Christmas Events...

I know I'm fairly late in writing this tonight (if you've even noticed) but I wanted to wait until I came home from the youth group Christmas party which was tonight. I was in charge of organising it all and I think it was fairly successful. Activities ranged from making antlers from balloons and tights to making a trailer for a Christmas film. We also had a talk on why we celebrate Christmas and we ended the evening with a Secret Santa type game. Although it was a lot of work to organise it all, I had great fun doing it and I hope the teenagers also had fun.

The last two weeks have been fairly busy for me in the run up to Christmas. Just after I wrote my last blog we had a Ladies Christmas Craft Evening where we sewed these lovely tree decorations. I also gave my first talk entirely in Slovene. Granted I had to read it from a piece of paper but I still think it's a step in the right direction. We sang carols together and generally had a good time of fellowship.

In Ljubljana we've also had our first snow of the season. It came down very heavily for two days but didn't last too long. Strangely enough, two days later it was 15 degrees and the snow pretty much disappeared. It's been too warm since then for any more. I can't say I'm too disappointed. Whilst I like the idea of snow and it all looks very pretty, the reality is that it is cold and wet and get absolutely everywhere when you have to get on with your normal life. Unlike in Britain where a small dusting means that schools are closed and the trains all stop working, people here are prepared for winter and just carry on.


Well I'm nearly at the end of my year's work. I just have a few more things to do on Sunday, including meeting up with a French girl who only became a Christian a few weeks ago! After that I'm on holiday and back in the UK for 10 days. I think I'm managing to meet up with most people and all my family. I will be in Swindon for the whole day on 29th December so I'm hoping I'll be able to see many of you then.

This will be my last post of the year so I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you for your continued support and prayers for me during this time in Slovenia. I hope I will soon be able to announce what my plans are for the next year. In the meantime, please be praying for safe travels and a good and fruitful time when I'm back in England.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

Decorating for Christmas...

Lights in the centre of Ljubljana

I am so thankful that the month of November is finally behind me and I can look forward to all the excitement that this time of year brings. Yes I admit it, I love Christmas. Not quite so much as my sister though. I'm going to embarrass her here by mentioning that she texted me very excitedly to let me know she'd found a Home Alone t-shirt in a charity shop and that she was going to wear it whilst we watch the film together (this is something we do every year). When I told her I wasn't going to do the same - mainly because I don't want to, but also because it would be pretty much impossible for me to find one here - she told me that I just wasn't committed enough.

That being said, the flat was decorated as soon as I possibly could after the 1st December. This, however, has led to a series of harmless pranks between myself and my housemates. It started because 2 of us were doing the decorating and the 3rd was out. We didn't quite know what to do with the last few pieces of tinsel so we decorated the 3rd girl's door... She then got her own back... I'm sorry for the quality of the photo, I hadn't even realised the tinsel was there until I switched the TV on. My other housemate then moved it back to the door and then mysteriously it disappeared until I came home this morning to find it in my doorway. Now magically it has moved to the other housemate's door. I don't know how it could have got there... (she's not actually home yet so I'm hoping she doesn't read this before she sees it!)
It may only be a small thing but I suspect that this moving tinsel will keep us all amused for the rest of the month!

I also enjoyed going to see the lights being turned on in the centre of Ljubljana last week. It makes such a difference to the atmosphere here. I have been told that the month of December is when Slovenes will make the effort to be happy and enjoy themselves. It is very easy to be affected by the winter months here. It's been so grey for the last month that I was genuinely surprised to see mountains when it became clear again this week. I had actually forgotten that they were there and usually visible from my road.

I am thankful to God that many of the trials that I was facing last month have started fading away. For those of you who were wondering, my thumb is slowly getting better with very little help from the doctors. Feel free to ask me if you want to hear the end of the saga. My new(ish) bike is working well and although I used it last night, when I came back to it there was a layer of frost on the saddle so I think it is now time to put it to bed for winter!
Not everything is perfect and not everything has a simple solution but I am thankful for those of you who have bee remembering me in prayer.

To finish, I have some very exciting news. God has been working in such a great way in Slovenia over the last few weeks. 5 people have accepted Christ as their Saviour within the space of two weeks. This is almost unheard of here. Firstly, praise God for the work he is doing! Please also be praying for these new believers and the people around them, that they would be growing and would be supported in their faith. It would also be great if God continued to work in the same way and more people came to know him. Thank you for your prayers, please keep praying for the people and country of Slovenia. For all the fun I have here, my main reason for being here is to help people get to know God better. Please pray for my work but also the work of all the churches and missionaries here.

