It's been a while, my hearts bleeds...

Hey guys, I am sincerely apologetic for the lacking in blogs of recent. I have missed it. 

The problem is, the internet is super shize here and quite often it doesn't work on my laptop. So that's uber rubbish of the first degree.

So much has happened, but this week has been about Grace. Wow.

I have never learnt so much in my entire life. I adore this topic so much, I am accepted whatever I do - God loves me all the time and I don't have to do anything to earn it. That is incredible. Really, Daniel (the speaker, also base leader) knew exactly what he was saying and he could reference the bible in historical context and it just opened my eyes to so much. If you want to know more I will happily share my 'grace' notes and quotes in an email to you, they are that amazing.

This last couple of weeks we have been hanging out a lot in the underground which I love and adore, it is the comfiest grottiest common room in the whole of history. But after me and Mez have finished cleaning it is the best place in the whole of history. So we watched Donnie Darko last week, I thought it was incredible. My brain loves to think what can I say. 

In the encouragement box this week (today) I got some jelly beans and jelly babies from someone who wanted to encourage me with joy!!  I am happy happy happy.

I am going home this weekend to my brother's 18th - cannot wait to see my family. Yay.

Today Adam bullied me about my accent, he also pointed and laughed at me. He is mean. It is because he is southern. He just read this and laughed also. What a muppet. He just called my blog a silly silly northern blog. I might throw a pen at him. He's a sweetie really ... southern nonetheless ... but a sweetie.

Know a lot more about india now but have to go ... so the next blog - haha, you must wait to know the joys of my outreach.

Miss you all, love to you.

Laura x x x x

A paaarcel ... I got a parcel. Everyone was JELOUS (Jelous not envious).

Last night we, the girls and myself, decided we would get an early night ... due to the last four weeks of awakeness and crazy late nights. So we brushed our teeth, put our pjamas on and crawled into bed. Then we proceeded to talk about all sorts, and giggle about everything there is possible to giggle about. It was like a 12 year old birthday sleepover. We talked about cultural differences just between our countries (I am the only British girl in the room) So the Europeans outcasted me because they are far more liberal than us Brits apparantly from the conversation we had ... it was crazy! Our humour makes them uncomfortable because it's sick or it's incredibly awkward (Shaun of the Dead; Mr Bean; Hot Fuzz .. etc). The Americans think it is crude that the polite way we talk about Toilets is by calling them Toilets. They think that to say toilet is rude, and I laughed and told them that we used to call it a 'bog' when we were younger *Hangs head in shame*.
All in all, it was a truely hilarious occassion.

This week on the 'Holy Spirit' has been interesting ... I have enjoyed a lot, and had to think about a lot of things. We will see what tonight has to offer with 'ministry time'.

What else new? We had a hilarious conversation about English words last night ... I learnt that we have about 15 words for everything. Lame.
I have been SO excited today, I got a parcel! A parcel I tell you!! I was buzzing, Lynnie you are an angel. I adore you, a lot.
Er, Rew, well done on the life guarding thing. Love you!

Guys, that's me for now, I am sleepy and cannot think of anything and have misplaced my phone so need to go in search.

Love you all!! Adoration.
xxxx

Someone else and I ... to be polite

Ah, this weeks memory verse, I have to keep saying it or I will forget it ...
'It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.' Galations 5:1
Links in with the mirror smashing, which Dean, we do not believe in the old bad luck malarkey...

Yesterday, Ilse and I and everyone else went to Thorpe Park (theme park) Roller coasters and all sorts. It was great. Luke had 2 for 1 vouchers so it only cost us £20 each for the whole day, transport and entrance - it was ‘well’ good. One of the best days since being here.

Today was Erin’s birthday, so we sang, a lot. We also ate, a lot. Now we are watching the Italian Job in the Underground … which I will stick some pictures up of, we tend to live down here when we are not working or in lectures or local outreach (which I am looking forward to this week!!).

So what else is new? Not so much, this week is about the Holy Spirit, which should be very, very cool … looking forward to seeing what’s going to happen.

I miss you all, Tori, I do apologise that these are not personal, but I love you all the same … and I also love everyone else who is reading these, it makes me haaappy. *grins*

Emma, everyone else seems to love your day-to-day updates as much as mine – I do especially :D

Love to you all, spesh my family and all my friends and everyone at my church.

Laura

x x x x

A Very Quick Update

Today I found out what country I am going to for definate. I shall be gracing India with my presence. With my adorable Sammi, Ilse ... and amazing others!!! I am insanely excited - and thinking about all sorts of things that I will need, what is culturally acceptable and so on and so forth. So woot woot. Prayers are necessary!

Today I brushed my teeth and wore make-up (that's for Emma) ... but on tuesday I am fasting eye-make-up!! scary.

Local Outreach was INSANE, these kids were just crying out to know God tonight ... we were just talking gently with some of them and it was just amazing. God was really really moving.
W.O.W.

Anway, on that note I love you all ... sleepy now. Shopping in the morning. Bye.
x x x x x x

Smashing Mirrors and Fruit...

So - anyway (as my brother would say, then say again 3 seconds later!)
I Love You Andrew.

