Autumn in Scotland

Hey Y’all!

It’s been a whole two months since my last update from Scotland. For that, I apolise. It’s my goal to update all those supporting and praying for me in Oklahoma at least once a month. October just got away from me though. So this will be my October/November update.

October and November have been busy, humbling, growing months. God’s been giving me an entirely fresh perspective (at least, fresh to me) to see others and what I’m doing here through. In early October, I re-read the passage in John 15 that talks about the vine and branches and learning when to give up stuff so that we can abide even deeper in Christ’s love and purpose. I sensed God asking me to simply hand myself over to Him, to open up to life here more fully, and to allow it to wash over and transform me. Let me tell ya – it is an exhausting yet rich way to live.

As a volunteer missionary, really as a follower of Jesus, I’m discovering it’s important to not only welcome interruptions but to embrace them. They are life. So often, I’m wrapped up in my own thoughts, desires, and comfort. God has been asking me to let go of all that though. He’s been doing cool stuff just in the spontaneous moments of life here. Hearing the story of a stranger on the train coming home from Blend or entering into a friend’s heartbreak – the Holy Spirit works in these small moments, I believe, if I’m faithful to recognize an opportunity and move myself and my agenda out of the way. And I’m getting to know a lot of really interesting people in the process!

I’m not always super stellar at the whole vine/branches lifestyle. Like, sometimes, I’d rather veg out listening to music on the bus than make the effort to get to know the sweet mom with the pram asking about life in America. Often, I say the wrong thing, or worse, say something I think is appropriate when it actually totally isn't. I’m becoming more and more grateful, though, for gracious and patient friends.

Blend is one of those places that I really get to live this out. I've been here long enough now that I’m getting to know staff and customers deeper. Moving beyond just “How’s your day going?” is an exciting step. What I love about working in Blend, among other things, is that it’s my job to be a part of creating just the right space and environment for connections to happen. This may seem like a weird analogy, but Blend is like an incubator for creativity, curiosity, refuge, dreaming, joy, and just a whole bunch of other things that happen naturally. How often do we find places like that here on earth? That idea is changing how I see my role in the relationships around me.

Barista training is going well. At first, I constantly dropped things, forgot things, and made coffees that, when compared to the other baristas’, seemed like child’s play. But I think I just might be getting better. It’ll be so wonderful to finally get to make coffee in the new shop when it opens. The directors are still considering locations and what makes financial sense. In the meantime, we continue to pray and dream of what that second shop will look like. The community that comes from it will be completely different from Perth’s. I get excited, though, when we go to view another potential location and see people walking past the building. Someday, they could be customers, coworkers, friends, and God’s preparing their hearts for something unbelievably wonderful just as He is ours.  

Like the second Blend shop, Jubilee House is another “figure it out as we go” thing. It’s coming along though! Our core team has been meeting to create a plan for the project. We’re getting estimates on the renovations to the house, beginning fundraising, researching, and writing out what this will look like.

Just some statistics: Did you know that in 2013 there were over 60,000 reported cases of domestic abuse in Scotland? According to Scottish Women’s Aid, in a single day in 2012, 41 women and 39 children requested shelter, yet there was no housing for 27 of the women and 26 of the children. Renfrewshire, the council area that Jubilee House is in, currently has only 19 apartments for families needing refuge, and there is a waiting list. Can you imagine what it must be like to be on that waiting list? Jubilee House can’t necessarily solve the problem, but we can be a part of the solution.

I love that my job here takes me into some of the core aspects of life and culture in Scotland and that I work in a church that’s an active presence and light in the community. Every November, Erskine Church of the Nazarene dedicates an entire weekend to celebrating Guy Fawkes Day as well as the church’s anniversary. They host a fireworks display, a ceilidh and potluck, and finish Sunday with a baptism service and induction of new members.  Ceilidhs are probably one of my favourite Scottish things. Look it up on Youtube, and you’ll understand why. Sunday, we brought in 5 new members to the church and baptized 3 new Christians!  It was packed, exhausting, beautiful, meaningful weekend. I remember stopping Saturday night and thinking, this is God’s heart – friends, laughing, freedom, finding a place, and dancing like crazy because life and community are a gift.

God’s work here is exciting! Thanks for sharing in this journey with me!

Love,

Catie

PS: I like sharing pictures with you all just of Scotland being gorgeous. In October, I spent a sunny Saturday with friends trekking around the Falls of Clyde.

I also got to drive up past Loch Lomond to Glencoe for a day and had my first experience of haggis! Glencoe is one of my new favourite places in the world.