Week Three of the Mission Team

Our third and final week of the mission trip looked a bit different from the first two as we helped run the church’s Holiday Bible Club (HBC). Two hours with 10-20 kids was at times chaotic and loud, but we were glad for the noise, as it meant that kids were coming! It was a good challenge for our team to find ways to creatively but (hopefully) clearly share some of the stories from Elisha’s life, and to show how those stories point us to Christ and the gospel. Having our mornings so full really made the week fly by!

Our afternoons involved more cooking and HBC prep, as well as some babysitting and campfire songs with the McCollum kids, and work at the Wishaw building. A family from church made us dinner one evening, so we had time for competitive game of Spot It.

On Thursday, an elder of the church, Ian Shaw, organized an outing for us all to go to Loch Katrine – one of the bigger lochs in Scotland (and the setting of Sir Walter Scott’s poem, The Lady of the Lake). We took a ride on a 125-yr-old steamboat – named the Sir Walter Scott, of course – a thoroughly enjoyable time of talking, walking around, and enjoying the views. The driech (it’s Scottish; look it up) weather made it even more beautiful. As Michael said, “Scotland looks good in grey.” Ian also treated us to a High Tea involving soup, sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and other desserts! Pretty spoiled, for a mission team.

Friday, our British hosts accommodated their American guests by celebrating the 4^th of July (and the end of HBC) with a church cookout (actually, a cook-in, since it rained) – burgers, sausages, and American-ish sides and desserts that we had made that afternoon. At the end of day, we had to say goodbye to Elise, who had to leave early Saturday morning for another commitment back home.

Our hosts had a lovely outing planned for out last free day – a trip up into the highlands, where we saw Loch Lomond (think of the song), walked around Glencoe, and hiked around the “Three Sisters” peaks. Again, the foggy weather made for gorgeous scenery. At our dinner of fish and chips, Stephen had us all try some mystery food: Black Pudding and Haggis. When in Scotland…

The Lord’s Day was just a really sweet time of reflecting and fellowshipping. It felt fitting for Stephen to preach on 2 Chronicles 29, where the Lord brings about a sudden and unexpected reformation through Hezekiah. We ought to pray for such a thing in our own time! And in the evening, 1 Corinthians 3, where we are taught that though some plant and others water, growth comes from the Lord. May he be pleased to cause growth in the church in Scotland!

Tori Sturm