Hi there,
Tonight we did a great exercise where we wrote down the lies that we had been believing about ourselves - on a mirror (which Me, Garrett and Meredith had cut earlier on in the week). We then had to sit in front of everyone and tell each other about those lies (which was scary and intense and I did not want to at all) but then we got to smash the mirrors with a big hammer. Afterwards I felt a immense peace - it was great.

All sorts has happened in the past few days ... we went and helped out with the local church raking and heaving compost around - it was satisfying ... I felt really good afterwards - I just wished I could have finished the job! Going on my local outreach tomorrow, looking forward to it, looking forward to meeting the kids again, seeing what new ground we can cover.

Ok, so Outreach ... we found out the places we have the options to go: POLAND and INDIA.
I am sooo excited - not sure what will happen yet so I cannot say where I asked to go because the other people might read it ... But most of you will know if I rang you anyway, or if you know me well enough to know I'm not satisfied with the norm.

Anyway, if there was something more important I have forgotten it, because I am sooo happy with the mirror smashing and going to Thorpe Park on Sunday ... tell you about the fruit some other time!

Love you all a lot. a lot of a lot.
Laura x x x x x

Dressing as Men, Singing Boyzone

Ah me, I am writing so much I just don’t know how to keep starting these blogs.

Last night I went on my first local outreach to a Youth Group in Bolney called Crusaders, well the younger one is called that anyway. The layout is that of 3 groups, the first being 7 to 11, they were simply lovely, cheeky and adorable! We played ‘Dodgeball’ and they were so funny jumping and diving all over the floor, then we talked about the character of God – that was pretty sweet. I really enjoyed my time with this group. Then there was a group aged 11 – 13 and a group 13 – 16, both at the same time. The 13 – 16 group were so full of seriousity, they wanted to chat about God and their ideas about life, the universe and everything … but the 11 – 13 group were bloody horrible!!! They were rude, they didn’t listen, and they talked rubbish when asked a question and questioned everything. I loved it. God just really, really gave me a heart for these kids, these kids who were rude and obnoxious (not all I’m generalising a lot here, some were quiet and nice, but about 3%) – and I loved them. I wanted them to learn to respect me and I wanted to build up friendships and for them to ask me about why I loved God and who Jesus was to me and stuff like that. I guess only time can allow that.

This fine evening we had a ‘Café Night’ – where I MC’d the whole shebang, introducing the different acts and apparently being amusing, but I was petrified. There were some amazing acts – some skits that were highly amusing and Steph and Joe did an improvisation song where they got some of the guys up making up words and trying to sing songs about animals with rhyme, it was great!!
Ann-Louise and myself had planned a lip synced version of Boyzone’s ‘No Matter What’ and Backstreet Boys’ ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)’. We dressed as blokes with little goatees drawn with eyeliner and wore men’s clothes – then we bounced about the stage like crazy people. It was so much fun.
So that seems to be it, but I think there are videos of us doing it. You can see soon.

Today we went into Crawley, me and Ilse painted all our nails a different colour in Superdrug, which was truely hilair pretending I was going to buy one! I also bought a new jumper – and some amazing foundation. But that’s just lame nonsense.

Love you all – keep with the messages they make me so so so happy!!
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

Getting my hands dirty? Literally??

Two days Dean, two days, there is nothing exciting to tell you in less than two days! But thanks for being eager :p

Hi there people!

Ok, so in the last couple of days I have played muchos Volleyball – and I have almost learnt to serve, but I have to do it with my back turned or it won’t go in the right direction. It’s hilarious to watch – when I go up to serve people giggle – encouragingly, of course! Luke said he didn’t think I’d ever learn to serve it, because I was just throwing it for the first week – but it’s much more fun now I can half serve.

Last night, me and Ilse were sitting on the top of a bench (the table part) and we were laughing about everything, then all of a sudden we’d become very serious, then we would laugh like loons again. It was fun city.

So, today during ‘Community Care’ (work duties) Meredith, Garrett and I were cleaning the Underground … and we realised that the sink was blocked, so I went on a wander to find someone to fix it. I found Hannah and she helped me try to plunge it … even though we both looked fabby in dresses and skirts … anyway, turns out Paul (School Leader) said I should pull out the pipes under the sink and unblock it manually. Gross. But as Hannah so cleverly put it, I am ‘from Manchester’. So, Hannah, Meredith and I poked around under the sink for about 15 minutes whilst Luke sat and encouraged us with ‘it’s only old coffee’ and ‘you don’t need to drink it’… In the long run the sink is not clear and Amy found me some Mr Muscle to pour down it (because he is well known for loving the jobs you hate).

Because Wednesdays are celebrations of countries, tonight we are celebrating America (there’s enough of them) and we are having ‘Sloppy Joes’ whatever the deuce they are! Last week it was England and we had Cottage Pie (eugh).

So God is doing immense things, he is teaching me so much, so so much. I have three minutes before I have to shoot off to another lecture, so love – and will tell you guys more and more as time goes on.

Love to you all, and thanks for the sidebar encouragement, it makes me SMILE!!
xxx

P.S. Thank you people for the post – it is very much welcomed. If you would like to send me some post, please do! The address will be up later this week.

xxx