Trip to London

For the past few months, I've had a burning desire to go to England and see the English countryside. I've seen it in all the movies... from the older settings like in Pride and Prejudice to newer ones like Harry Potter... and have since had an increasing urge to go and see all its beauty for myself. I took a trip to London in 2005 with my family, but through all the media, I have realized there is much more to England than just the big city.

All that being said, I took a short trip to England last weekend, Thursday through Sunday, and was finally able to encounter the incredible English countryside I've been longing to see. I actually flew into London Thursday evening and spent the night with my sister's old roommate from college (Andrea), her husband (Dave), and their adorable ten month old baby (Georgia). We spent the evening chatting and catching up after not seeing each other for what we worked out to be possibly four whole years.

The next morning I got to sleep in (first time in awhile to do that!!) before Dave, Andrea, Georgia and I headed out to eat lunch/afternoon tea at the Orangery. The Orangery is a place my family visited on our first trip to London and has remained one of my top favorite places to eat ever since, so you can imagine my excitement to finally be able to return after six years. It's a gorgeous restaurant on the grounds of Kensington Palace, with a beautiful view of the gardens from the sunny and elegant tea room. We ordered the traditional orange tea with a three-tiered platter of tea sandwiches, scones, and bite sized desserts. It was really filling and really delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed the meal together, but I definitely learned a thing or two about taking ten month old out to eat when Georgia started picking up everything on the table and throwing it on the tile floor and then squealing through the echoing room (mind you this is English tea where everything is proper). Needless to say, Dave and Andrea took turns outside with Georgia while the other finished eating.

After eating our delicious meal, we wandered around the gardens a bit before Andrea and Dave headed back to the house for Georgia's nap. And then began my walking tour of London.

Since I'd already toured London before, I didn't really feel the need to go in anything again, but I most certainly wanted some good pictures of the city. So I figured I'd walk. I got off the tube stop around Oxford Circus around 2 pm, and didn't get back on the tube until 11:30 that evening. In the meantime, I saw Picadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery (which I walked around in for about an hour), the Thames River and the bridges going over it, the London Eye (twice), Parliament and Big Ben, 10 Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Mall, and then everything again for a second time so that I could take some pictures at sunset. I ended my foot tour around 9:00 at a yummy sandwich shop in Trafalfar Square called Pret. As I sat on the curb eating my sandwich and completely exhausted from all the walking, I noticed a bunch of young people my age hanging out outside a pub across the street. Naturally I had to go over and join them :)

I actually ended up meeting a group of graduates from Cambridge who were all meeting up that night as a sort of "reunion" and had some really great conversations with them. I got to know a lot more about English people, although they ensured me that talking to a group of Cambridge graduates would not give me an accurate impression of true English people...

My night ended swiftly when I realized I only had ten minutes to figure out where the tube station was so that I could get it before it stopped running for the night and still make the train back to Dave and Andrea's. For once in my life, I made it... right on time :)

The next morning Andrea and Dave and I set out to Portobello Market in Notting Hill to check out a different side of London. The market was absolutely packed... barely any room to walk or breathe... but there was a ton of cool antique stuff for sale as well as newer creations of local artisans. The best part was the location, right in the heart of one of the trendiest and most picturesque areas of London, complete with pastel colored houses and posh ritzy dwellings.

I had to make another run for it to catch my train again, so unfortunately my last few moments with Andrea and Dave and cute little Georgia were cut short. At least we had time to get some frozen yogurt before I left though... something I have dearly missed! We said some quick goodbyes as we ran through the train station and then I hopped on my train right as the doors were closing.

I'll never learn ;-)

I enjoyed the relaxing next two hours as I alternated between sleeping and staring out the window at that amazing countryside. I was on my way to Nottingham... that's right - Robin Hood's territory. Nottingham was my original destination when I was coming to England, but London was just a nice little side stop along the way. Before planning the trip, I contacted Steve Holmes and his wife Lynn to see if I could stay with them for a night and see a bit more of their country. If you remember, Steve Holmes was the entrepreneur that came to teach us about business a few weeks ago, and he and Lynn were more than happy to have me over.

