First week!

Family and Friends, Welcome to my blog! This is where you can find my monthly updates.

As most of you already know, I am in Edinburgh, Scotland for the next year with the ELCA Lutheran Church's-Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM). I am also here through a program called Time For God (TFG) which YAGM partners with. TFG places volunteers all around the United Kingdom. My placement is at Bethany Christian Centre where I will be working on the recovery side of things as men are overcoming addictions. The centre provides access to a Christian recovery program including structured group work, one-to-one support, recreation, work activities and training opportunities.

I have been here in Edinburgh for a week now. Prior to coming I was in Chicago for a week with the rest of the YAGMs doing training for our year abroad. Other young adults are spending their year all over the world-Kenya, South Africa, Jeruselum/West Bank, India, Slovakia, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, and the UK (mostly in England). Like I said, I am in Scotland and to be honest, this is the last place I thought I would end up after I applied. I thought for sure I would be somewhere in Africa because of my experience there but I guess that's not where God wanted me. And I'm okay with that! So far I love Edinburgh and I am overjoyed to start this next year learning about my purpose here and how God will use me.

The past couple weeks have been packed with saying goodbye to family and friends, forming new relationships, learning about a new culture, how to understand the Scottish accent, and adapting to different accommodation and lifestyle. While it has all been a bit tiring, I feel a lot more prepared with coming into this experience after the week in Chicago. We talked a lot about what it means to be a missionary and how we as young adults should go about being a missionary in the 21st century by having a "ministry of presence." Basically, this is more relationship based rather than preaching on the streets and forcing faith on someone.

I am now living in a flat with 4 others who are working at Bethany as well. We come from all over the place-Northern Ireland, Sweden, Tanzania, Uganda, and me, the American. The next two weeks we all have more induction stuff but after that we should be on more of a normal schedule and I'll be able to tell you more about what my job will be! All in all, I'm happy to be here and so blessed to have you all supporting me! Peace and God bless!!

If you feel like sending me some mail...my address is :)

313/6 Leith Walk
Edinburgh, Scotland
EH6 8SA