Learning Scots

I am trying my best to get some Scots terminology right, after receiving some blank stares and completely confusing the children with my time frame of just now! Cheers means 'thank you', and NOT 'good bye'. See ya later means 'good bye', and is NOT used to indicate that you will actually see them later. And, just saying 'hi' sounds monosyllabically insipid, you've got to say HIYA!!

Edinburgh: Gateway to the Nations

A few weeks ago I was privileged to hear the gospel preached by an Italian man (in English!) in Scotland. Then, I was asked to meet an American missionary at the airport, a lady passing through on her way to help establish a church in Zambia.

And tonight, I was invited to a church which was raising money for some Brazilian missionaries on their way to Egypt and India. We had supper for a small donation and listened to Brazilian singing! I had a conversation with a Brazilian man full of passion, simplicity and joy. I thought, as we were talking, that this was a man who could be in prison for preaching the gospel in Egypt in the next few months or years, and who would rejoice to be so, and I started crying - I don't know what he thought.

I want to be like him. Oh, to be able to lift my eyes up and see only Eternity!

Tent Maker Training 1

Well, today we had our first of two training sessions. It was awe inspiring and very exciting to think that the leader leading and teaching us has not only theory but the practice of ten years (in the Ukraine)! I can't put it all down here, but there are a couple of things I want to share. I think the major thing which struck me so much was the time spans Pastor Tom was talking in. In Grahamstown, there is an intensity... an urgency... which is different... here, Pastor Tom will throw things out like "It'll take you between 18 and 36 months to really settle down, and get over the culture shock, and be truly able to become all things to all men!" He keeps emphasising that slow is fast, and we want to grow, but we need to build a strong foundation.

He also reminded us that the devil is not sitting back and wondering if we will manage. He will fight us on every inch, over every soul. He's not letting go of Edinburgh too easily.

The strategy in a nutshell is in 1. an Outreach Meeting every Sunday, specifically designed to welcome guests, to worship God wholeheartedly, and for the word taught to be applicable to life. We want to cut weirdness out of these meetings eg. "turn to the person next to you..." and help people to relax. We all have to fill in visitor's cards - called 'connection cards' - every week so no one feels stuck out. We will have a Believers' Meeting on the first Sunday night of every month.

And 2. Outreach Lifestyles - we will all be put in Discipleship Groups which will be primarily for accountability about outreach lifestyles - and we can decide what we can do - from coffee dates with one person to running Alpha Courses! We know who we know and what will work best.

Pastor Tom is strict on terminology... we won't publicly refer to people as believers until they have made the public declaration of water baptism, or as disciples until they are doing the Purple Book. I can see that this is to keep facts straight, hype down, and keep building that strong foundation.

I am excited to be on this front line. It is an honour - a unique privilege. In 60 years time, when my grandchildren ask me what I was doing when revival swept up Europe, I'll tell them I was there, in the middle of it! Come on!

Stepping Out

My first week of work has been very very different from anything I have ever done before! In between having play dough stuck on my face and being presented with earthworms in the playground, there has actually been some time for philosophical reflection. (And I did have a brief think about the worldview behind "The Elves and the Shoemaker", but that doesn't count.) (Did you know they still sing Old MacDonald and If You're Happy and You Know It and Row Row Row your Boat - feel like I'm in a time warp, and it should be me sitting on the mat!)

Anyway, I have been thinking a lot about educational theory and policy, and am waking up to the fact that this is a latent passion of mine, after all that grumbling last year! And being thrown into a prime example of a secular, constructivist - "child centred" environment has really stimulated and frustrated me. But the children are absolutely lovely, with their wee Scottish accents, and they are slowly getting used to me.

The Demystification of Motherhood is a good thing, for better and for worse.

One of the biggest challenges is getting to know the other staff. I have been the Staffroom Mute thus far, thinking about how I would join in this conversation if (i) I knew what the heck they were talking about, and (ii) I wasn't so aware that I must sound really posh the way that I actually pronouce my t's and ing's, and other endings of words. Do I like the way I speak? Yes. Would I become all things to all men and lay it down? Something to think about.

