Saturday, May 16, 2009

London Day One

There will be no pictures today because I am blogging from an internet cafe around the corner from our hotel. The cafeis full of young people, excited by life and ready to explore. Mark and I arrived late morning yesterday, and got to our hotel around two in the afternoon. After exploring the neighborhood (we're adjacent to Hyde Park and Queensway) we had a nice lunch and dinner and went to bed early and slept long. Today we have explored Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, St. Martins in the Field and Charing Cross Market. Lots of walking and lots of crowds but every minute was a splendid mix of being lost and found in this incredible city. The research will begin in earnest on Monday, so we're taking the weekend to get out bearings and to figure out the bus and Underground. We hope to take some long train rides too.

Life is an invitation to explore. God makdes us all different so that we can grow beyond out rigid understandings and learn, no matter how old we get. I feel genuinely grateful to have this time to be overwhelmed by the new and foreign. I feel blessed to have this time to hear the stories of so many people who are willing to help me understand their ordeals so we can make life better for many. I am most grateful that Mark can take this journey with me, as we challenge ourselves to conquer new terrain, new foods, and facinating new ways of functioning. Tomorrow we move to the Anglican Communion headquarters and will have more complete access. In the meantime, I ask God to bless us every step of the way, so that we might be instruments of life and love. And I pray for all my fellow travelers, where ever you are. May God grant you the awe and wonder of a child as you venture forth today.

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