Make New Friends... But Keep The Old!

Hello all, I'm sorry I haven't had time to post in a few days... it has been a bit of a crazy week! We have been playing musical housing for a while and have finally settled into a flat in some University housing just outside of the City Center area (or what we would call Down Town Cardiff). They are very nice little flats and we are all feeling a bit more relaxed and settled now that we don't have to worry about switching back and forth between rooms in a hostel and taking a bus into the city every morning. I commented to a couple of my teammates the other day as we were walking through the mall area that it "felt normal". I no longer feel like I'm a tourist in the city or am just here for a holiday. I feel like I know my way around and am starting to feel like a true Welsh! It was encouraging at first to realize that I have fallen into a rhythm and routine here but I quickly realized how dangerous that can be to become "comfortable" in a place because you start to relax and let your guard down. So I am pring that Father will continue to take me out of my comfort zone in other areas now that I have become accustom to the city.

Speaking of the enemy attacking... we have heard other stories from other teams in other cities of how the enemy is attacking them in very obvious ways. But I realized this week that we are being attacked equally hard but in much more subtle ways. Distraction and discouragement have been key words for our team the last week or so. We have all been distracted by little things or have been discouraged by a lack of meaningful relationships or conversations. The little things in and of themselves in isolation would not really be anything all that threatening but the combination of everything all at once was, in reality, the enemy's choice weapon in his attack on our team. We had a good meeting and long talk a couple of nights ago and things are going sooo much better the last two days. We have been extremely unified in friendship since the first time we all met each other but we realized we were struggling with becoming unified in the Spirit and unified in our focus on the work that we are doing here. But we have taken several practical steps to work on that unity and focus along with just being aware of the problem and things have really turned around the last couple days!

I suppose I should start by telling you that I have been assigned the area of City Center for the next few weeks. My partner and I will be spending most of our time there and in the nearby Bute Park (when weather allows). So when we first arrived in Cardiff one of the first things we did was go find this little cupcake shop one of the girls had heard about online. There we found a sweet girl that worked there! We instantly developed a relationship with her and have really enjoyed hanging out with her and trying her tasty delicacies! So now that I am in City Center every day I have really tried to make a point to further develop my personal relationship with her, especially since she is my age and has just graduated from University this past week so we have a lot in common! In honor of her graduation and our new "home" we invited her over for dinner last night and I really enjoyed getting to sit down and just talk to her and really have some serious discussion with her. It was encouraging to finally see a solid relationship start to form as I have been kind of discouraged at my lack of friendships outside of our group thus far in the trip, simply because we haven't had much consistency or routine in where we spend our time.

On top of that I got to start one of the things I have been most looking forward to on this trip this week... Conversation Club! 3 days a week (MWF) several of us will be going to the office of the business we are partnering with here that teaches ASL to 3 Saudi Arabian men and one Spanish lady. This week I got to know the girl from Spain and have found another great friendship there as well! First of all, the fact that I would come to Cardiff and be put in a situation where they tell me my job is to teach English to someone who speaks Spanish is just Father's sense of humor! We have an instant bond because of my love for her language and her intense desire to learn mine and we are both learning from each other. I was so encouraged yesterday as I saw Father using the gifts and love of languages to really develop a trust and grow a relationship with this girl. Then today we went on a little field trip with the 4 students to St. Fagans, a historical welsh museum of sorts. I got to hang out with my new Spanish friend all day long and also was able to develop a bit of a friendship with a couple of the Saudi guys as well. I am really loving this opportunity to be used by Father and ask that you pr that He would continue to give me wisdom in my ability to help them and thereby earn their trust and friendship!

So please be pring for my relationship with this darling little cupcake maker and my new Spanish friend. Pr that I will be able to show them both that I genuinely want to get to know them and convey not only my love but Father's love as well. Be pring for opportunities to share my own story with them as I try to learn about theirs. I am so excited and anxious to move forward with both these relationships and am pring that Father would just give me the timing and discernment in developing both friendships!

This next week we will be doing a lot of preparation for our "one-weekers" that will be arriving on the 19th so please be pring for safe travels for them overseas and through customs. Be pring that Father would be preparing their hearts now, that He would be drawing them close to Him and forcing them to rely on Him even now. Pr that they (and me) would be filled with and receptive to the promptings of the Spirit so that they may not waste a single moment of their week here in Cardiff.

I still can't believe I've been here for almost 3 weeks, which means my time is almost halfway up! It only gives me more urgency in the work that is to be done here because our time is so short! I appreciate all your Prs and thank you for your support! I love hearing from you all and apologize if I don't respond... please know that is a great encouragement we just have such limited time on the Internet that I don't have time to reply to all the emails individually! Love you all and would love to know how I can be Pring for you all while I'm here so shoot me and email and let me know how you are doing and how I can Pr for you as well!

Much love! Cheers! :)