. Tomorrow we're looking forward to going to their church and meeting their church family! Below are a few photos from today.

Thank You

Sitting here on a Saturday writing "Thank You" notes to all who have partnered with us to go to Europe.  I can't help but think about how God has blessed us and helped to make this trip a reality.  We are so thankful to everyone who is praying for us and supporting us financially.  There is no way we would have gotten this far without either of those!  As we get closer and closer to the trip, I am just overwhelmed by the support and the feedback that we are getting from many people.  It's so awesome to see God working in this and opening doors for us.  I can't wait to get to Europe and see what God has for us there.  If you want to follow us while we're there, we'll be posting on our Travel Blog about each city we visit.  Thank you again for your continued interest in our future ministry and your prayers as God prepares us for Europe.

-Libby

One Month!

One month from today Brennan and I will be on a plane to London! It's finally sinking in that this is actually happening.  I'm not sure if I should feel excited or nervous.  There's still so much to get done, and I hope there's enough time to accomplish it all.  Much of our planning is done and we have several couch surfers lined up.  Despite all the planning and organizing I need to remember the reason for this trip.  Romans 11:29 says

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

God has placed a call in Brennan and I to reach the people in western Europe for Christ.  He has also blessed us with the opportunity to take a trip there to see where He would have us.  I am so excited for this opportunity to meet people and learn about the culture in the places we're going.  

-Libby