Skip to main content

Checking in.

Just said goodbye to more friends who are leaving. It’s amazing how connected you can get to people in such a short time, but it’s such a beautiful thing. One of the things I’ve gained these past 6 weeks is a whole set of new friends. I am so rich!


This weekend was busy but very good. It was so encouraging to see and meet people from different parts of Europe, all with a heart to fight against Human Trafficking. I led a time of intercession which went well and other then that participated in the conference. I am excited to see what the continuation is. A friend of mine from my time at uni in Leeds came and it was wonderful to reconnect with her after almost 13 years. She’s at an exciting place in life considering the possibility of heading into missions.


So here I’m sat in my new room. I had to move to a different room for my last week here. It’s one floor down (so not quite as many steps to climb) and has a different view which is nice. Sat here praying and pondering. “What next, Lord?” Where is this journey taking me? I am glad to have a small week ahead of me where I am not on a rigid schedule and can take my time to pray and think and see what the plan ahead is. I thought I’d know by now, and maybe I do, I just haven’t realised it yet....


Anyways, I just wanted to check in and maybe I’ll end up writing a bit more this week, but then again I might not. In any case it’s been a beautiful day in Amsterdam. Warm weather, walking to Vondelpark (a big park about 40 minute walk away), appreciating friends (meaning it’s sad to see them leave), and off to hang out with some of those who have yet to leave in a bit. Tomorrow the Tabernacle (i.e. house of prayer) is open in the afternoon so I’ll be heading there. Maybe I’ll go visit Corrie Ten Boom’s house in Haarleem in the morning....

Popular posts from this blog

Taking in the familiar and a heart connected.

Amsterdam. It still has that muggy feeling in Summer, and a constant flow of people which if you stop to think about it, it's quite amazing that there would even be space to accommodate them all. But then I guess they are not all staying. Just passing through on their way to or from somewhere. It's always good for the heart to visit somewhere that was once home. The familiarity of streets and customs makes it easier to embrace what might be new as well as the joy of being reacquainted with old friends. Friends. So many of them to be found in this city, ready with hugs and good words that are uttered when seeing someone who was away again. Friendship. A treasure that cannot be bought. Cobblestones trodden by many, including myself. Sitting on a bench. Praying. Remembering the first time I stumbled upon this area lined with windows with red lights and curtains. An area which has come to represent no longer windows, but people to me. Some still behind a window. Others who have ...
Read more

Getting to know the local culture.

Life is a strange thing. Last week went…not much happened, and then it was over. The weekend was quite calm without too many wild and exciting things happening. Except, of course, a wee outing to watch the National Championship for Veteran Ploughing. Now, like me, you might be sadly lacking an understanding of what this actually means. So I am delighted to be able to enlighten you in this respect. It’s basically (for the “farm-language-illiterate” like myself) a competition where you use old (hence the name “veteran”) tractors and ploughs, and plough up a stretch of field which is then evaluated and the one scoring the highest sum (accuracy, depth, how well the soil is turned is all given points) wins. I must admit that this information I got by eavesdropping on a conversation next to me where a man was explaining to some of my friends how it all works. So that was a fun adventure….although we only stayed for a bit. What is sort of occupying my mind at present is my upcoming travel abr...
Read more

What was your dream?- scraping the surface of the heart of Albania

“What was your dream when you were 20?” That was a question our guide asked us as we were standing outside a huge derelict cement monument in Tirana, the capital of Albania. We’d spent the day touring and hearing a lot about the history and journey of Albania, a young country with more Albanians living in other countries than in Albania itself. A country where tourism has only really been built up the past 30 years. It was eye opening to hear more of the history, and it made me realise that this country is so much more than meets the eye. A country where the beaches and tourist area of Durres Riviera was packed with tourists, mostly from the Balcan area. A country where hospitality is ingrained in the culture, and where the friendliness of the people was noticeable. After a pause to let us reflect over the question of dreams, for some thinking further back than others, our guide told us that for him it had been to own a pair of jeans. That simple fact said so much. Both of what he...
Read more