Sometimes We Don't Know Why God Lets Things Happen...

This isn't meant to be a whining "woe is me" type post but a lot of things have been tough for me recently. If you've been reading these posts you might be aware of some of the stuff that's been going on. Something happened last week, though, that was really the icing on the cake.
You may have seen my Facebook status saying that I was tracking my phone as it travelled around Ljubljana on the bus I'd left it on. Yep that's right, I left/ dropped my phone on the bus. I was travelling home from  a supermarket on the other side of the city (an international one which is the only place I can buy certain things) and it was raining. This meant that I had a few bags and my umbrella to worry about. I was listening to a podcast on my phone using my Bluetooth headphones when I got to the stop where I had to change buses. I gathered everything together and got off the bus. My first clue that something was wrong was when my headphones started crackling. This is usually a sign that I'm losing connection and so I felt in my pocket and sure enough my phone wasn't there. It was at that moment the bus drove off...

I vaguely tried running after it but it was too late. Now, not only had I just lost my phone, I'd also just lost my bus card which I keep with my phone. I wasn't even entirely sure where I was! I couldn't phone anyone, I couldn't even ask to borrow a phone as I don't know anyone's number. I couldn't get a bus home, I couldn't even get a city bike as they're also linked to the bus cards. I was in a panic. Eventually, after wandering around for about 5 minutes, I worked out the direction I needed to go and started walking. In the rain. For almost 2 miles. With my shopping.

By the time I got home, about an hour later, I was an emotional wreck. To be honest it wasn't even about the phone itself, it was what it represented, my link with my friends and my family especially those in the UK. Coming on top of the last month or so was especially tough. I struggled to understand how yet another thing could be going wrong.

Some of you might know my story of how I came to Slovenia and how at that time God used a series of really tough circumstances to convict me and convince me to move here. I'm not saying that that's what's going to happen this time but I know that in the past God has used these things in big ways. Sometimes, though, we just never get answers as to why God lets things happen. The point is that we shouldn't turn away from Him just because things get tough. He's the one we should be turning to!

Anyway, in at least this case the story has a happy ending and shows a lot of Slovene culture all in one go. Ljubljana is a very safe city and in general I find that most people here are honest and generous. As I've already found out for myself, the only things really in danger of being stolen are umbrellas and bikes.

When I got home my housemate immediately went into action, phoning the bus company and seeing if someone had handed it in. They said that a phone had been handed to the driver of the route I was on but they had no description of it. I had the choice of either going to a bus stop on the route and asking the driver for it or going to the office the next day. I was resigned to going to the office because how else was I supposed to know which bus it was on and where it was. It was at that point I remembered playing around with the settings when I first got the phone and realised that I might be able to log into my Samsung account and track it on there. Sure enough I was able to locate my phone and have the reassurance that it was still on the bus I'd left it on as it was following the correct route. From that I was able to work out when it would arrive at the bus stop closest to me on the route. I had to cycle there in the rain but when the bus arrived I was able to ask the driver and get my phone back. (Just a side note, Slovenes often send things via bus drivers or leave them at petrol stations for other people to collect, it's not quite as bizarre as it seems!)

In the end, everything turned out well and I had a lot to thank God for. I don't know why He let it happen but even if it was to remind me to trust in Him, I know He had a purpose and I just need to continue trusting in that.

The Arrival of Autumn...

Enjoying a fire and barbecue

The weather has definitely turned here now and is getting colder, greyer and wetter. Despite this, the last two weeks have been busy both with work and rest. Last week was the equivalent of half term here in Slovenia and so many of my normal meetings were cancelled. We also had two national holidays, Reformation Day and All Hallows. Last year I was a lot more involved in seeing how they were celebrated so if you'd like to know more, read my blog posts from that time. One fun fact I learnt though, Reformation Day is a national holiday in only 3 countries in the world, obviously Slovenia and Germany. If anyone can tell me the 3rd one (without resorting to Google) they can pat themselves on the back for a job well done. Answers on a postcard please.

Lake Cerknica

I didn't quite have the week off but I was able to spend a bit of time celebrating my birthday (which apparently is being spread over several weeks) with my flatmates and friends. The above photo was taken (with no filter) by the side of a river where we had a fire and barbecue which was great fun. We also travelled to Cerknica to visit my flatmate's mum. Cerknica is home to an amazing natural feature, a disappearing lake. The whole region is riddled with underground caves and so the lake only appears when the caves are full of water. It is the largest disappearing lake in Europe and if it were full it would be the largest lake in Slovenia. Anyway, the day we went was quite atmospheric and the lake was reasonably full compared to the last time I went when it was little more than a swamp!

