Hello!

Feel like its been ages since I last emailed and I’ll be back in the UK very soon so I thought I should update you on what’s been happening!
I’m now in Arizona and Gary is with me ☺ it’s been awesome spending time with him and worshiping together! Feels like we were never apart!
My last week in Canada was amazingly blessed. God really challenged me to finished strong and go above and beyond what people would expect. So with His help, I did!
The day camp was wonderful, I was the entertainer so I did the music, drama, dance, camp fire, fun stuff, silly things and hanging out with the kids! Was with them all day and got to know a lot of them really well. God really stretched me, opened my eyes and showed me what can be done on a small scale when you let Him use you to do His work. It would be crazy for me to try to do all I did on my own. I would’ve failed and it would’ve been ‘ok’. With God nothing is just ok...it’s unbelievable! That’s my new goal! To achieve the unbelievable! I know it sounds odd-but that’s me!! The vision God has placed on my heart, the people whose lives can be changed and the potential I see in others is bigger!

On the Wednesday of the week I taught a dance class for Youth For Christ and shared my story with them. Was such an amazing night and was great to teach older kids who don’t yet know the Lord! They blessed me with a beautiful necklace and photo album as a thank you.
The last weekend was spent running around, hanging out with friends, closing accounts, filing taxes, sorting clothes, washing, packing, clearing out my room and spending as much time with my kids as I could!

My last night I just wanted to have a nice dinner with my roommates and a couple of other friends. So I arranged to go to the movies then out to dinner. After the movies we went to dinner and my roommates had planned a surprise party with 40 of my friends!
I was in shock. Couldn’t believe that they would go out their way to plan something special for me. I cried!!! They have me walking in on video so if I get it on the internet I will send you the link! It’s funny!

After the meal a few of my close friends came back to my house and we chilled for a bit. My good friend Jordan, who became a Christian in the summer (praise God!) told me he had something for me. I was thinking it was going to be something silly so it would remind me of when we rescued a granny from her car. (she had reversed into a ditch on the highway-don’t know how she did but I was impressed!)
He then stared a little speech. He said he felt God was telling him he wanted me to know that I don’t need to worry about money because God will always provide. At this point I’m crying and smiling at the same time because I couldn’t believe that was coming out his mouth! He had changed so much – esp in the last week that we spent every night chatting about God stuff after day camp. He has so many unanswered questions and it was such an honour to be there to help him find them! Anyway…he pulled out an envelope, In it was 400 American dollars. He had asked his family and my friends to give as they felt lead by the spirit to give to me as a love offering. I was speechless. Just cried. That was more than what I made in a month working at the ranch.
Saying goodbye was hard but I knew it was the right time to move on. Many things I’d been praying about started to happen just when I was leaving and Gods hand was upon them because it was only possible in His time! If you want to know more about that then email me and I’ll be happy to share but this is already a long email!

I’m loving being in Arizona and God is continuing to bless me more than I could imagine! Things I’m doing here are preparing me for what’s to come. Working for the organization I went to Jamaica with and also helping out local churches.

God has placed a young man on my heart who is in prison here for murder and I really feel l

'Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.'
1 John 3 v 18

2008 is here and I know God has some really exciting adventures planed if we are willing to take up our cross and surrender.
I hope you all had an amazing time over Christmas and new year and now your well rested to face the next chapter.
Don't really know where to start, so I guess I'll start by saying thank you.
Thank you to God for blessing me with the wonderful opportunity to serve Him and to say thanks to you, for praying.
For only being 18 God has allowed me to do so much. I've been in Canada for 7months now, had a holiday in Phoenix, was showered with gifts at Christmas and had the most life changing experience so far in Jamaica!
That's what I'd love to share with you today. (probably will be long so I do apologise)

December 26Th - started travelling to Kingston from Toronto. Had to pay extra because I over packed but then I was on the flight and ready to go!
When I arrived in Kingston the immigration line took an hour and a half. Then my bag never turned up. It was still in Canada. Trying to work out where I should go, who to give what form to, how to get in touch with the couple picking me up and being tired and hungry. I fell on my knees in the middle of the airport lifted my hands and prayed. I didn't know what to do next. Shortly after that, a guy who works at the airport helped me fast track out of the airport and I Donovan and Faith, a wonderful couple who really looked after me!
So, bag-less, tired, hungry and pretty much the only white person, they took me to a Jamaican party. Culture shock or what! I was looking forward to party food, a nice drink of water or apple juice and cake!

First course - Goat soup
2ND course - Curried goat, jerk pork and festival
3rd course - Rice and fish with the head!
Then thankfully some cake!
Drink - Sprite, then their Christmas drink, which was SO good.....found out later also alcoholic!!! oops!