I have been living with two Northern Irish girls and a Scottish girl from Destiny Church this week. I found a home that is a kindred spirit of Beaufort Street! (Incidentally, two of them are even called Kary and Jenny!) They have been so welcoming and loving. It has been a challenge to answer some of their questions about the church plant, as I realise the need to be diplomatic, and to express positivity about the churches already established in Edinburgh. I have also been feeling so tired and disorientated and jumbly jumbly it's hard to remember why I came and to express it properly. I keep saying "God called me here". I think that's all I need to know right now. Thank you Lord.

This Beaufort St II has been a relief in other ways. It is a blessing to be surrounded by like minded people and British culture. I find American culture hard to keep up with. My clothes and my make up feel really blah next to theirs. I feel like, in appearance, and confidence, and speech, and sharp ideas, and devil-stomping faith - a faded wild flower next to flashing neon lights. I am beginning to mistakenly associate Every Nation people with ritz and glamour and I feel odd. Actually, so many things feel odd with so many people from so many church backgrounds (even though we are all Every Nation) - there are just little attitudes and little beliefs which have the potential to clash.

It all makes me very homesick! I really battle on Sundays with missing G'town, especially as the praise and worship is... well, you know G'town p+w is unmatchable!

PS. I read the most hysterical article in the newspaper about this village in North England which has 17 men to every woman and they have launched this big campaign to get women to move there. It was tempting! We have been joking about the lopsided number of women on this church plant. I have aunts who never married SIMPLY due to the scarcity of men after WWII, and I begin to wonder if we have a similar phenomenon developing in the Church. Oh dear.

Thought for the Day

In 17 years time, I will be 40 years old.

What You Really Want to Know

So, Pam, just what is happening with the church plant itself?

When Uncle Jim flew over here to visit - as the plane was landing, he reportedly said "It's dark, really dark". A couple of people have had pictures of stone walls which we will need to chisel and work at and repeatedly hammer for breakthrough in this nation.

We had a mission a few weeks ago, 80 campus ministers and students from the US of A... they came over and spent a week half in Glasgow and half in Edinburgh, walking around and promoting this movie called "The Final Frontier" (by Eric Holmsberg) - all about whether there is life after death. It's really in your face. Anyway, so it really worked well, especially with the festival happening in Edinburgh, so there's all sorts of promotions and artsy stuff happening. We showed the film once in Glasgow and twice in Edinburgh - and in Edinburgh, the one venue was none other than the Forest Cafe, that "dreadful scary Babylonian" place. It was HECTIC! I witnessed some warfare, man! The place was packed out. We even got mentioned on the radio the next day - "There were evangelicals in the Forest Cafe!" "They're everywhere!" I wasn't involved in the mission at all except for taking someone to the Forest Cafe that night, but heard reports of healings and miracles and cool stuff.

Pastor Perry (one of the associate pastors) doesn't like to give numbers, because he says a hand raised or even a prayer said doesn't count until you're still seeing a person around, stuck into being discipled for a few months. A really good point I thought. I was actually so impressed with the report and chat about the mission that Perry gave, and just the person that he is, that I am wondering if he could be of Gareth-stock!

Next step in the fresher's week mission in mid September... but I will find out more in the next two weekends - we are having Tentmaker Training which will lay out the vision and strategy.

For those interested in praying for Scotland - I believe the biggest stronghold is Witchcraft/Rebellion, with Alcohol following hard on its heels. And the prayer that I pray most I have published here. Being a poet and following the tradition of many powerful preachers, what I sense to pray for boils down to Hope, Holiness and Honour.

Cry for Caledonia

Lord, we pray that you would move again in the nation of Scotland, as you did in John Knox time, as you did in the Outer Hebrides, one of the dark corners of the earth. Lord, we pray that the hills and the rivers, the highlands and the lochs would lift up their hands and ascribe greatness to the King! We pray that the people would hear your voice, Scots men and women would open their eyes and see your glory in their land. We thank you for the spiritual rivers and the spiritual rain of Hope that will flood the land. Oh Lord we hear the whisper of Hope in your nation, oh let it thunder! We see Scotland as the source of a river of Hope that would gush out across Europe.

We pray for a Highway of Holiness to be laid from Glasgow to Edinburgh, from the Borders to the Shetland Islands. We pray that you would restore the Honour of your Warriors. Restore the Honour of your people here.