This last week has definitely got back to normal and has been nicely full of meetings with different people. As much as I like having rest and time off, I do also like having purpose and work to do.

For those who are interested in the continuing saga of my thumb, the latest doctor I saw is pretty certain he knows the cause and it may well require surgery or a procedure of some sort. I have a test to confirm the diagnosis next week. I'll try and keep people updated as I learn in more certainty what's going on. Please continue to pray for this issue as I really don't want it to detract from my work here. I am grateful, however, for the speed in which I've gained a diagnosis and for the doctors here. If I do need surgery, I will have it here rather than returning to the UK. Nothing is certain yet and so I keep trusting in God because I know that he hold the future in his hands!

So They Stole My Bike but Left My Helmet...

Spot the Missing Bike

I think it's fair to say that this past month has had it's fair share of challenges. Up until now I think I've had a fairly easy time of it here in Slovenia. It's been a pattern in my life that things seem to plod along quite happily until suddenly lots of small (and not so small) bad things happen at once (Feel free to ask me some time about the defining week that led me to Slovenia in the first place!).

This past month has felt a bit like that. Nothing huge has happened, but lots of small things, one after the other. If you read my last post, you'll know more about things that have been happening. For a quick update on my thumb, I went to the orthopaedic specialist yesterday but he immediately decided to send me to a plastic surgeon instead. Apparently they have more knowledge about hands, who knew? I have an appointment on Monday so hopefully I'll know more then.
The title of this post kinda gives away the problem I've had this week. The picture quite nicely shows the scene I was presented with on Monday evening, just as I needed to use it! If you're British, you may well be asking the questions, was it insured and have I reported it stolen. The answer to both is a resounding no. Ljubljana is a very safe city apart from the loss of bikes. The police therefore don't care about one missing cheap second hand bike. The really sad thing though is that I'd just got it serviced and replaced the basket that was one rusty screw away from falling off. I think the nice new basket is what made it a target to be honest. It's been sat in the same spot outside my flat for the past year and there are definitely nicer ones to take...

Moving on to the bizarre parts of my past two weeks. Obviously, the thieves weren't safety conscious as they didn't take my helmet. However, this morning I got a message from a friend saying that someone had taken her helmet but not her bike...
If that wasn't strange enough, last week I saw a man casually taking an ostrich for a walk in the middle of Ljubljana...

Yes I've been facing a few challenges but the last month hasn't been without its joys. I've settled into a good routine and have especially been encouraged by the responses of the girls I meet for one to ones. In one group we're looking at the book of Esther and it's great to see the expressions and responses of one of the girls who doesn't know the story. In another group we've been looking at 1 John and the true meaning of love. It's a real joy for me to see how these teenagers are learning and growing. Tonight we're having a light party, celebrating the light the Reformation brought to Europe (Reformation Day is a National Holiday here and is on 31st October). It's been a lot of fun this week bringing together different ideas so hopefully it'll go well tonight.

Please be praying for me as I'm facing these challenges, that I would depend fully on God rather than my own strength. It's tiring facing one after another but I know that God is sufficient for me and that he can and will lead me through.
Anyway I'll just leave you with a picture that is just another reason why I love living in Slovenia. I took this picture on the bus last week. The Slovene literally translates as reserved for the reading of books. I'm not sure how successful the scheme is but at least it made me smile!

Sometimes Lots of Things All Happen At Once...

Today as I look out of my window, the sun is shining and it's a beautiful autumn day. We're well into the Rugby World Cup and at time of writing Wales is doing pretty well. I even tried to teach rugby to the youth last week. I'm not entirely sure how well it went down. They didn't seem to appreciate the whole passing backwards thing. At least I made the attempt and slowly I might be able to persuade them that it is a good game...

Last week was just one of those weeks, where everything seemed to happen at once. Firstly, it was the first week where I was really back to normal work. Everything has now started up again, which is great, and I now have a better idea of my workload and weekly rhythm. Yes I have more work than last year but I enjoy it all and I like to keep busy. Sadly not everything went smoothly. Last week I again attempted to join the language course. It seemed to be going well, the assessment was ok and then when I went to see if I had a class on the Thursday, hurray, I'd been assigned one. Unfortunately it was far too easy for me. I don't want to disparage other people or their learning but the range between me and some of the other people in the group was massive. The people themselves were lovely but it wasn't helpful for me to spend a lot of money just to make friends and not learn anything. I might have stayed to see if it got better but I had a frustrating conversation with the teacher after the class. I won't go into what was said but sufficed to say that it was that conversation that swayed me to leave. I'm not upset about it as I'm back again with my tutor and I know that I will continue to learn lots with her. I've also made the decision not to even bother applying for the course next semester. It would be my last semester and it's just not worth the hassle when I know I have a good teacher already.

