Incredible Week in Wales!!!!

7.17.2009

Acts 15: 36-41
Paul is telling Barnabas that he should return to the people they had ministered to. Paul chose Silas and together they went out strengthening the churches. Today, we made our journey across the world, literary. We went from Mobile to Atlanta, Atlanta to Amsterdam, and from Amsterdam to Cardiff. We are still on the Atlanta to Amsterdam flight as the day is ending. I met a missionary that was traveling to Romania and was on the Amsterdam flight with us, while I was in the restroom of all place. Great place to meet new people! The man was going to Romania to deliver 300 lbs. of clothes that he had collected for the people there. Going through security was an experience I will never forget. Mobile security took a bottle of shaving cream that I forgot you couldn’t take on the airplane. Nick Lynch and I laughed about them taking my shaving cream because he had a bottle and they let him through. God’s creation is so beautiful from the sky, and He created it all in only six days! How amazing is He!

7.18.2009

Colossians 4:7
Today, we arrive in Amsterdam and after a few hours of waiting leave for Cardiff, our final destination. The Amsterdam security frisked Jacob. We arrive in Cardiff and we all went to collect our luggage and everyone’s luggage was there except mine. The airline had lost my luggage. I filled out a claim and the told us that they would call us if the found it or anything. Well, I was excited at this point to be in Wales, even though my luggage was lost. The customs officer did not believe me when I told her why I was coming into Wales, so I had to get Dr. Younce to tell the lady why we were there. We met by some of the church members, Glenis and Len, to take us to our host homes. We were then separated in to houses; Jacob, Courtney, and Aaron were in the home of young lady named Julie and her husband. Nick and I were brought to Marilyn and Gerald Manners, two of the nicest people you will ever meet. Dr. Younce and Mrs. Alice stayed with Ms. Glenis. We were told that were should take a 2-hour nap, and then get up and do something with our host families. We took our nap and then woke up and went for a neighborhood walk and went to the nearby shopping mall. Mrs. Marilyn and Mr. Gerald are always asking if they can get us tea or coffee. We ate dinner that night with the Manners. Afterwards we went to bed early.

7.19.2009

John 10:10
Today we got up and we to church service at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, the church that we were helping conduct a Holiday Bible Club. Pastor Rick spoke us to at the morning service. Jacob and Nick both gave their testimonies during the morning service. After morning church service we went to a nice sit down Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was nothing like the American-Chinese restaurants. The food was not as rick with sugary sauces, these were actually pretty healthy. The food was great; I had duck here for the first time, which was really good. The legal drinking age is 18 in Wales, so we were asked if we would like any beer or lager as it is in Wales. We later went for a 2-hour walk with the neighbor’s dogs on the beach and had a fabulous time. I had an oyster, which was an ice cream on top of a marshmallow in and cone oyster shell, it was really good. I was asked if I had ever had any candy floss by Mrs. Marilyn, I didn’t know what it was, so she bought us one to try. Turns out it was cotton candy. Tonight, Nick gave the evening message and Aaron, Courtney, and I gave our testimonies. After church, we ate at Haverty’s Pub & Grill and I had lamb for the first time. I am getting really excited about Wales! Today, I found out my luggage was lost in New York! Got on the wrong plane, oh well it will be alright.

7.20.2009

Psalm 16:11
Today was an exciting day, still no luggage but God is going to do mighty things this week, I can feel it. Today was the first day of the Holiday Bible Club. It amazed me that these children knew very little about Jesus. The most common answer that we got about who Jesus was that Jesus was a good man. The best answer that we got today was that Jesus sacrificed Himself for His friends. These children need Jesus and this week, I hope that God will reveal a small portion of Himself to these children. The children are where the future of the church lies. We also asked the children to day what loves means. One little boy blew us away by His answer, we didn’t expect him to say that, “Love is when a man and woman like each other so much that they do something and have children.” This was a little boy…needless to say we didn’t expect it. We ate at McDonalds; I had a BBQ Beef meal. McDonald’s meals in Wales do not come with a drink and the fries, or chips as they are called in Wales, have little salt, which is much better. We went to St. Frans castle and the Welsh Life Museum. Beautiful places, God has created so many beautiful things! What a mighty God we serve!! Later, we went to Burger King and I had some chili cheese snacks and some onion rings. Later, we went back to the church and had a Bible study and came back to our host family’s homes and went to sleep at about 10:30. It gets dark here at about 10:30pm and the sun rises at about 4:30am, which is very different from 8:30pm sunset and 6:30am sunrise that I am used to.

