This past weekend, we remembered the death and resurrection of Christ. In England, if you aren't a Christian, you call the holiday "bank holidays." How blessed we are that we celebrate Good Friday and Easter and are dead to sin and alive in Christ!
Although I didn't have my family with me I enjoyed the sun and the celebration of Easter by spending the day with friends in the Pergola. I have pictures of it in an earlier blog, but these are new ones, showing new life and the hope the comes with spring! The flowers were in full bloom, the bees were buzzing around gathering pollen, and the sun was shining brightly! I don't think there is a better way to spend Easter than outside, enjoying the smells and signs of life after a winter!
"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said." Matthew 28:6
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
A Visit to the Motherland :)
So, the day my parents left, I left to Holland for six days. It was a busy six days, mostly because I was constantly on the move. Nevertheless, I enjoyed myself immensely as I visited quite a few relatives who were very welcoming and kind, ate LOTS of Dutch food and had such beautiful weather.
I left London with a light, half-full bag and came back with an extremely heavy bag stuffed full of vla, dropjes, hagelsla and treats. SO bad, yet SO good! haha.
I spent a day biking in and around Amsterdam (which was great - mostly because I had hurt my ankle) , stayed with a cousin in Almere, attempted to chat in Dutch with relatives in Spakenburg and ended up in Kampen.
I don't have many pictures, but the few that I do have are here.
I left London with a light, half-full bag and came back with an extremely heavy bag stuffed full of vla, dropjes, hagelsla and treats. SO bad, yet SO good! haha.
I spent a day biking in and around Amsterdam (which was great - mostly because I had hurt my ankle) , stayed with a cousin in Almere, attempted to chat in Dutch with relatives in Spakenburg and ended up in Kampen.
I don't have many pictures, but the few that I do have are here.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
A Visit from Home
So, it has been a busy past few weeks...which is why I haven't been blogging or putting up pictures.
Two weeks ago on Sunday evening I phoned home to find that my parents were coming that very Friday. The next morning I went into fast forward mode and started to scout hotels for them to stay in. Praise God that I found one down the street from me! It was clean, quiet and newly refurbished. I spent the next few days trying to come up with a tour strategy so that they would be able to see as much of London as possible in a short six days!
They arrived Friday morning and I kept them busy until late in the evening until the day they left. We visited museums, markets, the Tower of London, walked through parks, drove to Bath and Stonehenge and ate TONS of food!
It was so nice to have my parents see where I live and also have the opportunity to do all the things I have been able to do while living here.
I think my parents (and myself :)!! also really enjoyed the cider as I have been told that they want to start importing it to Canada! haha. I have to agree that that is a really good idea!
For pictures of their visit....including Stonehenge, Bath, Borough Market, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London..CLICK HERE
While I was glad that they were in London with me, I was constantly feeling stressed out trying to plan things and also arrange my trip to Holland that was planned for the day they were leaving. I am sure I was pretty miserable company at times... However, all in all, it was so much fun! Thx for coming dad & mom! Lots of love!!!
Two weeks ago on Sunday evening I phoned home to find that my parents were coming that very Friday. The next morning I went into fast forward mode and started to scout hotels for them to stay in. Praise God that I found one down the street from me! It was clean, quiet and newly refurbished. I spent the next few days trying to come up with a tour strategy so that they would be able to see as much of London as possible in a short six days!
They arrived Friday morning and I kept them busy until late in the evening until the day they left. We visited museums, markets, the Tower of London, walked through parks, drove to Bath and Stonehenge and ate TONS of food!
It was so nice to have my parents see where I live and also have the opportunity to do all the things I have been able to do while living here.
I think my parents (and myself :)!! also really enjoyed the cider as I have been told that they want to start importing it to Canada! haha. I have to agree that that is a really good idea!
For pictures of their visit....including Stonehenge, Bath, Borough Market, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London..CLICK HERE
While I was glad that they were in London with me, I was constantly feeling stressed out trying to plan things and also arrange my trip to Holland that was planned for the day they were leaving. I am sure I was pretty miserable company at times... However, all in all, it was so much fun! Thx for coming dad & mom! Lots of love!!!
