Officially... Day One

I woke in the morning feeling revived and safe. I was in a house of people who cared for me, even if they didn’t know me and with a wonderful team. Last night when I had arrived, they all told me that I could sleep as long as I needed to because of my stressful day. I took that offer and woke up at around 10 am in the morning. And I can honestly say, that cured me of jet lag! Hallelujah! This was the first time that I had traveled overseas and had gotten over the time difference in one night; usually it took 2 days.
I got dressed, make-up and all, and came downstairs. Rachel greeted me along with Tim and we sat at the table and just chatted away. I wasn’t really that hungry, however—I think my stomach was on a different schedule than the rest of my body. Rachel kept offering me all of this food for breakfast and I insisted that I have something. I laughed everytime she asked me and finally after the 5th time, I agreed to have a pear—which was delish by the way.

We didn’t really have plans till about 4 pm, so we decided to get emmersed into the culture and do a bit site-seeing and just take a look at the people of the city as a whole and how we can reach them. We wandered all around the city, even found a starbucks so Bryan and I could get our coffee intake. 
We walked and walked and soon we were looking for another little café we could just sit and relax and eat a bit. I remembered the last time I was in Edinburgh, I really loved the Elephant House café. And as a side note to all of you who didn’t know, it was where Harry Potter was written! (Well at least the apartment above!) We sat down and ordered some food and more coffee and Bryan proclaimed this was his new favorite place. I will take credit for that. We talked for a good while about what ways we can aim for that 98 percent of the city who don’t know the gospel. Tim had said that so many GEM missionaries in the past just stay in the church of that 2 percent and never showed any signs of outreach or growth in the church.
In a few hours, we were going to a church call Carrubers and really trying to think of ideas how to get more people into the church. We sat strategizing different ideas of what we needed to do to be involved in the community. We talked about how we can train up others to take the spots that we were developing and teach the Scots of how to outreach to their community. Relationships are so key here. Our goal is to be in the world with them, making friendships and drawing them in that way. Our key is to get involved in the local community and reach people that way. The church Carrubers has a café that they have connected to the church but not many people go to it. There is a huge generation gap that is missing and unreached. I asked Tim if he could see me here and he said “Most definitely!”

We met with Leanne at 4 pm to talk about vision and the church. The church itself has not been really about outreach but this girl wants to get into the community to reach them. This girl is 23 years old and has such great vision to see people reformed and revived. She is actually just so brilliant and the sweetest thing ever. She took us to a chocolate coffee shop where she introduced me to the chocolate shot. Pretty intense! Her and I chatted for a bit and got to know each other better. Our team and Leanne talked more and more about the spiritual atmosphere in Edinburgh, which is actually quite sad. She said that just right outside the church, witchcraft is really heavy and some nights you walk out and can feel such a great darkness and heaviness. There is such a great need here. Scotland is so dark and there are so many unreached. My eyes were even more opened in ways I never could have imagined.
We walked back to the Rose’s and got take out for dinner for the night. Tim got Indian and Bryan, Leanne and I got the chipper (chippy). So good to have that again in my life  We sat around the table and had some good laughs, made fun of Bryan, and took in the quality time.

After dinner, Bryan, Tim, Leanne and I went to a jazz bar to listen to some jazz music and chat some more. Leanne and I got to talk a bit and has been so cool getting to know her! Have a feeling this is the beginning to a really good friendship. Oh, she also said that my Irish accent comes out really strong in some sentences and could actually pass for an Irish person—was really proud of that moment! For some reason, my mind hears an accent and I automatically go into one without knowing it but then snap back into the classic American accent when I am with the others. Ha, I am weird I know!
We got back pretty late and headed straight up to bed. I caved and had some chocolate before bed but led to the fact I couldn’t sleep the night.

Oh well… at least it was worth it 

Tomorrow we head to Glasgow and Stewarton to meet some of Tim’s friends.
Should be a good time!

Until then, much love x