July 8 "The Beginning of the End"

Today I accompanied Alun on his tour of assemblies. When I got in the car he informed me that I was doing the first one. To be fair, I had mentioned an idea that I had had for a particular school...but it is still just an idea. Not fit for use in the slightest. And so I just kind of had to wing it, but it worked out. We spent some time chatting about the rest of the week as well...no more surprises...hopefully.

Then I got dropped at Jake's house and Dottie picked us up to go out to Mumbles for a day to have American time. I got to walk out to the lighthouse that I missed last time due to the tides. Apparently this part of Wales has the 2nd most drastic horizontal tide change in the world. How about that. The day went by fast and it was boiling hot (for Wales at least- not for the American South). Then we had tea with Jake and Fionn while watching a few episodes of River Monsters. Then we spent the evening at Claire's trying to figure out expenses and travel plans for the back half of our trip.

While this trip continues to be one full of excitement and joy, it is definitely slowing down a bit. Next week it should pick back up a fair amount, but with the Bus in Caerphilly and most of my major talks over and done with, I am going to have more time to get at my required reading and make some plans for when I get home.

It is hard to think of this as the beginning of the end. Yesterday an American named Rob came over and talked with the Gateway church about sending interns over. We all got to sit down and chat for a good long while and he really had some good things to say. One of the most helpful things was about the fact that this trip doesn't have to result in me becoming a full time missionary to Wales. Not to say that it never will happen, but the point was that God uses experiences like this to change us for His glory. Wherever I end up, I am learning things here that I will always take with me. I don't know if this place and this ministry is a life's calling. Only time will tell.

Pray for these last few weeks. There is still a lot to be done.