Bradford, Day 14

Bradford, Day 14

Hi Friends,

Today ended up being another really good day. I thank God for this great trip!

It was gorgeous outside. I didn’t need to be anywhere until 10 and had already decided to sleep in a little bit, so got up around 8 and had plenty of time to get ready. Bethan, the mom of the family I’m staying with, is a phenomenal hostess, and in the mornings has set the table for me with (and I am not exaggerating) a plate, bowl, knife, spoon, teacup and saucer, pretty wine glass which she uses for everyday drinks with a red napkin in it, 3 types of muesli, a croissant, piece of seeded bread, butter, cut strawberries, yogurt, a small pitcher of milk, orange juice,and  a french-press coffee pot with the grounds in it and ready for me to just add hot water. Seriously, I am pretty sure my breakfast is better than the queen’s!

I then walked to the church where my group meets in the morning, which is a really nice 2 mileish walk, which I enjoy. And I got to meet with my team, sing some songs, do some praying, and it was good. We had a productive morning and then went to lunch at a Pakistani restaurant which was absolutely fabulous. We had some kind of fried lamb and vegetable burger of some kind with FRESH naan and sauces and veggies to go with it. We also had some lovely tea. Oh, SO good! I had a great conversation with one of the local pastors during lunch also, which was incredibly encouraging.

The afternoon was spent in preparation for the next few days, when we are going into an elementary school to talk about America. I hope it’ll be fun!

In the late afternoon I got to go around to houses to talk to people about a project the churches have been doing in the neighborhood. I went with a local guy named Ben, and we had a frustrating time for the first hour, finding that it was unclear where we were supposed to go, etc. Eventually, we were about to give up and guessed on a house we thought might be incorrectly recorded. It turns out it was the right place — we were invited into the man’s house and had an absolutely fabulous conversation!

After we finished that project, we went to dinner with our group at a local pub, which was really nice. I decided this was my opportunity to try sticky toffee pudding which I have heard so much about, so I ordered soup for dinner and the pudding for my “pudding” (dessert).

Here’s how I found it (what I thought of it)…

Yeah, that’s pretty much a full-sized plate :-/. SO yummy, though! After I got home, I went for a brief run:-).
Bradford, Day 8

Bradford, Day 8

Today was lovely! I guess it’s apparent that I’ve been having a great time here in the UK…

In the morning, Bob went to take his written driver’s test so he can get a UK license. He passed with flying colors, which is quite a feat, apparently! During that time, Kathryn and I spent some time praying together in their beautiful conservatory and then worked in the garden. It was bright, sunny, and actually quite warm!

After lunch, Bob and Kathryn took me to Bolton Abbey, which is located in the Yorkshire Dales. The whole experience was a feast for my eyes. We got to go through towns that must look very similar to how they looked 300 years ago, which I find pretty cool. And here are some pictures!

Bonus, this is the gnocchi dinner we had last night. It was SO good and was so pretty I had to take a picture of it!
Bradford, Day 4

Bradford, Day 4

Today was great. After breakfast Bob and Kathryn and I went downtown to visit a team which was praying for healing for people on the streets of Bradford. It was very cool, and great to meet some new friends!

Before praying with others, we prayed together.

Then we headed to the Mela — a cross-cultural festival in the heart of the city. We had some wonderful lunch. I think I have a new favorite food in this city, which I will take a picture of and talk about soon. After eating, Bob and Kathryn worked at a booth while I walked around on my own. When they finished their assignment, we walked around with some friends for half an hour.

A poster for the Mela

Saying Hi.
Kathryn and me walking into a huge mass of people!

I spent the evening having dinner with some friends who used to work with my parents. It was another great dinner with wonderful people. After finishing, we went to watch the US-UK World Cup game. Although I wish the US won straight-out, a tie was the next best thing! It was a fun game to watch, and it’s always fun to be in the obnoxious minority cheering for the underdog!