The Adventure of our Life Officially Begins

It's hard to begin to express in words the emotions that Libby and I have expierenced in the last couple months.  In March we became first time parents to Ms. Eleanor Mae.

Also, at the end of March we ended the lease on our apartment and got rid of many of our possesions.  It isn't just moving to a new place, but getting rid of a place called home for the next few years and setting up anew in a new culture.

In May we were officially recognized as TEAM missionaries to Belgium under Tim & Barbara Downs.

This signifies the start of our work to get to Belgium.  We now begin seeking churches to partner with us so we can get to the field.

It reminds me how much closer we are getting to Belgium and makes me yearn more and more for Europe.  The Lord is developing an increasing desire and interest in all things Europe.  Tonight I found myself watching Sky News (European news).  Anyting that can make me reminisce of Libby and I in Europe is a welcome reminder.

You can pray with us in the following ways:

• Pray for supportive connections with churches that capture the vision we've been given for Europe
• Pray for us emotionally as we shift in a very unconventional lifestyle
• Join with us in praise for the partners we've been blessed with thus far
• Join in praise for our wonderful blessing, Eleanor: cute and healthy

Thank you for your continued interest in our lives.  We grow more and more excited about what the Lord has in store for us in Belgium.

Trip Planning Monday

60 days from now we'll be on our way to Europe! It seems like it's so close.  That's both incdredibly exciting and frightening at the same time.  It's so hard to plan for a trip that's unlike anything I've ever been on.  I try to spend at least one day a week planning and reading blogs about how and what to pack, how to travel, couchsurfing, etc.  

A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to host some couchsurfers for a few hours.  The guy grew up in Europe and the girl had lived there for several years.  They had so much advice for things that we hadn't even thought about.  Since our conversation with them, I've decided that taking carry-on luggage only would be best for us.  Now, that creates a whole new thing to plan for.  Suddenly I've gone from 50lbs of luggage to 20lbs of luggage for three weeks.  The last time I traveled by plane was to Boston four years ago.  On that trip I maxed out my luggage capacity by taking a different hoodie and pair of jeans for every day.  Clearly I can't do that this time!  

It seems like the more I read and plan about Europe, the more I realize I don't know.  There's so much to think about and so many factors to consider.  As scary as it is, I'm very excited to spend three weeks in the area that we'll be living in someday!  It'll be fun to meet people and see the culture from an inside perspective.  I'm also excited about the possibility of meeting up with some of Brennan's extended family in Denmark.  

2013 Blessings

Now that 2014 has arrived Libby and I look forward to an exciting future as our family begins growing with the arrival of Ella in March!  Libby and I have had the opportunity to reflect on the blessings of 2013.  Many of our blessings have been because of people who have prayed for us and given financially to help us seek God’s will.  We can’t thank those people enough for their generosity when giving to our trip last May.  God has done amazing things in our lives.  We can’t wait to share with you what God has in store for the future.  God bless!

~ Brennan & Libby (and Ella soon!)

Europe Survey 2013: London Day 3

Yesterday was quite the adventure! We started out the day going to St. George's Market. We got some breakfast burritos and they were amazing! Then we walked around the city a little. It was interesting because the city centre that was so busy the day before was empty at noon. After a while we figured out that none of the stores open until after 1pm on Sundays.

When it was time to check out of the hotel we decided to head to the airport early and just get some coffee and talk. We noticed that the most expensive bus was the one to the Belfast International Airport. We paid the £15 and took the bus to the airport. After we arrived, though, we couldn't find our flight on the departures board. After checking our Kayak app, we realized that we were at the completely wrong airport. We had to pay the fare and ride the bus back to town. The bus to the correct airport cost about the same as a bottle of pop.

Thankfully we made it to the right airport with plenty of time to relax and talk. We got some coffee and played Scrabble on the iPad until time to check in for our flight. As we approached the check in counter, a wide-eyed look of fear came over Brennan's face. Quietly he said, "I don't have my passport." This spiraled into an hour of phone calls to the hotel, correspondence with British Airways employees, and a taxi from the city centre carrying an American passport. By the grace of God we made it through security and onto our flight with no issues.

Once in London, it took us roughly 2 hours via underground subway and bus to get to our hotel. It was midnight by the time we got here and Brennan and I realized that the last thing we had eaten was the amazing breakfast burrito. We ordered a pizza and settled in for the night. Despite those major set backs I'm so glad we made our flight to London. We're here until Wednesday then we'll be coming home!

Europe Survey 2013: Belfast Day 4

We are feeling much better today. We explored the city and tried to make up for time we lost yesterday. While wandering around town, we noticed a beautiful church building close to the city centre. After a closer look we figured out that it was no longer a church and it had been turned into a shopping mall. 

In this city everyone identifies themselves as either Protestant or Catholic. This isn't necessarily a religious affiliation though. It's more political. Our couchsurfing friend, Ian, said that these groups are segregated completely. They go to separate schools and live in different parts of town. Depending on his or her job, a Protestant may never meet a Catholic. 

As we were walking we also came across this random bar. Ironically it was flying both a Canadian and an American flag. If you see a bar here, you'll see a dozen more, but if they also say kitchen that means they serve meals as well.

This evening, Brennan and I went to a local favorite called the Kitchen Bar. We got some tea and coffee and some dessert and enjoyed listening to some real Irish folk music. This is what the locals do regularly. Most pubs have food and live music. At dinner time they are considered family environments.

Later, we came back to our hotel and went down to the pool, which is also open as a gym to locals. We met several people that live here and enjoyed talking with them about life in Belfast, the history of the city, tourism, travel, etc. It's interesting the people you meet in different places that can teach you about the culture.

Tomorrow we're going to check out St. George's Market before we head to the airport. We'll be in London for a few days then we'll be coming back home.

Europe Survey 2013: Belfast Day 3

The Penners are officially out for maintenance today. My run-in with a cat and Brennan's sinus infection have caused us to take it easy and rest for a day. Hopefully with a little rest and hot tea we will be ready to hit the city again tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers on our journey! 

Europe Survey 2013: Belfast Day 2

Today had some interesting twists and turns. We started our day in Dublin, Ireland and took the train to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Upon arrival Libby and I explored the city by walking and riding the bus around town. We had arrangements to stay with a couple at we met through the Couchsurfering website. We decided to wait for our ride to their place by relaxing in the bustling city park in front of city hall. It was full of people!

While sitting on the park bench an older gentleman sat next to us named Bill. We traded stories about our travels and what he knew and had seen in the US. It was really interesting to hear perspective of the world from a local. He asked us about healthcare in the US and other topics such as Andy Williams and his place in Branson, MO. After that, Ian (Couchsurfer) came to pick us up. We had a good time in the car discussing the politics of Northern Ireland. When we got to his place he showed us around then he had to leave briefly. While he was gone we found out that they had a cat. Poor Libby is very allergic to cats so we had to leave and make arrangements for hotel. On our way to the hotel we came accross this street musician who was really good!

Once we arrived back in the city we got Libby some allergy medicine and got into our hotel. We had really looked forward to meeting and getting to know Ian & Olwyn, so we have agreed to try and meet up for dinner or coffee while we are in Belfast. All-in-all, we had a good day exploring, but are ready for some rest tonight.

     - Brennan