They picked me up from the train station in the afternoon. I didn't have a clue what the plan was for the day, but I figured I'd just go with whatever and enjoy being where I was. We spent the next three hours or so just driving. And it was perfect. :) They took me all over Derbyshire where we were and pointed out all their favorite places and towns, even stopping to let me get out and take pictures every now and then. Oh and did I mention we were driving in a BMW convertible with the top down? It was pretty much awesome.

One of the places we visited was a very famous estate called the Chatsworth. The Chatsworth House has served as the setting for multiple movies including Pride and Prejudice and The Duchess, both starring Keira Knightley. It was pretty thrilling to get to actually be in one of the places I've seen in so many amazing movies! We didn't go inside or anything, but just seeing it from the outside was spectacular. It is massive and beautiful, and I can only hope to be able to take a trip back someday to see a little more.

Steve and Lynn also took me through their town and showed me some of the offices Steve had talked about in class while he was teaching us. It was really neat to get to see the actual organization that had once just been a dream on Steve's heart and a promise from God, right there built and functioning in Alfreton, England. They also stopped by the Hall that Steve owns which serves as a popular wedding venue. Since it was Saturday night, there was a wedding going on and I got to enjoy observing the bride and groom and wedding celebrations. And we just may have stolen a little ice cream on our way through ;-)

On our way home we stopped at a cute and inviting cottage-looking pub that was even cozier on the inside. I ordered an ale and couldn't have imagined a more perfect English experience.

After the pub, we went back home to get ready to go to a concert that evening. We dawdled a little too long and didn't leave ourselves quite enough time to eat dinner at the Fish and Chips place they wanted to take me to, so we settled on a chain fish and chips place called George's. As you probably know, I'm not much of a fish lover, but how can someone go to England and not have fish and chips? So I decided to try it anyways. And it was delicious. :) By the time we got to the concert, heaps of people were walking out, opposite from the direction of the concert venue. We had missed it, but no worries... there were plenty of pubs to offer a fun rest of the evening. We found one somewhere along the road (really not hard to do in England... they're kind of like Starbucks, on every corner) and went in for another drink. It was nice to stay inside out of the cold, but we relocated outside when we heard Elvis songs coming from a stage out there.

A man about seventy years old stood on stage performing all the Elvis classics, songs, dance moves, and everything. We couldn't believe it. We found him... the original Elvis. This whole time we had all thought he was dead, but really he was just hiding out in Derbyshire, England.

Before going to bed that night, we watched the movie The Duchess since it seemed relevant to our day. It was a beautiful movie and lots of fun seeing Chatsworth in a cinematic production.

The next morning Steve and Lynn's son Josh picked me up for church and we headed to the Arena Church where the Holmes attend. It was nice to attend a church service in English without any other language or translation, so I soaked up all the wisdom and worship I could while I was there. I also was really encouraged to see a movement going on in England, a place that has turned so dry, as the rest of Europe, over the past few decades.

After church, Steve and Lynn wanted to take me for a traditional Sunday English meal, which I should warn you really means tons and tons of food! We ate at a buffet that offered three different kinds of roast and meat, potatoes, carrots, beets, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, and loads of other foods I can't even remember. I pretty much felt like I was eating a Thanksgiving feast, and it was that delicious. Words cannot describe my fullness when I was done... but man is that English food tasty! Definitely not food you would want to eat in Phoenix or Spain though... much too heavy and filling for a hot summer's day!

Before heading to the airport, Steve and Lynn showed me around to a couple more places in the area so I could get a few more pictures. We took one more cruise with the convertible top down, and said goodbye when they dropped me off at the airport to hop on my plane back to Spain.

It was a short whirlwind of a trip, but it was just enough to let me see the beauty of England and make me want to go back again soon!

The Holmes' cute English house

The Prostitute's Story

Last week I went somewhere I had never been before. A few of the G42 girls met up in town with a woman named Betsy who lives Granada. We got in the car and drove for the better part of an hour. For a while, the view outside offered a shimmery Costa del Sol, bustling beach towns, and sunny ocean front properties. After a while though, everything seemed to turn grey. In place of bright and cheery houses, we saw square, dull buildings – rows of warehouses, distribution centers, and cheap Chinese shops.

This was where the girls called home.