We left the party with their 2 sons and we had a great time in the car chatting about the differences between Scotland, Canada, Arizona and Jamaica! Then we sat on top of the roof and looked out to a magnificent view because we were on top of a mountain! 2 hours later I got up, had a cold shower and back to the airport! It was a blessing at this point that I didn't have a bag because i would've had to pay extra again. I arrive in Montego Bay and again no bag. Thankfully the team had just arrived so I gave my bass player Larry a huge hug cos I was so happy to see another white person!! Had to leave again with no bag but at least I had finally arrived! Got my bag back a day and a half later, took a lot of time and patience but I was just glad to have my clothes!

Our programme was-
drama
music
dance
puppets
gospel

We went into kids homes, set up on the street and went to 2 church services. The children we beautiful. Just wanted to be loved and for someone to play with them. It was tough having to leave them and know that we were going back to our families (for me in a few months!) and that we are so rich and these kids have been abandoned by their parents. I'm not a parent (you'll be glad to hear that!) so i don't know what it feels like to first hold your child, look at them and know that they are the most precious gift you ever received, but the love I felt for these kids I can only compare to a parents love. It didn't matter if they smelt, what they looked like, what clothes they had on or if they were disabled. All of them are beautiful children of the King, and I had the privilege of showing and telling them.

When we were out on the street, we did our hour programme then we split up into groups and chatted with people. Jamaica's are very open and most are willing to listen. A lot of them have a fantastic knowledge of the bible but don't know Jesus as their saviour. Many received Christ on the street, as they were. Not in a church building with everyon

Hey!
How are you??
Loving life I hope and being thankful for the many blessings God pours on us daily! That's how I am anyway!!
Life is great just now. I'm in a season where I don't know what's going to happen next, where I'll end up, who I'll end up with or what on earth I'll end up doing! It's great!
So, the last 3 weeks have been amazing. The church I've been going to is called 'The meeting house' and is an hr drive from the ranch but a bunch of us go so its like a road trip once a week! They have one main site which seats 1000 people and they have their service on 3 times in the morning with each service near to full! But...they also have 6 other sites around Toronto linked by satellite who meet in cinemas!
Once a month they have a 2hr evening service of praise and prayer, and 2 weeks ago I went with Lynda and a couple of the guys we work with in the kitchen. During the service they used 2 dances who danced to a prayer that the worship leader sang. Was very moving, and for me it was very useful as that's what I'll be doing when I go to Jamaica for new year. At the end, they asked if there were any experienced dancers who would be interested in working in partner with the girls to dance at the next service. So as you've probably guessed....I went! had a great chat with them and they are so keen to meet up, give me resources and bounce ideas off each other! Such an answer to prayer! I was a little worried about dancing in Jamaica as I've never really done anything like it before and really felt alone. God soon reminded me that He brings people into my life just at the right time so I shouldn't worry!!
During the weekend, Lynda and I went to a song writers forum which was held 5mins from the ranch and was a joint thing with the meeting house! There were about 20 of us..some musicians,some poets and a couple who just wanted to learn! I didn't really learn anything new but it was so nice to hang out with people who also have the same passion for worshipping using music! It also meant that we met the worship leader for the meeting house and the local church...getting some great connections..and a very talented singer/songwriter who is just about to release his first album.
That weekend we had the down town Toronto group from the meeting house at the ranch! I worked on Sat and you know me...I talked to them, hung out with them, joined in with their square dance and church with them the next day. I felt like I was on a YF weekend! Was loads of fun! Turns out one of the dancers I spoke to on the Sunday night was at the weekend and remembered me from serving her! How cool!!
That same Sunday, Lynda and I met the teaching pastor. He's called Bruxy and is one of the best communicators I've ever heard! For us its great to go and get fed after giving all week and also feel so relaxed and at home in such a large church. He loved chatting with us and was keen to meet up for coffee and a chat so said we'd to email him and get a date! Didn't end up emailing him that week. I know...you should never put off a free coffee but I'm slow like that!! Anyway...we went to church on the weekend and he recognised us and we had another great chat! Met his family (including his 3month old girl who I nearly didn't give back!!) he introduced us to the Sr pastor and a few other sweet people! So tonight I sent him an email so we'll see what opportunities arise from that!!

This week at the ranch we have a high school band camp in!!!! I so want to join in so we'll see what happens. We just have 2 more school groups in then its quieter as its SO cold! (that's what I meant when I titled this email) I want to use the quiet time to learn how to cook some good meals, work with my girls who I'm teaching dance to on a Wed night and prepare myself as much as I can for Jamaica.

Please pray for... the finances at the ranch as we're still in a lot of debt.
my trip to Phoenix on Nov 30Th
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