~ Originally posted June 1, 2010 at 10:47 PM
We could go on for hours (and hours and hours Alan would tell you...) talking about our amazing trip to Scotland, however I'll limit it on this blog to our opportunities to sing.
Several months before we left, we sent out about 100 e-mails to different churches throughout Scotland - we had six replies - all of them NO'S - schedule planned, no time, etc... Undeterred, we continued to make plans to do our music there. Two days before we left, we got a message from Alan's uncle that the Care Home where his aunt was a resident would like us to come - so we had a booking!! That night Colin broke his wrist - there goes the fiddle - perhaps the dancing, and everything changes!! We had looked into bringing guitars - but it was the same as an airline ticket and no guarantees about what shape it would be in when we got there. So we planned to purchase a couple of guitars while in Scotland. (That's a whole other story - God was very good to us!)
Once we got the guitars things started to happen - we sang for family a few times, at the Care Home on our last Friday, but the coolest part was the Sunday Evening Service at the Larkhall Baptist Church.
Transportation was an issue because vehicles don't normally hold 6 passengers, so we were using trains, buses, taxis, etc. Once I figured out how we were doing that, I looked for a church to attend the Sunday we were there. And then I thought, "why not see if they would let us sing?"
I am not usually this bold, but I got up my nerve and called the church on Saturday afternoon - spoke with an elder, Marion Stewart, who told me she'd have to check with the pastor and get back to us. Pastor Wadsworth contacted us Sunday morning just before we were heading off to church - they had a guest speaker that morning, but might be able to fit us in for their evening service.
So we went to church and met with them - wonderful service - and there's something about hearing the Bible read with a Scottish accent. We headed back that evening - started the service off with prayer with the pastor and elder. We shared our testimony about how God brought us to Scotland and how they were an answer to prayer - giving us the opportunity to share our love of God and music. At the end of the service they prayed for us and then met with us at the end of the service for a time of fellowship. We were so blessed by their church - welcomed and encouraged, prayed for and taken care of. The pastor drove us home. The "God-incidence" (because there's no such thing as a co-incidence) was at the door - the elder that I originally spoke with, shared that we were meant to come to their church. They are not usually around on a Saturday afternoon, but happened to be meeting at the church before an event and that's when I called - usually my call would have gone to an answering machine to be answered later in the week.
We serve a great and awesome God - when we just walk the way God leads us - He will take care of the rest.
Canniesburn Care Home in Scotland after we sang for Alan's Aunt & other residents.