For some reason I had envisioned in my mind that the girls would be standing in a line altogether on the street, waiting for their clients. But as we drove through the street blocks I realized that each girl had her own corner, her own “territory” you could say. Rounding the corner, I saw a row of bushes with two pristine high heels delicately sticking out from behind. There she was.

Waiting for business.

As we drove a little further down the quiet street, her dark, smooth skin came into sight, adorned only by lacy lingerie and sheer pants didn’t leave much mystery about what was underneath. She had long eyelashes and bright colors on her black eyes.

Most people would call this woman a whore. Most people would think of her as a slut.

We found out she had a story.

Her name was Favor. She’s 24 years old and has been in Spain for 2 years, 8 months, and 13 days. She’s working to pay off the €50,000 debt she owes to a man who promised to get her out of Nigeria and take her to Spain where she could find a good job and earn money.

Back at home in Nigeria, her family doesn’t talk about what she does, but they and all the other families boast about their daughters “working in Europe.”

We asked Favor if she wanted to get off the streets. She defeatedly, and quickly, huffed “Of course.”

But she has no education and no way out. She’s never been to school, and no other jobs offer enough money for her to pay off her debt.

 Someday, she dreams of being a hairdresser. She even wants to open her own salon, just like her mom.

She did have one job offer.

A man she met on the streets said she could work in his bar in the evenings, as long as he could have her whenever he wanted.

“When I leave the streets, I am leaving the streets.

I don’t want another job where I have to keep giving away my body.”

This is reality. 

There are 1 million other women just like Favor in Europe, smuggled in from Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

Spain alone has 300,000 women forced into prostitution.

Women looking for jobs, yearning for a real future, and desperately seeking a life that doesn’t degrade their bodies… but they’re stuck. They see no way out.

We have to do something to stop this... 

to help them.

Betsy is planning to open a women's home in Granada for the women who get the courage to leave their lives on the street and fight for a better life for themselves. The home will offer opportunities for education, job training, a safe place to stay, provisions, community, and protection.

A few G42 interns and staff members work with an organization called MATTOO - Men Against the Trafficking of Others. MATTOO has traveled all over Europe and the U.S. this summer, recruiting men to join the movement against human trafficking and publicly display their decision not to participate in these girls' continued enslavement.

People are taking a stand.

Men are taking a stand. 

Will you? 

Summer Rain

One of our assignments in class last week was to write a short fictional story about anything. I sat down to write and this is what came out:

 Summer rain always caught me off guard. The mornin’s started out with an ugly heat, sweat billowin’ down the back of our necks onto the straw pilluhs Pa had made for us. Me and Luella would toss and turn, hidin’ our eyes from the bright streak of orange peering in through the cracked windows and fightin’ off the cruel fingers of sleeplessness against heavy eyelids. Gettin’ up was no better. The second our feet hit the floor Ma was yellin’. Her string of orders came at us faster than the rush of the river in April, “Wash yuh face… eat yuh breakfast… help yuh brother… This damn heat!” We all hated that heat, and no one was ever any good at forgettin’ about it. Ma complained all day, right through puttin’ the soup on the table for dinnuh. Us kids just got huffy with each other, always blamin’ and fightin’ and kickin’. Pa was different though. He never said a word, although every now and then we caught his hard eyes squintin’ to hold back the sting of sweat rollin’ in.

            The worst part was puttin’ on our boots. Air thick around us, skin sticky and wet, we sucked in our last breath of freedom before wiggly, airy toes were tucked away into the suffocatin’ stench of last week’s hard work. And we were out the door with a kick in the rear – bare-faced, bravin’ that dazzlin’, unforgivin’ sun. The fields offered no protection but distraction, so we put our hands to work and spent the days playin’ peek-a-boo around Pa’s plow. And we was never alone, never without the sun snickerin’ at our red-hot faces and shirts stickin’ to our backs.

