Who Rides the Bus? Hannah Rides the Bus. September 29, 2007

Hey Friends… so last night was my first session with the senior high youth group where we began our BLUE LIKE JAZZ  bible study and it was really good! I was nervous because I have never been on the other side of the whole thing.. I have always been the kid in the corner with the completely blank stare. SO this was kind of scary for me.. I was really nervous about the whole thing like, would what I say make any sense? Would it even make a difference if I was there anyway? Would they think I was a total loser… After getting some feedback I found out that the youth really liked it and were actually excited about doing the whole study! Whoo hoo!

So that was exciting…. Today I went downtown with Brid and Grace (two girls from the youth group). We went with the purpose of looking for a formal dress for brid… and ended up just walking around talking and getting to know each other. I got the chance to get to know two really amazing girls even better. No dress… but thats ok. We will go again soon… haha really soon… OK I bought a sweater that was a pound and another one for a fiver. geez.

ANYWAY. The day was one of those days where it is cold, drizzly and grey as anything. My favorite kind. So when we got back home, we put on comfy pjs, made chicken curry which I actually liked, and watched Patch Adams. It was so nice and relaxing!

Tomorrow is the first day of Kidzone so we went visiting all day on Friday. That was so nice because I saw so many kids that I had not seen yet. It was also nice because I got to go in their homes and meet their families. Oh yeah, and my precious little pumas gave me the  biggest blisters EVER. Thanks, pumas. Not.

As I was saying, tomorrow is the first Kidzone of the year. I really do think we are going to have a great turn out from what I heard on the visit on Friday. Louise Bonar came up with the idea of the theme being Sponge Bob Score Points. Hahaha ohh Louise! So funny. I am really excited. Team leader Hannah: Squidworth.

So Thats whats new here. OH YEAH I had to go get blister plasters today. So I got to go to Boots. Hahaa suckaaaas. I got to go to Boots….. and P.S.  I am eating lunch at Neil and Catherine’s tomorrow.

Love all of you!

Han to the nah nah.

Las Palmas, Please. September 26, 2007

Today is Wed. I cant spell Wed…. I never have been able to and I do not think I ever will be able to. ANYWAY… Today was a really good day! I woke up, ate some Wheetos… this incredibly awesome wheat cereal thats cocoa flavored, so delish… and read Hayley’s world famous blog “Coffee Helps”, got dressed and went visiting with Catherine McCrudden. First of all, we went to see Ryan Johnston like we do just about everyday. On our way into the building, I saw this old man round the corner, he was walking really slow… really really really slow and he looked so sad! We banged on Ryan’s door for a while, but no answer so we left. On our way out I saw the old man finally approaching the doorway so I ran over and grabbed it for him. He slowly hobbled over to the door and looked up at me in surprise. I held it open for him and helped him through the doorway. I said “Hope you have a great day, sir” and he stopped. He looked at me still so surprised and smiled. As I walked on with Catherine, all I could think about was that old man and how happy he was that someone had paid attention to him! Then I began realizing that its the building up of those small things that mean the most. I barely did anything for that old man, but it made my day and it made him smile. As corny as it may sound, its completely true!!

So after I got a gold star for citizenship… haha…. I went on to the Co-Op to get the ingredients to make fajitas. (I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR LAS PALMAS AND IT HAS ONLY BEEN A WEEK)… Ok, so nothing really happened there; I just wanted you all to know that I cook for Hayley every once in a while. Score, two gold stars!! After that We went to the Pub to see Amy and Mr. McCrudden. Then we went out back and I met some of the police, Nan and some other ones I cant remember. We all talked for a while and they told me they would see me around and if I ever needed anything to just find one of them. AWESOME. That was so cool.

NEXT… I ran into Brenda and I got to ask her why she wasnt at the FIC bible study the night before…. then I got to shame her into  coming next week… terrible, I know, but sometimes you just have to do what it takes, right??

Next I made the best fajitas ever. So amazingly good. I CHOPPED UP RAW CHICKEN. RAW, IRISH CHICKEN.

Then I went over to Ian and Nicolas to make plans for the youth group. We planned for a little bit, prayed for a little bit, and then we chatted for a while. On the way home, we got on the topic of how awesome Hope Fellowship’s community is. It made me really miss everyone!! I miss that community I have with yall! Its like a family… tears… no but really. Its only been a week and I feel like I need to call everyone in our church and catch up on whats new in your lives! It feels like it has been forever…. cause it is compared to how much we all normally converse. BUT it is ok. I will live. I just miss Hope Fellowship.

What is that you say?? Three gold stars?… awesome…

Im going to watch some more ‘Friends’ now. I am addicted. Love all of you! EMAIL ME!!!

Pictures? Im still ridiculously good looking. No need to worry, persay

AND I am trying to teach Hayley how to say ‘butt’ like an American, but it isnt working… any ideas?  Yes, this is how we spend our time here.

hannah b.

