Oh What is Home Sweet Home Anyway...

I haven't written in forever...I do apologize. The rest of the trip ended real well. We went on a glacier hike and hung around the hostel for the last week doing Bible Studies, reflection, hikes, and hanging out in town with the local kids. The trip home was so long and the dang American Environmentalists took away my whale sausages I had bought at the fish market in Bergen. They had gotten through customs in Newark, NJ and then the plane door was about to close and they called me to the front and told me they had to take the sausages (40 dollars worth of sausage) and I had a few words and told them I didn't care if they got sued, it was stupid. I did end up signing the paper and letting them. I guess it was either that or being contained, so I chose the seemingly "better" option! Oh the humanity!!

Anyway since I have been back I have been living at the parent's new house in Keystone. Helping them move in and just hangin out, doing not much of anything!! It's pretty cool, but I am for sure ready to get going on life! I have been able to spend alot of time with my family, including my cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.

In fact in a little under 2 weeks, I will be driving out to my new home...Birmingham, Alabama...with my parents and grandparents. I am for sure scared and unsure about what to expect moving to a completely new place, but I am so excited as well! Cayley's friend Aaron is helping me get a job at Starbucks, which is an amazing gift to have. Turns out I need health insurance, who knew?

Anyway, please pray for a safe trip as we drive down south. And also that I do get this job at Starbucks.

I am thrilled to see what God is going to do with my life down in B-ham!

Life at Zosna Camp

After a long bus trip and then flight we got into Riga, Latvia. For a couple days we got to see the sites and hang out with our whole team (including the Brits). We got to go to fun resturants, site see, and go play in the Baltic Sea. On the 6th we headed on a train across the country to Rezekne (it only took 3 hours). After we got there we took a very scary Latvian car ride to Zosna camp. It was shocking how uncomfortable the camp was. The bathrooms were smelly, dirty and buggy. There were mosquitoes everywhere and they were feisty (they love Jewish girl blood). The kids came the next day, Cayley, me, and the rest of the team were very tired and not quite sure what to expect. About 15 kids came from an orphanage outside of Rezekne. They looked like they were years younger than they really were. In my Bible study, I had all orphans and it was amazing to see the lack of love and attention they got and wanted. But at the same time it was fun and a privlege to love on them and share the gospel with them. Cayley's Bible study included 17 and 18 year olds. It was very neat for her to lead a Bible study for her first time and through Russian translators. She had one girl named Kristiana that was her shadow the entire week but she did a great job with her. Every day we had Bible study then team games then cupatza (swimming in a lake). Cupatza for us meant either nap or bathe in the lake. After cupatza we had lunch at 3 pm! We like to call that Latvian time which means hours past what we think is normal time. Every night we had a campfire where we had testimonies, skits, singing, and sharing from the Word. The mosquitoes came out to play and eat at this time so Cayley and I wore our sweet mosquito head nets (thanks mom and dad). After campfires, whether it be 9 or 12, we had chai and snacks. Then we stayed up as long as we could talking to the kids (they stay up until 4 every night!) The days went by faster towards the end of the week but it was so fun to see these kids grow in their understanding of the gospel. We saw God working in a huge way and how He drew people to Him. At least 3 kids accepted the Lord as their Savior and others are on the verge. Cayley and I found some people that we want to continue to build relationships with. I fell in love with the orphan kids and have not been that broken in a long time. The last day of camp after the kids left we got to do the Russian tradition of the Banya. Its an extremely hot sauna where Russian men are beating you with branches as long as you can take it. When you have had enough you run out and jump into a dirty pond. Then you go back for more. I loved it and want to do it every week!! But I lost my contact so that has been hard. The day after camp we got to spend one last day with the kids that lived in Rezekne. This ended up being the best conversations Cayley and I had. It was a great day! The next day we left Rezekne and the British team for Riga. We spent a couple days there reflecting on the camp then flew back to Norway. In Norway we are resting, climbing mountains, reflecting, spending lots of time as a team, and spending mucho amounts of time with Jesus. It was a great week at Zosna and changed our lives. We are ready to come home and see all of you.

