Had a great week in Torquay at Cuthbert Mayne High School and then spent Friday at Stoodley Knowle an all girls school attached to a convent. Met my first real life nun! We did lessons on forgiveness and the girls were responsive asking questions about our faith and we were able to give honest personal answers. Also found out that Nigel (the schools worker we were with from Links) works at a school where my old deputy head and drama teacher work! Small world!

This weekend was fairly relaxing at home, spent time looking after Maddie and Emi. We went to the mission in Braintree-Make Jesus Known which was well attended and there were lots of positive responses to the gospel. Today had the opportunity to go to my home church which was lovely, great to see people and update them! It’s so wonderful to have such awesome people praying for me and supporting me, thank you!

BBQ this afternoon and then back to Wickford this afternoon and into the office tomorrow for prep for Solid this weekend!

We arrived yesterday afternoon in time to watch the football…very exciting, stressful and disappointing couple of hours! We then had dinner and headed off to our hosts. Becca and I are staying in a gorgeous house with beautiful views and a lovely family so it’s all good!

7.30 this morning we were in St Cuthbert Mayne Roman Catholic and Anglican Church school for a speedy 1hr 25min set up and then a day of yr7 lessons looking at the value we have as people and the important issue of forgiveness. Today was a momentous occasion for me as I played Keel’s drums (in fact any drum kit at all!!) for the very first time, and in front of 30 students. Not very well of course, just very poor attempts and drum rolls…so just lots of random hitting of drums and cymbals!

The students responded very well and we had some good questions including ‘are any of you born again Christians?’ and ‘do you deeply believe in God?’ so fantastic opportunities to share personal stories. The staff seem very enthusiastic and welcoming which is brilliant.

Relaxing evening at hosts tonight, we had a BBQ and a nice time chatting. Earlyish night and then up ready to be in school at 8.15 for some Abi lessons tomorrow!

Thanks for your prayers!! Xx

Well, last week was a pretty interesting week!

It started on Sunday with Taste leading worship at TCC’s evening service. We had a minimal set up but still arrived at 4pm to make sure everything was ready. I was due to be doing Psalm 139. We met to pray just before the service and I was starting to feel quite dizzy (get dizzy spells occasionally so didn’t think too much of it) but then as we left that room I felt like I was going to faint so sat down and Keel got me some water. I then felt quite sick so went to the toilets and was retching but wasn’t sick. Meanwhile the service had started but every time i tried to stand up I just felt really dizzy. Karen came to see if I was ok and I told her I wasn’t able to do Psalm 139 so she passed the message on to Andy. I managed to get back into the church towards the end of the service and was able to be prayed for which was really good. I just felt really miserable because I felt ill and also felt I was letting people down. I just wanted me own bed and really didn’t want to be going to a new host house and preparing for a schools week! Becca and I were staying with Andrew and Avril so I went to bed as soon as I could after I got there and Joy told me not to get up in the morning til I felt better.

So Becca got up and went to Deanes Schools for 6.30am. I heard her go and just felt so awful that everyone was going to set up and I wasn’t. I felt really guilty but knew it probably was best for me to stay and sleep. I eventually got up and went in at lunchtime but didn’t take part in the final lesson, I just wanted to familiarise myself with everything before Tuesday. There were only 3 lessons each day but they were 100minutes each. We were set up in the hall, but it was being used all day Tuesday and a few other lessons for drama, so we had to do a basic acoustic set up in various classrooms! It was a lot of setting up, packing down and moving around and at points no-one really knew what was going on! Andy and Joy had created a new lesson about what a Christian is, which went down really well. Other lessons were a combination of music interviews, quizzes, Abi and we got a lot of Q&A session time which was brilliant. Some questions… ’Did God create Aliens?’, ‘Do you believe the world will end in 2012?’, ‘Why did you become a Christian?’, ‘Do you have to go to Church every Sunday?’, ‘How do you know Christianity is the right one?’, ‘How can you prove God is real?’ so we got really good opportunities to share our stories and opinions.

Throughout the week various people felt poorly and grumpy! Becca was sick on Thursday and during Thursday night so stayed in bed Friday morning. Jack and Keel both had dodgy tummys, La Roche felt shivery and achey… by Friday it was looking pretty grim! But after an intense pray backstage for the day, the lunchtime concert and the evening gig everything got better! The gig was not as well attended as hoped but still had around 30 young people who were enthusiastic and had a great time. La Roche had a bit of a chat towards the end and a lot of them responded which was fantastic and so encouraging.

We were very well looked after this week, thank you to all the lovely people who fed us: Nick and Karen, Ian and Miriam, Andrew and Avril.

Weds 10^th

Picked up at 1pm, we had to go and get the van weighed (for an insurance report after we had a bit of a bump in Scotland) then off to Keel’s to meet everyone else. Becca drove to Norwich in her car to make life easier there as everyone is staying so far apart, so Ben and Jack went in the car with her, leaving me, Keel and La Roche with lots of space in Linford! We arrived at Oak Grove Chapel just before 5, met Darren and Becky for a cuppa and quick  plan of Thursday, then off to hosts for dinner. I was staying with Jo, Colin, Izzy and Steph for the night. In the evening Jo, Izzy and I went to Refresh, a women’s social at the church and basically drank hot chocolate and ate cake! I met Louise, a DNA student who will be working with us. Then home to bed as an early start Thurs!