Such as…. September 24, 2007

Ok, so it is about one 0clock a.m. here in Ballymena… but I cant sleep! (also, I cant figure out how to do just one apostrophe on this irish computer… so bare with me..).  I have had a seris of really REALLY intense conversations over the last few days… me. serious. suuure. No, but really, I have! I wont go into details about everything that has been said or what I have had to defend or whatever because thats not really whats important…. whats important is that for some reason, I have been given some kind of confidence in what I believe in so that I can fearlessly and fervently state an accurate position on whatever Im discusssing. I know that I am being prayed for by all of you back home when this happens because… for example…  when I am asked to state my position in being baptized in the Spirit or on speaking in tongues, or prophecy, I know what to say. I cant even spell half of the things I say, but for some reason, this information spills out and it makes perfect sense. Therefore, I want to thank everyone of you for praying for me like you are. Please dont stop. It is making a difference and I feel it hardcore over here! haha… I said hardcore… 

Another thing I would ask you to pray for is for the Hillside Community Church meeting on thursday. This meeting is HUGE because we are all stating our concerns, hopes, desires or whatever for the church. A vision for the church’s…. (I dont know how I did that apostrophe…) future within the next year, 2 years, 3 years and on is going to be put into place. I guess just pray that the meeting will go well and that everyone will leave feeling at peace, feeling rejuvenated and ready to go go go.

Kidzone starts on Sunday. Visitation on Friday. I get to go visiting on friday two separate times, once with Catherine McCrudden and another time with TERRANCE. Jealous?? Its ok, I would be as well. I got a sweet Kidzone polo shirt to wear. So flattering, let me tell you.

Thats whats new… It rained all day. Hayley, Catherine McCrudden and I mowed the lawn the other day with the LAWN VACUUM. Yes, a grass vacuum cleaner. So wierd. But it seems to me that our efforts are in vain because it has all grown back today.

Funny stories?? Something really really funny happended at Normas today. But its a secret… I for sure cant say.

Hannah B.

sundaes are sweet. September 23, 2007

Today was my first sunday here in the fabulous Ballymena, N.I. I have to say it was nice knowing that Hillside CC will be my home church for a while! Just to let you all know what is going on my life “schedule wise”…

Monday–meeting with Norma to plan kidzone material (please pray that we can carefully and creatively make it AWESOME)

Tuesday– Freedom in Christ bible study with Hayley, Brigenne, Katherine…. and some other super people. OR a concert with Louise Bonar… which would be HILAR as well

Wed– Youth Group with Hayley and Dawna and planning for the senior high youth with Ian and Nicola

Thursday– i forget… wonderful…

Friday–Senior high youth group and visitation all day.

Im working up a sweat. I am really excited about beginning the get invilved here! Its going to be awesome.

NOW, on to the funny stuff.

My battle wounds have healed from my fight with the concrete… but the tale will never fade. Catherine McCrudden and I decided it would be a grand idea to get little Hayley poo another kitten for her birthday (Oct. 17)… BAD IDEA. It was the cutest little kitten ever created, but Kat the cat… the one I so stealthily stole … was not having it. SO after the war of cats, we had to give it back. I got to play at the McKinney’s today, it was awesome until I got my butt kicked by an 11 yr. old in wii baseball. argh. Anyway, not too much is going on right now, I will write again soon!! Love yall.

Hannah B.

My First Blog. September 21, 2007

Ok, so I am finally here!! Because I know all of you are wondering, I had no trouble getting here. I did it ALL on my own and no… I did not end up in another country. I made it all on scheduled time. I had little idea of what to expect when I finally arrived here early in the morning on wed. Norma picked me up and we went and talked over my first Irish fry of the trip! She explained to me all the classes and studies and activities she was going to have me help her with. I knew then that God had so many plans for me on this trip.

So the last two days have been slow days where I have rested and just chilled out with Catherine Mc, My wonderful roomie, Hayley Millar, Norma, the interns…. It has been realy nice but I am getting excited about next week when the action really starts.

 Last night we had a prayer meeting with some people from the church. It was truly a blssing to sit and watch these people so vulnerably express themselves, their fears, their concerns, EVRYTHING to God. About twenty minutes into prayer time, they began vigorously praying for eachother! I was humbled to see them lifting eachother up in prayer the way they all did. I saw an extreme sense of unity within the church…

Tonight we have a “Welcome Hannah” party for the youth up at the church and I am really excited about seeing everyone.. and about getting rid of that POSTER that I had to carry like a baby around the world. ehemm.

Now to the really fun stuff. So as I walking though the Newark Airport, I busted so bad. My back pack flew off, that wretched poster went skidding across the freshly waxed tile floor, my glasses poked my eye out, and I made a complete fool of myself. It was awesome. Wish you all could have seen it, you would have been proud. THEN today. I am walking through the estate trying to find the McCrudden household…which I never did… and when I took my focus off the uneven concrete side walk to wave to some old people I didnt even know… yet again… I totally bit it. Yeah, in front of the window. It was really embarrassing. There was definite blood spewage. I kind of felt like I was William Wallace walking through the estate… all bloody and dirty. BUT its ok… and I found my way back.

Thats all for now…

Hannah B.