Family life with the Cunninghams

Greetings! I've passed another very nice week here in England. :) Where I left off last time, we were just about to have prayer meeting. Last week it was held here at the house. Mr. C shared a short challenge from the Word, we had a good long time of prayer, and we also sang a few songs. It was a joy to get to play my violin for that! Afterwards we had tea and biscuits. The people really enjoyed my violin playing, so I got to play a few pieces for them too as we relaxed.

Friday was a stay at home day, and I got to help with the cooking and hang out with the family. Every Friday, they do a special family night. It was so neat to be a part of that! We played some ping pong, ate, watched a movie, and generally had a great time together. :)

Every Saturday morning, they like to do an outreach in downtown Darwen and hand out Gospel literature. It was a bit rainy when we went, but we still saw many people. Since it's a relatively small town, Mr. C knew quite a few of the people there and had some good conversations with people he already had met. I talked for a while with a man that Mr. C has been discipling. He just became a Christian a year ago and is very thirsty for spiritual things. Pray that God would help him in committing to a local church. For various reasons, he's been unable to commit up to this point, but should be able to be more committed after a few months. Pray that God would continue to open up his heart and grow him.

Where we ministered on Saturday in Darwen

The rest of Saturday was very music-filled. Mrs. C and I spent a few hours working on music for the next day. It was fun to get to put a little bit of my music ed training into practice. We especially worked on internalizing the beat through movement. It was fun. :) Later in the evening, Mrs. C and I had a nice walk together in a park near the house. It was so good to get to talk with one another. She was feeling very good then, and it was hard knowing that the chemo would be coming up again soon.

Sunday was my first time getting to see the building where the church meets! They use a community center in Darwen. We set up quite a bit beforehand which was fun. There are about 9 people in the church right now, and everyone was there this Sunday! I got to take part in all of the music with Mrs. C, and it was so neat to see the people drinking in the music. They sang their hearts out. Sometimes (especially at school) in the USA, it's easy to feel like your gifts can't really be a blessing to people or that they're not good enough. But here I was reminded that the Lord CAN and WILL use your gifts. And for most of the world, even a little bit of skill in music will be a blessing and a help to a church. There are so many needs here in the churches in Europe, and it's been good for me to gain some perspective on things. Pretty sure I will be campaigning for getting involved in European church ministry with all my friends when I get back. :)

Also something neat: I played a violin solo for the church, but I also wanted to sing a special vocal piece for them too. Mrs. C is just starting out on piano, and I certainly have very limited piano skills as well, so neither of us could play or record an accompaniment. However, I was able to ask one of my friends from school in the US, Josh Sparkman, to record the accompaniment and send it to me to sing along to. Within a few hours of me asking, he had sent over the mp3, and we were able to use it in church that Sunday. I just thought it was so neat how we could use technology in that way and have a random American friend also helping us worship that day.

Singing for church

After the service, we had tea and biscuits, and I enjoyed getting to know the church people a bit. Later that night, we had a little family service at the house. Right now they are watching a DVD series of Jim Berg's called "Essential Virtues." I was able to take a bike ride through the park afterwards too, which was wonderful. It felt so good to be active.

Enjoying the ride

A pretty sight along the trail

Monday was Mrs. C's chemo day, so her and Art left early in the morning to go to that. This was another stay at home day for me, so while they were gone, I was able to get some work done for school regarding my books, senior recital, etc. I was very thankful to get to use that time. Mrs. C was obviously very weak and ill after she returned, so we just enjoyed being together and letting her rest. The boys and I watched a film together that night too. 

One plan that Mrs. C and I had sort of devised was for me to take each of the boys out for a day trip this week. It would be a nice way to see some new places and would also help the house be a little quieter for Debbie as she recovered from chemo. Because of the cancer situation, they haven't been able to go on a special trip together this summer as a family, and the boys' birthday is also coming up, so it was also sort of a mini "vacation" for them. I felt so spoiled having my work be "taking the boys on day trips in England," but it honestly has been very good for them. I am very thankful for the opportunity to go with them. 

Anyway, my first trip was with Robert on Tuesday. We decided to go to Manchester for the day. I'm not used to being the only responsible adult ;) in the group, so it was good for me to have to be proactive about figuring out train routes, bus transport, time, money, etc. Yay for being an independent adult. ha Anyway, I made him go to the Manchester Museum, which was largely a natural history museum. SO interesting. I could've spent a week there. It was nestled right in the heart of the University of Manchester. I  think Robert enjoyed it a bit too. ;)

Lovely street in the city

Next we headed to the more "interesting" stop :) ... Old Trafford stadium--home of Manchester United. We took an awesome tour of the stadium as well as the museum there. Robert especially enjoyed being in the dressing room and lounge area of the team. We got to sit in a special spot where the team plans all their plays, etc. Even though I'm not a huge football (soccer if you must) fan or anything, it was still super interesting! 

Representing the BJU soccer team :)

In the dressing room :)

Later we went to Trafford Centre (a massive, massive mall a few miles from the stadium). We got dinner there (my first time having fish and chips), and Rob got Dave a birthday present. After that, we finally headed home. We took a few double decker buses throughout the day, and the front of the top level really is a great way to see a city. Here are a few shots I got: :) 

Wednesday I hung around the house. Mrs. C and I spent quite a lot of time together in her room just talking. She was feeling a bit better in the afternoon, so we watched the movie "Miss Potter" together. I helped with dinner, and then went off on a quick bike ride through the park again. When I got back, Mrs. C and I spent some more time together in her room, and I got to teach her about the music player Spotify, which she was really excited about! :)

Thursday I took Dave on a day trip to the Lake District. I must say, as far as the "European experience" that everyone pictures people having when you come here... this was a day where that really was the reality! It was honestly one of the most gorgeous places I have ever visited. Just indescribable beauty. We didn't know the area we were going very well at all, so we spent quite a bit of time just getting around, but everything was so pretty, that it really wasn't a bother. We had a nice little lunch in the village of Windermere at Cafe Renoirs, and then we took a ferry across the lake over to Beatrix Potter's home, Hill Top House. It was so enchanting! The weather was also perfect--sunny and warm, which doesn't happen all the time here! We were thankful to the Lord for that. We did a bit of hiking around the hills and farms and eventually made our way back to the pier. 

Dave adored his lunch--baked potato, prawns, and a strawberry milkshake ;)

Hill Top House

right outside the house. So gorgeous!!

Waiting for our ferry at the pier

After a long (but beautiful) trip home on the bus and train, we made it back to Darwen, and then walked through the town to the home where the church prayer meeting was that night. The whole church was there :) except for Debbie, who was still not able to come because of the chemo.

Today was another day at home, except some of the Cunningham's neighbors came over to check on Debbie to see how she is doing. They then offered to take me and the boys up to the Darwen Tower (built for Queen Victoria's Jubilee year celebration). We hiked about 2 hours on the moors, and the sights were just gorgeous. We got caught in a thunderstorm near the tower, but thankfully we were able to take shelter until it passed. I really enjoyed getting to talk with the family. They seem to really appreciate the Cunninghams. 

A view from our hike today

Well, tonight is family night again, so I must go help with dinner... :) I appreciate your prayers and love so much! Please pray that the Lord would continue to work mightily in hearts here in England. There are so many needs here for Him and His Word and Gospel. I will also fly back to France this Monday, so I appreciate your prayers for safety in travel!