The Americans Are Coming!

I don't know who the British counterpart to Paul Revere was, but he was rolling in his grave a couple of weeks ago as a group of seventeen Americans from the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF from here on out for all the newbies) at Mercer (who also happen to be some of our closest friends) came to Scotland just north of Glasgow in Kirkintilloch to do some mission work. Aaron and I had circled this past week because we were really looking forward to it. And it was a good thing we did because there's not enough ink to highlight how awesome that week was. (I know there's a metaphor hidden in there somewhere.)

Aaron and I had originally planned out an exciting welcome for them by me meeting them at the Glasgow airport while his bushy-bearded self waited around a corner with some sort of empty cup and asked for change from the group until someone recognized him. But since they weren't flying into Glasgow, that plan was out. Instead, we walked into a group meeting after they had all arrived. Let me just tell you, if I could bottle that feeling, I'd never have to work another day in my life. Talk about happiness. I guess this would be the appropriate spot to say that my girlfriend, Meredith, was a member of the group, so there was a little added anticipation to those initial hellos. It was great beyond description to embrace our brothers and sisters and be welcomed back, in a sense, into the body of Christ so lovingly. They were obviously tired from all of their traveling and settling in, but Aaron and I felt like dogs with a bone we forgot we'd buried. It was brilliant.



I will do my best to summarize the work of the group throughout the course of the week. Much of their time in mission work was spent in the schools in and around Kirkintilloch speaking and meeting with the students there. In addition to this, the group also participated in evening activities at the two churches, St. Mary's and St. David's, mostly serving younger children. Aaron and I traveled after our classes were done Monday and Tuesday while "commuting" back to Paisley at night, abut we were able to stay with the group from Wednesday evening on until saying our goodbyes on Friday.

Maybe my favorite part of the time spent in the field came after an assembly at Kirkintilloch High School. Marlin Harris spoke the gospel (I mean he brought it. We were all really pleasantly surprised at the fervor and enthusiasm coming from behind his Alabama swoop. Big ups.) to the group of high-schoolers who were rather receptive despite the 9:00 assembly time. Then we went to the library and met with the Christian student club at the school. How many members were there? Five. Out of a school of 700 there were 5 students there. While in the States many people would claim to be Christians and show up to a meeting like this one without having Christ in their hearts, even that feeling was absent among the student body.The leader of the group and captain (president) of his senior class was named David. The genuine care for his fellow students was astounding, and his stories of how difficult it is to be a believer in the daunting feelings of loneliness within himself and the apathy of his classmates left most of us speechless.

When it came time for us to ask the small group of students if there was anything we could pray for, David told us not to pray for them, because they were already assured of eternal life through their love of Christ. He told us to pray for his classmates, that their hardened hearts would soften and be open to receiving the gospel. Even as I type it, his words, as a senior in high school, just leave my jaw open. Join Aaron and I in doing as David said and praying for the students at Kirki High. If there is to be spiritual revival in Scotland, it must begin with the young people.

It wasn't all-work-and-no-play for our compatriots, however. There were trips to Stirling and the Wallace Monument, Ibrox to watch Rangers, the Falkirk Wheel, Edinburgh, and downtown Glasgow to make sure everyone had a solid view of Scotland before they left. And if these experiences weren't enough, everyone was set up with a host family with whom they would be lodging with. Aaron and I spent our time at the Leishman family's house in Kirkintilloch along with our friends Marlin "Bring-the-Word" Harris and Brett "21=Fun" Richstone. The four of us couldn't express to the Leishman's how thankful we were for their gracious hospitality. We had an unbelievable time watching and talking football with their two sons Andrew and Fraser, eating some of their mother, Fiona's, fine Scottish cooking (yes, including haggis...which is good, by the way), and just being made to feel like adopted sons during our short time with them. There was a general feeling amongst the RUF group that most everyone else also had a similar "royal treatment" experience. It was, truly, an unbelievable blessing and accurate picture of how we should open our homes and lives up to others in the name of Jesus.





On a side note, the four of us guys got had a little excursion of our own. On the Friday before the group was scheduled to fly back home, the churches planned a traditional Scottish dance, called a ceilidh (pronounced KAY-lee), as a send-off for the group. Well, Aaron, Brett, and Marlin had a conversation with a member of the men's club at St. Mary's earlier in the week named Jim McEwen who had offered to fit the lads with the accessories necessary to properly attend a ceilidh as Scots: namely a kilt and weapons. The four of us went to Jim's house that Friday afternoon and had a great time sitting in the living room of a genuine Scottish Clan Manager as he discussed the finer parts of Scottish pride and nationalism while explaining the sharp points of the claymore and broadsword he had in his living room. I think it's safe to say we got more than a taste of Scottish history that afternoon, and we all left feeling very much like clan brothers. Well, this picture speaks for itself.





It was sad to say goodbye to everyone that night after the ceilidh (which was an absolute ton of fun), but we knew that we would see everyone again in the Fall. Their visit was an incredible boost for me in terms of lifting me up and strengthening me spiritually for the rest of our time here. Continue to pray for Aaron and me and our spiritual walks while we're here. While we have each other, your prayers do more than you or we can know in keeping us going. We love all of you.


Some quick notes:

1) I played in my first and last college football game this past Sunday. We won as the UWS Pyros defeated the Durham Saints 18-6 to record the Pyros' first ever playoff win and push us into the British quarterfinals. As tight end, I recorded one catch for, I think, 3 or 4 yards. And as a special teams player, I had a tackle on a kickoff. My personal bottom line coming out of the game, though, is that on the opening kickoff, I was running down the field and just before my first contact with a Durham player my foot slid in the mud, and my knee bent (ever so slightly) backwards, sending a sickening chill up my leg. I shouldn't have played the rest of the game, but I did, and now I'm done for good. It's still very tight almost a week later. Again, prayers work miracles. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun playing with the guys and getting to know them as football players, too. I wish them nothing but the best in their playoff run. They have a game tomorrow in Newcastle, so GO PYROS!

2) One of our friends, Suzanne Bottorff (http://suzinoxford.blogspot.com), from Mercer who is studying at Oxford in England this semester came up to visit us while the RUF group was here. Again, it was great to hang out with her and show her around Paisley. Aaron got to go with her and the group to Stirling and had a blast. I know she could use some of your prayers down south, too!

3) Coursework is picking up steam a little bit, so pray that we can get it done.

4) If there's not another entry this coming week it's because we have a lot going on. Wednesday evening we're flying over to the Netherlands to hang out with our Dutch friend, Stefan, for a couple of days in Amsterdam. Then we fly back to Glasgow Friday night before flying out again Saturday morning to go to Wembley Stadium in London to watch England v. Slovakia in a friendly. Should be loads of fun, and England are unveiling new kits for that game. I'm excited. Pray that God gives us traveling mercies, and that we don't get too lost as we travel around Europe.

5) The weather this past week has been phenomenal! Hardly a cloud in the sky. It's probably warmer wherever you are right now, but at least we get to see some rare sunshine. It's amazing how much of an impact the sun has on people around here. Seriously, people are friendlier and more talkative. It's quite remarkable.

Thanks for keeping up with us! Sorry the writing has been a little more sporadic than we'd like, but we'll try to be better about that. Have a great weekend!