Don't worry, nothing's broken, this is quite normal!

This now leads me to the second big thing that happened last week. I finally got to experience the Slovene medical system. If you know me at all, you will know that I'm no stranger to doctors and hospitals due to the number of injuries I've had. What you may not realise is that I do have an underlying condition that is probably a major cause of many of these problems. Anyway, I've managed to injure myself again. It happened when I was in England at the end of August. I'm not entirely sure what happened but my hand/ thumb started being painful. I tried to shake it off, thought it wasn't a big deal, but if anything it has got worse over time not better. I eventually realised that I couldn't put it off any longer. I would have to go to the doctor. I am very grateful that I have private health insurance as it has made my life so much easier (I'm not eligible for Slovene health cover). I firstly had to find a doctor that spoke English. I was surprised that I was able to get an appointment that afternoon. I arrived, went to the reception and I was just sort of pointed in the direction of a waiting room. I had no idea what was going on. Everyone else seemed to know what to do but I was just sat there! Eventually I was able to speak to a nurse and she took my Slovene identification card. I then had to wait again and pray that my identification would be returned to me! In the end it was all ok but in those 45 minutes when I was waiting, I was incredibly stressed. The doctor wanted me to have an x-ray and an ultrasound on my hand but apparently it's up to me to organise that. I was able to get an x-ray quite easily and they even gave me a copy of the images as a souvenir! The ultrasound was more difficult and stressful. I ended up speaking to about 4 different clinics each sending me from person to person and department to department. Fortunately most of them spoke good English with the exception of a few people thinking I said 'son' instead of 'thumb'. At one point I was asked for my son's details... In the end I've got an appointment on Monday so the saga continues.

All in all, it's been a busy and stressful couple of weeks but I know that God is in control of it all and that he is upholding me through it all!

Back to Work I Go...

The Lovely Lake Bled

For those of you who are eagle eyed, you'll have noticed that I missed a week. Well I would be sorry but I'm not because I was on holiday. September has been quite a quiet and easy month for me for a variety of reasons. Firstly I was ill straight after coming back from England in August and then I only had a week of work before I joined a group from Oak Hall in Lake Bled for a week. Although term has started, things have yet to settle down into a regular routine. Whilst the beginning of term is incredibly busy for all the youth and their parents, that has meant that things have been slower for me whilst everyone works out their new routines.

To give a bit of explanation of how crazy things are for the youth, I need to give a bit of detail on their schooling system. When I was at school in England, it started every day at 8.45 and finished at 3.30. If I went to any after school clubs or orchestras or music lessons, these were always at the same time every year. Although my lessons may have changed within this structure, the structure itself didn't change. Not so here. Every year, everything changes. This includes what time they start and finish school every day and what time all their extra curricular activities are on. They could start school at 7.15 and finish at 2 on one day and start at 8 and finish at 4 another. This has made it interesting trying to find times when I can meet people so that all the schedules mesh together. It has taken a bit of time but I think it's finally all organised.

Another reason it has been quiet is that many of my weekly evening meetings have not yet started up again this term. After a busy summer I'm actually quite grateful for a slow start to the term as the number of Bible studies I will be preparing each week has tripled... One of the teenage girls I meet with has asked for an extra separate meeting each week and due to the loss of our youth group leader, I will be leading it every other week instead of once a term. I've also been asked to meet with another teenage girl to give her some English practice with a native speaker. I'm due to start at the language course again next week (if they have a class for me), so I'm enjoying the calm before the storm!

The view from my hotel window

I won't go on too much about my holiday, except to say that it was exactly what I needed. (Ok I did succumb and add a few photos from my time there!) I had a great time with the group from Oak Hall and really appreciated the fellowship with them. It also gave me the opportunity to visit a church in the nearby town of Radovljica. I know the pastor and his wife there and it was a great time seeing how another church works in Slovenia. I was also quite proud of myself since I understood about 80% of what was going on. This was especially good for me considering I'd been functioning in English and with British people for the past week so it was interesting to switch back to my Slovene brain.
 Well I'm now back and although things have been quieter, I'm now back into work mode and am fully prepared for the term to come! (I think...)