Getting Established

Our first week at Alconbury was a blur of activity, orientation, coping from jet lag, meeting new people, and diving straight into ministry.  Stephanie Hardy (pictured left) was the outgoing Community Director.  She did a great job of welcoming us and filling us in on everything we needed to know... sometimes to the point of information overload! 

She introduced us to the Bowling Center: not just a place to bowl, but a popular lunch hangout with a full menu.  (Our boys had to get in game too.)  In the weeks since, I've already been here several times to meet kids for lunch.  The high schoolers can leave school for their lunch break, and it's a short walk to the Bowling Center.

We have been housed on the base in the TLF (Temporary Living Facility), which is basically a hotel, each suite with a bedroom, small kitchen and a living room.  Cozy and liveable!  It's been especially nice because there are a couple other families with young boys that have become friends to Eli and Liam and a nice playground just outside!  We were also blessed by some beautiful weather our first few weeks in England.

Our first Club (pictured) was Tuesday, the day after we arrived!  It was cool to dive right in with meeting kids and leaders.  Tuesdays are full days: the middle school kids come over to the chapel annex right after school for snacks, then it's middle school Club, then high school dinner, then high school Club! The next night was my first Wednesday night Bible study with both the middle and high school kids.  I was encouraged by the small group that showed up and with their interest and questions.  We've started studying the book of Mark, but I anticipate a number of healthy "rabbit trails" of topics of discussion as we go week-to-week!

The hardest part of week one (as well as since then) has been adjusting to different life, and a different pace of life.  The slogan I often repeat is "Everything just takes longer here."  Sometimes it's due to the military culture.  Sometimes it's the British culture.  Sometimes it's just our own unfamiliarity or insecurity!  For instance, to do ANYTHING on base we needed an ID card, which I didn't get until then end of our first week.  Which meant we couldn't shop on base, start a bank account, get a cell phone, go on/off base by ourselves, buy groceries, get our PO box... You get the idea.

But we've learned a lot since then, and (sometimes) things are moving faster now.  We've met lots of great people at the chapel and feel well taken care of.  We're excited to see what God does in our lives and with kids on base as we go forward!