Thurs 11^th

Up just after 6, being very careful not to fall into the drum kit in my room and wake everyone up! At Sewell High School just before 7 to set up in the hall and start at 9.10. Record for the quickest set up, everything went according to plan! Had all yr7 for an assembly first thing, then saw them all in smaller groups throughout the day. We also did an impromptu song at lunch time and another assembly. A very busy but very good day, the staff loved it! Packed down and then headed to Joy’s Mummy’s house for dinner (affectionately known as Nanny Pearl). After a debrief, plan and pray we had the most gorgeous meal and chocolate brownie, followed by several games of Rummikub. Me and Keel made up the beginners team, but soon got into it! We have a feeling there may be many more games to come! Then back to hosts…now staying with Darren’s Mum Carol and I have a lovely comfy double bed!

Fri 12^th

Up at 6.10, came out the bathroom to be greeted by the smell of fresh coffee…amazing! In The Hub, Catton Grove Primary School about 7.20 to set up. Having been to the school last year, the guys already knew the logistics so that made life a bit easier. I had a bit of a black material nightmare, but all worked well in the end and looked really good with our lights. Then followed a day of primary lessons…I loved it!! Yrs 4,5&6 in for an assembly, then the individual year groups back for lessons followed by a mini concert at the end of the day which ended up being the whole school, including the tiniest reception children! It was all so much fun, they were so enthusiastic and co-operative, it was brilliant! At lunchtime we were slightly mobbed to sign lots of flyers! Set a few more bits and pieces up for Saturday’s gig and then headed to Anglia Square shopping centre for the boys to go to the music shop for an hour. I went to Shoe Zone and bought some cheap boots…having not been able to find any nice ones for the past 3months, I relented and bought cheap ones which won’t stay waterproof for long! Then to Jack’s hosts for dinner in their massive house, then back to our hosts for the rest of the evening.

Sat 13^th

Morning off so got up just after 10am and then Katie (Keel and La Roche’s host), Keel and La Roche came to pick me up and we headed to Wetherspoons for late breakfast. Met Ben there, and Lois came too, yay! Had good healthy fried breakfast and then all headed back to Katie’s for the afternoon where we relaxed and played Articulate. Me, Lois and Keel against Ben, La Roche and Katie. We won! Mainly due to me and Lois knowing what each other was thinking (poor Keel didn’t get a word in!) and Ben’s slowness when the decider was La Roche pointing to his palm and saying ‘It’s a kind of tree’…I got in there first! Linford came to pick us up just before 4 and Lois got to experience our travelling conditions! We went to The Hub and set up final bits for the gig. Dinner was our choice of takeaway and we had a long debate about whether or not Becky should get an iPhone. She is still undecided! Gig was 7pm-9pm and was attended by a wide age range! We had a fair few primary children, a large group from Jack’s home church in Sheringham and then various other youth groups. It wasn’t packed but it was still a good gig. We recorded the sound live, for the first time (as we have our recording gear for the activities week with us) so will be exciting to see how it came out! Lois went back to her halls and we headed to our hosts. Always difficult to wind down after a gig so took me a while to get to sleep!

Quotes from Articulate:
LR: It’s a fruit and a phone
BR: Nokia!
(Actual answer: Blackberry)

LK: An angry cow with a ring through it’s nose!
(A Bull)

Sun 14^th

Happy Valentines Day! I am not a fan, commercial rubbish and all that, probably best not to get me started! Back at The Hub for 9am to get ready for Oak Grove’s morning service at 10am. We led the service, performing What’s It Worth and then Psalm 139 in the middle of Joy’s talk which was quite effective. The whole theme was God’s Love and it was a really good service. A couple of girls from Sewell High who were at the gig came along, not Christians but wanting to find out more. Please remember Oak Grove in your prayers, a major source of funding has been cut, affecting them and many other organisations, putting a lot of jobs on the line (including Darren and Becky). They do some incredible things in the community and are trusting God for the finance to be able to continue. We packed down everything and drove to Oak Grove Chapel where Nanny Pearl had set out some snacks…i.e. a feast! We ate lots and then unloaded and set up which took us til 5pm. Then to Katie’s for dinner and a team game of Articulate. Me, Keel, La Roche and Ben vs Jack, Becca, Joy, Andy and Katie. They won, but we’re not bitter! ‘A Flea’ was the best one on our team…there’s a story but it’s long and probably not that interesting, but I wanted to write it here so I can look back and laugh to myself. If you really want to know then ask me about it! Back to hosts and I’m preparing for the first day of our activities week tomorrow. Let’s see what happens!

Having not had internet for 2 weeks I haven’t been able to update…sorry everyone! It was quite nice though to be away from technology for a while!

We got back at 4.35am and I’m pretty shattered so will update at another point! Just wanted to let you know that I haven’t forgotten! We had a pretty awesome 2 weeks and there’s lots to share!

Unfortunately now Andy, Keel, Jack and Ben have been struck down with a vomiting bug so please pray for their quick recovery!

Sarah (my sister) hasn’t had her baby yet (due 31st Jan)…will let you know when he/she arrives!!