But then came the rain – every afternoon, almost without fail, at the absolute hottest part of the day. Pa was back in the house, lost in his whiskey by that time, but me and Luella was still hard at work in the field, diggin’, plowin’, and cuttin’. The first sprinkle would come, drippin’ on my arm, and swirlin’ with the thick sweat and mud. It wasn’t long before the clouds rolled in, quicker than we was ever ready for, knockin’ the sun behind their menacin’ darkness and bringin’ with them the inevitable downpour. We had nothin’ to do but run, snatchin’ up the clothes we had shed and pummelin’ through the endless rows of the field. Our only hope was cover. Luella always beat me to the house, leavin’ me slippin’ and slidin’ in her mud trail as I dashed home. I could hear Ma goin’ off about boots and mud before I even got into the house, and most of the time I didn’t even make it halfway in before Luella came squealin’ back through the door, draggin’ me out to dry off under the front porch where Ma wouldn’t get mad.

That’s where I got lost. Luella was always yappin’ about somethin’, goin’ on about what a nuisance the rain was, always bootin’ us outta the field and takin’ away from our workin’ hours. But I never heard her. I just stood with my toes at the very tip of the deck, head just barely covered by the tin roof above. Rain would splash my cheeks as the downpour went on and on. The air was still thick, but it was fresh. That stale heat had been swallowed up in the refreshin’ gray mist. Cool winds blew across the plains, makin’ the fields gleam from the shiftin’ pillars of rain tumblin’ upon ‘em. Only a few more minutes and the sun would be back out, robbin’ us of our rain treasure and sendin’ us right back to work. But even in the face of its brevity, I loved those moments. Eventually Luella would dry off and go back inside with Ma. But I always stayed right there, standing on that ledge, soakin’ up and breathin’ in all I could get of that cool summer rain.

Creativity Unleashed

At the age of 12, a young boy named Herman Haan found himself caught up in the world of drugs and alcohol after enduring intense family altercations and abuse, eventually landing him on the streets of Holland where he lived for the next few years. During his time on the streets, Herman adapted to the lifestyle that often accompanies life on the streets and became involved in burglaries, street crimes, and other activities that would leave behind years of regret. By age 15, Herman had earnestly sought out meaning and purpose in life, even trying to find "God," but his unsuccessful attempts only led him to plan to commit suicide with one of his friends one weekend. Wandering the streets only a few days before the plan was to be carried out, he heard some interesting music coming from a group that was singing and performing on the streets. As an avid music lover, Herman couldn't help but drift near the melodious sounds to figure out what it was.

Herman soon found out that his interaction with that group would change his life forever. They were a group of church students out doing ministry on the streets, and when the students gathered around Herman and prayed for him, he had a heavy encounter with God that set him on a brand new journey into an incredible life he had never imagined.


Tragically, Herman's friend went on to commit suicide that weekend, but Herman continued on, looking at his life with new vigor and passion. Thirty five years later, Herman Haan has now lived a full and abundant life, doing more things than I thought were possible for one person to accomplish in a lifetime. After marrying one of the girls in the group he met on the street, Herman went on to attend Bible school and later become the director of his own Bible school specializing in the creative arts. At 24, he started pastoring a Pentecostal church that saw huge revival and complete life-change of over 200 drug dealers from the streets and surrounding areas. As a talented singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Herman was also a member of a Dutch band that toured across Europe with much success and fame. In addition, he has become a wine sommelier and owns and runs his own vineyard, as well as working as a chef, restaurant owner, and TV host of his own cooking show. If that's not enough, Herman has also written five books and is presently working on his sixth. He currently works as a video journalist, filming documentaries for HBO and one of the biggest TV networks in Holland, which has sent him traveling all across the world to places like Pakistan and Haiti. Along the way, he's had the opportunity to interview some pretty important people and be in some pretty important places, like being the first European journalist on site at Ground Zero on September 11. Overall, Herman has created over 400 programs and 40 documentaries, several of which have won national awards and acclaim.

So who exactly is this man and why am I telling you about him? Herman Haan was our guest teacher last week here at G42 and we had four incredible days of soaking up all of the life wisdom that he came to share with us. As I mentioned before, last week we were stretched beyond what we believed we were capable of and got to see a new side of each other that we hadn't shared with each other yet. This all happened because of the gifting and prodding of Herman, who was able to keep us on our toes at all times in anticipation of the next challenge that he would throw at us on the spot. Sometimes he'd call on a person and tell them to immediately speak encouraging words to the person across from them, sometimes he would have us a write a story based on an action or short skit he demonstrated, and sometimes he would have us write a poem on the spot. We analyzed the lyrics of a meaningful song, sang together, wrote poems and short stories, performed one minute skits with no words, learned interview principles, held mock interviews with a "famous author," watched documentaries, studied the Bible, and discovered all sorts of creative talent within us that surprised the whole group. Herman's teaching style made me realize how much potential exists within each of us and how much we are capable of doing (even when we are convinced we just can't do it) when we are challenged and stretched a little bit further than we would normally go. 

