2 Timothy 4:7
Last Newsletter
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: THOUGHTS
I can hardly believe that I have been in Scotland for eight months now! And, it is even harder for me to imagine that I will be home in a month! I look back and wonder how time has flown by so quickly. There were times when I thought this day would never get here and there are times when I realize that it is right around the corner. It was one year ago on June 2nd that I left for Port Elizabeth, South Africa and I spent three months there. I came back to the States and worked on getting my visa for Scotland. Three weeks later, I moved to East Kilbride, Scotland to be on a team with Melanie Huggins, Justin Kellar, and Zach Yarbrough. Eight months have past and by the time I get home, I will have been here for nine months and five days.
I was trying to put things into perspective about my time away from Canadian, Texas and I will have been away from the States for a total of forty-nine weeks. That’s forty-nine weeks without seeing my family. And, that is forty-nine weeks I would never take back due to all the wonderful experiences, the horrible experiences that made me stronger, the Christian family I came to know and love in South Africa and Scotland, the new friends I have made, and seeing the difference God has made in the lives of those around me.
I have really enjoyed my time here in Scotland (well, excluding my least favorite part: the weather!!). I loved the people I worked with at ShopMobility, Meals-on-Wheels, Kirktonholme Primary School, and West Mains Church of Christ.
THEY WILL BE MISSED
Unfortunately, we had to stop going to Meals-on-Wheels last month due to the lack of people attending the lunch club. There were four elderly we had lunch club with, but it dwindled down to one person due to hospitalizations, sicknesses, and one death. I miss going every Tuesday, but everything happens for a reason. And, I will definitely miss those who attended lunch club.
I absolutely adore the elderly who ride the ShopMobility bus. One of the men (Mr. Graham) is on the bus every Monday morning and calls me “Miss America,” which is actually correct because I am a “miss” and I am from “America.” So, I guess it fits! I will really miss hearing that every Monday. I will miss seeing the “regulars” and chatting with them about their weeks, their families, or even what they bought while at the center. I will really miss being with all the volunteers at ShopMobility as well. I have become really close to all of them and it will make it really hard to leave them behind. They have bright personalities and made me really feel at home here.
The children and staff at Kirktonholme Primary School were wonderful and very friendly. I worked with Lindsay Gregory and Fiona Robertson (both primary one – or, what we know as, kindergarten – teachers) as a teacher’s aide and did anything from playing reading and math games with the children, assisting with grading papers, painting or making clay structures with the children, and other things like that. The children have really opened up to me and every time I walk into the doors I hear my name being yelled, “NEYSIA!!!” and they all run up to me and give me huge hugs. That is something I will definitely miss every Wednesday and Friday when I move back to Texas. The children are adorable and I have gotten incredibly attached to each and every one of them.
Being a part of the West Mains Church of Christ has really changed my life. I have met people who have influenced me in ways I didn’t think possible. God worked through them in ways that really encouraged me in the low points of my time here and they also encouraged me to live the Christian life and not just say things, but actually live it. The people at West Mains really live in a way that influence and encourage people around them at all times. I was able to get really close to the church family here.
I am so thankful to God for sending me here to Scotland to get to know all the people I have met while living here. It has been nothing but one huge adventure from the minute I started AIM. I guess that’s where the “A” in AIM came from: Adventures in Missions. I will be spending the last four weeks saying goodbye to everyone, trying to finish strong, having to go through all sorts of emotions as I approach my last days of work with ShopMobility, Kirktonholme Primary School, and West Mains Church of Christ, and doing lots and lots of packing.
COMING HOME SOON
Melanie and I will both be leaving Scotland on Wednesday, July 1st, but on different flights. Luckily, Kayla Graham will be flying back with me on the same exact flight. Melanie booked her flight quite a bit later than I did, so we weren’t able to find the same flight I had. I will be leaving from the Glasgow airport at 6:50 am (12:50 am Texas time) flying into Manchester, England then to Chicago, Illinois and on into Dallas, Texas which will then take me to Amarillo, Texas. I will be landing in Amarillo sometime around 10:00 pm. Lots of flight time, but the layovers aren’t long at all (two hours at the most). Pray for safe travels for Melanie, Kayla, and I on July 1st!
MANY, MANY THANKS TO YOU!
None of this would have been possible without God and your support, encouragement, and prayers. God really blessed me by putting each and every one of you in my life. I am so very thankful for you! I am so glad I was able to share this part of my life with you and even more grateful that you wanted to be a part of it. God has been able to use you and me to make a huge difference in the lives of the Scottish people in East Kilbride. I can never thank you enough.
Upcoming Events:
* May 31-June 8: Melanie’s mom and brother visit
* Mid-two weeks of June: Jarad Johnson and church group from Florida visit for a mission trip
* June 13: Millport trip with West Mains church group
* June 15: My last day at ShopMobility
* June 19: My last day at Kirktonholme Primary School
* June 24-July 1: Kayla Graham visits
* July 1: My flight back home to Texas!
Prayer Requests:
* Our families
* Scotland team and the work being done in East Kilbride
* Zach and Justin (teammates Melanie and I will be leaving behind in Scotland)
* 2007 AIMers preparing to leave the field
* West Mains Church of Christ
* 2007 AIMers on the field:
New Zealand
Mexico (3 teams)
Honduras
South Africa
Grass Valley, California
Childress, Texas
Shawnee, Oklahoma
* The 2008 AIMers who have started their field time and are being sent out all over the world
* The upcoming AIM class who will be starting in August