7.21.2009

Jeremiah 31:3
Today, I got sick in the early morning hours, at about 4am. Mrs. Marilyn told me that I was to stay at home today and not go to the school for the Holiday Bible Club. She gave me some herbal remedy that had a little morphine in it. It made me feel much better. I was really upset that I couldn’t make and told Mrs. Alice that I probably could make it, but she told me that I should rest and not risk getting sicker. Satan is trying to hold me back from ministering to these children, but he has been defeated, I will get better, He cannot hold me back from doing what God sent me here to do. My luggage arrived today, damaged, but everything was in the bag, which was great! Not much else happened, I met Mr. Gerald and Mrs. Marilyn’s son and her grandson named Tom. I was in the bed asleep and Tom asked Mrs. Marilyn if she allowed Americans to come into her living room. She came and told me what he said and that he wanted to meet me because he had never met an American before. Feeling a lot better! ☺

7.22.2009

John 14:6
Today, I was able to go back and teach at the Holiday Bible Club. The kids all had to ask me what was wrong with me and how much they missed my bible stories. Today, I realized that we were like superstars to these children; they really look up to us. They asked us if we had ever met the Queen, President Obama, or Simon Cowell. We told them we hadn’t. We went later to the church where the famous Welsh Revival of 1904 started, Moriah Calvinistic Methodist Church. Evan Roberts started the revival movement. We went into the room where 12 men constantly prayed for revival and the over pouring of the Holy Spirit was poured throughout Wales. Later, we went back to the church where we had Fish & Chips and got to meet some of the pastors from the area. Then we went back to our homes and had ice cream and coffee, studied for the bible study, and went to sleep.

7.23.2009

Psalm 126:3
Today, went to the Bible Club and my stomach felt funny, but eventually everything was great. The week is winding down and I can’t believe how fast this week has gone by, I am going to miss this place greatly. I can always come back! God has shown me so much, through the children. What an amazing God are You God! I am blessed to be surrounded by loving and caring people. The children are learning so much about Jesus, the first of the week they could not answer questions about Jesus or sin or sinners, but now they can answer the questions with a great degree of accurateness. God is moving, seeds are being planted! God will provide the increase, in due time. We also went to Cardiff, the capital city. There we were able to spend about 2 hours shopping. Mrs. Shaun and Rhian went with us and we had a blast. Did I mention that I was learning a lot. Culture is different and there is so much to learn! Tonight, we showed Fireproof and children and their parents came to watch it at the Tabernacle. We had a good turn out for the movie.

7.24.2009

Isaiah 48:17
Today is the last day of the Holiday Bible Club, I will never see some of these children again. Sad! I will probably come back though…hopefully. I We hammered home today that the need for Jesus Christ to be you strength, power, and comforter/ healer and that He save the world from sin, and all who believe in Him will have eternal life. Many seeds were planted and now God will continue to water and harvest those one-day. We had the presentation night and the children recited scripture excellently and sung songs to Jesus. Amazing! These were kid who didn’t know who Jesus was before this week! God can truly work in amazing ways!

7.25.2009

John 8:12
Today is my dad’s birthday and I’m 8000 miles away. Happy Birthday, Dad! Today was a good day we were able to go to a small shopping town, called Brecon, and look in the various types of stores there. Brecon Cathedral is amazing; it is truly a sight to see. It has copies of some very famous painting such as the Madonna. We had some of the best ice cream I have ever tasted there, wonderful. We left and went to supper at the White Horse Pub and Grill and I had the lamb again, which was amazing, even better than the first lamb that I had. Later, we went back home to pack. Packing was really sad, we are actually leaving Wales in a matter of hours.

7.26.2009

1 John 3:16
We woke up at 2am and were being met by Mr. Ion at 3am. I got a shower and finished packing and we were off to the airport. I’m ready to get home to see everyone, but am going to miss Wales greatly. We arrive to the Cardiff airport and say our good-byes to Ion and his son. Ms. Glenis is coming back with us. We arrive to the airport and go through security and eventually head to Amsterdam. Stay in Amsterdam and have lunch at McDonald’s in the airport and then go back and wait to be checked by security again. Finally, we head back to the United States. After 9 hours we are back in the U.S. in Memphis. We eat dinner at Corky’s BBQ. Then at about 7:50pm leave Memphis and head to Mobile. Arrive back in Mobile at 9pm. I am extremely tired and fall asleep on the way home, after telling my mom and dad about my week. It has been a great week and I will never forget the people and look forward to going back again someday.

May God Bless and Keep you!