Lord, we pray for Edinburgh. Oh how you would gather them in your arms in a moment if they would but let you! Jesus, may you reign again above ancient tradition and architectural beauty, above the stale smell of breweries and the desperation of the homeless. I pray that Truth would be rebuilt, brick by brick. May Edinburgh no longer be a fortress of bitterness, but a Fortress of Truth! May it give from its heart, and not only for its own gain! We pray for every man that hangs his head, for every woman that covers up her fear of the future. Jesus, come!! Strengthen the feeble hands and weak knees! Make us your people strong and valiant! Give grace to the pastors - the shepherds of the city. Give grace to the politicians and influential people. Open the floodgates of love!! Let love come in! Let no one escape Your Love, Your undeniable, tangible Love.

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Son Shining

I had the most marvellous day today. I woke up and the sun was shining through the window, and I felt peaceful - a foreign feeling - and just happy to be alive. I spent an hour or two curled up with tea and "How the Scots invented the Modern World" - a gloriously biased version of a gloriously fascinating history of the Scots. Then I walked the festive streets, thinking carefully about my next move, as I had been told that disclosures can take up to six weeks. An idea greatly repulsive to somebody with no money etc etc.

When I got home I had a phone call from the nursery. My disclosure miraculously came through in ten days and could I start work on Monday??

You know who's in charge, even in Edinburgh? The Lord Jesus Christ.

Thirteenth Bed

(or fourteenth, if you count the I-could-so-redesign-this-better aeroplane seat)

... since I last saw Grahamstown eight weeks ago. My thirteenth bed will be remembered for the Week of the Wisdom Tooth, during which I wanted to tear my jaw off... but also during which I managed to enjoy the coincedence of a wisdom tooth and a growing inward wisdom - which MUST be there... although outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day...

Shirley came up to Edinburgh this week, and she blessed me and blessed me and blessed me. She loves Jesus so much, and she knows the joy of the redeemed!

I am still waiting. I could smash things in my frustration with waiting - waiting on so many levels! Waiting for my disclosure so I can start work at the nursery. Waiting for some inkling of the fulfillment of the prophecies over my life...

"But do not forget this one thing dear friends. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance!" 2 Peter 3 v 8-9

Practically, South African

Today I realised just how 'South African' I am. I love Dickensian streets, cobbled and crowded, hodgepodge and higgledy piggledy of little shops and offices. Living in Edinburgh is like living in a favourite book.

But when I walked into a real undercover shopping mall, with maps indicating "You are Here" and escalators and big glass windows, I wanted to fall down and kiss the shiney floor. AAAHH! What happened to my romantic heart?

Now I know where to go when I feel homesick!

Peculiar Grace

So, a week ago, things looked bleak. I missed home. I missed having money. I missed the way my faith used to be so hale and hearty. I missed God. The hardest thing was that I had fallen, in such a short space of time, from a sense of unshakeability, of heroism, of certainty about God's will, to a place of utter UNcertainty.

Showdown.

God let me in a couple of things. His peculiar grace is embedded in that verse in Hebrews, which encourages us to endure hardship as discipline - because only real children of the Father are precious enough for him to discipline. I don't think the Lord particularly enjoys seeing us in hardship. But He has a firm grip of the Big Picture.

We can trust Him.

Oh to grace how great a debtor,
Daily I'm constrained to be,
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wand'ring heart to thee.

Auld Reekie

Cursed be this foul street-smell! I cannae bear it! One could still call Edinburgh "Auld Reekie", and be literal, and not anachronistic.

How to be a Church Planting Tentmaker

Or "What I have Done Wrong So Far"

1. Don't lose your passport three weeks before you are due to leave.
2. Save as much money as possible, as they do use it in other countries, and there is NO guarantee that you will find the MONEY TREE as soon as you arrive. Actually it was a very strange idea for me to come over straight out of Year of Your Life. (But it was God's idea - not mine).
3. Nobody in the new country knows who you are, and they don't give much of a damn. You need letters of introduction from as many sources as possible... employers, landlords, the bank. Bring bank statements. The big question is, of course, are you a terrorist?
4. Get over yourself. You are not a champion of faith. Jesus is the author and perfector of your faith.

Don't tell me who I am, tell me who God is!