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Marlybone and Sherlocke Holmes
So, I woke up to grey skies and rain. Not exactly my favourity thing in the world...but still, I figured I would use this day to actually visit a museum. I haven't done a lot of museums since arriving due to all the lovely weather we've been having so I still have quite a few to choose from!
The Wallace Collection is "a family collection in origin. Its works of art were collected between about 1760 and 1880 by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. It is probably best known for its paintings by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt, Hals (The Laughing Cavalier) and Velázquez and for its superb collections of eighteenth-century French paintings, porcelain, furniture and gold boxes, probably the best to be found anywhere outside France."
It is quite a beautiful and flashy collection of paintings, furniture, armour and such. Definitely stuff I love! Enjoy the pics!
I passed by The Sherlocke Holmes Museum which was kinda neat. But I couldn't think about paying to see it as he is, after all, a fictional character. The books and my imagination will have to suffice.
I also managed to finally make my way out to The Regent's Park - although I only walked 1km or so before heading back out...this is a park I hope to visit with my parents!!! With all the birds, the water and blooming flowers it brings happy tidings of spring.
The Wallace Collection is "a family collection in origin. Its works of art were collected between about 1760 and 1880 by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. It is probably best known for its paintings by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt, Hals (The Laughing Cavalier) and Velázquez and for its superb collections of eighteenth-century French paintings, porcelain, furniture and gold boxes, probably the best to be found anywhere outside France."
It is quite a beautiful and flashy collection of paintings, furniture, armour and such. Definitely stuff I love! Enjoy the pics!
I passed by The Sherlocke Holmes Museum which was kinda neat. But I couldn't think about paying to see it as he is, after all, a fictional character. The books and my imagination will have to suffice.
I also managed to finally make my way out to The Regent's Park - although I only walked 1km or so before heading back out...this is a park I hope to visit with my parents!!! With all the birds, the water and blooming flowers it brings happy tidings of spring.
Monday, 4 April 2011
London: A wealthy city in need...
London is a city of thrills, shopping, history, pubs, food, and tourists. But it is also a city in desperate need of a Saviour. It is so easy to get caught up in all the tourist attractions and historical beauty and materialism and forget that there is an invisible spiritual battle being fought in every shop, street, and tube station.
Since I have arrived here I have struggled. I can't even say how. It's like this un-named struggle that is in my subconscious and barely even noticeable unless I am actively searching out my thoughts and emotions. I guess I could say that I have felt extremely distant from my feelings and thoughts...I will take the liberty and compare it to London spiritually: a city with a void, a void where people are not connected to THE reality, a need for LIFE and HOPE which can only be found in our awesome God.
All I can say is this: I crave your prayers. Prayers for spiritual insight, protection and for me to feel God's presence strongly. How I desire to step forward in faith, fulfilling my calling to be His chosen, royal and holy child, a woman for His own possession "that [I might] proclaim the excellencies of Him who called [me] out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9
I know there is hope because we serve a God who has overcome the world (John 16:33).
The coming of spring and these flowers are a sign that life is possible.
Since I have arrived here I have struggled. I can't even say how. It's like this un-named struggle that is in my subconscious and barely even noticeable unless I am actively searching out my thoughts and emotions. I guess I could say that I have felt extremely distant from my feelings and thoughts...I will take the liberty and compare it to London spiritually: a city with a void, a void where people are not connected to THE reality, a need for LIFE and HOPE which can only be found in our awesome God.
All I can say is this: I crave your prayers. Prayers for spiritual insight, protection and for me to feel God's presence strongly. How I desire to step forward in faith, fulfilling my calling to be His chosen, royal and holy child, a woman for His own possession "that [I might] proclaim the excellencies of Him who called [me] out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9
I know there is hope because we serve a God who has overcome the world (John 16:33).
The coming of spring and these flowers are a sign that life is possible.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Canterbury
Yesterday I spent the day with two gals from my class in the old city of Canterbury. Canterbury is a beautiful town with rich history and great architectural beauty: It houses three buildings that are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stepping out of the train station the first things to be seen are castle ruins and a wall dating from the Roman period. Later, when walking through these ruins, I was overwhelmed by the thought that I was standing in the same building (obviously in much worse condition now :) that people had lived in in the 11th century! Canterbury castle's dungeon also jailed Christians who were martyred for their faith under 'Bloody Mary.'