Please pray for:
- The kids that chose to commit their lives to Christ in Zosna and those still on their way
-Good week of rest and time with the team
-Safe trip home on the 25th

See you all in less than a week...Love you

Work Week of Demolition

I cannot even explain what has been going on here. There is heavy demolition going on all around me. Our international team came in with two construction guys from California and a Norwegian family that are part owners of the house and have just done heavy work. The guys are working with jack hammers and slug hammers, the girls are carrying heavy logs and wood and painting (in fact Cayley was called a Burly Mountain Woman, not totally sure she likes that ;) but she is sure a tough one), and I am baking cookies, brownies, and making lunch and dinner for those hard working and very tired, dirty men and women. I love it I am like the house mom or something. But really I wish I could explain to you how much HARD work is being done to this house. I am so proud of how good this team works together. I mean the basement doesn't even look like it did 2 days ago!!
Anyway, our team is getting closer, internationals and all! IN two days we all leave for Latvia (where we will not have any internet access at all, so I will write after I get back on July 17th) where we will be working at a English/Bible Camp for mostly ophanage kids. So Friday morning we will leave for Oslo on bus and then we will catch a plane to Riga. After a couple of days in Riga, we take a bus across the country to Rezekne where the camp is. It is an old government school building and not much else. But the kids love this camp. I am going to be working with the youngest kids (Cayley with some older ones), but we have no clue how old that will be maybe 8, maybe 15. NOt a very organized camp I am gathering:)!

Please pray for:
-A safe trip to Latvia for our team
-For open hearts at the camp toward the Lord
-Rest for our team and going with health. Apparently you don't sleep much at the camp!

Thank you all so much! Miss you and love love love you!!! Can't wait to tell you all the Lord does in Latvia!!!!!!

Discipleship Week

Ok so not only are we in one of the most beautiful places in the world, we are also with some amazing people from throughout Europe. Last friday we had some of our International friends come for the start of our Discipleship week. We had two guys and a young women come from Latvia, two women and a man from Norway, and 2 women, a man, and a couple from the UK. We were also supposed to have 5 people from Belarus come, but due to the government problems they were not able to come :(!
But this week so far has been so fun as each country has been able to share their culture with all the rest of us. Last night was American night and we had a grillfest (that's the Norwegian term for BBQ) and then played Ipod Idol, which we renamed Elvhiem (the hostle we are staying at) Idol! It was pretty funny seeing people sing their hearts out with no tone what so ever (actually very horrible sounding, usually), me being the absolute worst. Cayley was a judge and was, as always, brutally honest, which was really so so funny!
Along with all of this sharing cultures, we have also been able to pray as a big group a lot and I cannot tell you how cool it is to hear the Latvian and Norwegian and British and American languages and accents while we are praying. It is a pretty neat picture of what it will be like in Heaven, when it is every tongue, tribe, and nation!
We were also able to hike a few mountains, one to a huge HUGE waterfall and the other, this big old mountain that you can see across the fjord from our home. And we went to see the oldest church in Norway, WOW!!! Pretty dang cool.
Tonight we are having a taco bar and then playing soccer and volleyball with the local kids. Please pray as we interact that God's name would be known! There are just simply not very many believers here at all...
We end our Discipleship week on Friday and then in a week (July 4th) we leave for Latvia to do the Bible/English camp. I will for sure write before that, but then will most likely not be able to write again until I am back to Skjolden on July 17th.

We love you so so much and miss you. Thanks for keeping updated on our lives. We really appreciate your care and prayer.


P.S. Kyle send me that dang Coldplay CD. Adam said it was amazing too, PLEASE!! :)

