My Legendary Trip to Scotland

So, I'm in Scotland now, enjoying its beauty and learning a bit of its history. I can't believe I've made it this far.
I have been staying in the homes of the people who live in this grand land, learning about them and enjoying their hospitality. I've been seeing God everywhere, but especially in the churches I've met. That is what makes tour successful for me.
Right now I am in the home of a lovely, sweet family with four cool kids. Fraser is with me, helping me with this blog entry. He's cool and likes soccer. He's eleven and is very friendly, besides that he makes for a good companion.
Anyway, that's all for now. Fraser has to go to bed and so I have to stop writing for his sake. Bye for now.

I've enjoyed travelling through Great Britain thus far, seeing the sites and meeting people of the church. The whole ministry aspect of the trip is what I have been preparing myself for for months ahead of time, and this is came despite of struggles to raise funds for the trip itself. However, the knowledge that I had before hand is the tendancy to lose focus on the ministry aspect of tour altogether, and a week into the trip I can see hints of that happening already. Mainly, I think this is due to: 1) being around people you don't normally associate with outside of choir 2) the sites 3) travelling.

1. Being around people - I have noticed just how the choir divides into ingroups and outgroups, pre existing friendships tend to disallow for any newcomers to fit in just rightly. Friendships take presidence and there is little will to get to know people outside of one's social circle. Not only that, but people judge people before getting to know them, or refuse to understand and get along with someone with a different viewpoint or personality. Moreover, people miss the fact that we are God's stewards, a travelling congregation of ministers that need to be unified and respected and treated equally.
2. Sites - I can make a fair assumption that it comes as quite easy for people to be destracted with the sites around them and make their focus that rather than touring for ministry.
3. Travelling - The fact that we're travelling away from home, to a majestic place full of beauty and history becomes a fascinating dream-like reality to people on such a trip. Travelling and being received by people with such generosity can become a wrong focus when we are to be sharing God's love.

...The Journey Continues!

So, I am writing in another youth hostel in Exeter, England, the site of Exeter Cathedral where we perform an early afternoon concert on Tomorrow. It is likely going to be a good time I'm sure.
Memorable things so far...
1)Traffic driving on the wrong side of the road. I just about got driven over a couple of times.
2) The sites: Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge, etc. A lot of places I've been seeing are remarkable. They've been around for many many years.
3) The landscape: mind you, anything you see on television of the landscape in this place does not do justice. It is so beautiful to see it with your own eyes.
4) The people (the Church). I've had some great conversations and contact with people here that I will hopefully remember for a long time. They have affected me greatly and have a special place in my heart.

Key lessons:
1) I need to always remember to learn to relate with the new culture around me. So far this hasn't been a problem, but it is easy to fall into ignorance and make inappropriate or foolish statements. Sensitivity is KEY!!#
2) Sensitivity is key also in regards to the people you are travelling with. This is one of the things I have been worried about from the get go. I have the tendancy to say inappropriate things on impulse. I have felt the result of doing such things already.
Respect is key on long trips like this with people you're around for the whole time. This trip is one of ministry and without respect and sensitivity there is no unity. Let the Spirit live within us, being in our hearts and minds so that we are mindful of our brothers and sisters as to not be stumbling blocks to each other.