I had my first banger's & mash - a delicious meal consisting of 3 sausages, a huge pile of dijon-flavoured potatoes, smothered in gravy. I topped it off with a British alcoholic cider....SO good!
We stopped in a few charity shops, visited the Canterbury Museum and ended up in Greyfriar's. Greyfriar's is a beautiful garden (named for the monks who wore grey habits) with a stream running through it and some delightful old ruins.
We also visited the oldest church in England (a UNESCO Heritage Site) - St. Martin's, which dates from the time 6th century!!!!! The graveyard was pretty cool and overgrown. Unfortunately we weren't able to visit St. Augustine's Abbey as it doesn't open until April 1st (yes! we missed it be 1 day!!!).
Last, but not, we ended the evening strolling through the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral. I have never seen such beautiful cloisters! As the bells tolled, I could picture monks or nuns walking through those halls on their way to evensong or vespers.
We were able to attend evensong - I find that every church's service has something special to offer: this time the Anthem consisted of the choir and a cellist....beautiful!
The inside of Canterbury Cathedral is breath-taking! It is nothing like St. Paul's Cathedral with all of its gold and glitter (literally). Rather, it's beauty is more in the sheer simplicity of it's gray stone carvings and the rows of tall columns. It is breath-taking to see the columns rise hundred's of feet in the air - and to think that people had the ability to create buildings of such beauty and skill hundreds of years ago! I think I may have to visit this place again....
If interested you can see some of my pictures or read more about the history of the cathedral here.
Stepping out of the train station the first things to be seen are castle ruins and a wall dating from the Roman period. Later, when walking through these ruins, I was overwhelmed by the thought that I was standing in the same building (obviously in much worse condition now :) that people had lived in in the 11th century! Canterbury castle's dungeon also jailed Christians who were martyred for their faith under 'Bloody Mary.'
I had my first banger's & mash - a delicious meal consisting of 3 sausages, a huge pile of dijon-flavoured potatoes, smothered in gravy. I topped it off with a British alcoholic cider....SO good!
We stopped in a few charity shops, visited the Canterbury Museum and ended up in Greyfriar's. Greyfriar's is a beautiful garden (named for the monks who wore grey habits) with a stream running through it and some delightful old ruins.
We also visited the oldest church in England (a UNESCO Heritage Site) - St. Martin's, which dates from the time 6th century!!!!! The graveyard was pretty cool and overgrown. Unfortunately we weren't able to visit St. Augustine's Abbey as it doesn't open until April 1st (yes! we missed it be 1 day!!!).
Last, but not, we ended the evening strolling through the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral. I have never seen such beautiful cloisters! As the bells tolled, I could picture monks or nuns walking through those halls on their way to evensong or vespers.
We were able to attend evensong - I find that every church's service has something special to offer: this time the Anthem consisted of the choir and a cellist....beautiful!
The inside of Canterbury Cathedral is breath-taking! It is nothing like St. Paul's Cathedral with all of its gold and glitter (literally). Rather, it's beauty is more in the sheer simplicity of it's gray stone carvings and the rows of tall columns. It is breath-taking to see the columns rise hundred's of feet in the air - and to think that people had the ability to create buildings of such beauty and skill hundreds of years ago! I think I may have to visit this place again....
If interested you can see some of my pictures or read more about the history of the cathedral here.
Can we really empower people and create change?!?!
Hello everyone!
I have now been here 1 month and have had four weeks of classes. It has been a time of adjustment for me as not only have I moved away from the familiar but my eyes have been opened to many global issues. I would really like to share some of the things I have been learning with you! Just so you get an idea, the aim of my course is as follows:
1. To prepare nurses to work in tropical and resource poor situations by developing knowledge and understanding of:
a. The causes, the diagnosis, the prevention and the treatment of many major tropical diseases.
b. Cultural, structural and organisational aspects of working in tropical and resource poor situations.
Most of what I am doing here with regards to my studies is self-directed. I sit in lectures from specialists in different fields of study on various topics every Wednesday from 9:00 to 18:00. I then spend 1-2 days doing reading and research.
I would really like it if you would watch the following videos:
These videos portray some of the situations that we will face when working in tropical areas and what the course is trying to teach us to deal with. Life can sometimes be very overwhelming….
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