The Longest Fjord in the World

On Monday morning we got on a ferry that would take us from Bergen to Skjolden (pronounced Sholden). It was a beautiful and wonderful ride as we went through so many fjords. Also a lot of fun getting to spend 4 hours together on the ferry playing games and just relating to each other. (In fact, there was a beautiful young Norwegian man on the ferry that Cayley and Kelsey thought would be fun to talk to about me and tell him to say hi to me :) oh those girls!) We got off the ferry and took a few buses to our final destination, SKJOLDEN! It is a small small town of 200ish people. So beautiful and at the end of the longest and largest fjord in the world. I cannot even explain to you how beautiful it is. Where we are staying is a youth hostel co-owned by Darrel and Annette (our leaders) called Elvheim. It is right next to a big river that is wonderful to listen to at night (that is for you, dad). That night we were able to play soccer with a couple of the local kids. Cayley loved it and I didn't play (hurt achilles, you know). It was so fun to be able to play on this beautiful grass with real Norwegians :)! Also since we have been here there has been a club started. It is called the 20-20 club. This means 20 verses memorized by the end of the summer and 20 jumps in the fjord. Now here is the catch, the fjord is FREEZING! But it is breathtaking and exhillerating at the very same time. We were also able to clean up and garden Edvin's (a big Nav guy, I think, in Norway) house yesterday.
We have been able to spend a lot of time in the Word, studying Galatians together, and listening to each other's testimonies. It is really such a restful time with God so far. Tomorrow about 20 international students from Latvia, Norway, Belarus, and Britian will join us for our Discipleship Week. OH and Cayley has been able to set up her hammock and take naps in it, WHAT A BLESSING!!

Please be praying for:
Our time in the Word and in Galatians as a team, that God would continue to open up our minds to what He desires us to learn.
The International students coming, that they would get here safely and we would really be able to connect with them.
The Norwegians here in Skjolden would be open to relationships with us, but more importantly to a relationship with Jesus.

Thank you all for your prayers. Cayley and I love you all very much!

Oh Dear Bergen

Here we are after a 26 hour train ride from the northern town of Bodø to Bergen. MAN it was long, but God got us through. This town is a wonderful place. The people are beautiful and friendly. I am currently at our Norwegian friend's house, his name is Olav. Anyway today we went on a hike up this mountain which overlooked the whole town, beautiful. Then it started really raining and we had to get down as soon as possible, which was a feat because it was SOOO rocky! Last night we met a lot of the Bergen Navigators at their last meeting of the year, they are amazing people and so smart, so many doctors and nurses.
Well I gotta go, but keep on praying for us as we spend the weekend here and then take a boat through the fjords to Skjolden for our international program to start on Monday morning.
Love you all! Oh and mom, dad, and Kyley, Cayley wanted me to give a special shout out to you guys and say she loves you (I do too, a lot)

The Lofoten Islands...

We got to Bodø just a few hours ago on ferry and went immediately to try and find either a youth hostle or a hotel. Turned out we were coming up empty on everything, all the hotels were booked and there were no youth hostles. So we decided to pray and guess what God found us a much cheaper than anything we could have found in a hotel and a nice, roomy enough space for all 5 of us. We are all exhausted and have just taken showers for the first time since last wednesday!
This week at the Islands was unbelievable. The first night I was not wanting to be there at all, and was almost angry that I decided to come on this excursion. But we found a camping spot finally at about midnight our first night in the middle of this lake on a penninsula in the middle of a town. But after that night we got on a bus and walked and hiked for about 2 or 3 hours to get to this secluded beach where we spent the next two nights. It was surreal, the most beautiful beach, with green green grass and sheep and huge mountains all around us. This beach, Kvalvika is deamed the most romantic beach in Europe on the 2nd most beautiful islands in the world. God was so good to have helped us find that. It was a relaxing couple of days and we even got to see the midnight sun, weird.
After a couple days, we decided to walk 10 km to the next town, Ramberg, and get another camping spot near this other beach. It was a good idea we left that day because the next morning it was so windy and started raining and we were already planning on going on a bus back to the town in which the ferry comes to, Moskenes. So we set up camp and started walking in the rain, trying to hitchhike to the next town, Reine, to get dinner. Much to our dismay, after an hour of walking, the restuarant was closed and my achellis tendon felt like it was going to tear. So Kelsey and I got a ride with a German couple back to town and waited for the others.
The last night was a bit of a nightmare, with TONS AND TONS of wind and rain. I didn't sleep the whole night, it was interesting. It sounded like there was a hurricane outside our tent. But to make a very long story a little longer, we got on the ferry at 6am and braved the rough seas, got sea sick and made it here to report back to you!

Please be praying for us as we get on the train tomorrow to make our way to Bergen to meet the rest of our team. And please pray for my achellis (spelling, I know), it is in a ton of pain. Thanks, I love you all!! Cayley also sends her love...