Jubilee, PETE, & Red Eyes

Hello! As I'm sure you are aware, it is the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (June 3-5). It's cool because I feel British being here for the weeks leading up to it and being able to see all the preparations that were made. There are British flags everywhere and lots of crowds expected tomorrow for the Regatta. We are hoping to go and try to see some of it in the afternoon!

This past week was Project PETE (Post-Exam Training in Evangelism). It was an awesome and simultaneously exhausting week. Monday to Friday consisted of waking up, running with Paige (we ran our route the fastest ever on Friday!), and then meeting at LSE around 9:30 for the morning session to begin. We had a seminar until lunchtime and then we would be split into a few different groups and went out to the different campuses to go around initiating conversations with students. We usually were on campus for about 2 hours so then were free for the evening. I absolutely LOVED the morning seminars and the curriculum we used. It was compiled by Agape staff and they did a great job of giving us a big-picture overview of the Bible (how the story of redemption is woven from Genesis to Revelation) and then also equipping us with tangible how-to’s for methods to get into spiritual conversations. A couple of the tools we were taught to use and then used around campus: Soularium, Perspective Cards, surveys, Knowing God Personally booklets (formally called the Four Spiritual Laws), and our testimonies. What I especially loved about this week was how encouraging it was to learn and then serve alongside current students that are apart of Student Life. Maybe because so many people we randomly approach are apathetic, hostile, or bitter towards thoughts of Christianity, it is so wonderful to see and listen to people my age living for the Lord in this city that needs Jesus so badly.

Project PETE (one of the highlights? Snacks were provided!)

On Thursday I got to go around LSE with China, a UCL student studying medicine. We approached 3 girls and had 3 quality conversations. The last conversation was one of the coolest ones I’ve had so far. China and I struck up a conversation with a girl named Anna outside LSE’s library and asked if she would answer a few questions for our worldview survey. She was very chatty and willing to converse with us. However, her answer to the first question (“Do you identify with any major world religion?”) was a quick and definitive “No.”  Her reluctance at first to expand on this answer made me think this would be a short conversation. However, it was so cool because we ended up talking to her for the next 30 minutes and discovered that she had attended a Christian youth camp in Sweden (her country of origin) when she was 12. She described feeling the “love of the community” and a “contentment” with what was being taught there. But she felt that once she left that “bubble” and went home, that she “grew up” and realized that there is no way of proving God’s existence at all. At one point she said: “I believe in science. That we are all here by chance.” Then she paused and added: “Do you know how hard it is for me to say that? I wish there was a reason we were here.” That broke my heart. Anna was parroting what has been taught to her…yet there is something in her that is aching for it to be different. After she brought up the point about science, China was able to articulately and intelligently explain that as she continues her studies to be a doctor, she realizes that God and science don’t contradict one another. Anna respected that and verbally acknowledged that if she had more Christian friends, she felt like they would be able to give her an accurate picture of Christianity. I loved that she realized that. China and I have been praying for Anna since we met her and praying specifically that Christians would come into her life who could walk side-by-side with her and love her without abandon. After the conversation, China and I were blown away. I could literally feel the Holy Spirit working in her heart. Getting her to talk about walls she has been building up against Christianity since her childhood was huge. Towards the end of the conversation, I challenged Anna to peel back the layers of church and tradition…and to simply look at Jesus. Who He is and what He did. She really listened to that and seemed to take it to heart. I am so excited to keep praying that Jesus would capture her heart with His wonderful grace. [One cool side note: As China and I walked up to Anna, it had started to lightly sprinkle. In London terms...steady rain is close. But what is so cool is that it didn't rain for our entire conversation. Anna was able to smoke two cigarettes and we could all three sit comfortably on a bench without the weather being an issue and possibly ending our conversation prematurely. Such a blessing.]


There were many other interactions/conversations throughout the week that were really cool. I'm excited to share some of these with ya'll in person whenever I see you next! And by the way, our social on Thursday was AWESEOME. We cooked loads of taco meat and had a lot of toppings for people to make taco salad. A bunch of students came over and a lot of them were ones we had met on campus over the past couple weeks. So cool. It was just a really fun night of enjoying good food and community. 

Thursday night social at our flat 

I got a text message from my dad today that said, “The thorn in Paul’s flesh may have been eye trouble!” Let me explain. I’ve been battling an eye infection in just my left eye over the past 2 weeks or so. It felt completely better a few days ago so I tried a new pair of contacts. Well…I guess that was the wrong move. I woke up yesterday with my left eye very irritated again. It was red and would easily water. So after Project PETE on Friday I began what I will dub “The Eye Adventure.” This quest for a cure took me to Moorfields Eye Hospital…yes, you heard right. An entire hospital for eye injuries only. So interesting. I used the Tube and ended up waiting for about 3 hours in the hospital. The doctor assured me that it was not disastrous (I asked, with a slightly panicked tone, if I was going blind) but that I did indeed have a cornea infection. I am on strong drops now and will be wearing glasses for the remainder of the trip. What have I learned? That the Lord is with me. Sounds simple, right? While I was sitting in the hospital waiting room, all I wanted was to be home in Charlottesville where my mom could easily make me an appointment with my eye doctor and all would be taken care of and it would be familiar and safe. Instead, I was sitting in London and not feeling super friendly vibes from everyone around me. It was then that I realized that I wasn’t alone. That even though my eye is red and puffy and I am almost 4000 miles away from home, that I can draw comfort in the fact that my Heavenly Father sees me and is with me. I needed that reminder. So the cool thing about my dad's text is that Paul's response to his thorn is what I want mine to be in this not-so-ideal situation: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." --2 Corinthians 12:9

Today (Saturday) was our day off. Started off in the Imperial War Museum (obsessed..it was awesome)  and then went to Victoria & Albert Museum (art and design). In the V&A, a group of us took time in the afternoon to enjoy the lovely British tradition of tea. Then, Kenna and I decided (as the two theater lovers) to go to Leicester Square and look for cheap and available tickets for a show that night. We went on this adventure and decided to go see The 39 Steps. Our tickets happened to be on the first row, which made it so memorable! The show was hilarious and poked some fun at Hitchcock movies. I'm really glad I got to have another theater experience in the West End!

Afternoon tea at the Victoria & Albert Museum

Criterion Hall--where Kenna and I saw The 39 Steps