Needless to say, it was an awesome week, and I'll soon be sharing with you another one of the creative works I somehow produced through the encouragement and nudge of someone who truly knows that the impossible is possible!

A Poem on Brokenness

This week in class we are focusing on releasing our creative side and expressing ourselves through various forms of communication outside of speaking. We've been challenged with various assignments that make us think on the spot, be pushed past our normal comfort limits, and be creative in ways we didn't even know we were capable of. One of our tasks this week was to write a poem on brokenness (not to be depressing but to write about something everyone can relate to). When we read our poems to each other in class, everyone was astounded at the creativity, talent, and uniqueness found in every single person's poem, along with a personal touch incorporated into each one. Since I put a lot of work into it, I figured I'd share mine here:

A hello

Laughter

Stories

Joy

But wait…

Heart pounding

Can’t breathe

Eyes shut

Fear

No – terror

Flood of tears

Is it true? Can it be?

Fighting, kicking, spinning, whirling

No breath

No air

Swallowed in the darkness

Pierced by the emptiness

Tossed in the vastness

A memory

Hand in hand, side by side, together

Laughing, living, dancing, accepting

Loving

Cracked

Gone

Defeated

Alone, cold, afraid

So empty

So dark

Love has been tainted

Love has become a demon

Love has been broken

Meet the Interns!

Here at G42, we have 10 interns this semester that are studying and participating in the Leadership Academy. We live together, eat together, go to class together, hang out together, go on trips together, laugh together, and cry together. Since there's so much "togetherness" between us all, I figured I'd take the time to introduce you to them:

Brook Armistead

The Southern Bell 

Bold, in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is kinda girl, filled with joy, wise advice, and simplicity. Hairdresser. Wants to lead mission trips for college students. 30. From Alabama.

Lynsey Neal

 The People-Lover

Spunky, lively, and determined girl who knows where she's going and will get there no matter what the cost. Wants to start a night ministry/cafe/music venue for young adults in Antigua, Guatemala. 27. From Seattle.

AnnieRose Taylor

The Song of Joy

Sweet, loving, gentle, and also a little crazy, but filled with authority and wisdom beyond her years. Wants to be a hairdresser. 24. From New Mexico.

Allison Schwartz

The Soul-Laugher

Wild and crazy in every sense of the words, but sensitive and real, a girl who's not afraid to march to the beat of her own drum. Wants to start a community house in the States. 28. From Florida.

Nate Evans

The Two-Time World Racer

This guy's got it together - passionate and steadfast, always looking for a way to help and the next biggest challenge. Wants to pastor a church. 26. From Illinois.

Evin Feit

The Fighter

Disciplined, quiet, and solid gal with powerful strength, both inside and out, that will fight and defend to the core. Wants to continue serving in the emergency services field in the Army. 23. From Colorado.

 Grant McGuire

The Movie-Maker

A hard-working and knowledgeable story-teller, this Cali guy knows what it means to overcome and to rise up, and never without a joke or prank along the way. Wants to start his own business using his movie-making skills. 26. From California.

 

 

Sarah Hetrick

The Adventurer

(That's right - I'm throwing myself in here :) )

Sensitive, transparent, and full of love for people, I'm a girl who, somehow in the midst of tons of fears, is always seeking new adventures and willing to take risks to find the best that life may bring. Wants to love Europeans. 23. From Texas.

 

 

 

Jenny Telfer

The Fireball

Compassionate, caring, and incedibly sweet, this woman will knock you off your feet with her quick wit and wry humor. Wants to love the outcasts. 29. Married to Chris. From Colorado.

 

  

Chris Telfer

The Music Man

A man of wisdom, humor, and incredible musical talent that uses his eloquence and creativity to make complicated things make sense to anyone. Wants to serve the vision of G42 alongside his wife. 28. From Colorado.