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Reflections on a trip to Kansas City.

Time went by so fast, and just as I was getting into the swing of things and starting to feel “settled” (if it is at all possible to settle anywhere in 10 days), it was time to leave. Sat here in my living room at home in Sandnes (I am home for a week or so as I became an aunt on the 6th of October and naturally had to take the trip down here to meet little Miriam Elise), I am trying to think back and remember what it was like. My mind and heart are packed with impressions. Some I manage to put into words, others are there but hard to express. I am still digesting, but thought I’d get started on jotting down some of the things that remain with me.

The thing that most impacted me was beyond doubt the prayer room (www.ihop.org) at the International House of Prayer. Being a part of 24/7 prayer and worship was amazing. I was also really blessed by the seminars and teachings I received from IHOP-KC. I went on this trip for that purpose, and did not leave disappointed.

The GOD TV channel broadcasts a daily devotional from the International House of Prayer (www.god.tv), and so we were present for the filming of a week worth of programmes. It was very cool to be there with the prayer room packed with people and join in worship and prayer, knowing that we were going to bless people all over the world through it.

One evening we went to dinner at the home of an American couple. They had made food representing the variety of nations represented in the USA, and they had decorated their home for autumn (fall as they call it there). It was so lovely to come in and feel the “warmth” of a typical American home.

Going to the post-office was an interesting experience as for the first time in the USA I experienced a long queue. It dawned on me afterwards that it might be because it’s a state institution and so they don’t have to “win” their costumers. I was quite surprised at the slowness and seeming inefficiency of it, but then I went to the post office here in Norway today, and found that things aren’t that much better here either.

There was of course also an obligatory (well, actually voluntary, but had to be done) trip to what most Americans associate with the term “IHOP”, i.e. The International House of Pancakes. We went there one evening, and I had “half a stack of buttermilk pancakes”. It was scrumptious, although I was very disappointed by their hot chocolate. Memories from the visit there remained with us… through the smell that stuck to our clothes.

Another fun eating experience (we had many of those) was when we went somewhere (I can’t remember what it was called) for ice cream. As we went through the door, the girl working there shouted very loudly: “welcome to …” It startled me a bit at first as I thought I’d done something wrong or something, but when I saw her being all smiley and cheerful, and realized she did it to everyone who braved venturing in, I relaxed a bit more. They had great ice cream too btw. You choose your flavour of ice cream and what you want in it. I chose chocolate ice cream and brownie, and watched as they mixed it there as I waited.

It was 10 days that felt like more, yet went by as if they were less, if that makes sense. And suddenly it was time to try to pack our increased number of bags and suitcases (some of us bought some extra bags to accommodate our increased luggage, also known as shopping) into the vans to start our journey home.

During the week it had been good to stand in many a prayer time for the USA and it’s people. As we were driving to the airport in Kansas City we drove past a memorial site in the distance, a site with many white crosses to remember soldiers who’d given their lives at war. Again it was brought home to me that this is a nation that is suffering, a nation that needs God.

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